A Florida background check for a job draws on the state criminal history files kept by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), either as a name based search or, for care, school and health jobs, as a Level 2 fingerprint check that also searches FBI records. Florida criminal history is largely public, so you can run the same name search on yourself before an employer does.
We are a guide written from the applicant's side, not FDLE or any Florida agency. Requests, payments and official results go through the state's own pages linked below. What follows explains which kind of check you are facing and what usually decides how it turns out.
Quick answers
Official source
Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), Criminal Justice Information Services. Care screening results are shared through the Agency for Health Care Administration's clearinghouse.
Check type
Both. Name based searches (including Level 1) and fingerprint based Level 2 with the FBI.
Level 2 law
Chapter 435, Florida Statutes, with a list of disqualifying offenses for care and school jobs.
Self search
FDLE offers an instant online name search with uncertified results, plus certified searches returned by mail.
Typical time
Instant for the online search. FDLE lists five business days for non certified and six to seven for certified mailed results.
Private employers
Follow the federal FCRA notice and consent rules when they use a screening company.
Which Florida background check are you getting?
| Check | How it works | Typical jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Private screening company report | Name based county court and statewide searches, plus anything else the employer orders | Retail, office, warehouse, hospitality |
| FDLE name search | Statewide Florida criminal history by name and identifiers | Employers checking Florida records directly, landlords, volunteers |
| Level 1 screening | Employment history, FDLE statewide name check, national sex offender website | Roles a Florida law assigns to Level 1 |
| Level 2 screening | Electronic fingerprints through FDLE and the FBI, local checks, sex offender registries | Nursing, home health, child care, schools, disability and elder services |
Our guide to the two screening levels compares them line by line.
How to get a Florida background check on yourself
FDLE's State of Florida Criminal History Record Check page lists three ways to search, all paid by card at the time of the request. FDLE stopped taking mailed request forms some time ago.
- Instant Search: you search online and see results right away. They can be printed or emailed but are not certified.
- Certified or non certified search: you send details, FDLE staff run the search, and results come by regular mail. FDLE lists five business days for non certified and six to seven for certified, not counting mail time.
- ORI search: used when an agency or employer gives you its ORI number. Results go straight to that recipient. FDLE cannot give you the number.
For a review of your full record, FDLE also offers a personal review request. FDLE notes that it cannot be used for immigration, employment, licensing or certification. Start from the FDLE background checks hub for each option.
Run the instant search under each name you have gone by, maiden name too. If a case shows that you thought was sealed, call the clerk of court before you apply anywhere.
Level 2 background check Florida: what to expect
Under section 435.04, a Level 2 screening means electronic fingerprints submitted to FDLE, a statewide check, a national FBI check, local checks, and a search of the sex offender registries in every state you called home during the past five years. The prints are taken by an approved livescan provider; FDLE posts the current list on its hub page.
Many care employers share results through AHCA's screening clearinghouse, a system that section 435.12 set up. Prints in the clearinghouse are retained, so a later Florida arrest is reported back, and national checks are refreshed on a set cycle. If you change care jobs, your result may already be on file.
Level 2 screening disqualifies people with certain offenses, including some pending arrests. The full list is in Chapter 435. A disqualification can only be contested for mistaken identity. Otherwise you apply to the agency for an exemption, generally at least two years after finishing a felony sentence.
Florida background check for employment: rules that apply
Private Florida employers that use a background screening company must follow the federal FCRA: a standalone disclosure, your written permission, a copy of the report and a rights summary before rejecting you, then a final notice. Florida generally relies on the federal reporting limits rather than adding a shorter state limit for private reports, so a conviction stays reportable indefinitely while most other items age off after seven years.
Florida does not have a statewide fair chance law covering private employers. Some counties and cities limit criminal history questions for their own government jobs, so ask if you are applying to a local government in places such as Miami, Tampa or Orlando. For the federal rules on arrests and convictions, see criminal background checks.
Records that cause the most questions in Florida
- Withheld adjudication: a Florida outcome where the court did not formally convict. It can still appear, and for Level 2 jobs the law counts a plea of guilty or no contest regardless of adjudication.
- Sealed and expunged records: FDLE processes sealing and expunction. Sealed records are hidden from public searches, but Level 2 employers may still see them in some cases.
- Arrests with no outcome: bring a certified disposition from the clerk of court.
Do write: "The [County] case from [Year range] ended with adjudication withheld and probation completed early. Certified disposition attached."
Do not write: "No record" because adjudication was withheld. Many applications ask about pleas too.
How long a Florida background check takes
A private screening with Florida county searches often clears in two to four business days. Level 2 results with no record often come back within a few days of fingerprinting, while a flagged record, an address in another state or a smudged print slows things down. For the national picture, our timing guide for hiring checks helps, and for other states, checks state by state.
Florida law changes most years, so the agency pages and the statute are the final word. For an exemption request or a record you want sealed, the clerk of court, a Florida legal services office or a record relief attorney can tell you what fits your case.
Questions people ask
Can I search Florida records free?
FDLE charges a fee for its criminal history searches, and the current amount is on its site. Court dockets on county clerk sites can often be viewed at no cost, but they cover one county at a time.
How do I check my FDLE background check status?
For an instant search, results appear right away. For mailed certified searches, allow FDLE's listed processing days plus mail time. For Level 2 job screening, ask the employer, since results go to the agency or employer, not to you.
What does Level 2 mean for a Florida job?
It is a fingerprint based screening under section 435.04 that searches FDLE and FBI records, local records and the sex offender registries of every state that was your home over the last five years. It is required for many care, health and school jobs.
Is there a seven year limit on Florida background reports?
Florida generally follows the federal FCRA: most non conviction items drop off private reports after seven years, and convictions have no time limit. Level 2 screening looks at your whole history against the disqualifying offense list.
What will a Florida check cost me?
It depends on the type. FDLE posts its search fee, Level 2 adds FBI and vendor charges, and employers usually pay for job screenings. Ask HR before you pay anything yourself.