Florida Public Records Law in Broward County
Florida builds its open records system on three layers. Article I, section 24 of the Florida Constitution sets the right of access. Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes governs agency records. Florida Rule 2.420 governs judicial branch records. Each layer has its own exemptions. Each layer has its own custodian rules.
The Florida Public Records Act page above lists the full chapter, including the inspection and copying rules used by every Broward custodian.
Section 119.07 sets the right to inspect and copy public records at reasonable times. If an exemption applies to part of a record, the custodian must redact the exempt part and produce the rest. Section 119.011 defines what counts as a public record. Section 119.10 sets the penalties for unlawful refusal. Section 119.11 makes public-records cases an accelerated court priority. Section 119.12 governs attorney-fee awards when an agency unlawfully refuses access.
Court Records vs Agency Records in Broward
The same event in Broward can create several records with different custodians. An arrest creates a Sheriff record, a State Attorney file, a Clerk court docket, a jail booking record, an FDLE criminal history entry, and a Florida driver record. Each custodian holds its own slice of the file. A requester must direct each request to the agency that actually has the record.
| Record | Custodian | Path to Request |
|---|---|---|
| Court case docket and documents | Clerk of the Circuit and County Courts | Case search or records request |
| Arrest report | Broward Sheriff's Office | BSO Public Records Unit |
| Incident report | BSO or local police | Agency public records request |
| State criminal history | FDLE | FDLE criminal history request |
| Driver record | Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles | FLHSMV driver record request |
| Property and business records | County agencies | County records custodian |
Broward Clerk Records Requests
The Clerk's records request page is the central entry point for Broward court file copies. The Clerk runs three paths: electronic certified court documents, in-person service at the Records Division, and records by request for older or restricted files. Each path has its own fee.
- Electronic certified documents - $8.00 per document; only viewable electronic documents qualify; documents over 100 pages are not sold online.
- In-person court records - $1.00 per page; $2.00 per certification; $2.00 per year searched.
- Court records by request - same per-page and per-certification fees; processing can take up to two weeks once received.
- Marriage records - $5.00 for the first copy; $3.00 for each additional copy.
BSO Public Records Portal
The Broward Sheriff's public records request portal handles agency records: arrest reports, incident reports, accident reports, and local records checks. The BSO Public Records Unit operates an online queue. Fees are estimated before work begins on a request that needs payment. The Sheriff also points warrant searches to the Clerk because warrant entries live on the case docket.
The BSO portal page above is the agency's official entry point for arrest reports, incident reports, and other Sheriff-held public records.
BSO Public Records Unit phone is 954-831-8700, Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The unit's local records check is limited to arrest records submitted to BSO by Broward law enforcement agencies and does not include statewide criminal history.
Broward Records Request Form Fields
The Clerk's records request form uses a small set of fields. Each field has a role in routing the request. The table below maps each field used on a court records request.
| Field | Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Requester Name | Text | Yes | Identifies the person submitting the request. |
| Contact Information | Text | Yes | Email, phone, or mailing address for the response. |
| Case Number | Text | Strongly Useful | Use the Broward case number format when known. |
| Party Names | Text | Conditional | Needed when case number is unknown. |
| Case Type / Division | Checkbox | Conditional | Civil, criminal, family, probate, traffic, misdemeanor, marriage, or archives. |
| Filing Year / Date Range | Date or text | No | Search fee is per year searched. |
| Document Description | Text | Yes for targeted copy | Example: final judgment, docket, order, complaint, marriage license. |
| Certification Requested | Checkbox | No | Adds $2.00 per document. |
| Delivery Method | Checkbox or text | No | Email, mail, fax, or pickup. |
| Payment Information | Payment | Yes when fees due | Do not send cash by mail; cards accepted in person. |
How to File a Broward Public Records Request
A clean Broward public records request follows a short routine. Send the request to the agency that holds the record. Be specific about the document needed. Provide a date range when the agency charges by year searched.
- Identify the right custodian: Clerk for court files, BSO for arrest records, county for property and business records.
- Describe the record with enough detail to let the agency find it.
- State whether a certified copy is needed.
- Provide contact information for the response.
- Confirm payment options before paying any fee.
- Submit the request through the agency's online portal or mail it in.
- Track the request through any reference number the agency provides.
- If an exemption is claimed, ask the agency to state the statute and reason in writing under section 119.07.
Fees and Response Time
Florida public records fees are limited by statute. Section 119.07 allows the custodian to charge for the actual cost of duplication. Custodians may also charge for extensive use of staff resources beyond what is reasonable. Each agency publishes its own fee schedule under those limits. The Clerk's fees and costs page lists the court-records fee schedule.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Plain court document copy | $1.00 per page |
| Certification | $2.00 per document |
| Records search | $2.00 per year searched |
| Electronic certified court document | $8.00 per document |
| Marriage record first copy | $5.00 |
| Each additional marriage record copy | $3.00 |
Florida does not set a fixed deadline for response, but section 119.07 requires custodians to acknowledge and respond in good faith. The Clerk states that Court Records by Request can take up to two weeks once received. The Clerk warns against sending duplicate fax or email requests because duplicates can delay processing.
Exemptions and Redactions
Florida law has many exemptions. Section 119.071 contains general exemptions, including certain active criminal intelligence or investigative information, security information, personal identifying information for protected classes, and other categories. Section 119.0714 addresses court files and official records. Florida Rule 2.420 controls confidential court information. The Clerk applies these layers when releasing court documents and redacting sensitive fields.
Common redactions include Social Security numbers, bank or account numbers, minor information, protected addresses, victim information, and confidential medical or mental health details. Redaction is not the same as denial. Section 119.07 requires exempt portions to be redacted and non-exempt portions produced when possible.
Enforcement and Denials
If a custodian claims an exemption, section 119.07 requires the statutory basis to be stated and, if requested, written reasons with particularity. Section 119.11 gives public-records cases an accelerated hearing priority. Section 119.12 governs attorney-fee awards when an agency unlawfully refuses access. Requesters who believe a request was unlawfully denied should consult counsel before litigating because each step has procedural rules.
Note: A denial under an exemption is not the same as a record that does not exist; ask the custodian to state the basis under section 119.07 in writing.