Pinellas Criminal Records Search: Cases & Public Records
Pinellas County, Florida • Criminal Records Guide
Search Pinellas Criminal Records, Court Cases, Arrests and Public Records
Find criminal court dockets, felony and misdemeanor charges, case dispositions, arrests, jail bookings and Florida criminal-history records using the official agencies serving Pinellas County.
Start with the Pinellas County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller for criminal cases. Use the Sheriff’s Arrest Inquiry for booking records and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) for statewide criminal-history requests.
Direct official resources
Where to Find Pinellas Criminal Records
Use the record custodian that maintains the information you need. A felony court case, recent arrest, certified judgment and statewide history report are not the same record.
Clerk Adult Name/Case Lookup
Free guest searching of eligible adult court dockets by name or case information, subject to access limits.
Open Clerk case search →Pinellas Clerk’s Office
Official custodian of felony, misdemeanor and other county court records.
Official Clerk website →Sheriff Arrest Inquiry
Search people currently incarcerated and those released from the county jail within the last 30 days.
Search bookings →Pinellas Sheriff Records
Ask for eligible older booking information, incident reports or other Sheriff-held public records.
Sheriff public records →FDLE Instant Search
Paid statewide Florida criminal-history name search, separate from the Pinellas court docket.
FDLE search options →FDLE Personal Review
Use a fingerprint-based procedure to access and challenge your own Florida criminal history without an FDLE review fee.
FDLE Personal Review →Choose a search route
Which Pinellas Criminal Records Office Do You Need?
Choose your task. This on-page guide does not submit a records request or collect private information.
Free public court case search
How to Search Pinellas Criminal Court Records Online
Pinellas County’s Clerk provides a legacy guest-access page for adult court records. The published page identifies an Adult Name/Case Lookup and a separate traffic lookup. Guest access is limited to 100 transactions per day.
- Open the official Clerk guest records page.
Use public.co.pinellas.fl.us. If the legacy page is unavailable, return to the current Clerk homepage and select the current Court Records or Public Records link.
- Choose “Adult Name/Case Lookup.”
This is the court search for adult cases. Do not select the Official Records Book/Page search when you need criminal charges or case events.
- Use the name or case number.
Enter the defendant’s name or a known court case number, following the search fields shown.
- Refine possible matches.
Review names, case identifiers, filing dates and other publicly available details to avoid confusing people with similar names.
- Open the correct criminal case.
Check its case number, case type, charge information and docket entries.
- Review court activity in date order.
Look for arraignment, hearing notices, motions, pleas, dismissal, adjudication, sentencing and subsequent filings.
- Inspect available public documents.
Some case documents may be available online; other documents may require registered access, redaction or assistance from the Clerk.
- Verify the final disposition.
For legal or official proof, request the appropriate certified document from the Clerk’s criminal court records department.
Know the court jurisdiction
Pinellas Felony, Misdemeanor and Traffic Court Records
Florida criminal court jurisdiction matters when locating a case or requesting copies. Pinellas County is in Florida’s Sixth Judicial Circuit, together with Pasco County. The Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller serves as record custodian for the county court and circuit court filings within Pinellas.
Felony Proceedings
Florida circuit courts generally handle felony prosecutions. A felony case may include charging documents, plea records, orders, hearings, trial activity and sentencing information.
The Pinellas Clerk’s criminal records section can explain how to obtain copies of eligible circuit criminal filings.
Misdemeanor Proceedings
County court generally handles Florida misdemeanor cases, including many first- and second-degree misdemeanors, subject to specific jurisdiction rules.
A misdemeanor case belongs in county criminal records even when an arrest was handled by a municipal police department.
| Record sought | Usual custodian | Search route |
|---|---|---|
| Felony case | Pinellas Clerk — Circuit Criminal | Adult Name/Case Lookup |
| Misdemeanor case | Pinellas Clerk — County Criminal | Adult Name/Case Lookup |
| Traffic citation | Pinellas Clerk — Traffic | Traffic Name/Citation Lookup |
| Jail booking | Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office | Sheriff Arrest Inquiry |
| Incident report | Investigating police agency | Agency public records request |
| Statewide Florida history | FDLE | Florida Criminal History Record Check |
| Federal case | Federal court | PACER |
Sheriff’s Office booking system
How to Search Pinellas Arrest Records and Jail Bookings
The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office Arrest Inquiry provides public information for people currently incarcerated in the Pinellas County Jail and for people released within the previous 30 days.
- Open the official Arrest Inquiry.
Use pinellassheriff.gov, the Sheriff’s Office website.
- Enter a name or docket number.
The public form offers last name, first name and docket number searches.
- Try the booking date if known.
The inquiry also supports booking-date searches and additional filters.
- Choose the alias option if relevant.
The form allows an alias search and the option to include charge information.
- Review the resulting record.
Check the listed name, booking details and available charge information. A booking entry is not a conviction.
- For older records, use the Sheriff’s Records Request process.
The Sheriff’s Office directs requests for people released more than 30 days ago to its Records Request Portal.
- For a final court outcome, search the Clerk.
The Sheriff’s website explicitly directs users to the Pinellas Clerk of the Circuit Court for final dispositions.
Local offices and phone numbers
Pinellas Criminal Records Office Locations
Pinellas County Justice Center
Criminal Court Records and Criminal Court Customer Service
Address:
14250 49th Street North
Clearwater, FL 33762
Clerk information: (727) 464-7000
Confirm department counter location and hours before visiting.
Clerk office information ↗Pinellas Clerk Main Office
General clerk services and public records liaison
Address:
315 Court Street
Clearwater, FL 33756
General: (727) 464-7000
Public records liaison: (727) 464-3341
General published hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m., excluding holidays.
Official Clerk website ↗Pinellas County Jail
Custody, jail and booking inquiries
Address:
14400 49th Street North
Clearwater, FL 33762
Jail phone: (727) 464-6415
Sheriff contact details ↗Pinellas Sheriff’s Records Section
Law enforcement records and public information requests
Sheriff administration:
10750 Ulmerton Road
Largo, FL 33778
Records phone: (727) 582-5865
Non-emergency: (727) 582-6200
Official documents and proof
How to Request Certified Pinellas Criminal Court Records
Public docket pages can help locate a case, but a court, licensing office, attorney, immigration authority or other recipient may require a certified document from the Clerk.
- Find the criminal case number.
Search the Clerk’s Adult Name/Case Lookup and identify the correct proceeding.
- Determine which document you need.
Common requests include a disposition, judgment, sentencing order, dismissal order or docket summary.
- Contact Criminal Court Records.
Call the Clerk’s Customer Information Center at (727) 464-7000 or use its supported records-request process.
- Ask about public access and certification.
Some images are available through online court records, while others require special access or redaction.
- Confirm copy fees and fulfillment method.
Clerk service charges can depend on whether the requested document is copied, certified, electronically issued or mailed.
- Compare the certified response to the case.
Ensure the name, case number, court, date and outcome are correct before using the document for an official purpose.
The Pinellas Clerk offers an electronic certification service and official online court records options. Availability depends on the document category and access permissions.
Florida statewide checks
Florida FDLE Criminal History: Fees and Personal Review
FDLE is Florida’s statewide criminal-history repository. It provides paid public name-based searches and separate processes for authorized employer screening or individuals reviewing their own records.
| FDLE request type | Published price | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Public Instant Search | $24 + $1 card processing | Results generally immediate and not certified |
| Certified or Non-Certified Search | $24 | FDLE staff process request; mailing time additional |
| ORI-based authorized search | Varies | Requires valid ORI supplied by authorized requesting entity |
| Personal Review | No FDLE service charge | Your own record; fingerprint collection may involve separate cost |
| Pinellas county court lookup | Free guest search where provided | A county case lookup, not FDLE statewide history |
How to request an FDLE Instant Search
- Open the official Florida criminal-history check page.
Choose the public Instant Search option.
- Enter the requested subject identifiers.
Follow the FDLE interface and provide accurate information.
- Pay the published amount.
The instant search lists $24 plus $1 for card processing.
- Review the non-certified result.
FDLE allows the search response to be printed or emailed.
- Verify questionable matches.
A name-based hit may require further identity confirmation, especially when names are common.
How to review your own Florida criminal history
Florida Statute 943.056 authorizes a person to request their own Florida criminal-history record for accuracy and completeness review. FDLE says it does not charge for its Personal Review service. The applicant submits the appropriate Personal Review form and fingerprint card, following the official instructions.
FDLE’s published mailing address for Personal Review is: Florida Department of Law Enforcement, P.O. Box 1489, Tallahassee, FL 32302-1489, Attention: Criminal History Record Maintenance Section.
Understanding what records mean
Pinellas Arrest Records vs. Criminal Charges vs. Convictions
A common error is treating a jail booking record as proof of a criminal conviction. In Florida, these stages are distinct:
Arrest or Booking
Shows an individual was arrested or processed into custody. An arrest alone does not establish guilt.
Criminal Charge
Indicates a law-enforcement or prosecutorial allegation. The charge may later be modified or dismissed.
Court Disposition
Shows the court’s eventual outcome, including judgment, dismissal, acquittal or another legally recognized resolution.
Troubleshooting
Why Can’t I Find Pinellas Criminal Records?
| Problem | Possible explanation | What to try |
|---|---|---|
| No criminal result in Official Records | Wrong search system | Use Adult Name/Case Lookup in Court Records |
| Legacy case search unavailable | Legacy interface or browser issue | Open current Clerk homepage or call customer service |
| Guest searching blocked | Published transaction limits | Check the 100-transaction daily limit and available alternatives |
| No result by defendant name | Spelling, name changes, restricted case or wrong county | Try case number and alternative spellings |
| Recent jail booking missing | Search field mismatch, delay or different facility | Review Sheriff’s filters or contact jail |
| Old booking not online | Released more than 30 days ago | Use Sheriff’s Records Request Portal |
| Court document image missing | Redaction, restricted access or unscanned file | Ask the Clerk for the document |
| Sealed or expunged case missing | Legal access restrictions | Use only permitted custodian procedures |
| Federal prosecution missing | Federal judiciary is separate | Search PACER |
Privacy and legal access
Sealed, Expunged and Restricted Pinellas Criminal Records
Florida provides mechanisms for sealing or expunging certain criminal-history records when a person meets statutory requirements. Court records may also be confidential or exempt from public inspection under Florida law, including certain juvenile records.
Record sealing and expungement are different remedies. Whether a person qualifies depends on the type of charge, case outcome, prior history and other legal conditions. Some government agencies may retain statutory access to information that is unavailable through general public search.
When a search returns nothing
- Check whether the correct county was selected.
- Try an exact case number.
- Consider archived case coverage.
- Account for sealed or exempt documents.
- Ask the Clerk about lawful public access.
Before relying on a result
- Confirm the correct person’s identity.
- Verify the court and case number.
- Read the final disposition.
- Distinguish arrest from conviction.
- Use official certified records for consequential claims.
Employment and housing screening may raise additional federal and state legal obligations. A public docket printout does not automatically qualify as a complete or compliant background-check report.
Common questions
Pinellas Criminal Records FAQs
How do I search Pinellas County criminal records online?
Use the Pinellas County Clerk’s Adult Name/Case Lookup through its official guest public-records page. Search by the defendant’s name or case number, then review the criminal docket.
Is Pinellas criminal case search free?
The Clerk provides guest access to eligible adult case dockets. Its guest page lists a limit of 100 transactions per day. Copies or certified documents may involve separate fees.
Are Pinellas Official Records the same as criminal court records?
No. Official Records concerns recorded instruments such as deeds and liens. The Clerk’s Court Records search is the appropriate starting point for criminal cases and court dockets.
How long do Pinellas arrest records remain in the Sheriff’s online search?
The Sheriff’s Arrest Inquiry covers people currently held in jail and those released within the previous 30 days. For older released bookings, use the Sheriff’s records-request process.
Can I search Pinellas jail bookings by name?
Yes. The official Sheriff’s Arrest Inquiry allows last-name and first-name searches, along with docket number, booking date and other filters.
Where do I obtain a certified Pinellas criminal disposition?
Contact the Pinellas County Clerk’s Criminal Court Records section, based at the Pinellas County Justice Center in Clearwater. Have the criminal case number and document name ready.
Where is the Pinellas County Justice Center?
The Justice Center is located at 14250 49th Street North, Clearwater, Florida 33762. The Clerk’s general customer information number is (727) 464-7000.
How much is an FDLE Florida criminal background check?
FDLE’s public Instant Search costs $24 plus a $1 card-processing fee. FDLE Personal Review for your own Florida criminal history does not have an FDLE processing fee.
Does a Pinellas arrest record prove a conviction?
No. An arrest or booking record is not proof of guilt. The Sheriff’s Office directs users to the Clerk for final criminal charge dispositions.
Why is a Pinellas criminal record missing?
Possible reasons include wrong search system, spelling differences, historical coverage, a different county, sealing, expungement, confidentiality or an older booking outside the Sheriff’s 30-day released-person search window.
Primary government links
Official Pinellas Criminal Records Resources
- Pinellas Clerk Guest Court Records — adult name/case lookup and published guest limits
- Pinellas County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller — official records, court services and Clerk contacts
- Pinellas Official Records Search — recorded documents, separate from criminal dockets
- Pinellas Clerk Electronic Certification — available electronically certified documents
- Pinellas Sheriff Arrest Inquiry — current custody and recent released bookings
- Pinellas Sheriff Contact and Public Records — jail, agency records and phone numbers
- FDLE Florida Criminal History Record Check — public statewide history and fees
- FDLE Personal Review — personal record and correction process
- Florida Statutes 943.053 — criminal-history information release rules
- PACER — separate federal criminal court cases