Florida Public Records Key Terms

Knowing the basics about public records can help to get the information needed

Public records are now easy to search for online with many government databases available to almost anyone. Most public information can be found for free, depending on the state, or for a nominal fee through other websites.

Public records are a valuable resource in finding vital information about an individual, including finding a person who has unpaid bills, locating a registered sex offender's address, birth and death records, and unclaimed property.

 

Unclaimed property

Unclaimed property is an asset (financial) that has been left unclaimed, inactive or abandoned by its owner such as dormant bank accounts, stocks, unclaimed insurance proceeds, dividends, deposits, uncashed checks, and credit refunds. These are kept for five years and then given to the Florida Department of Financial Services, Bureau of Unclaimed Property.
Try: The Florida Department of Financial Services has detailed information about the types of unclaimed property that they administrate. There is also a great deal of information about the procedure to claim any of this property and the process which is followed.

Criminal history

The central repository for all criminal records is the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), Division of Criminal Justice Information Services. Criminal records contain the following information: felony convictions, offender status and the dates of convictions.
Try: FDLE's website contains information on searching for a criminal history on an individual and is updated daily. National and state criminal history information is available to all governmental agencies for employment and licensing information as needed under Florida law.

Vital records

In the state of Florida, vital statistics are those records of marriage, death, birth and marriage dissolution. This information could be needed for things such as school entrance, employment, passports, proof of citizenship and even governmental benefits.
Try: To order any of type of vital record, access the Florida State Department of Health for instructions and details for obtaining the needed record type. Each type of vital record is explained along with the application process.

Sex offenders

After the enactment of the Public Safety Information Act of 1997, Florida was the first state to maintain a list sexual predators and offenders on the Internet and make that information available 24 hours a day. This information lists predators/offenders registration information as well as their photographs and is found on the Internet for public access.
Try: The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is the repository for all information concerning sexual predators and offenders in the state. It maintains all offender information and helps the general public access this information.

Government jobs

The State is one of the major employers in Florida which offers many different types of rewarding career options that create career security and competitive wages. Those who elect to work within the State system will have to consider the individual regulations and collective bargaining systems associative with the job selected to make the best employment choice for the individual's needs and qualifications
Try: Each individual Florida State agency has a procedure for announcing and offering jobs within the State System. The search for these positions has been made much easier by utilizing the Internet to post and advertise these positions and can be found on the Department of Management Services.

Medical Quality Assurance

The Florida Department of Health, through the division of Medical Quality Assurance, regulates and licenses more than 200 types of professions including 40 healthcare professions such as doctors, chiropractors, podiatrists, osteopathic physicians and registered nurse practitioners.
Try: To get a practitioner's practice information such as license, disciplinary actions, suspensions and other treatment related information, the Medical Quality Assurance division of the Department of Health has an extensive search capability to access a vast amount of practitioner information.

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