How to Find Florida Court Records (2026)

In person. Every county's Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller has a public records or court records counter. Bring the case number if you have it, or the party names and an approximate filing year; most courthouses have public terminals for searching the index at no charge. Copies are paid at the counter by cash, check, or card depending on the office.

By mail. Write to the clerk in the county where the case was filed with:

• the case number, or the full names of the parties and the year filed;
• exactly which documents you need;
• whether you need plain or certified copies; and
• a check or money order for the fee (call first to confirm the amount) and a self-addressed stamped envelope if you want the copies returned by mail.

Online. Most Florida clerks offer a free name and case-number search of their own docket, and many let the public view and print plain (uncertified) document images at no charge once you accept the site's disclaimer; some require a free account for expanded access, and confidential case types never appear in public results. Electronic certified copies can usually be purchased online for a per-document fee. Nothing about a county's local portal is run by the state — verify the specific county clerk's site rather than assuming a statewide login applies.

Records older than the online index. Coverage start dates vary widely by county and case type; older paper or microfilm files may require an in-person or written request and a search fee to locate.

Florida court records are presumed open under Florida Rule of Judicial Administration 2.420, which lists roughly 19 specific categories of information the clerk must keep confidential even within an otherwise public case file (for example Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, and certain victim and minor-witness identifying information). Confidentiality of court records in Florida is governed by this court rule, not by the state's public-records law (Chapter 119), which does not apply to the judicial branch.

• Expunction. Under Florida Statutes § 943.0585, a court can order a criminal history record physically destroyed by every agency that holds it, so that in most circumstances the person may lawfully deny the arrest occurred. Eligibility requires a Certificate of Eligibility from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement first.
• Sealing. Under Florida Statutes § 943.059, a court can seal a criminal history record so it is removed from public view but remains accessible to law enforcement, courts, and certain licensing and employment screening under statutory exceptions. As with expunction, FDLE must first issue a Certificate of Eligibility.
• One-time limit. With narrow exceptions, Florida law allows only one sealing or expunction in a person's lifetime.
• Juvenile records. Delinquency case records are generally confidential, with limited statutory exceptions for serious or repeat offenses.
• Family and dependency cases. Many family-law and all dependency case documents involving minors are confidential or have restricted public access under Rule 2.420 and related family-law rules.

Requests to seal or expunge are made to FDLE first for eligibility, then filed with the circuit court in the county where the arrest or charge was resolved — not through a public-records request to the clerk.