Manatee County Arrest Records Lookup

Manatee County arrest records are maintained by the Manatee County Sheriff's Office, which runs the county jail in Palmetto, Florida. Located on the Gulf Coast just south of Tampa Bay, Manatee County has a large and growing population. The county seat is Bradenton. Arrest records here are public under Florida's Sunshine Law, and the sheriff provides an online inmate search for recent bookings. Whether you search online, call the jail, or visit in person, Manatee County arrest records are available to the public without restriction. You can also use state databases for broader searches that include Manatee County data.

Manatee County Sheriff Arrest Data

The Manatee County Sheriff's Office is the primary law enforcement agency for the county. It serves the unincorporated areas and provides jail services for all local agencies. When police in Bradenton, Palmetto, or Anna Maria make an arrest, the person goes to the Manatee County jail for booking. The jail is on Harlee Rd in Palmetto. Staff record the charges, take a booking photo, and enter the data into the system. Every booking creates a public arrest record under Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes.

Manatee County has an online inmate search on the sheriff's website. This is the quickest way to check on recent arrest records. It shows people who are in custody now or were booked in the last several days. You can search by name. Results show charges, bond amounts, and booking dates for Manatee County arrest records.

Finding Arrest Records in Manatee County

There are a few ways to look up arrest records in Manatee County. The local inmate search covers recent bookings. For older arrest records, state-level tools give you more reach. Each method has different costs and coverage, so the right choice depends on what you need.

The FDLE Public Access System is the state's criminal history database. It covers all 67 Florida counties. A name search costs $25 total and gives results right away for online requests. You will need the full name of the person. Adding a date of birth can help narrow results if the name is common. The search pulls data from all law enforcement agencies in Manatee County and across the state, going back years. This makes it the most thorough single source for Manatee County arrest records.

The CCIS court case system connects to all 67 county clerks of court. It has more than 150 million case records. CCIS gets data in real time from the Manatee County Clerk of Court. This is the best tool for seeing what happened after an arrest in Manatee County. You can find out if charges were filed, if the case went to trial, and what the outcome was. It covers criminal, civil, traffic, and other case types.

The FDLE criminal history check tool is shown below and covers Manatee County arrests along with every other county in Florida.

Use this portal to run a statewide name search that includes all Manatee County arrest data.

Note: Online searches show what is in the system at the time you run them; very recent arrests may not be updated yet.

Manatee County Public Records Laws

Florida's Sunshine Law gives the public broad access to government records. Arrest records in Manatee County are covered by this law. Under Section 119.07, you can ask to see or copy any public record. You do not need to explain why. The agency must let you look at the record or give you a copy.

Section 943.053 makes criminal history records public unless sealed or expunged. This covers every arrest record in Manatee County held by the sheriff or FDLE. An arrest record is a booking record. It shows that someone was taken into custody. It lists the date, agency, charges, and booking details. It does not mean the person is guilty. Some Manatee County records have access limits. Juvenile arrests are restricted. Records sealed under Section 943.059 or expunged under Section 943.0585 are off limits to the public. But the vast majority of adult arrest records in Manatee County remain open.

Warrants in Manatee County

The Manatee County Sheriff issues arrest warrants for people who fail to appear in court or who are charged with crimes. These warrants are public records. The FDLE runs a statewide Wanted Persons database that includes people wanted in Manatee County. You can search it for free. It pulls data from the Florida Crime Information Center, which collects information from all local agencies including the Manatee County Sheriff.

If you know about a wanted person in Manatee County, call the sheriff at 941-747-3011 or reach out to Crime Stoppers. Active warrants in Manatee County can affect a person until the warrant is taken care of, whether through a court appearance or an arrest.

Removing Manatee County Arrest Records

Some arrest records in Manatee County can be sealed or expunged. This hides the record from public access. The first step is getting a Certificate of Eligibility from FDLE. It costs $75 and takes about 12 weeks to process. They do not speed things up for anyone. After you receive the certificate, you file a petition with the court in Manatee County. The clerk handles the paperwork.

Sealed records stay on file but cannot be seen by the public. Expunged records are destroyed by most agencies, though FDLE keeps one confidential copy. The certificate lasts 12 months. Not all Manatee County arrests can be sealed or expunged. The state lists specific charges that do not qualify. Visit the FDLE seal and expunge page to learn the rules and get the forms.

The FDC offender search tool shown below can help locate people who were arrested in Manatee County and later sent to state prison.

This free tool covers all state inmates, including those originally arrested in Manatee County.

Nearby Counties

These counties are next to Manatee County. Arrests near a county border may be handled by either county depending on which agency made the arrest. Check the booking agency to find the right records.