Jacksonville Background Check

Background check records in Jacksonville are handled by the Duval County Clerk of Court and the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office. Jacksonville is the largest city in Florida by population, with over one million residents spread across the consolidated city-county. Because Duval County and Jacksonville merged in 1968, all court records and law enforcement data flow through a single system. This makes running a background check in Jacksonville more straightforward than in most Florida cities, since you only deal with one clerk office and one sheriff for the whole area.

Which County Handles Jacksonville Records

Jacksonville sits in Duval County. In fact, Jacksonville is Duval County. The two governments merged decades ago into a single entity. So when you search for background check records on someone in Jacksonville, you go through the Duval County Clerk of Court. There is no separate city court system. All criminal cases, civil filings, and public records are kept by the county clerk at the main courthouse downtown.

The Duval County Clerk office is your main stop. They maintain all court case files for Jacksonville and the handful of small beach towns within county lines. You can search for free on their website or visit in person. For the full county page with more detail on how Duval County handles records, see the Duval County background check page.

Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Records

The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office is the law enforcement arm of the consolidated government. JSO handles arrests, incident reports, and booking data for the whole county. Their site lets you search arrest records and booking info online.

Check the JSO site for recent arrest data and booking records in the Jacksonville area.

Because JSO covers all of Duval County, their arrest records are a major piece of any Jacksonville background check. You can find booking dates, charges, and bond amounts. Keep in mind that arrest records only show the charge. They do not show the outcome. For that, you need to check the clerk's case records to see if the charge led to a conviction, a dismissal, or some other result.

Note: JSO arrest records and the clerk's court records are two separate systems, so check both for a full picture.

How to Search Jacksonville Background Check Records

The Duval County Clerk's website at duvalclerk.com has a free online case search tool. Type in a first and last name. The system pulls up all matching cases filed in Duval County. Each listing shows the case type, the filing date, charges if it is a criminal case, and the current status. You can click into each case for more detail. This is the fastest way to start a Jacksonville background check from home.

For a statewide search, use the FDLE criminal history system. Go to CCHInet and submit a name-based request. The fee is $24. Results come by email, usually within a day. This checks the state database, which holds records from all 67 Florida counties. So it covers Jacksonville and everywhere else in the state at the same time. This is helpful when you do not know where the person lived before.

For recorded documents like liens, judgments, and deeds, try the MyFloridaCounty portal. It lets you search official records from Duval County and many other counties. These records can add context to a background check by showing financial and property-related filings.

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

FDLE Criminal History Checks

FDLE stands for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. They run the statewide criminal history database. This includes records from Jacksonville and all other cities and counties in the state. FDLE offers two check levels. Level 1 is a name-based search. It costs $24 and you can submit it online. Level 2 is fingerprint-based. It checks both state and FBI databases and costs more.

The FDLE website at fdle.state.fl.us has full details on both types. For Level 2 checks in Jacksonville, you need to visit a LiveScan provider to get your fingerprints scanned. Several locations in the Jacksonville area offer this service. You can find a list at the Florida Health Source directory.

The state database at FDLE includes arrests, charges, and dispositions reported by the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office and the Duval County court system. Records from the state attorney and public defender also feed into this system. A background check from FDLE gives you a more complete picture than searching the clerk's site alone, because it includes records that might not show up in the court case search.

The FDLE portal is the main state resource for running criminal history checks in Jacksonville and across Florida.

Jacksonville Public Records Access

Florida has strong public records laws. Under Chapter 119 of Florida Statutes, most government records are open to the public. You do not need to live in Jacksonville. You do not need to give a reason for your request. The clerk must provide the records unless they fall under a specific legal exemption.

Sealed and expunged records are not available to the public. Juvenile records have restrictions as well. Active criminal investigations may be temporarily withheld. But outside of those narrow exceptions, everything is open. Court case files, arrest reports, booking records, and recorded documents are all public in Jacksonville.

The City of Jacksonville also has its own public records portal at jacksonville.gov. You can use it to request city government records. For court and criminal records, though, the clerk and FDLE are your best sources. If you run into problems getting records, contact the Attorney General's Open Government division for help.

Note: Under Chapter 943, FDLE governs how criminal history records are stored and shared statewide.

Getting Copies of Jacksonville Records

You can get copies of court records from the Duval County Clerk at 501 W. Adams St. in Jacksonville. Go to the clerk's office and ask for the record by name or case number. Staff will search the system and pull the file. Plain copies cost $0.15 per page. Certified copies cost $1.00 per page. You pay at the counter.

You can also request copies by mail. Write a letter with the person's name, the type of case you want, and the approximate date range. Include a check or money order for the copy fees. Mail it to the clerk's address above. You can call (904) 255-2000 to ask about current fees before sending your request.

For FDLE records, order online at CCHInet for $24. The results come by email. If you want to see your own background check record, FDLE has a personal review option that lets you check what is in the system under your name. This is useful if you want to know what will show up on a Jacksonville background check before someone else runs one.

Duval County Background Check Records

Jacksonville is in Duval County, and all court filings and criminal records go through the Duval County Clerk of Court. The county handles records for Jacksonville and all other communities within Duval County. For the full county overview with additional resources and search options, visit the Duval County background check page.

View Duval County Background Check Records