Seminole County

Finding a mugshot in Seminole

Mugshots are an essential part of arrest records which together are categorized as public documents under the Florida Public Record Law. Therefore, anyone can easily obtain a mugshot from the Seminole County Sheriff's Office. To provide for quick access to these mugshots, the Sheriff's Office offers an online search of its arrest records database via its website. To search for a mugshot on the site go through the "How Do I..." tab and select 'current inmates'. At the following page, the user will find the link to 'search for current inmate'. This inmate search engine allows users to perform a simple search by a couple of filters including the last name of the defendant and the defendant's date of birth. Each search result shows the full name of the defendant along with the booking number and a link (info) to view the mugshot along with other arrest data. A click on the info-link shows the mugshot in question and the complete arrest details filed with the Seminole County Sheriff's Office. The detail is inclusive of the information on posting a bond and funding an account for the inmate. On the search result page, the user will find another tab/link to schedule a visit to the inmate.

The Seminole County Sheriff's Office publishes daily a report of bookings made at the office on its website. This is done as a part of its media and public reporting responsibilities.

Seminole County Mugshots and Arrest

With under half a million residents, Seminole County records an average of15,000 arrests yearly. Its latest crime records show a violent crime rate of 314 incidents in every 100,000 residents and a property crime rate of over 1,800 in 100,000 residents. The criminal justice process in the county begins with an arrest or an answer to a warrant of an arrest made by the Seminole County Sheriff's office or any of the seven police departments serving the county. Arrestees are taken to the Seminole County Jail also known as John E. Polk Correctional Facility for booking. This jail is managed by the Seminole County Sheriff's Office and located at:

211 Eslinger Way,
Sanford, FL 32773
(407) 665-1200

At the booking, the arresting law enforcement officer takes the mugshot and other biographical details of the arrestee. Defendants that meet the condition for bail are released after booking to return at trial. Otherwise, the defendant is kept in jail until the first appearance before a judge. By Law, every incarcerated defendant must make this first appearance within 24 hours of an arrest. This first appearance in Seminole County occurs at the John E. Polk Correctional Facility. Here the presiding judge determines if probable cause exists to pursue the case against the defendant and other pre-trial release conditions. In Seminole County, the first appearance is viewed by the public electronically and the judges also appear electronically for the hearings.

Where there is a probable cause, the case will be formally charged afterward and a pre-trial hearing date will be set. The defendants that plead guilty at the pre-trial will be sentenced immediately while others will go to trial.

Obtaining Certified Arrest Records

Seminole County Sheriff's Office provides official arrest records on request. The Public Records Unit of the Sheriff's Office is the central repository for all reports generated. To request a copy of an arrest record, contact the office in person at:

Seminole County Sheriff's Office
Records Section
100 Eslinger Way
Sanford, FL 32773

The unit is open to the public during normal business hours, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Requests are also accepted by telephone at (407) 665-6690 or Fax at (407) 665-6655. Mail-in requests can be sent by email to recordsrequest@seminolesheriff.org or address to:

Seminole County Sheriff's Office
Records Section
100 Eslinger Way
Sanford, FL 32773

When sending in a request by mail attach a self-addressed stamped envelope. Requests are processed promptly but a delayed response may be due to the nature of the request, and volume of copies required. The Records Unit will request a deposit for such an order requiring extensive research. Certified copies of arrest records are provided at $1 per copy, photocopies cost $0.25 per page for single-sided copy and $0.35 per page for a double-sided copy. Payments are accepted as cash, money orders, cashier's checks, or debit/credit cards (no personal checks are accepted). Card payments will attract an additional charge for a service fee.

These arrest records can also be obtained from the office of the Seminole County Clerk of the Court for a fee. Before visiting the Clerk's office, perform an online record search via the office's website using the ‘online searches’ portal. This portal provides various records search links including a criminal case search. Criteria for making a simple search on the portal include the name of the subject, case number, date of birth and clerk filing date. Results can also be filtered by case type or category. A click on the name of the subject shows the complete details of the arrest and case records. Request the copies of an arrest record at any of the Clerk's office locations or the main office at:

101 Eslinger Way,
Sanford, FL 32773
(407) 665-4450

Sealing and Expunging Mugshots and Arrest Records

Persons with arrest records in Seminole County can appeal to have these details sealed from public access or expunged from law enforcement agencies files. The state law allows this privilege for eligible citizens in the county. The process of expunging a record begins with filing for a certificate of eligibility from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). Download and complete the FDLE application packet to file for this certificate. Applicants are required to mail the complete packet with a certified copy of an arrest record along with a money order for the processing fee of $75 to Seal-Expunge@fdle.state.fl.us.

Upon the receipt of a certificate of eligibility, the applicant can file it along with an affidavit, a petition and a proposed order with the Seminole County Clerk of Court. The clerk charges a $42 fee for this filing. Consequently, a hearing date is set for the judge to grant or deny the petition for sealing or expunging the arrest record. Applicants can visit the Florida Bar website and download the Rules of Criminal Procedure file as a guide in preparing the affidavit, petition, and proposed order. This process takes between six to nine months hence, applicants are advised to solicit the services of a local attorney in managing the complex procedure.

To make this process easy and affordable for Seminole residents, the Seminole County Bar Association Legal Aid Society in conjunction with Sanford Job Connection Center organizes sealing and expungement workshops regularly. These workshops held at the Sanford Job Connection Center located at:

4516 West State Road 46
Sanford, FL 32771

The workshops are pre-registration events hence prospective applicants are advised to call (407) 939-0469 to book for a seat. The bar association provides a campaign page for this event on its Facebook account. Follow the link to determine the next workshop date. For further information, contact the association at this address:

101 West Palmetto Avenue
32750 Longwood, Florida
(407) 834-1660