Santa Rosa County Background Check

Santa Rosa County background check records are held by the Clerk of Court in Milton and by FDLE for statewide data. Located in the Florida panhandle just east of Pensacola, this county has grown steadily in recent years. The clerk's office stores criminal case files, civil court records, and other public documents at the Milton courthouse. You can search these records online through the clerk's website or walk in during business hours. FDLE handles the broader statewide criminal history database that includes data from Santa Rosa County and all other Florida counties.

Santa Rosa County Clerk of Court

Jason D. English is the Santa Rosa County Clerk of Court. His office handles all court records in the county. The main location is at 6495 Caroline St, Suite A, in Milton. Call (850) 981-5554 to ask about records, check office hours, or find out what you need to bring for an in-person visit. Staff can help you look up cases and pull documents.

The Santa Rosa County Clerk website at santarosaclerk.com offers an online case search tool. You can search by name or case number. Results include the case type, filing date, and current status. The system covers criminal cases, civil suits, family law, and traffic cases filed in Santa Rosa County. The search is free to use. For full copies of court documents, you may need to contact the office or visit in person.

Below is the Santa Rosa County Clerk website showing their case search and records tools.

Use this site to search court cases and access public filings from Santa Rosa County.

Searching Background Check Records in Santa Rosa County

There are a few ways to get background check data from Santa Rosa County. You can use the clerk's online case search for local court records. You can visit the courthouse in Milton. Or you can run a statewide check through FDLE. Many people use more than one source to get a fuller picture.

The online case search on the Santa Rosa County clerk site is free and quick. Type in a name and browse the results. For searches that span multiple counties, try the MyFloridaCounty portal. This state-run tool lets you search official recorded documents like liens, judgments, and deeds across all 67 Florida counties. It is a handy tool when you need to look beyond Santa Rosa County.

For statewide criminal history, go to CCHInet on the FDLE website. This is a name-based search that costs $24. Submit the name and FDLE pulls arrest records, charges, and case outcomes from their statewide database. Results come back within about a day. If a person has any criminal history in Santa Rosa County or elsewhere in Florida, it will show in the FDLE results.

Florida law under Chapter 119 says all public records are open. You do not need to live in Santa Rosa County to search. No reason is required.

Note: The clerk's online search covers only cases filed in Santa Rosa County, so use FDLE for a broader state search.

Santa Rosa County Background Check Costs

FDLE charges $24 for a name-based criminal history check. This fee is the same for all counties. Pay online at the FDLE criminal history records page. The fee covers one name search of the state database.

At the Santa Rosa County clerk's office, online case searching is free. Document copies have fees. Plain copies are $0.15 per page. Certified copies cost $1.00 per page. You will need certified copies if the records are going to be used in court or for any legal purpose that requires the clerk's stamp.

• FDLE state check: $24.00
• Plain copies from clerk: $0.15 per page
• Certified copies: $1.00 per page
• Online case search: Free

Background Check Levels for Santa Rosa County

Florida has two main levels. Level 1 is a name-based search. Fast and simple. FDLE runs the name through the state criminal database and sends back what they find. This pulls arrests, charges, and outcomes. It is the most common type of background check people use in Santa Rosa County.

Level 2 requires fingerprints. It goes through both FDLE and the FBI. National records are included. Chapter 435 of Florida Statutes says when Level 2 checks are needed. You go to an approved LiveScan provider to get fingerprinted. There are providers in the Milton and Pensacola area. Results take a few days to come back from FDLE and FBI.

The VECHS program gives approved groups access to criminal history data. It operates under Chapter 943 of Florida Statutes. Only organizations that work with kids, the elderly, or people with disabilities can use it. If your group in Santa Rosa County is registered, you can request checks through this system.

Note: Level 2 results go to the requesting organization and are not typically sent to the individual being screened.

Public Records Access in Santa Rosa County

Florida's Sunshine Law makes most government records open to the public. Court records, arrest reports, and other files held by Santa Rosa County offices are generally available to anyone who asks. The Attorney General's Open Government page has details on your rights under this law.

There are limited exceptions. Juvenile records are sealed. Expunged records are removed from public search results. Some records tied to active investigations may be temporarily restricted. But the overall rule is open access. If you run into trouble getting records from a Santa Rosa County office, the AG can help you work through it. Most requests are handled without issues.

Getting Copies of Santa Rosa County Records

Visit the Santa Rosa County Clerk at 6495 Caroline St in Milton. Bring your ID and let the staff know what you need. They can look up the case and print copies. You pay the fee right there. Use the Find a Clerk directory to check the address and hours before heading over.

Mail-in requests are another option. Write a letter with the full name of the person, their date of birth if you have it, and what kind of record you want. Include payment for the estimated copy fees. The Santa Rosa County clerk will process it and mail copies back to you. It takes a bit longer this way, but it works if you can't visit Milton in person. For FDLE statewide checks, use the CCHInet portal online and pay by credit card. Results come to your email.

Cities in Santa Rosa County

Santa Rosa County has several towns and communities. All court records for these areas are managed by the Santa Rosa County Clerk of Court in Milton. Background check searches that involve local court data go through the same office for every community in the county.

Communities include Milton, Gulf Breeze, Jay, Pace, and Navarre. Court records for all of these go through the Santa Rosa County clerk in Milton.

Nearby Counties

Santa Rosa County sits between Escambia County to the west and Okaloosa County to the east in the panhandle. Each has its own clerk and court system.