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Do you need to know how to do a background investigation in Florida? Well, you're in luck since you've just found the internet's most in-depth background check Florida tutorial.
We will not only explain how to do a background check Florida but also point you in the direction of the most reliable services out there. Please be aware that it’s not as simple as it may appear to get public documents in the state of Florida.
Although they’re open to the public, getting specific information on a person's history requires a lot of digging. If you need reliable results quickly, your best bet is to use one of the FL background check firms we offer.
7 Best Background Check Florida Services
- BeenVerified – Best Overall for Background Check Florida
- PeopleLooker – Best for Fast & Accurate Results
- TruthFinder – Best Background Check Florida for Value
- Intelius – Best for Accuracy
- Instant Checkmate – Best for Speed
- Spokeo – Best for FA Reverse Email Lookup
- US Search – Best for API Integration
What is a Background Check Florida?
Background Check Florida is an exhaustive search of local, state, and federal databases for information on an individual. A person's name, email address, or phone number may all be used to access their public data and learn more about them.
A person's name, address, phone number, email address, date of birth, social security number, criminal background check Florida, court history, sex offender information, social media accounts, and assets may all be found via a public background check Florida.
But, if you choose to actively search public records, you may never find all of this information. Using Florida background investigation services increases the likelihood that you will obtain reliable information about an individual's past.
With the identification details you provide, Florida background investigation services will search through their massive database of state and federal records for any pertinent information. The information is then compiled into an understandable and shareable background check report.
A standard FL background check report may include:
- Weapons permits
- Age and date of birth
- Liens
- Employment history
- Civil court records
- Educational background
- Social media profiles
- Criminal and arrest records
- A full name
- Aliases
- Financial assets
- Photographs
- Professional licenses
- Bankruptcies
How to Run a Florida Background Check?
There are two approaches to doing a Florida background check in the Sunshine State of Florida. Getting the information you need the old-fashioned way requires making contact with the appropriate government agencies, completing a request for public records, and then manually digging through the requested materials.
Using a people search company like BeenVerified, PeopleLooker, or TruthFinder to do a background investigation in Florida is the simplest option. Just input the desired individual's name, city, and phone number to initiate a background check in Florida. Finding someone by their email address is now possible using reverse email lookup services.
The FA background investigation service just requires the minimum of information about a person to do a search. That might take just a few minutes, yet if it takes more time than that, you can rest assured that a lot of genuine information is on the way.
How Can I Access Public Records in Florida?
The Freedom of Information Act, enacted in the '60s, has made it easier for anybody to get data, while it’s still not entirely straightforward.
Some national authorities only save paper records, while others use electronic archives; some government employees take too long to fulfill data requests.
Florida, like other states, has several agencies that store different types of public documents. There may be public documents in Florida that include the information you need.
In Florida, numerous agencies maintain the following categories of public documents:
- Vital Records
- Crime histories
- Prisoner data
- Court documents
A public documents request must be filed in order to get access to public information in the state of Florida. The Florida Public Documents Coordinator may be reached through email, regular mail, fax, or phone.
The following information must be included in the request for public records:
- Name
- A date by which you'd want to have the materials
- Method of document delivery: mail or email
- Information pertaining to the document
- The document's title
- Contact details
Florida Background Check Laws
Unlike, in some other jurisdictions, Florida background checks are not limited by law for the purposes of employment. Although Florida as a whole does not have any fair recruitment or ban-the-box legislation, certain counties and municipalities have enacted their own.
In Florida, employers that conduct background checks are protected from legal action based on accusations of negligent hiring or retention.
If a Florida employer conducts a background check that includes a study of a candidate's criminal history, the company will be deemed to have not been negligent in its recruiting practices. If they find nothing that would reject the candidate, they will employ or promote them.
FL Criminal Record Restrictions
Some state and local regulations in Florida place limits on the use of criminal history records in the hiring process. Many significant limitations and how they affect businesses in Florida are outlined below.
FL Arrest Records
It’s permissible for prospective employers in the state of Florida to inquire about and examine an applicant's criminal background. Most reports on criminal histories, including a Florida background check, do not contain arrest information.
FL Sealed or Expunged Records
Applicants are not required to disclose convictions or arrests that have been expunged or sealed. A Florida background check in the state of Florida will reveal no evidence of these offenses.
FL Criminal Records
Both public and private sector employers in Florida may legally conduct background checks on prospective employees (among other methods).
Public employers may exclude applicants with a felony or first-degree misdemeanor convictions, but only if the crime committed is directly relevant to the job in question.
Employers in the private sector may consider a candidate's criminal history, even for lesser offenses like misdemeanors, when making hiring choices. A candidate's criminal record should be evaluated in light of the job requirements at all times.
A company that expressly states that it will not recruit anybody with a criminal history might face discrimination charges under Section VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The repercussions of such a severe accusation might be far-reaching.
Ban the Box – Background Check Florida
Unlike several other states, Background Check Florida does not have a statewide "ban the box" statute. It’s illegal for potential employers to enquire about an applicant's criminal history in a number of jurisdictions around the state.
A number of Florida background check municipalities have passed ordinances making it illegal to check the box on employment applications; they include Orlando, Tampa, Daytona Beach, Fort Myers, Jacksonville, Miami-Dade County, clear water, Pompano Beach, Sarasota, St. Petersburg, Petersburg, and Tallahassee.
In the six Florida counties of Daytona Beach, Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa, Sarasota, and Miami-Dade, prospective employers are prohibited from conducting background checks on job applicants until they have extended conditional offers of employment. No county in Florida has passed a legislation prohibiting the use of the box by private businesses as of yet.
How Far Back Does a Background Check Go in Florida?
In Florida, there is no statute of limitations on the scope of a Florida background check. Criminal history checks are only one kind of screening that may last indefinitely.
Businesses in Florida that conduct background checks should be aware that ban-the-box laws in their communities may limit the use of felonies and other criminal convictions in the hiring process.
Consumer reporting agencies (CRAs) in the state of Florida are forbidden from revealing the following information obtained via a Florida background check in accordance with the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA):
- Court-related disputes and judgments or arrests older than seven years previous to the report date will not be included
- Any unfavorable information that is older than seven years as of the date of the report (except criminal convictions)
- Cases filed under Title 11 that have been discharged for more than 10 years as of the date of the report
- Any archives that include data older than seven years as of the date of the report
- Expired tax liens within 7 years of the report date have been paid in full
Businesses in Florida doing nationwide background checks should be aware that the statute of limitations for doing so varies by state and territory in the United States.
Some places have a 7-year limit on CRA recording of criminal histories, while others will allow it for as long as it takes.
What Can You Find With a Background Check Florida?
If you do a background check in Florida, you'll be amazed at how much information you can find out about a person. The following may all be found in a single report from a reliable person search service like BeenVerified, PeopleLooker, TruthFinder, or Intelius.
Personal Information
Personal details are included first in each Florida background check report, so you can quickly determine whether you have the proper individual. Information that may be included includes the person's full name, date of birth, age, any aliases they may use, and images.
Jobs and Education
You could also learn details on their education and professional background, such as their high school and college attended and previous places of employment. Keep in mind that unless your Florida background check service is FCRA (Fair Credit Reporting Act) compliant, you cannot utilize this data for the purpose of screening potential employees or tenants.
Possible Relatives and Associates
In this part, we list people who could be related to, know, or worked with the person you're researching. In the event that you’re searching for a close relative, you may possibly come across your own background investigation record.
FL Contact Information
You may find contact information, such as phone numbers and e-mail addresses, in the Florida background check report. If you're doing a corporate background check in Florida, you'll find this specific area to be very helpful.
FL Criminal Records
Florida's public criminal and arrest records should be included in all background checks conducted in the state. If the defendants were tried in court, details such as the crime type, date, and place, as well as the case number and the name of the court, will be available.
FL Property Information
If you're seeking to assess the individual's financial stability, this part might be quite helpful. Information such as current addresses, property tax records, sale prices, land values, mortgage amounts, car titles, VINs, and more may be accessible.
Related Links
Pages from the internet that might contain links to the person you're looking for are collected here. If there are any, you can find them through their social media profiles, articles in the news, personal websites, and blogs.
How Long Does a Background Check Take In Florida?
This is also conditional on the specifics of your planned Florida criminal record search. Background check reports from reputable people search firms like BeenVerified, PeopleLooker, and TruthFinder may be obtained within ten minutes. This means that you can easily do as many tests as you'd like and obtain thorough findings each and every time.
But, if you choose to go the manual way, it might take you anywhere from one to three business days to get the results of your background check in the state of Florida. For the most part, competent screening checks for workers and renters are the norm.
7 Best Services for Background Check Florida
Background Check Florida makes it simple to investigate an individual's past in Florida; now that you know this, let's take a closer look at the five best options. So that you can see how these services differ from one another, we'll provide a brief rundown of them all.
Find out which person's search site in Florida is appropriate for certain purposes while doing background checks.
BeenVerified – Best Overall for Background Check Florida
Florida criminal records, public records, court records, and more are just some of the records that can be searched through BeenVerified, a leading provider of background checks in Florida. A more complete picture of someone's history may be gleaned from this method. The firm employs trustworthy sources and has access to a vast trove of public documents in Florida, guaranteeing the integrity of its findings.
The intuitive layout of BeenVerified's platform facilitates quick and simple searches. The platform is user-friendly and easy to understand, with a straightforward search bar and straightforward directions for trying to navigate the reports. There are a variety of price plans available, including monthly memberships and pay-per-search choices, making the service accessible even to those operating on a tighter budget.
As an added bonus, BeenVerified provides access to customer assistance in the event any concerns or queries occur throughout the course of a free background check in Florida. The company has experts on staff who can explain the interface and help you make sense of the data you find in the reports.
PeopleLooker – Best Background Check Florida for Fast & Accurate Results
Individuals' criminal histories, addresses, phone numbers, and more may all be found using PeopleLooker, a Florida public documents search service. Using PeopleLooker to do a background check in Florida might be helpful.
PeopleLooker claims that it has access to several types of public information in the state of free background check Florida, such as arrest records, court documents, and more. Because of this, their free background check Florida could be able to provide more details than those of competing firms.
It features an intuitive interface that even those unfamiliar with background checks should find simple to use. If you or your company has to do a background check but don't have much expertise doing it, this might be useful.
The cost of using a free background check Florida service varies with the number of checks you need to run. Their prices are typically deemed fair, which is great news for consumers and companies alike that may be strapped for cash.
TruthFinder – Best Florida Background Check Service for Value
Whenever it comes to Florida criminal history checks, TruthFinder is at the very top. With its intuitive interface, you can quickly and easily look for people by name, phone number, or email address. Since it accesses one of the states of Florida's most comprehensive public record databases, it’s able to provide a substantial quantity of verified information on a specific person.
TruthFinder’s background check services combined with its dark web monitoring tool give you access to information that you wouldn’t find anywhere on the internet. TruthFinder’s pricing sits at $28.05 per month and can be a total of $46 if you go with a 2-month subscription. Read our in-depth Truthfinder review to find out why it stands out as the top pick for free background check Florida.
Intelius – Best Florida Background Check Service for Accuracy
When it comes to doing background checks in Florida, Intelius is just as reliable as TruthFinder. This service is the gold standard for people's searches throughout the country because of how precise the results are. It's very identical to TruthFinder in operation, and its database of over 20 billion public documents means you have access to a trove of information on virtually anybody in Florida.
Intelius is slightly cheaper than TruthFinder with its monthly plan at $24.86. It’ll cost you a total of $42.25 if you go with the 2-month plan. All in all, the service is a lot like TruthFinder but misses the dark web monitoring tool, hence the slightly lower price. Do check out our Intelius review if you’re interested in the service for background check Florida.
Instant Checkmate – Best FL Background Check Service for Speed
Instant Checkmate could be your best option if you need fast results from a Florida background check. Because of its mobile app and lightning-fast findings, this background investigation service is ideal for those who place a premium on convenience. A unique quality that sets us apart from similar services is the free background check Florida.
Instant Checkmate has a massive database of government records that it uses to come up with accurate background details. This service is on the pricier end of the spectrum with its monthly plan at $34.78. It lacks the 2-month plan and offers a 3-month package instead at $83.47. Apart from speed, Instant Checkmate prides itself on keeping your private information secure. Read our Instant Checkmate review for more details.
Spokeo – Best Florida Background Check Service for Reverse Email Lookup
You may dig into someone's history with only their email address by using a reverse email lookup service. It just so happens that Spokeo is the top email lookup Florida background check service, making it an ideal choice for you in Florida as you want to expand your company and get new prospects.
Spokeo is a great choice for a free Florida background check since it provides a wide variety of search options, including email lookup, name lookup, phone number lookup, and physical address information. It also has the lowest subscription prices ($19.99 per month) in the industry. A three-month subscription to their service will only set you back $44.85, making them among the most cost-effective options for background check Florida.
Read our analysis of Spokeo to learn more.
US Search – Best Florida Background Check Service for API Integration
The fast start wizard in US Search makes doing Florida background checks a breeze. It's rare to find a business that guarantees money back if the product doesn't meet your expectations, but that's exactly what you get here. Although their website's layout isn't as sophisticated as some other options, it may be enough for those in need of just the most fundamental of Florida background checks.
In free background check Florida, a single background investigation through US Search costs just $3. If you need to do a lot of searching or are in it for the long haul, the $19.86 monthly plan is a good value.
If you want to learn more about US Search, check out the review.
What Does the Florida Public Records Law Say?
Florida's open government rules, including the FL Public Documents Law, are codified in the state's founding document. All records generated or received by a government agency in the course of its official duties must be made available for public inspection unless specifically exempted by the Florida legislature.
Florida's Sunshine Law is codified in Chapter 286 of the state's statutes.
Documents, maps, books, cassettes, photographs, movies, records, and audio recordings stored on computers fall under this regulation in free background check Florida.
Florida Criminal Records – Background Check FL
One's criminal past may be discovered in Florida's public database. There is information on all arrests, indictments, and convictions, both major and small.
What’s on a Florida Criminal Record?
The criminal history often called a Florida criminal record, is a comprehensive account of an individual's interactions with law enforcement in the state of free background check Florida.
Records of arrest often contain the following details in addition to the alleged crime:
- Confessions
- Status as a Sexual Offender
- Accusation of a crime, whether a felony or a minor infraction
- Verdicts
- Charges
- Time of trial
- Pseudonyms
- The date of the arrest
- Reports of Arrests
Where Can I Find Florida Criminal Records?
In Florida, criminal records are maintained by the State of Law Enforcement.
Use this link to access the Florida Department of Law Enforcement's online criminal history check system. The fee to access the criminal history record database is $25.
Florida Inmate Records – Background Check Florida
Information that would normally be part of a criminal-free Background Check Florida report is also included in public prisoner records, in addition to the facts of an offender's imprisonment.
What’s on a Florida Inmate Record?
Florida prisoner records typically include the following information but may also contain:
- Name, date of birth, and gender of a person are examples of personal information
- a photograph of a suspect
- Status of custody
- Prisoner identification number
- Prisoner location
- Jail transfer details
Where Can I Find Florida Inmate Records?
The Florida Department of Prisons maintains information about Florida's prison system.
The webpage of the Prison Offender Network is a good place to begin looking.
The state of free background check Florida is responsible for keeping all records associated with the justice system in the state. The state provides an online database of prisons where you may research inmates, and in certain counties, you can also access and review arrest records.
Florida Court Records – Background Check Florida
In Florida, citizens have access to court records and hearings. Cases heard in the municipal, federal, county, state, and Florida Supreme Court.
While court documents are technically open to the public according to the Transparency Act, some may be inaccessible due to being sealed or purged. This is commonplace when the content endangers vulnerable groups like children or victims of crime.
No one institution or court has custody of all of these records.
Any interested party may instead request the necessary paperwork by contacting the presiding judge.
What’s on a GA Court Record?
While every case is unique, a Florida court record will typically include the following data:
- Dossiers of past incidents
- Documentation of judgment \documents from witnesses
- The Official Transcript of the Proceedings
- Verdict-related paperwork
- Dockets
- Legal mandates
Where to Find Florida Court Records
In free background check Florida, anybody interested in seeing court documents must do so in person at the courthouse where the case was heard and make a formal request to the clerk's office or clerk of the court county clerk's office.
Certain county documents are available online. In certain cases, public records may be accessible online.
The website of the Comptroller of Miami-Dade County, for instance, facilitates searches for public records by name and other criteria. It's a great plan to try to locate a location similar to this in the chosen county.
Florida Vital Records – Background Check Florida
The Florida Department of Health maintains accurate and up-to-date vital data for the state. Among the Florida vital records that may be accessed by the general public are:
- Vital Records and Birth Certificates
- Death Certificates
- Difficulties with Divorce Decrees
- Marriage Licenses
Background Check Florida - Frequently Asked Questions
Some questions and answers concerning Florida background checks. If you still have questions after reading the above, maybe they can provide some light on the subject.
Can I Get a Free Background Check in Florida?
While looking for a free background check Florida report, you'll have to sift through a lot of irrelevant results because of the scarcity of reputable service providers. A word of caution: if you're in Florida and looking for a free background investigation service, do your research thoroughly.
Free background check Florida criminal records checks aren't worth the time or effort. Data like that provided by premium background check companies like BeenVerified, PeopleLooker, and TruthFinder is notoriously difficult to get without paying a fee. If you need additional information, look into the top free background check Florida.
How Much Is a Background Check in Florida?
BeenVerified, PeopleLooker, TruthFinder, and Intelius each cost between $24 and $28 per month in Florida to do a background check. With this one-month subscription, you may check anyone's history as often as you want. Individual background check results from US Search may be purchased for $3 each.
What Background Check Service Is Best for Florida?
BeenVerified is the top Florida background check service because of its extensive public records database, phone and email search capabilities, and dark web surveillance. As a result of its intuitive design and relatively low price, PeopleLooker has earned a spot as Florida's number two background check provider.
Can a Background Check Florida Request Be Submitted by Non-residents in Florida?
Each person, irrespective of where they happen to live, is within their rights under Florida's Statute of Public Record to inspect any public record. In the United States, all citizens have the right to view government records.
Is There a Records Custodian in Florida?
In Florida, anybody in possession of a public document is required to make it available to others.
While the phrase "records custodian" may not always be used, access must still be granted whenever necessary.
What Exemptions Exist for Background Check Florida?
All papers are presumed to be public under the Florida Constitution; there are no exceptions.
How Long Does the State Have to Respond to a Background Check Florida Request?
There is often a deadline by which the state must respond to a public records request in some jurisdictions.
But, Florida isn’t one of these locations.
Promptness is required in responding to all inquiries according to the Florida Constitution. If documentation is requested and believed to exist, every effort should be made to locate it, and if so, it ought to be forwarded to the requesting party without delay.
What Kind of Enforcement Is in Place for Background Check Florida Requests?
When it comes to denials of appeals or information, Florida has weak enforcement.
For instance, if you’re denied access to public records, you have no recourse. Several states, unlike Florida, have a system for filing appeals.
Florida's Office of the Attorney General offers a mediation service for any legal disputes that may occur.
What Fees Are Associated With Requesting Background Check Florida?
The copying costs in Florida are $0.15 per page for single-sided copies, $0.20 per page for double-sided copies, and $1 for each certified copy.
If a request is presented that requires extensive resources, the state of Florida may provide clearance for those costs.
Bottom Line on Background Check Florida
The aforementioned services may be used for any purpose, whether it be doing research for a company, locating a long-lost relative or acquaintance, or discovering the truth about just a prospective romantic interest.
While doing a background check in the state of Florida, you'll need to contact many different government agencies and file a public records request with each one. Your job is not done until you have paid the requested fee for each request. The papers you get still need scanning in order to locate the information you need.
The top-rated free background check Florida services make it simple to do all of the above. If you have the person's name, email address, phone number or physical location, you may use those to do a person's search which will quickly provide a thorough Florida background check report.
DISCLAIMER: You may not use the non-FCRA approved services mentioned in this article or the information they provide to make decisions about consumer credit, employment, insurance, tenant screening, or any other purpose that would require FCRA compliance. These services don’t provide consumer reports and are not consumer reporting agencies. (These terms have special meanings under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, 15 USC 1681 et seq., (“FCRA"), which are incorporated herein by reference.)
The information available on our website may not be 100% accurate, complete, or up to date, so do not use it as a substitute for your own due diligence, especially if you have concerns about a person’s criminal history. The services we mention do not make any representation or warranty about the accuracy of the information available through our website or about the character or integrity of the person about whom you inquire. For more information, please review each service’s Terms of Use.