Deerfield Beach Background Check
Background check records for Deerfield Beach are kept at the Broward County Clerk of Courts in Fort Lauderdale. Deerfield Beach is on the northeast edge of Broward County, right at the Palm Beach County line, with about 90,000 residents. The city falls under the 17th Judicial Circuit and shares the Broward clerk system with more than 30 other municipalities. All criminal and civil court records from Deerfield Beach flow through this single county office. For statewide results, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement provides criminal history checks that cover every county in the state.
Deerfield Beach Quick Facts
Broward County Court Records for Deerfield Beach
Deerfield Beach does not have its own court system. Every criminal case, civil suit, traffic matter, and family court filing from the city goes through Broward County. The clerk of courts office is in Fort Lauderdale, about 20 miles south of Deerfield Beach. All records are stored in the same county database used by every other Broward municipality.
| Office | Broward County Clerk of Courts |
|---|---|
| Address | 201 SE Sixth St, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 |
| Phone | (954) 831-6565 |
| Website | browardclerk.org |
The Broward County Clerk has a free online case search. You can look up records by name, case number, or date range. The results show case type, charges, filing dates, and disposition for resolved cases. Criminal records include arrest details and sentencing information. The system covers the entire county, so a search will pull records from Deerfield Beach and all other Broward cities at the same time.
Because Deerfield Beach sits on the county border, some people in the area may have records in both Broward and Palm Beach counties. If you need records from Palm Beach County, you will have to search through their clerk system separately.
Note: Online court records may take a few business days to appear after a case is filed in Deerfield Beach.
Deerfield Beach City Government
The Deerfield Beach city website covers local services, code enforcement, and contact information for city departments.
The City of Deerfield Beach website does not maintain court records or criminal history data. Those are held at the county and state level. The city site is useful for local code enforcement records, city permits, and contact information for city departments. The Deerfield Beach chapter of the Broward Sheriff's Office handles law enforcement in the city. BSO deputies make arrests within city limits, and those records get filed with the Broward County Clerk and show up in the county court system.
FDLE Criminal History Checks
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement keeps the state criminal history database. Every arrest and court result from Deerfield Beach gets reported to FDLE. A search through their system covers all 67 Florida counties, not just Broward.
A name-based FDLE check costs $24. You submit it at CCHInet with the person's name and date of birth. Results come by email, usually within a business day. A fingerprint-based check is more thorough because it searches FDLE and the FBI national database. You need to go to an approved LiveScan provider in the area. There are multiple providers in Broward County and nearby Boca Raton.
Visit the FDLE criminal history records page for full details on each type of check. The personal review option lets you check your own record in the state system.
Note: FDLE name-based checks only include Florida records. If someone lived outside the state, those records will not show up unless they were reported to the Florida system.
How to Search Records for Deerfield Beach
Begin at the Broward County Clerk website. The free online search tool lets you look up court cases by name. Results come right away. Each record shows the case type, charges, filing date, and status. You can filter to see only criminal cases if that is all you need.
For official records like liens and judgments, use the MyFloridaCounty portal. This site covers all 67 counties and lets you search Broward County official records from home. These documents cover property filings, financial judgments, and other recorded items that court case searches may not show.
For a statewide search, submit an FDLE name-based request for $24. This covers Deerfield Beach and every other city in Florida. For national coverage, get a fingerprint check at a LiveScan provider. The total for a fingerprint check is usually $50 to $80.
- Broward Clerk online search: free
- FDLE name-based check: $24
- Plain copies: $0.15 per page
- Certified copies: $1.00 per page
- LiveScan fingerprint check: varies by provider
Public Records Access
Florida's public records law is broad. Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes gives anyone the right to request government records. You do not need to live in Deerfield Beach. You do not need to give a reason. Court filings, arrest records, and official documents are all open unless they fall under a specific exemption.
Sealed and expunged records are not available through standard background checks. Chapter 943 of the Florida Statutes covers the seal and expunge process. FDLE handles all petitions. The Attorney General's Open Government page has information on public records rights and how to file a complaint if an agency refuses to release records.
Records Across County Lines
Deerfield Beach sits right on the Broward-Palm Beach county line. Boca Raton is just to the north in Palm Beach County. Because of this, someone connected to Deerfield Beach may have records in both counties. The Broward Clerk covers one side and the Palm Beach County Clerk covers the other. If you are doing a thorough background check, it may be worth searching both county systems.
The Florida Clerks website has a directory of every clerk in the state. Use it to find the right office for any county. Federal court records for Deerfield Beach fall under the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida in Fort Lauderdale.
Broward County Background Check Records
Deerfield Beach is part of Broward County. All court records for the city go through the Broward County Clerk of Courts in Fort Lauderdale. For the full county page with more details on search options, fees, and resources, visit the link below.
Nearby Cities
These cities are near Deerfield Beach in the south Florida area: