Crime Numbers
Hernando County crime data is maintained by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). In the agency’s most recent crime statistics publication, the county recorded 468 violent crimes and 2,863 property crimes in 2018. When compared to 2014, the violent crime rate increased by 4% while property crime rate climbed by 28.5%. A closer look at the 2018 crime statistics for the county shows that there were 6 murders, 77 rapes, 50 robberies, 335 aggravated assaults, 490 burglaries, 2,170 larcenies, and 203 motor vehicle thefts.
The five-year crime trend for the county indicates that aggravated assault rate grew by a slight 0.3% while rape (48.1%) rates went up. Hernando County also recorded fewer murders (33.3%), robberies (9.1%), burglaries (42.4%), larcenies (26%) and motor vehicle thefts (9%) between 2014 and 2018.
Criminal Records
The Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division of FDLE provides criminal history records for Hernando County. The Division charges $24 per criminal background check and accepts requests online and by mail. The FDLE provides name-based and fingerprint-based background checks. Visit the Computerized Criminal History on the Internet service to conduct a quick name-based background check for Hernando County.
A certified (notarized) criminal history check can only be provided by mail. When making a mail-in request, include a self-addressed stamped envelope, the subject's name, and any known aliases, date of birth, race, sex, and social security number (optional). Include a check or money order for the background check fee and send the request to:
Florida Department of Law Enforcement
Criminal History Services
P.O. Box 1489
Tallahassee, FL 32302-1489
A certified background check takes 6 - 7 business days not including mail delivery time. For further information, contact the CJIS at (850) 410-8161 or via email.
The Hernando County Sheriff’s Office also provides local history background checks covering arrests made by the office. This service is provided free of charge. To obtain this local background check, contact the Records Custodian at the Sheriff’s Office main location at:
18900 Cortez Blvd,
Brooksville FL 34601
(352) 797-3635
The Hernando County Sheriff's Office is the only local law enforcement agency serving the county. To obtain an incident or accident report for the county, visit the nearest branch of the Sheriff's office. The offices are open to the public from Monday through Friday between 8.00 a.m. and 5.00 p.m. (D2 office closes by 4.00 p.m.). The Sheriff’s offices in the county are:
Main Office
18900 Cortez Blvd,
Brooksville, FL 34601
(352) 754-6830
(352) 796-0493(Fax)
D1 Office-Brooksville
87 Veterans Ave,
Brooksville, FL 34601
(352) 754-6800
(352) 796-0493 (Fax)
D2 Office- Spring Hill
7499 Forest Oaks Blvd,
Spring Hill, FL 34601
(352) 688-5000
(352) 754-6830 (Fax)
In compliance with the Florida State Law, FDLE maintains a Sex Offender Registry for all sex offenders living in the state. The agency provides online access to this registry. To find a sex offender residing in Hernando County, visit the FDLE’s Sexual Offenders and Predators search page and search by street addresses and zip codes in the county. The search result lists all offenders/predators within a 5-mile radius of the selected address. The public can also search for offenders by name.
The Hernando County Detention Center serves as the primary correctional facility for all law enforcement agencies in the county. This 744-bed detention facility is managed by the county’s Sheriff’s Office and it is located at:
16425 Spring Hill Drive,
Brooksville, FL 34604
(353) 544-2334
(352) 544-2350 (Fax)
The jail provides a number of options for depositing money into inmates’ accounts. Friends and family can drop off money orders in the box at the Detention Center main lobby. Each money order must have the inmate's name and MNI number. Relations can also make credit card deposit online via Access Corrections or deposit cash at the Access Secure Deposits kiosk in the jail lobby. Access Corrections charges a service fee, per transaction, based on the amount of money added to an inmate’s account. Lastly, an inmate's account can be funded by sending a money order, cashier check, or a check from government/law enforcement agencies by mail to the jail. Address the envelope in this way:
(Inmate's Name) (Inmate# IE:HCSO14MNI00000)
Hernando County Detention Center
Inmate Accounts
16425 Spring Hill Dr.,
Brooksville, FL 34604
Court Records
The Hernando County courts are part of Florida’s Fifth Judicial Circuit. The county’s court system consists of the Circuit Court and the County Court. Hernando Circuit Court is the county’s primary court of trial with jurisdiction over all felony cases and civil disputes with claims of over $15,000. Misdemeanors and civil disputes involving $15,000 or less are handled by the County Court. Both courts hold sessions in the same locations which are:
Main Office
Hernando County Courthouse
20 North Main Street,
Brooksville, FL 34601
(352) 754-4201
Spring Hill Office
Forest Oaks Government Center
7415 Forest Oaks Boulevard,
Spring Hill, FL 34606
(352) 754-4201
The Hernando County Clerk of Circuit Court maintains all of the county’s court records. The public can also access these records online on the Clerk’s website. The public can make an anonymous search of available court records prior to requesting certified copies of court records from the office of the Clerk. Visit either of the Clerk's offices to make this request. Each certified copy of a court record costs $2 while photocopies are made at $1 each. When physical record search is required, there’s an additional $2 fee for each year searched.
Vital Records
Hernando County divorce records are provided by the Bureau of Vital Statistics, Florida Department of Health. Divorce records from June 6, 1927 to the present are available at the Bureau. The first copy of a divorce record costs $5 while each additional copy of the same record requested at the same time costs $4. A request submitted without the date of occurrence will attract an additional $2 fee for each year searched to find the record.
A request takes up to five business days to fill, however, the bureau can expedite the delivery of the request for an additional $10. To request a divorce record, print and complete the Application for Dissolution of Marriage form. Send the completed application along with a check or money order for the fee to:
Bureau of Vital Statistics
Vital Records Section
P.O. 210
Jacksonville, FL 32231-0042
Requesters paying for expedite requests should put “RUSH” on their request envelopes. To obtain copies of divorce records made before June 6, 1927, contact the Hernando County Clerk of Court office.
Hernando County marriage, birth and death records are also maintained by the Bureau of Vital Statistics. Marriage records from June 6, 1927 to the present are available. To request a copy of marriage record, download and complete the Application for Marriage Certificate form. The fees and process to obtain a divorce record also apply for requesting a marriage record.
The Bureau provides copies of birth and death certificates locally at the Hernando County Health Department or another of its partners’ locations. Records of birth from 1930 to the present and death certificates from 2009 to present are available. Hernando County Health Department charges $12 for the first copy of a birth record, $10 for each additional copy in the same order, and $10 for each copy of death certificate.
To request a birth or death record, complete the Hernando County Application for a Florida Birth Certificate (also provided in Spanish) or the Hernando County Application for Florida Death Record (also provided in Spanish). Submit the completion in person along with a copy of a valid ID with the required fee (cash, card payment, money order, or cashier's check) at any of these offices:
Hernando County Vital Statistics Office
7551 Forest Oaks Boulevard
Spring Hill, FL 34606
Brooksville
300 South Main Street
Brooksville, FL 34601
Spring Hill
7551 Forest Oaks Boulevard
Spring Hill, FL 34606
The Vital Statistics office is open from Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. while Brooksville's business hours are from Monday through Wednesday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Spring Hill is open to the public from Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The local Vital Statistics office also accepts mail-in applications. When requesting by mail, include a money order or a check for the fee. For further inquiry contact the local Vital Statistics office at (352) 540-6800 or by email.
