Find Sarasota County Arrest Records
Sarasota County arrest records are managed by the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office on Florida's Gulf Coast. The sheriff operates the county jail on Ringling Boulevard and handles all booking and arrest data for the area. You can look up arrest records through the sheriff's online inmate search or by contacting the jail directly. Sarasota County is part of the 12th Judicial Circuit, and all arrest records fall under Florida's public records law. Whether you need to check on a recent booking or pull an older arrest record, the sheriff's office is your starting point in Sarasota County.
Sarasota County Quick Facts
Sarasota County Sheriff Arrest Data
The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office is the primary agency for arrest records in the county. When a person is arrested in Sarasota County, they go to the county jail at 2071 Ringling Boulevard in Sarasota. Staff at the jail book the person, take fingerprints and a photo, and log the charges. That booking record is a public arrest record under Florida law.
The sheriff's office has an online inmate search tool. You can use it to find people currently in the Sarasota County jail. The search shows booking details, charges, bond info, and mugshots. It is free and open to anyone. The data refreshes often, so new arrests in Sarasota County appear within a few hours of booking. For records of people who have been released, you may need to contact the sheriff's records division directly or use a statewide search tool.
The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office website provides access to inmate data and arrest records for the county.
Use this site to check on recent bookings or get contact info for the Sarasota County jail.
| Jail Address | 2071 Ringling Blvd, Sarasota, FL 34237 |
|---|---|
| Phone | 941-861-4162 |
| Website | www.sarasotasheriff.org |
| Inmate Search | Available online through sheriff's website |
How to Search Sarasota County Arrests
Start with the sheriff's inmate search for recent Sarasota County arrest records. It is the quickest option. Just type in a name and the tool pulls up matching results. If the person is still in custody, you will see their current status. If they have been released, the record may no longer be in the active system.
For a deeper search of Sarasota County arrest records, the state offers two good tools. The FDLE Public Access System covers criminal history across all of Florida. A name search costs $25 and returns results right away. You need the person's full name, and you can add a date of birth or gender to narrow results. The other option is CCIS, the Comprehensive Case Information System. It has court records from all 67 counties, including Sarasota. CCIS shows case details, charges, docket entries, and sentencing data. It pulls from over 150 million cases statewide.
You can also search in person. Go to the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office and ask to view records. Bring your ID. Staff can help you find arrest records by name or booking number. Under Chapter 119 of the Florida Statutes, they must let you inspect public records. Copy fees may apply for printed pages.
Sarasota County Records and Florida Law
Arrest records in Sarasota County are public. That is the rule in Florida. The Sunshine Law says government records are open to the public unless a specific law says otherwise. Section 119.07 gives you the right to inspect and copy these records. You do not need to say who you are or why you want them.
Section 943.053 of the Florida Statutes makes clear that criminal history records are public unless sealed or expunged. This means any Sarasota County arrest record stays open for anyone to see, unless a court has ordered it removed. An arrest record shows the date of the arrest, the agency, the charges, and the booking details. It does not mean the person is guilty. It just means they were taken into custody in Sarasota County.
Statewide Arrest Record Tools
Beyond the Sarasota County Sheriff, the state has tools that cover arrests from every Florida county. The FDLE criminal history check is the most thorough. It costs $24 plus $1 for processing. Results are instant for online searches. Mail requests take 5 to 7 business days.
The FDLE criminal history records page provides the state's official arrest record search tool.
FDLE maintains arrest data from Sarasota County and every other county in Florida.
The Florida Department of Corrections Offender Search covers people in state prison. If someone arrested in Sarasota County was later sentenced to prison, they appear in this database. You can search by name or DC number. The FDC processes records requests under Chapter 119 and Section 945.10 of the Florida Statutes.
Note: FDLE instant searches may show multiple possible matches for common names.
Sealing Arrest Records in Sarasota County
People with certain arrest records in Sarasota County can apply to have them sealed or expunged. The process starts with FDLE. You apply for a Certificate of Eligibility, which costs $75. It takes about 12 weeks. FDLE does not rush applications for anyone.
Once you get the certificate, you petition the court in the 12th Judicial Circuit. The Sarasota County Clerk of Court handles the filing. Under Section 943.0585, expunged records are destroyed by most agencies. FDLE keeps one confidential copy. Sealed records under Section 943.059 stay on file but are not visible to the public. The certificate is good for 12 months after FDLE issues it. Not all offenses qualify, so check the statute before you apply. You can get the forms from the Sarasota County Clerk or from the FDLE seal and expunge page.
Sarasota County Wanted Persons
FDLE runs a statewide wanted persons search through the Florida Crime Information Center. This database includes people with active warrants in Sarasota County and across the state. You can search it at the FDLE Wanted Persons page. The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office also posts local wanted persons on its website from time to time.
If you have info about a wanted person in Sarasota County, call the sheriff's office at 941-861-4162. You can also call Crime Stoppers to report tips without giving your name.
Cities in Sarasota County
Sarasota County includes the city of Sarasota, North Port, Venice, and several smaller towns. All arrests in these areas are processed at the Sarasota County jail. The sheriff's office handles booking for the whole county, no matter which city the arrest took place in.
Other cities in Sarasota County include Venice, Sarasota, Longboat Key, and Englewood. All arrest records for these areas are held by the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Sarasota County. If you are not sure where an arrest happened, check which agency made the arrest. Each county keeps its own booking records.