Free Miami-Dade County Records Search: Marital, Warrants, Arrests, Criminal, & Court

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Free Miami-Dade County Public Records Search

Access Miami-Dade County Records: marriage, divorce, warrants, arrests, probation, criminal, court, background checks, and all public records.

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Search free Miami-Dade County public records through county and municipal agencies in a matter of minutes.

Miami-Dade County is the most populous county in Florida, which means there is a vast amount of records pertaining to arrests, mugshots, criminal proceedings, probation, warrants, court documents, background check reports, and property information available to the public; you just have to know where to look.

No matter what’s being searched for, this guide empowers citizens with the necessary know-how and record custodians to find public information on anyone.

How To Run an Arrest Record or Inmate Search in Miami-Dade County, Florida

Arrest records in Miami-Dade County are accessible to the public in accordance with the Florida Sunshine Law, which ensures transparency regarding Florida public records.

While most counties’ arrest records are hosted by the county sheriff’s office, the Miami-Dade County sheriff’s office does not operate under this governmental structure. In fact, Miami-Dade County is the only county in Florida that doesn’t elect a sheriff.

However, arrest records in Miami-Dade County can still be accessed through the county’s Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation; and if the arrest was made by a local police department, the Miami-Dade Police Department and other municipal police departments are the next best place to look.

Search the Miami-Dade County Corrections & Rehabilitation Department for Recent Arrests

Arrest reports and Miami-Dade County bookings are available online via the Miami-Dade Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation inmate search hosted by the MDCR–the most efficient option–or by submitting an MDCR public records request.¹

To conduct a free arrest history search online, interested parties must know at least the first 3 letters of the inmate’s first and last name.

Once a search has been performed, individuals will be shown a jail roster of incarcerated individuals relating to the search criteria. On these arrest logs, any inmate profile can be reviewed for more information regarding their arrest details or case, including:

• Bond Information
• Booking Date
• Case Information
• Charge
• Current Holding Facility
• Date of Birth
• Eye Color
• First & Last Name
• Hair Color
• Height
• Jail Number
• Weight

Find Arrests Through the Miami-Dade Police Department & Other Police Departments Within the County

Arrest and jail records are also hosted by the Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD), which is the county’s primary law enforcement agency and the largest police department in Florida.² The MDPD used to be called “Metro-Dade” or simply “Metro” and can still often be found under the same name. Despite not being a traditional sheriff, the leader of the MDPD is still called the “Metropolitan Sheriff & Director.”

The MDPD provides several publicly available options for viewing recent arrest reports. Interested parties are able to find out if someone is in jail in Miami-Dade County in person, by phone, or through their online records request system.

In-person arrest record requests in Miami-Dade County can be made by visiting the MDPD Central Records Bureau (CRB)–the central repository for Miami-Dade police reports and arrest records.

The MDPD requires requesters to set an MDPD Central Records appointment by scrolling and clicking “Police Central Records Appointment”, then selecting a reason for the appointment from the drop-down menu and setting your desired time and date. Walk-in visits will not be accepted without an appointment.

Miami-Dade Police Department Headquarters
Central Records Bureau
9105 NW 25 Street
Doral, FL 33172
Phone: (305)471-2093
Email: [email protected]

Appointments are available 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday-Friday.

Mail-in requests can be addressed to the CRB address listed above, but should include the appropriate payment and reference number.

MDPD Record Fees:

• Police Reports: $0.15 per single-sided page / $0.20 per double-sided page
• Certified Copies: $1 per page

Cash, check or money order accepted; make payable to “Miami-Dade Police Department”

While the MDPD provides services at the county level, arrest records can also be requested through the appropriate municipal (city) arresting agency/police department.

For example, the Hialeah Police Department Records Unit compiles records taken from police reports and distributes them to the courts, attorneys, victims of crime, and members of the public upon request. Inquiries should be made in person Monday-Friday between 7 a.m. – 4 p.m., but individuals may call the number listed below to check if a report is ready.

Hialeah Police Department
Records Unit
5555 E 8th Avenue
Hialeah, FL 33013
Phone: (305)687-2500

Other city police departments in Miami-Dade County can be found by typing “[city name] police department contact information” into any search engine and reviewing the search results for the relevant address, phone number, or online request form. If information is needed on arrests that were made in other neighboring counties, individuals can refer to our resource on the best ways to track down all public records throughout Florida.

How To Tell If Someone Is Married or Divorced in Miami-Dade County

Miami-Dade County public records allow individuals to check if someone is married or divorced and to obtain marriage, divorce, and annulment certificates through the Bureau of Vital Statistics of the Florida Department of Health — all of which can be ordered from the bureau either in person or by mail.³

To order Miami-Dade County marriage records, interested parties can follow these steps:

1. Download and fill out an Application for Marriage Certificate (Form DH261)
2. Prepare the appropriate search fee(s)
   • $5 Nonrefundable Search Fee Per Order
   • $5 Search Fee Per Calendar Year & One Certified Copy
   • $4 Fee Per Additional Certified Copy
   • $2 Search Fee Per Calendar Year When Year is Unknown (Capped at $50)
   • $10 Expedited Fee (For Same-Day Walk-in Requests)
3. Submit your application and payment via either method outlined below

• • Walk-in: Monday-Friday 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., payments accepted by cash, check, money order, Visa, or Mastercard
    • Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics
      1217 N. Pearl Street
      Jacksonville, FL 32202
  • Mail-in: Payments may be made by check or money order written to “Vital Statistics”
    • Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics
      P.O. Box 210
      Jacksonville, FL 32231-0042

Processing time is usually 3-5 business days excluding shipping time, but will likely take longer for records dating back to before 1970. The Bureau of Vital Statistics may also be reached by phone at (904)359-6900 ext. 9000.

Miami-Dade County divorce records can be obtained through the same process, with the exception of a different form. For divorces, requesters should follow the steps above but should instead submit to the Bureau of Vital Statistics an Application for Dissolution of Marriage Certificate (Form DH260) and the appropriate fees as outlined above. The walk-in and mail-in addresses can be found above as well.

Marriages or divorces that were finalized within the past 60 days will not yet be obtainable through the Bureau of Vital Statistics. For these records or certificates–and those finalized prior to June 6, 1927–individuals should contact the Clerk of Circuit Court where the marriage or divorce was issued. For those that occurred in Miami-Dade County, this would be the Miami-Dade County Clerk of Court.⁴

For individuals who prefer the convenience of ordering marriage or divorce records online, both can be purchased through VitalChek, which is a legitimate site and endorsed by the Florida Department of Health. VitalChek requires a credit card payment and certificates will be delivered to your home or desired address by mail.

Divorce or marriage certificates may also be obtained through third-party platforms that are not restricted to a particular county or state; these will provide records on a national scale.

Lastly, marriage records dating back to before the Bureau of Vital Statistics began recording could also potentially be found through churches; church records may even provide insight or answers to those tracking their genealogy.

How To Obtain Miami-Dade County Criminal Records

Miami-Dade County public records include criminal records, which show arrests, outstanding warrants, information from police records and court cases, and other relevant criminal history information. Searchers who look up someone’s criminal record can even see charges that are still pending.

Although Miami-Dade County arrest records will be included in criminal records, criminal records are much more thorough and comprehensive as these reports show past and pending charges, arrests, detainments, holding facilities, sex crimes and more, while arrest reports are limited to one incident.

Utilize the Criminal Justice Online System Hosted by the Miami-Dade County Clerk of Courts

Miami-Dade court-hosted criminal records and case information may be accessed via the Criminal Justice Online System, which is hosted by the Miami-Dade County Clerk of Courts.^5,6

Users can perform a free criminal record check by either case search or calendar search. This will not be an official criminal record check, but certified copies of criminal cases can be ordered by phone, mail or email (as the online system does not offer certified copies).

Fees for criminal case records ordered via the clerk of courts are payable by mail with a cashier’s check or money order made out to the “Clerk of the Courts”, and are are as follows:

• $1 per page (non-certified)
• $2 per document (certified)
• $2 per year (charged per searched year if year or case number is known)

To request by phone:

Call (304)275-1155 and choose Option 4

To request by email:

• For misdemeanor cases–[email protected]
• For misdemeanor cases involving domestic violence–[email protected]
• For felony cases–[email protected]

Address to request misdemeanors criminal records by mail:

Miami-Dade County Criminal Division
Richard E. Gerstein Justice Building
1351 NW 12th Street
Suite 8100
Miami, FL 33125

Address for requesting felony criminal records by mail:

Miami-Dade County Criminal Division
Richard E. Gerstein Justice Building
1351 NW 12th Street, Suite 9000
Miami, FL 33125

*Scanned case files stored on a CD are $42 (only available for felony cases)

All requests for Miami-Dade County criminal records and case information should include the following:

• Appropriate Fee
• Case Number
• Date of Birth
• Defendant’s Name
• Requester’s Name & Address
• Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope
• Type of Charges
• Type of Document(s) Requested

Individuals can also refer to the 11th Judicial Circuit Court of Florida’s Circuit Criminal & County Criminal Court locations webpage to find Miami-Dade County criminal courthouse locations at the county and circuit levels.

For example, a Florida resident living in the city of Hialeah could find the address of the Hialeah Courthouse on this site. As a last resort, requesters can contact the Clerk of Courts directly for assistance with obtaining criminal case records from the court’s repository.⁴

Miami-Dade County Clerk of the Courts
73 W. Flagler Street
Miami, Florida 33130
Phone: (305)275-1155

Access Police Reports Through the Miami-Dade Police Department

Another option for obtaining certain criminal history information is by requesting Miami-Dade police reports and records for a small fee per copy through the MDPD, but these will not be comprehensive or certified criminal records.²

Rather, requesters will have access to specific incidents, arrests, or police reports but these can still be helpful in reviewing a portion of a subject’s criminal history.

Fred Taylor Miami-Dade Police Headquarters
9105 NW 25th Street
Doral, FL 33172
Monday-Friday: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Phone: (305)476-5423

For a much more in depth report on an individual’s criminal past, an MDPD background check may be requested (detailed below under the background check heading) but is only available via authorized agencies.

How To Access Florida Criminal Records Through State Agencies

Criminal records in Florida can be obtained through the state’s primary criminal record custodian, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE).⁷ The FDLE offers a couple of options for requesting or accessing criminal records, depending on whether the requester needs the record certified (notarized) or not.

One option for performing a State of Florida Criminal History Record Check is through the FDLE’s instant search which costs $24 per search, plus a $1 credit card fee. The instant search feature will give immediate results available for emailing or printing, but the records will not be certified.

Instead, users can try a certified/non-certified search to have the FDLE staff conduct the search for a fee of $24 and have the results notarized if desired.

To order a certified or non-certified search, individuals can follow these steps:

1. Navigate to the certified/non-certified search page, review the instructions, and click “Begin Search” at the bottom of the page⁸
2. Enter the mailing address where you’d like the record sent
3. Enter the subject’s demographic information to assist with narrowing down the search and ensuring accurate results; up to 10 subjects may be searched at once
4. Review and confirm that everything entered is correct and indicate whether you need the record certified or translated to Spanish or not
5. Enter payment information ($24 per search, payable by debit or credit card)
6. Keep a copy of the receipt or confirmation for your own records; the receipt may be emailed or printed
7. FDLE staff will conduct the search, notarize the record (if desired), and return results to the requester at the specified address via USPS within 5-7 business days (excluding shipping time)

In addition to the FDLE, a person’s criminal history can be found through the following record custodians:

• The Florida Department of Corrections (DOC) offers a Corrections Offender Network to find criminal history information on inmates currently incarcerated in state prisons as well as individuals who have been released and are currently under DOC supervision^9,10
• The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) has a BOP inmate locator which gives access to current and prior federal inmates’ criminal information at no cost¹¹
• The FDLE’s Sexual Offenders and Predators Search allows users to review the Florida sex offender registry to find someone’s mugshot or view a subject’s sex crime(s), address(es), vehicle(s), and alias(es)¹²
• The National Sex Offender Public Website (NSOPW) is the federal sex offender registry, searchable by name or address and a set radius¹³

How To Perform a Background Check in Miami-Dade County (FL)

Background checks can provide insight into an individual’s employment, credit, educational and criminal history and can be done for personal or professional purposes.

Personal background checks can be done by anyone without stating a reason or notifying the subject of the search, as long as the information garnered from the search is not used to stalk or harass the subject.

Taking a look at arrest, police, and other public records is what’s considered a “personal background check” and these searches can yield information on an individual. Furthermore, third-party services can also assist with researching someone by checking many record custodians (for a nominal fee).

Professional background checks are used for housing, licensing, and other official matters but these types of checks require the subject’s written consent. The subject can dispute the contents of the background check if inaccurate.

In Florida, there are only two types of background checks as outlined below:

Level 1 background checks

• Name-based
• Greater margin of error
• Often used for employment, purchasing firearms, professional certification
• Can be done through third-party services

Level 2 background checks

• Fingerprint-based
• Highly accurate
• Often used for adoption and employment regarding children, elderly, and healthcare
• Must be submitted to the FBI
• Must abide by all local, state, and federal background check laws

Florida background checks, when performed for professional reasons, must abide by certain laws.

These include the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) which protects consumer information and does not allow for old information to be accessed (usually limited to a 7 year lookback period) and the laws enforced by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) which protect applicants and employees from discrimination regarding the subject’s age, race, religion, sex, gender identity, disabilities, and other traits.

Individuals who believe they have been discriminated against in the workplace can file a charge of discrimination with the EEOC.

Miami-Dade Police Department background checks and clearance letters (background check reports) are available through the Miami-Dade Police Department and can be obtained in person or by mail.²

These steps can be followed to have a background check performed by the MDPD:

1. Have fingerprints taken at specific District Stations in Miami-Dade County (addresses for fingerprinting stations listed below); bring the following to your fingerprinting appointment:
   • 2 valid forms of I.D. (at least one with a photo)
   • An official fingerprinting card (provided by the agency requiring the check)
   • $15 fingerprinting fee
2. Provide the MDPD with the following information:
   • Address
   • Date of Birth
   • Name
   • Phone Number
   • Race
   • Sex
3. Submit fingerprints and the information in #2 to the MDPD either by mail or in person
   • By mail:
     • Miami-Dade Police Department
       Forensic Services Bureau – Fingerprint Identification Section
       9105 NW 25th Street, Room #1134
       Doral, FL 33172
   • In person: Fingerprinting services and Police Clearance Letters available at any of these locations throughout Miami-Dade County:
     • Hammocks District Station
       10000 SW 142 Avenue
       (305)383-6800
     • Northwest District Station
       5975 Miami Lakes Drive East
       (305)698-1500
     • Intracoastal District Station
       15665 Biscayne Boulevard
       (305)940-9980
     • South District Station
       10800 SW 211 Street
       (305)378-4300
     • Kendall District Station
       7707 SW 117 Avenue
       (305)279-6929
     • Town of Miami Lakes Policing Unit
       6601 Main Street
       (305)827-4020
     • Midwest District Station
       9101 NW 25 Street
       (305)471-2800
     • Village of Palmetto Bay Policing Unit
       9705 East Hibiscus Street
       (305)278-4000
     • Northside District Station
       799 NW 81 Street
       (305)836-8601

The MDPD only allows individuals to request a background check on themselves if an authorized employer or agency requires it. Requesters cannot have a background check done on someone else.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) provides State and National Criminal History Record Checks that necessitate fingerprinting to be completed by certified LiveScan Providers and submitted to the FBI, but these background checks are only available via certain government agencies.

Background checks at the state level can also be done through a $24 State of Florida Criminal History Record Check, with results either available online for an additional $1 credit or debit processing fee or FDLE employees can perform a search and provide results within 5-7 business days.

How To Tell If Someone Has a Warrant in Miami-Dade County

There are several ways to check if someone has a warrant in Miami-Dade County, as these searches can be done at either the county or state level.

At the county level, the Miami-Dade County Warrants Bureau of the MDPD is responsible for the serving of felony warrants within the county, but their online warrant search tool provides lookups by felony bench warrant, failure to appear, magistrate warrant, writ of attachment, and juvenile warrants.¹⁴

To utilize the MDPD warrant search, users can search by:¹⁵

• Date of Birth
• First, Middle or Last Name
• Race
• Sex
• Warrant Type

At the state level, interested individuals can conduct an FDLE Wanted Persons Search by:¹⁶

• Age
• Date of Birth
• First, Middle or Last Name
• Nickname/Alias
• Race
• Sex

Relevant search results will be shown and any profile can be viewed for further information on the subject, offense, warrant, and reporting agency.

How To Determine If Someone Is on Probation in Miami-Dade County

Public records in Miami-Dade County include an overview of individuals released from jail and who are now being supervised on probation.

The Florida Department of Corrections (DOC) offers both parole (release from prison) and probation services, and the Miami Circuit Office employs probation officers to supervise probationers throughout the county and assist with reentry into the community.^{9, 17}

A convenient online public index search is provided by the DOC as well; the Supervised Population Information Search is searchable by the subject’s name or DOC number.¹⁸

There is no public directory of juvenile probationers, but questions about youth probation can be directed to the Miami-Dade County Probation & Community Intervention Program at (305)637-2911.

How Can I Review Court Records & Documents in Miami-Dade County?

Miami-Dade County public records include access to court records which are hosted, maintained, and dispersed by the Miami-Dade County Clerk of Court.⁴

All Miami-Dade County judicial records are hosted by the same record custodian (the clerk), but there are various methods for requesting them depending on the type of record.

In-person requests for Miami-Dade County court records can be made at any clerk locations, but the primary contact information for the Clerk of Court is:

Miami-Dade County Courthouse
Clerk of Court
73 W Flagler Street, Suite 133
Miami, FL 33130
(305)275-1155

The clerk can provide information about upcoming court dates and offers free online court records or an advanced search feature for a fee. Some online court records that can be viewed include Civil, Family & Probate Court records and Criminal Court case records.⁶

Requests for certified copies of court records can be made online, by mail, or in person and will come at a cost (varied depending on the type and number of copies), but certified criminal and juvenile case records must be ordered by mail or in person.¹⁹

In addition to a Miami-Dade County case search for court records, the Clerk will also provide records from the 11th Judicial Circuit Court.²⁰

Miami-Dade County falls under jurisdiction of the Third District Court of Appeals and case records can be viewed via the Third District Court of Appeals Online Docket. The docket is refreshed daily on weekdays.

As the highest court in the state, the Florida Supreme Court Online Docket is updated every 15 minutes and is searchable by dates or cases filed, attorney, or case number.

At the federal level, the most reliable method of obtaining records is via the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER); users may perform a free public records search but copies will cost a small fee.²¹ Paper records regarding cases prior to 1999 may be granted through the court where the case was heard or through the Federal Record Centers.

Lastly, requests for court records can be made to the National Archives but will cost $35-90.

How To Find Birth & Death Records Miami-Dade County (Vital Records & Certificates)

Miami-Dade public records include birth certificates, death certificates, and other vital records which members of the public can order via the Florida Department of Health or any of the county health departments if they fit certain criteria.³

Requesters must either a) be the person named on the certificate and above the age of 18 or b) be the parent or guardian of the person named on the certificate.

In-person requests for birth or death certificates may be made by following these steps:

1. Download and complete the appropriate form
   • Application for Florida Birth Certificate (DH1960)
   • Application for Florida Death Record (DH1961)
2. Bring a valid government-issued photo I.D. to any county health department
3. Submit the relevant application and pay the appropriate fee by cash, money order, cashier’s check, or credit card (payable to “Vital Records Unit”)
   • $20 Per Certified Birth or Death Record
   • $16 Per Additional Copy
   • $3 Protective Sleeve
   • $10 Expedited Processing Fee

Birth and death certificates may be ordered in person at any health department locations, but mail-in applications should include a copy of the applicant’s photo identification and be addressed to:

Florida Health Department 
18680 NW 67th Avenue
Hialeah, FL 33015

Telephone requests can be made by calling (866)830-1906 and online requests are available through VitalChek, a state endorsed third-party vendor, but additional fees will be assessed. Certificates ordered through VitalChek will be delivered by mail.

Third-party platforms can serve as a last resort, as they may be able to provide some vital records but the documents will not be official or certified.

How To Access & View Property Records in Miami-Dade County

The Miami-Dade Office of the Property Appraiser offers a property search tool searchable by address, name of property owner, folio, or subdivision that will allow users to view property details such as ownership, sales, and taxable value.²² This free tool also lets searchers see properties from an aerial view, with zoom and layering features.

Public Records Custodian
Property Appraiser
111 NW 1st Street, Suite 710
Miami, FL 33128
Phone: (305)375-2480
Fax: (305)679-7940

For a nominal fee per copy, inquiries regarding Miami-Dade County public records pertaining to land ownership can also be directed to the property appraiser in person Monday-Friday 8a.m. – 5 p.m. or by phone, fax, or contact form.²³