What shows up on a Florida background check
Last updated: May 2026
Florida criminal-history records are maintained by Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). Whether you are about to apply for a job, an apartment, or a professional license, the most useful thing you can do is understand exactly what an employer or landlord will see — and what changes if you successfully clear your record.
FCRA notice
The background-check services we link to are not consumer reporting agencies as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Reports generated by these services may not be used in whole or in part to make decisions about employment, tenant screening, insurance, credit, or any other purpose that requires FCRA compliance.
ExpungeReady earns a commission on some links on this page. We only recommend services we believe are useful for personal-records research. Always verify your own records directly with the state repository or the FBI before relying on any third-party report.
What Florida employers actually see
On a standard private background check ordered through a consumer-reporting agency, a Florida employer typically sees:
- All convictions (felony and misdemeanor)
- Arrests within the last 7 years that did not result in conviction
- Pending charges
- Withhold-of-adjudication cases (these still show as arrests with a "no conviction" disposition)
- Sex-offender registry status (always visible regardless of expungement)
Florida follows the federal 7-year FCRA limit for arrests not leading to conviction. Convictions can be reported indefinitely unless sealed or expunged.
How to see your own Florida record
Official source: Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE)
Cost: $24 (name-based) or $43 (fingerprint, more reliable)
Turnaround: 3–5 business days for name-based, 1–2 weeks for fingerprint
Where to start: https://www.fdle.state.fl.us/Criminal-History-Records
The official Florida record only covers in-state arrests and convictions. If you have lived in multiple states, or want to see what private aggregators have collected about you, run a personal records check first — it shows the same data an out-of-state employer's consumer-reporting agency would pull.
What changes after expungement in Florida
A Florida expungement physically destroys the court record. A sealed record is hidden from the public and most employers but remains visible to certain licensed professions, criminal-justice agencies, and the Florida Bar. After expungement you may lawfully deny the arrest in most employment applications — but never on applications for law enforcement, the Bar, or jobs requiring an FDLE Level 2 screening.
Frequently asked questions
Does a withhold of adjudication show up on a Florida background check?
Yes. A withhold of adjudication is not a conviction under Florida law, but the underlying arrest and case disposition still appear on FDLE criminal history reports and on most private background checks. The only way to remove it from public view is to seal the record after meeting the eligibility requirements in F.S. § 943.059.
How do I check my own Florida criminal record?
Florida maintains its criminal-history records through Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). You can request your own record for $24 (name-based) or $43 (fingerprint, more reliable); results typically arrive in 3–5 business days for name-based, 1–2 weeks for fingerprint. Pulling your own record before applying for a job is the single most useful step you can take.
Do private background checks show Florida sealed or expunged records?
Private consumer-reporting agencies are required to remove sealed or expunged records once notified, but they often retain old copies and may continue to report them by mistake. After your order is granted, request a free annual personal-records report from each major reporting agency and dispute any entries that still show the old data.