11C-6.004. Procedures for Requesting Criminal History Records

(1) Requests for Florida criminal history records contained in the systems of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement are to be requested through electronic means as provided by the Department or directed to the following address:

Florida Department of Law Enforcement

Division of Criminal Justice Information Services

Criminal History Services

Post Office Box 1489

Tallahassee, Florida 32302-1489.

In order for the Department to respond to requests for Florida criminal history information, the person or entity who wishes to review or secure such information shall provide to the Department the subject’s full name, race, sex, and date of birth or approximate age. If available, the social security number may be provided.

(2) All requests will be subject to processing in the following declining order of priorities:

(a) Requests from law enforcement and criminal justice agencies for criminal justice purposes, including criminal justice agency applicant processing;

(b) Requests for a personal record review pursuant to Rule 11C-8.001, F.A.C.;

(c) Requests from the Judicial Qualifications Commission, the Governor, and the President of the Senate or the appropriate Senate standing committee, select committee or subcommittee thereof relating to the appointment of officers;

(d) Requests from non-criminal justice agencies having specific statutory authority to receive criminal history information;

(e) Requests from other governmental agencies relying upon the Public Records Law (Chapter 119, F.S.);

(f) Requests from private individuals, businesses or organizations relying upon the Public Records Law.

(3) Fees.

(a) There shall be no charge for conducting record checks under paragraphs (2)(a) through (c).

(b) As provided in Section 943.053(3)(e), F.S., a processing fee of $24 shall be charged for each subject inquired upon under paragraphs (2)(d) through (f), except that the fee for the guardian ad litem program, and vendors of the Department of Children and Families, the Department of Juvenile Justice, the Agency for Persons with Disabilities, and the Department of Elder Affairs shall be $8 for each name submitted; the fee for a state criminal history provided for application processing as required by law to be performed by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services shall be $15 for each name submitted; and the fee for requests under Section 943.0542, F.S., which implements the National Child Protection Act of 1993, shall be $18 for each volunteer name submitted. The state offices of the Public Defender shall not be assessed a fee for Florida criminal history information or wanted person information.

(c) The processing fee charged for each subject inquired upon via the internet shall be the fee authorized for inquiries from persons in the private sector in Section 943.053(3), F.S. This fee shall be assessed based on the inquiry regardless of whether the results show no criminal history record or some possible records. When an inquiry on one subject is made and more than one person is presented as possibly the same person, the customer will receive one criminal history record as a result of the prescribed payment. If the customer wants additional criminal history records from the list of persons presented for this same inquiry, a processing fee of $24 shall be charged for each additional criminal record.

(d) Payment methods for criminal history record inquiries are as follows:

1. Criminal history record requests submitted in writing shall be payable by check or money order.

2. Criminal history record requests submitted electronically shall be payable by debit or credit card.

3. Agencies or entities invoiced for criminal history record checks shall submit payment for invoices by check, money order or journal transfer.

(4) Entities applying to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to be qualified to receive criminal history records under the National Child Protection Act of 1993, as amended, must first complete and submit the following documents to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, in accordance with the instructions provided: VECHS Qualified Entity Application – Volunteer & Employee Criminal History System (NCPA 1; Rev. October 2022). Entities that are qualified through the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to receive criminal history records under the National Child Protection Act must have their employees, volunteers, contractors, and vendors submit fingerprints electronically for each person to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for each request for a criminal history record check. An employee means any person who receives remuneration from an employer for the performance of any work or service while engaged in any employment under any appointment or contract for hire or apprenticeship, express or implied, oral or written, this includes, persons who are being paid by the qualified entity as a contractor, a subcontractor, or a business or individual providing services as a vendor, shall qualify as an employee for this purpose. A volunteer shall be defined as any person who, of his or her own free will, provides goods or services, to any qualified entity, with no monetary or material compensation. Qualified entities that release to another qualified entity any criminal history record information received pursuant to the National Child Protection Act must complete and maintain the following document, in accordance with the instructions provided: VECHS Dissemination Log – Volunteer & Employee Criminal History System (NCPA 4, Rev. December 2021, http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-15825). These forms are incorporated by reference.

Rulemaking Authority 943.03(4), 943.053(3), 943.0542, 943.056 FS. Law Implemented 943.053(3), 943.0542, 943.056 FS. History–New 12-30-76, Amended 11-7-83, Formerly 11C-6.04, Amended 9-1-88, 4-1-93, 7-7-99, 8-22-00, 7-29-01, 12-3-03, 6-9-08, 6-3-10, 5-21-12, 3-13-13, 5-29-14, 9-4-16, 7-19-17, 8-15-18, 7-6-22, 8-30-23.