Find Palm Beach County Arrest Records

Palm Beach County arrest records are available through the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office, the primary law enforcement agency for this area of southeast Florida. The county has a population of about 1.5 million and stretches from Boca Raton in the south up to Jupiter in the north. The sheriff's office operates the Main Detention Center and handles all inmate bookings for Palm Beach County. Arrest records are public under Florida's Sunshine Law and Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes, so anyone can search for them without needing to provide a reason.

Palm Beach Sheriff's Office Records

The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office, known as PBSO, is the main agency for arrest records in the county. They run the Main Detention Center. The jail phone number is (561) 688-4400. PBSO handles law enforcement, bookings, and detention all in one department. That makes the sheriff's office the single point of contact for most arrest record requests in Palm Beach County.

People arrested anywhere in Palm Beach County get processed at the Main Detention Center. This includes people picked up in cities like West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, and Jupiter. Even when a city police department makes the arrest, the booking goes through PBSO. That means the same database holds arrest records from every part of Palm Beach County, whether the arrest was made by PBSO deputies or a local city officer.

The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office website is the starting point for finding arrest records and other public safety information.

PBSO posts information about recent arrests, public safety alerts, and community programs on this site.

Palm Beach County Inmate Search

PBSO offers an online inmate lookup tool. You can search by name to find arrest records for people who are currently in the Palm Beach County jail. The search shows real-time booking status, charges, and housing location. The system updates regularly so that new bookings show up soon after processing. This tool is free to use and requires no account or registration.

The PBSO Arrest and Jail page provides access to inmate search tools and other arrest-related services in Palm Beach County.

From this menu, you can search for current inmates, check on recent arrests, and find visitation details for the Palm Beach County detention center.

When you search for an arrest record in Palm Beach County, results may include the booking photo, name, date of birth, charges, bond amount, and case number. Some information may be withheld if it falls under a public records exemption. For example, juvenile arrest records are not shown. Victim information may be redacted. Under Section 943.053 of the Florida Statutes, criminal history records are public in Florida unless they have been sealed or expunged.

Note: The online search only shows people currently in custody at the Palm Beach County jail.

Public Records Requests in Palm Beach County

If the online search does not have what you need, you can file a public records request with PBSO. Florida law under Chapter 119 gives anyone the right to request copies of arrest records, incident reports, and other documents. You do not need to be involved in the case. The request can be made in writing or by email to the PBSO records division. Expect some processing time, especially for older arrest records from Palm Beach County.

There may be copy fees involved. Florida law allows agencies to charge the actual cost of copying records. For Palm Beach County, this usually means a per-page fee for paper copies. Certified copies cost more than regular ones. If the request is large, PBSO may give you a cost estimate before they start pulling files. Being specific about what you want helps keep costs down and speeds up the process for Palm Beach County arrest records.

Florida Law on Arrest Records

Arrest records in Palm Beach County fall under Florida's broad public records laws. The state constitution guarantees the right to access government records. Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes lays out the rules. An arrest record shows that someone was taken into custody by law enforcement. It includes the date, the arresting agency, the offense, booking details, and case numbers. Having an arrest record does not mean a person was found guilty.

Records that have been sealed or expunged under Florida law are not publicly available. Section 943.0585 covers expungement, which means the record gets destroyed by most agencies. Section 943.059 covers sealing, where the record still exists but is hidden from public view. Both paths require a Certificate of Eligibility from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The application fee is $75, and processing takes about 12 weeks. If you were arrested in Palm Beach County and want to explore this option, you apply through the Clerk of Courts in the county where the arrest happened.

Statewide Resources for Palm Beach Arrests

Several statewide tools can help you find Palm Beach County arrest records. The FDLE Public Access System runs criminal history checks covering all 67 Florida counties. Online searches cost $25 and produce instant results. You enter the person's name, and you can add their date of birth for better accuracy. FDLE also maintains a Wanted Persons search that covers active warrants statewide.

The CCIS statewide court system holds over 150 million cases from all Florida counties. It shows criminal charges, court events, and case outcomes for Palm Beach County and the rest of the state. If the person went to state prison after a Palm Beach County arrest, the Florida Department of Corrections offender search tracks inmates in the state system. You can search by name or DC number. The FDC processes public records requests under Chapter 119 and Section 945.10 of the Florida Statutes.

Note: FDLE name-based searches cost $24 plus a $1 online processing fee for a total of $25 per search.

Sealing Palm Beach County Arrest Records

Florida law provides ways to seal or expunge arrest records. If you were arrested in Palm Beach County and the case was dropped, dismissed, or resulted in certain outcomes, you may qualify. Administrative expungement under Section 943.0581 is available when the arrest was made by mistake or contrary to law. Juvenile diversion expungement under Section 943.0582 covers minors who completed an approved program.

For court-ordered sealing or expungement, you start by applying to FDLE for a Certificate of Eligibility. The $75 processing fee applies. FDLE takes around 12 weeks to make a decision, and they process packets in the order received. Once you get the certificate, it is good for 12 months. You then file a petition with the court in Palm Beach County. The court issues an order, and that order goes to every agency that holds the record. The record is not removed until the certified court order reaches FDLE. While the case is pending, your Palm Beach County arrest record stays public.

Cities in Palm Beach County

Palm Beach County covers a large area with dozens of cities and towns. City police departments make arrests within their borders, but all inmates go through the PBSO detention center. The same arrest records system covers every part of Palm Beach County.

Other cities in Palm Beach County include Delray Beach, Jupiter, Lake Worth Beach, Wellington, and Palm Beach Gardens. All arrest records from these areas go through the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Palm Beach County. Make sure you search the right county's system based on where the arrest took place.