Homestead Background Check Records

Background check records for Homestead are kept by the Miami-Dade County Clerk of Court in downtown Miami. Homestead sits at the south end of Miami-Dade County with a population near 85,800. The city does not run its own court system. All criminal cases, civil filings, and public record requests for Homestead residents go through the county clerk. You can also run a statewide search through FDLE, which pulls records from all 67 Florida counties at once. Between the county clerk and FDLE, most background check needs for Homestead are covered without much trouble.

Miami-Dade County Records for Homestead

Homestead is in Miami-Dade County. The county clerk handles all court records for the city. Juan Fernandez-Barquin serves as the Clerk of Court. His main office is in downtown Miami, which is about 35 miles north of Homestead. That is a long drive. But you can look up most records from home using the clerk's online tools. The Miami-Dade Clerk website lets you search cases by name or case number. Criminal, civil, family, and traffic filings all show up in the results. It is free to search.

Miami-Dade has branch courthouses closer to Homestead. The South Dade Justice Center on SW 211th Street handles some court matters for the southern part of the county. If you need to go in person, that is a shorter trip than driving to downtown Miami. Call the clerk to check if your records can be pulled from the branch location before you go.

For more details on how Miami-Dade County handles background checks, see the Miami-Dade County background check page.

Homestead City Government Records

The City of Homestead maintains its own municipal records through its local government website. These are separate from court records but can add to a background check in some cases. Code violations, permits, and city ordinance matters are available through the city.

The screenshot below shows the Homestead city government portal, which you can access at cityofhomestead.com.

Use the city site for local government records and the county clerk for court records. The Homestead Police Department handles law enforcement within city limits. Arrests made by Homestead PD get reported to the county court system and then to FDLE. So a county or state search will pick up those records even though the arrest happened in Homestead.

How to Run a Background Check in Homestead

There are a few ways to search. Each source gives you different records. Using more than one gives a fuller picture of someone's background in Homestead.

Start with the Miami-Dade Clerk. Go to miamidadeclerk.gov and use the case search. Type in the person's name. The system returns all matching cases filed in the county. Each result shows the case type, filing date, and current status. Criminal cases include charges and case outcomes when the case is done. This is free to use and available to anyone.

For statewide results, use FDLE. The CCHInet portal lets you submit a name-based criminal history check for $24. Results come by email, usually within one business day. This pulls from the state database and covers records from all 67 counties. If the person has been arrested anywhere in Florida, it should show up.

The MyFloridaCounty portal covers official recorded documents. It includes liens, judgments, and recorded items from Miami-Dade County. These records can show financial issues that court case searches may not reveal on their own.

• Miami-Dade Clerk online case search: free
• FDLE name-based check: $24
• MyFloridaCounty official records: free to search
• Plain copies: $0.15 per page
• Certified copies: $1.00 per page

FDLE Checks for Homestead

FDLE is the state agency that runs criminal history checks from Tallahassee. Every arrest in Homestead gets reported to FDLE and stored in their system. A Level 1 check costs $24. You submit it online at CCHInet and get results by email. This is a name-based search that covers the entire state.

Level 2 checks use fingerprints. They search both the FDLE state database and the FBI national database. You need to visit a LiveScan provider to get fingerprinted. The Florida Health Source site lists approved vendors by zip code. There are providers in the Homestead area and throughout southern Miami-Dade County. Level 2 checks are required for certain licenses and positions under Chapter 435 of Florida Statutes.

Note: FDLE name-based checks only cover Florida records. For out-of-state records, you need the Level 2 fingerprint check that connects to the FBI database.

Public Records Law in Homestead

Florida has some of the most open public records laws in the country. Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes says government records are open to inspection by anyone. You do not need to live in Homestead. You do not need to explain why you want the records. The clerk is required to provide them unless there is a specific legal exemption.

Sealed and expunged records are the main exception. If a court order has sealed or expunged a case, it will not show up in most searches. Juvenile records also have limits. Active law enforcement investigations can be held back for a time. But outside of those categories, everything is open. Court files, arrest reports, recorded documents, and other government papers can all be accessed.

If you have trouble getting records from Miami-Dade County, the Attorney General's Open Government page explains your rights and can help resolve disputes over record access.

Fees for Homestead Background Checks

Searching the clerk's online system is free. You can look up as many names as you want. If you need document copies, the clerk charges fees. Plain copies run about $0.15 per page. Certified copies cost $1.00 per page. You can pay at the clerk's counter or at a branch office closer to Homestead.

FDLE charges $24 for a name-based state criminal history check. Level 2 fingerprint checks cost more. The exact price depends on the LiveScan provider. Call ahead to confirm the total before you go. Some vendors charge $50 to $80 for the full fingerprint process including the FDLE and FBI portions.

If you cannot afford fees, ask about a fee waiver. You file an In Forma Pauperis request with the court. A judge reviews your finances and decides if you qualify. This covers court-related fees but does not apply to FDLE charges.

Miami-Dade County Background Check Records

Homestead is in Miami-Dade County. All court records and criminal filings for the city go through the county clerk's office. Miami-Dade is the largest county in Florida, with more than 2.7 million residents across dozens of cities. For a full breakdown of county resources, search tools, and fees, visit the Miami-Dade County background check page.

View Miami-Dade County Background Check Records

Nearby Cities

These cities are near Homestead and share the same county clerk system or are in neighboring counties with their own background check pages.