Broward County is a highly populous area in the Southeast of Florida.
It’s part of the Miami metropolitan area and it’s a very ethnically diverse county (one of the most diverse in the entire country!).
In this article, we are going to tell you everything about Broward County Public Record.
The area is known for its amazing beaches and other natural places of interest. There are also important museums and companies active in Broward County.
In Broward County, there is a separation between the legislative and administrative functions of government.
The mayor, and vice mayor, are elected every year and the County Commission meets in a formal session once a week (the first four Tuesdays of each month) and anyone can witness the meeting via TV or the web.
The Florida Sunshine Law, access to Public Records in Broward County must be provided by government agencies.
The above public records include criminal records, arrest records, vital records, and court records.
Records are usually available at the same government department that is responsible for the generation and preservation of the records.
Where can I get Broward County Public Records?
You can get access to Broward County Public Records online or at the government department offices.
For some of them, you’ll need to pay a fee before the record is released. However, electronic copies of documents are usually provided at no cost.
Instead, paper copies usually require the payment of a fee. These costs are due to cover the printing expenses: the more pages you need the more you need to pay.
The average price charged is 15 cents per printed page. You can pay the fees by cash, check, and money order.
Searching through Broward County Public Records can be challenging; for this reason, the State Records can provide the needed support so that you are facilitated in your search.
Broward County Criminal Records
The Public Records also include Criminal Records which are official documents that report the criminal history of citizens within the county.
In these documents, you can read information such as the person’s name, their personal information, arrests, convictions, and sentences.
Criminal Records are available at the FDLE, the Florida Department of Law of Enforcement who provides criminal records for all counties in the state.
Where can I get access to Criminal Records?
Within the FDLE, you can get access to Criminal Records through the CJIS, Criminal Justice Information Service.
In the past, you could request access to an official document via email, but since July 1 2020 the rules have changed.
Now, when it comes to requesting a particular public record, you have four options:
Instant Search
The instant search option provides you with online access to criminal records.
This is why it is called “instant”: the requested documents are provided immediately through the web platform.
You can either read the documents online, print them, or send them to your email. However, different fees are applied for this service, and in particular, you’ll need to pay:
● $24 per search;
● $1 when you send the documentation to your email.
Certified/Non-Certified search
In this case, you should apply your request for a criminal record to an FDLE staff member.
If you provide demographic information, the staff member can search for you through the FDLE’s SHIELD system.
Just like it happens for the Instant Search service, the price for one search is $24.
The results for the search can be either certified or non-certified.
Uncertified records are provided within five business days, while certified ones can take a day or two longer to be processed.
ORI Search
This last option is only available for authorized entities (provided with the Originating Agency Identifier number) and government agencies.
This is how you can run a search through the OPI system:
- Select the type of record search and provide the needed information (name, social security number, fingerprints, or any other information you have that can help narrow down the field).
- The web portal will now carry you through a step-by-step process.
- Pay for the search (a receipt is also provided)
- Obtain the results for your search.
Interest Individuals search
Interested individuals can search for criminal records by querying the Broward’s Sheriff’s Office.
An online Public Records Portal is also available for online research.
If you search through the online portal, you’ll need to register and log in.
The research is guided: you’re curried through the process through questions aimed at narrowing down the field as much as possible until the requested results are provided.
Your research is saved in your account and you can access them by clicking My Request Center.
What are Broward County Court Records?
The Court Records are documents that include indexes, dockets, and case information. They are accessible to members of the public.
Broward County Clerk of Courts maintain these records. All court records are accessible to the public with the exception of documents related to family, juvenile, and probate court cases.
Requesting for the Records
Online request for the Records
You have two options:
● Searching the Public Case Search portal, through which the Clerk of Courts offers electronic viewing on the available court records;
● Querying the Clerk of Courts via email, filling the court records request form, and sending it to [email protected].
Requesting court record in person
If you’d like to request a court record in person, you’ll need to fill the same court records request form and then bring it in person to the Archives Division.
What are the other Records available in Broward County
Even though criminal and court records are the documents that public or attorneys working on cases need it, Broward County in Florida maintain a lot of other types of records:
- An updated list of sex offenders (available for all the counties of the state) provided by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement;
- Inmate Information: The Broward County Sheriff’s Offices provides a database of all inmates in the county’s jails.
- Vital Records: Official documents about events that took place in the county. These documents can serve as evidence. They include birth or death certificates, divorce, marriage, and others.
- Property records
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I look up a deed in Broward County?
Your search of the Official Record must be by the property owner.
If you do not know the property owner, you can call the Broward County Property Appraiser at 954-357-6830, or visit the Broward County Property Appraiser’s website and search by street address to find out who owns a property.
How do I record documents in Broward County?
You can eRecord your documents online through Simplifile right now in Broward County.
You don’t have to leave the office, use the mail, or stand in line – saving you time and money.
If you have a PC, high-speed internet access, and a scanner, you have what you need to start eRecording in Broward County.
Amit Gupta is the founder of PublicRecordsSearch.org. Amit has spent half a decade learning about and working in the background screening industry. After completing his high school certification, Amit decided to focus on helping others make informed decisions by creating PublicRecordsSearch.org.