Free Pinellas County Public Records: Arrests, Criminal, Marital

Find free Pinellas County public records and learn more about someone’s past or current situation in no time.

Whether someone is searching for arrests, mugshots, criminal history, probation, warrants, marital status (married or divorced), court documents, background check reports, or property records, this resource empowers citizens with everything they need to look up public information on anyone in Pinellas County, Florida.

How To Search Arrest Records, the Reason for Detainment & Mugshots in Pinellas County FL

Thanks to Florida’s Sunshine Law, anyone can run a free criminal record check in Pinellas County without seeking permission or specifying their purpose.¹ However, most juvenile arrest records are exempt from this provision.²

Jail records in Pinellas County include:

• Full Name
• Arresting Agency
• Address
• City, State & Zip Code of Residence
• Docket Number
• Appearance (sex, race, height, weight, eye and hair color)
• Date & Place of Birth
• Age at Which the Inmate Was Arrested
• Identifying Features (like scars or tattoos)
• Arrest Status (incarcerated or released)
• Cell Location
• Booking Date
• Projected Release Date
• Inmate Account Balance
• Charges (brought against the inmate, including details)
• Court Case Number

The easiest way to obtain recent arrests in Pinellas County is to visit the Sheriff’s Office website. The Department of Detention & Corrections, which comes under the purview of the Sheriff, is responsible for managing the Pinellas County Jail.

The sheriff’s office hosts an online “Who’s in Jail” Tool that people can use to search the jail roster. The tool also shows inmates who have been released from the county jail.

Searchers must include the inmate’s name, booking date, or docket number for a successful search.

Interested parties can also narrow the Pinellas County bookings search by providing the person’s race, sex, arresting agency, charge, or arrest type. Moreover, the tool also searches for aliases, making it more comprehensive.

However, Pinellas County does not provide mugshots online. People seeking mugshots or more information can contact the Pinellas County Jail via telephone at 727-464-6415 or send mail to:

Pinellas County Jail
14400 49th Street N
Clearwater, Florida 33762-2877

People can get in touch with the Pinellas Regional Juvenile Detention Center by calling them at 727-538-7100 or sending mail to:

Pinellas Regional Juvenile Detention Center
5255 Avenue #140 N
Clearwater, Florida 33760

Check With Local City Jails & Police Departments in Pinellas County To Find Recent Arrests

Most cities in Pinellas County do not have a city jail, even though they have dedicated police departments (PDs). Fortunately, the centralized inmate roster tool allows people to search for daily arrests by a particular city’s PD if they filter results by the arresting agency.

St. Petersburg is the most heavily populated city in this county. If a searcher is looking to find out if someone is in jail in St. Petersburg, they can use the tool mentioned above or contact the St. Petersburg Police Department for a recent arrest report by:³

St. Petersburg Police Department
1301 1 Ave. North
St. Petersburg, FL 33705

Phone: 727-893-7521

To get in touch with any other city’s PD about their arrest logs, information seekers can follow these steps:

• Google “[city name] city Pinellas County police” (example: “Clearwater city Pinellas County police”).
• Scroll past the sponsored results and find the city’s or the PD’s website.
• Navigate to the Contact page (it may be named something else – look for terms like “Connect With Us”, “Phone Directory”, etc.).
• Find the contact information for the PD.

What Is the Best Way To Retrieve Marriage & Divorce Records in Pinellas County?

Both marriage and divorce records are part of Pinellas County public records. They are managed by the Clerk of Court in Pinellas County and are freely available for anyone to view. There are a few ways to check these records.

Find Marital Records via the Pinellas County Clerk of Court

Anyone can check if someone is married in Pinellas County, Florida using public records. The Pinellas County Clerk of Court manages marriage and divorce records and provides access to them online.

However, only records from November 2003 onwards are available on the website – people will have to contact the Clerk’s office for older records. These records may only be available in paper or microfilm format and the searcher can only view them in person.

When it comes to Pinellas County divorce records, people will have to search through court records instead as these records are not available separately. The Clerk of Court’s office also provides free access to these online.

People can request Pinellas County divorce documents or marriage records by email or in person in 2 ways:

County Clerk’s Office: Anyone can make a public records request to the Pinellas County Clerk’s Office by telephone, email, or in person. Each request will cost $7.00, and the searcher should provide the subject’s name or alias, maiden name (if needed), birthdate, and last 4 digits of SSN (optional).

Phone: 727-464-7000
Email: [email protected]
In person: Several County Clerk office branches process Public Records Requests. The office’s website lists the names and locations of these branches, and searchers can visit them to request records in person.
Public View or Access Terminals: Pinellas County has several Public View Terminals that people can use to search for public marriage and divorce records.

Searchers can also look through the Domestic Partnership Registry through the Clerk of Court.

Records obtained from the Pinellas County Clerk cannot be used for official purposes as they are only available for viewing and not certified. People can obtain certified copies from the Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics instead by reading below.

Request Marriage & Divorce Certificates via the Florida Department of Health (FDH)

The Florida Department of Health also provides access to Pinellas County marriage records and divorce certificates through the Bureau of Vital Statistics.

The Bureau holds records and certificates from June 6, 1927 onwards.⁴ Older certificates can be obtained by contacting the Clerk of Court for the Sixth Judicial Circuit in FL at 727-464-7000.

People can order a marriage or divorce certificate by following these steps:

1. Fill out the DH261 Application for Marriage Certificate or the DH260 Application for Dissolution of Marriage form.
   Or complete a written request including the full name of both spouses (before marriage for a marriage certificate), dates of birth and marriage/dissolution, place of marriage/dissolution, and the county that issued the license (for marriage certificate).
   Requesters should also include their own full name, address, phone number, signature, and relationship to the person whose record they seek.
2. Include a check/money order for $5.00 if they only need one certified copy and an extra $4.00 for each additional copy. If the year of marriage is unknown, people will have to pay $2.00 for each year that needs searching (up to a maximum of $50).
   If a person requires records older than 1970 the same day, they need to pay an extra $10.00 rush fee. People can also make payments via debit or credit card if they submit a request in person.
3. Submit the form or request in person between 8 AM and 4:30 PM at:

Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics
1217 N Pearl Street
Jacksonville, FL 32202  

Submissions via mail can be sent to:

Florida Bureau of Vital Statistics
P.O. Box 210
Jacksonville, Fl 32231-0042

People will receive most records newer than 1970 within 3-5 business days, though older records may take longer.

Searchers can also order certificates online through third-party providers or via VitalChek who delivers certificates by mail. This service will cost $22.00. People need to pay $4.00 for each additional copy and $2.00 for every year when the exact marriage date is unknown.⁵

Individuals who need records for events that occurred in surrounding counties can utilize the Florida public record lookup tutorial, which shows the most reliable and efficient methods of tracking down all kinds of information throughout the state and sheds light on custodians outside of Pinellas County.

How To Search for Pinellas County Criminal Records

The Pinellas County Clerk of Court’s office provides public access to all criminal records except those which involve a juvenile offender, military discharge cases, and most family law and probate cases.

The Pinellas Clerk of Court’s website offers Court Record Search Tool for all other criminal records. There are also Public View Terminals at various locations throughout the county where people can view these records.

People can also ask the county clerk’s office to look up the records repository for what they require. This process will cost $7.00 per request and $2.00 for every year where an offense is found. For example, if two offenses occurred in 2014 and one in 2016, the additional cost would be $4.00.

If a record is not available for free online, searchers can make a Public Records Request through the website as well. $0.15 for a single-sided copy, $0.20 for a double-sided copy, $1.00 for a certified copy, and $3.00 for an audio CD.

Searchers can contact the Pinellas County Clerk by calling 727-464-7000 or sending an email at [email protected]. People can visit any branch of the Clerk of Court’s office, but the Criminal Court Records division may be most helpful:

Criminal Court Records
Pinellas County Justice Center
14250 49th Street North
Clearwater, FL 33762

Organizations that require access to records not available on the website can purchase a Subscription to all the records available on public service terminals and in the County Clerk’s office. To sign up, they need to:

1. Fill out the Subscription Agreement for Electronic Access to Court Records.
2. Arrange a check or money order for the $100.00 one-time and the $75.00 annual fees. To give access to up to five additional users, people will have to pay an extra $300.00.
3. Mail the agreement and the fee to:

Clerk of Court & Comptroller
Attn: Official Records Subscription Service
315 Court Street, Room #150
Clearwater, FL 33756

Additionally, searchers can contact their local police department or submit a Public Records Request for police reports in their city. They don’t contain as much information as a criminal record from the county clerk, but they can inform searchers about recent arrests.

1. Google “[city name] City Pinellas County FL police” (example: “Clearwater city Pinellas County FL police”).
2. Find the city’s or police department’s official website.
3. Navigate to the Public Records Request page (it may also be called something like “Request a Police Report”).
4. Follow the instructions to submit the request form. Some websites may require requesters to create an account before completing the form.

Search Criminal Records via Florida State Resources

The easiest way to find Pinellas County criminal records via statewide resources is to visit the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s (FDLE) website. People can also contact FDLE or submit a Public Records Request to obtain criminal records.

Other ways to find Pinellas County arrest records and criminal histories include:

• Florida Sex Offender Registry: To search for individual sex offenders or view all offenders in a particular area.
• National Sex Offender Registry: To search for sex offenders statewide, including Pinellas County, FL.
• Florida Career Offender Registry: To search for felons convicted multiple times of serious crimes.
• Florida Department of Corrections (DOC) Offender Search: To find state prison inmates, convicts on parole or probation, and fugitives.
• Federal Bureau of Prisons: To find current and former inmates in FL federal prisons.

How To Run a Background Check in Pinellas Count Florida

Background checks may be required for employment in county or state agencies, adoption requests, healthcare jobs, etc. However, not all background checks can be used for official purposes.

There are two major types of background checks:

Level 1: A level 1 background check provides local criminal history and other information in Pinellas County public records.

It does not include nationwide criminal records and can be inaccurate as it is carried out by searching for the subject’s name and demographic information which can match other records in the system.

This type of check is usually performed for personal reasons, such as getting to know more about someone the searcher knows, and cannot be used to make employment or housing decisions.

People in Pinellas County can look up someone’s criminal record for a free arrest history through the FDLE’s SHIELD system in three ways:

• Instant Name Based: Results are instantly sent to the searcher’s email but are not certified. Each search costs $25.00, including the processing fee, and paid by credit/debit card.
• Demographic Search: Searchers provide demographic information for up to 10 subjects at a time, and results are sent to the searcher by mail within 6-7 business days. Each search costs $24.00. These reports can be notarized by request.
• ORI Search: Agencies can request an ORI (Originating Agency Identification) number from the state. When an applicant provides this number while searching, the agency receives the results directly.

Level 2: A level 2 check is always performed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). It is much more intensive and accurate as it matches a person’s fingerprints to find their record. Moreover, it includes criminal history and police reports from across the US.

However, level 2 checks can only be used for employment or other official reasons if the requesting agency initiates them. Otherwise, the Identity History Summary Checks cannot be used to make decisions.⁶

The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office offers fingerprinting services for FBI background checks free of cost using the Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS). People can also bring a fingerprint card from their potential employer to send the results directly to them.

1. Schedule a fingerprinting appointment online or by calling 727-464-6032.
2. Carry a valid photo ID (like a driver’s license).
3. Visit the AFIS Division at:

Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office
AFIS Division
4645 145th Ave. North
Clearwater, FL 33762

People can also contact their local city PD for fingerprinting services by googling their website and navigating to the “Fingerprinting” or the “Contact” page.

How To Check Who Has an Active Arrest Warrant in Pinellas County

People who seek to find out if someone has a warrant out for them in Pinellas County can contact the County Sheriff’s Office Warrant Desk by calling 727-582-6192.

They can also view Pinellas County court records via the County Clerk’s office to look for warrants, but calling the sheriff’s office may be quicker and more convenient.

Otherwise, searchers can use the statewide warrant search provided by the Florida Crime Information Centre’s Public Access System to find someone’s mugshot and warrant information. This public index is maintained by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE).

Note: While some warrants in Florida may be publicly available, not all warrants are necessarily accessible to the public. The accessibility of warrants can depend on various factors such as the type of warrant, the jurisdiction, and whether the case is ongoing or sealed.

People can search for ‘Wanted Persons’ by name, nickname, race, sex, date of birth, and age. A typical warrant search will show:

• Full Name
• Mugshot
• Aliases
• Offense
• Reporting Agency
• Case and Warrant Numbers
• Date of Issue
• Appearance (race, sex, height, weight, hair and eye color)
• Identifying Features (like scars and tattoos)
• Occupation
• Last Known Address (city and state)

Additionally, record seekers can track down Pinellas County warrant information from the local police department, to find warrants in a particular city, people can contact the local police department by following these steps:

1. Google “[city name] FL warrant search” (example: “Clearwater FL warrant search”).
2. Find the city’s or the PD’s official website.
3. Navigate to the warrant or fugitive list by checking the navigation menu. If not, locate the contact page to find their phone number, email, physical address, etc.

How To Determine if Someone Is on Probation in Pinellas County FL

The Pinellas County Clerk of Court holds case records which individuals can look through to find out if someone is on probation in the county.

Alternatively, they can contact the Misdemeanor Probation division of the Sheriff’s Office at 727-464-8100.

Searchers can also visit the office on weekdays between 7 AM and 5 PM at:

14500 49th Street North, Suite 130
Clearwater, FL 33762

Moreover, people can contact their local PD to find probation information and police records for their city by following these steps:

1. Google “[city name] Pinellas County FL police” (example: “Clearwater Pinellas County FL police”).
2. Find the official website for the city/PD.
3. Navigate to the Contact page and find their phone number, email, physical address, etc.

How To View Court Records in Pinellas County

Florida has a 4-tier court structure consisting of the Supreme Court, District Courts of Appeal, Circuit Courts, and County Courts.

Cases originating in the county may be tried at either the Pinellas County Court or the Sixth Judicial Circuit Court, which has jurisdiction over Pasco and Pinellas counties. Appeals from these courts can go up to the Second District Court.

Pinellas County judicial records from each of these courts are public but can be obtained in different ways:

• Pinellas County Court: The County Clerk’s website provides an Online Pinellas County Case Search Function for most case records, but people have to sign up for a subscription to view family and probate records. People can also contact the Clerk’s office or visit a Public View Terminal for information.
• Sixth Judicial Circuit Court: There is no way to search for these records online, but information seekers can submit a public records request to gain access. They can mail requests at:

Public Information Office
Sixth Judicial Circuit
14250 49th St. North, Suite 2000
Clearwater, FL 33762

• Second District Court of Appeals: The Florida Appellate Case Information System (ACIS) allows people to search for appellate cases online (along with details like attorney names and court date) by case number, party/attorney name, originating county (or lower tribunal), date filed, and cases filed within a certain date range.

How To Access Other Vital Records Such as Birth & Death Certificates via Public Records (Pinellas County)

Residents can obtain certified copies of birth and death certificates through the Pinellas County Branch of the Florida Department of Health (DOH). The Pinellas County Clerk’s office no longer provides public access to death records.⁷

Birth certificates only become available as Pinellas County public records 100 years after birth, while death records become public 50 years after death. Only the person a birth certificate belongs to and their parent or guardian can obtain it unless a court order permits.⁸

If the person is deceased, the birth/death record can be released to their spouse, parents, children, grandchildren, or siblings.

People need to provide the following information to get a copy of a birth record:

• Name of the Child (before any name changes)
• Birthdate
• Place of Birth (city or county)
• Parents’ Full Names (including the mother’s maiden name)

For a death certificate, a person will need:

• Subject’s Full Name
• Death Date (or an approximation if the exact date is unknown)
• Funeral Home (if the applicant knows)
• City of Death

In both cases, the applicant should also provide their name, signature, relationship to the subject, address, and phone number.

To obtain a birth or death record, searchers should:

1. Fill up the Application for a Florida Birth Record or the Application for a Florida Death Record form.
   If they want another person to receive the certificate on their behalf, they should also complete the Affidavit to Release Birth Certificate or the Affidavit to Release Death Certificate.
2. Arrange to pay the required fees.
   • Birth Certificate: $13.00 for a single certificate and $8.00 for each additional copy of the certificate, $2.00 for a protective cover, and $5.00 for a rush order. Rush orders are delivered in 3 business days, while regular orders take 5-10 business days. Overnight delivery via USPS will also cost an additional $17.00.
   • Death Certificate: $9.00 for a single certificate and another $9.00 for each additional copy of the certificate, $2.00 for a protective cover, and $5.00 for a rush order.
3. Visit the DOH in Pinellas County in person and pay the fees via credit or debit card, money order, or check. Make sure to carry a valid form of ID (like a passport or a driver’s license).

Citizens may fax the form, a copy of current ID, and card information to 727-507-4335or they may mail the form and a check/money order for the fee (or card information) along with a copy of the ID to:

Florida Department of Health Pinellas
Vital Statistics
8751 Ulmerton Road, Suite 1700
Largo, FL 33771

For access to any other records, people can contact the DOH in Pinellas County at 727-824-6900 or email them at [email protected]. Searchers can also visit the department in person at any of their branches in the county.

How To Look Up Property Records in Pinellas County

People can visit the Pinellas County Property Appraiser’s website for up-to-date property records. The Appraiser’s Office maintains an online directory that searchers can look up using the address of the property they want to view.

A property record contains:

• Owner’s Name
• Mailing Address
• Type of Property (like “Single Family Home”
• Mortgage Letter
• Legal Description
• Historical Use of the Property Parcel
• Parcel Details
• Latest Market and Assessed Values
• Taxable Values
• Value History
• Tax Information
• Sale History

People can also find property deeds on the Appraiser’s website using the Property Search tool. At the bottom of the record are links to the latest recorded deed or page.

No matter what’s being searched for, nearly all Pinellas County public records are available online and are easy to find once people know where to look.