Miramar Background Check Lookup
Background check records for Miramar come from the Broward County Clerk of Courts and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Miramar is a fast-growing city in southwestern Broward County with about 143,000 residents. The Broward Clerk holds all court records for the city, from criminal cases to civil filings. FDLE provides statewide criminal history data that covers arrests throughout Florida. For a complete background check in Miramar, you typically need records from both the county and the state level, since each source covers different parts of a person's history.
Miramar Quick Facts
Broward County Records for Miramar
Miramar falls under the jurisdiction of Broward County. Clerk Brenda D. Forman manages all court records for the county. Her office stores criminal case files, civil court documents, traffic records, and family court filings. All of these can show up in a background check for someone in Miramar. The main clerk office is in Fort Lauderdale, roughly 20 minutes east of Miramar by car.
| Office | Broward County Clerk of Courts |
|---|---|
| Clerk | Brenda D. Forman |
| Address | 201 SE Sixth St, Ste 18150 Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 |
| Phone | (954) 831-6565 |
| Website | browardclerk.org |
The Broward Clerk website has a free case search. You can type in a name and pull up all cases filed in the county. This covers Miramar and every other city in Broward. The results show charges, case type, filing date, and current status. It is the quickest way to check local court records as part of a background check.
Accessing Records in Miramar
Miramar residents have several paths to get background check records. The city sits on the southern edge of Broward County, close to the Miami-Dade county line.
The City of Miramar website covers local government services but does not manage criminal records. Court files and criminal history data come from Broward County and the state. The Miramar Police Department handles local incident reports. For formal background checks, though, you need to go through the county clerk or FDLE. The city itself does not run background check services for the public.
How to Run a Background Check in Miramar
Start at the county level. Visit the Broward Clerk site and use the case search tool. Enter the person's name to see all court cases in the county. There is no charge for this search. It covers criminal, civil, and traffic cases filed in Broward courts.
For a statewide search, go to CCHInet from FDLE. A name-based check costs $24. You need the full name and date of birth. This search covers all 67 counties in Florida. If the person had arrests in Palm Beach County or Miami-Dade before moving to Miramar, those records will show up.
A fingerprint-based check is the most complete option. It taps into both the FDLE and FBI databases. You visit a LiveScan provider in the Miramar area to get prints taken. The total cost runs from $50 to $80. Results include national records, not just Florida data. This is the way to go when you need the broadest possible background check for someone in Miramar.
Note: Miramar sits near the Broward-Miami-Dade border, so checking both county clerks may be useful for people who have lived on both sides.
FDLE Criminal History for Miramar
FDLE collects criminal history data from every law enforcement agency in the state. That includes the Miramar Police Department. When someone is arrested in Miramar, the arrest goes into the FDLE database. The FDLE records page explains the full process for requesting criminal history information.
There are two check types at FDLE. A name search costs $24 and covers state records only. A fingerprint search covers both state and federal records through the FBI. Both searches return arrest data, charges, and case outcomes for Miramar and the rest of Florida.
Chapter 943 of the Florida Statutes gives FDLE the legal authority to manage criminal history records. The same chapter sets rules on who can access certain records and how sealing and expunging works. A sealed record in Miramar will not appear on a standard FDLE background check. Only authorized agencies and specific legal processes can access sealed files.
Public Records in Florida
Florida law strongly favors open access to government records. Under Chapter 119, most records held by government agencies are public. You can request them without giving a reason. This applies to arrest records, court filings, police reports, and many other types of documents used in background checks.
There are exceptions. Juvenile records are usually closed. Certain victim information gets withheld. Active investigations may be kept from public view until closed. The Attorney General's open government page lists the exemptions and how to challenge denials.
The MyFloridaCounty portal is helpful for searching official county records statewide. You can find liens, recorded documents, and judgments from Broward County and others. This can add context to a background check in Miramar beyond just criminal case data.
Note: Public records requests in Florida should be answered promptly, though response times vary by agency and request size.
Background Check Costs
The cost of a background check in Miramar depends on what you need. A quick county search is free. The state-level options have set fees.
- FDLE name-based search: $24
- Fingerprint check (state and FBI): $50 to $80
- Broward County online case search: free
- Certified copies from clerk: per-page fee
LiveScan providers near Miramar each set their own service charge for taking prints. That fee stacks on top of the FDLE and FBI processing fees. If you just need a name check, the $24 FDLE fee is all you pay. Call (954) 831-6565 if you need pricing on certified copies from the Broward Clerk.
Screening Levels Under Florida Law
Chapter 435 defines two levels of background screening in Florida. Level 1 uses a name-based search through FDLE. Level 2 requires fingerprints and checks both state and FBI records. The level needed depends on the situation and what the law requires. Miramar residents should review Chapter 435 to see which level fits their needs.
The Florida Clerks directory helps you find the right clerk for any county. Miramar is in Broward County. If the person has ties to other counties, searching those clerks can help you build a more complete picture.
Broward County Background Check Records
Miramar is in Broward County. All court filings for the city go through the Broward County Clerk of Courts. Visit the county page for more on search tools, hours, fees, and other resources for running background checks across Broward County.
Nearby Cities
Cities close to Miramar with their own background check resource pages: