What are Tampa Public Records?
According to the Florida Public Records Law, Tampa public records are documents maintained, generated or received "in connection with the transaction of official business by any agency". These documents may include state, county, and municipal records. The City of Tampa public records may consist of documents, papers, letters, maps, books, tapes, sound recordings, data processing software, photographs, and films made or received by any public agency in connection with its official business.
Nevertheless, not all Tampa public records are available or accessible by the general public. Certain documents are considered confidential and exempted from the public records search. The Florida Public Records Law permits public agencies to totally or partially restrict documents from requestors as established by the state laws. Examples of such records may include:
- Information revealing personal details that would constitute an unnecessary invasion of privacy
- Information about a pending or ongoing investigation
- Documents revealing trade secrets or any other information obtained through attorney-client privilege
- Information that may jeopardize the safety of parties involved
Tampa Crime Statistics
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) through its Uniform Crime Report program compiles and publishes annual reports on crime statistics within its jurisdiction. Note, the Tampa Police Department is responsible for collating all the crime statistics in the city. According to the 2020 Uniform Crime Report for Tampa, the city reported a total of 7680 crimes. A further breakdown includes 41 murder cases, 101 rape cases, 325 robbery cases, 1652 aggravated assault cases, 925 burglary cases, 3993 larceny cases, and 643 motor vehicle theft cases.
The 2019 Uniform Crime Report for Tampa reported a total of 8145 crimes. The crimes recorded include 31 murder cases, 120 rapes cases, 285 robbery cases, 1186 aggravated assault cases, 1022 burglary cases, 4978 larceny cases, and 523 motor vehicle theft cases.
Are Tampa Criminal Records Public?
Yes, Tampa’s criminal records are public and open to the public. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) provides statewide access to all criminal history in Tampa and other cities within its jurisdiction. Interested persons can obtain Tampa’s criminal history record using the following search options: instant search, certified or non-certified search, and ORI search.
Instant Search
The instant search option allows interested persons to obtain criminal history records in real-time. Each record search costs $24 and an additional $1 for the processing fee. The payment method allowed is either a debit card or credit card.
Certified or Non-certified Search
Interested persons who wish to conduct a certified or non-certified search must provide the demographic information needed. The result is sent via mail after an FDLE search. Non-certified requests take up to five (5) business days, while certified requests take six to seven business days. Note, the mail delivery time is not included in the processing time. This type of search costs $24 payable with a debit or credit card.
ORI Search
Interested persons who intend to use this search option must provide a valid ORI. Note, the cost of each search may vary depending on the state statute, state agency, or authorized entity. Interested persons must enter the ORI in the ORI-based search provided by the FDLE.
Florida Department of Law Enforcement
2331 Phillips Road
Tallahassee, FL 32308
Phone: (850) 410-8161
Fax: (850) 410-8201
Hours of operation: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (EST)
How to Obtain Tampa Police Reports and Arrest Records
The Tampa Police Department through its Record Section compiles and maintains all Tampa police reports and arrest records. Interested persons who wish to obtain Tampa police records can achieve that in person, by mail, or online. The Record Section is open to requesters from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday to Friday (excluding city holidays). Interested persons who wish to obtain Tampa's arrest records in person must visit the office location. Note: If a person requests a report in which they are the victim, such persons must provide a copy of their driver's license.
Tampa Police Department Headquarters
One Police Center
411 North Franklin Street
Tampa, Florida 33602
Main Phone: (813) 276-3200
Requestors can also request Tampa's police records via mail. A mail request costs $2, excluding larger type reports such as fatality crashes, homicide, and more. Interested persons can send a mail to:
Tampa Police, Records Section
411 North Franklin Street
Tampa, FL 33602
The Tampa Police Department also provides a Traffic Crash Report upon request. Similar to the above request process, requesters can obtain the reports via mail or in person. Interested persons can also order online for the traffic crash report through the Department of Motor Vehicles.
How to Find Sex Offender Information in Tampa
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) through its Sex Offender Search System provides public online access to sex offenders and predator information. Interested persons can find sex offender information in Tampa using any of the online search options. The search options available on the search system include neighborhood search and offender search.
Neighborhood Search
The neighborhood search option allows interested persons to search for sex offender and predator information within an area. For example, an individual can search for sex offender information in their city of residence or work. Interested persons can use the following search combinations: offender address, city, zip code, and radius.
Offender Search
The offender search option enables interested persons to obtain sex offender and predator information using the first name and last name.
Note, the sex offender search system also allows users to sort out sex offender and predator information using offender type, offender status, state status, and more.
How to Find Tampa Inmate Records
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) maintains and provides online public access to its inmate search database. The HSCO updates the inmate records in its database every 30 minutes. Interested persons who wish to obtain Tampa inmate records can search using any of the following combinations: last name, first name, booking number, booking date, release date, race, sex, and date of birth. The online database also provides other options that allow users to sort records by only booking dates, booking numbers, or names. Also, users can search for current inmates only or include inmates with arrest details.
Once a search is made, an example of the inmate information may include their charges, bond amount, and booking photo.
How Do I Visit an inmate in Tampa Jail?
Interested persons can visit inmates at the Falkenburg Road Jail. The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office provides family and friends video visitation through its Video Visitation Center location in the Falkenburg Road Jail. The Video Center is open to interested persons seven (7) days a week, from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. The visitation days include holidays. An inmate is allowed up to forty (40) minutes per visit. Note, the onsite video visitation is free.
Interested persons who wish to visit an inmate must book an appointment. Each appointment must be scheduled at least seven (7) days in advance. Visitors who are not listed on the visitation schedule will not be admitted. An inmate is allowed up to three (3) visitors per visit. Note, one of the three visitors must be an adult. Also, an inmate is only permitted to have up to three visits per week. In a situation where a visitor does not show up, the scheduled visit will still count and be deducted from the allotted visits for the week.
Visitors are required to dress appropriately, arrive on time, and adhere to other visitation rules and regulations. Also, visitors must provide a valid means of identification such as a driver's license, passport with a photo attached, or any government-issued photo identification.
Jail Division II
Falkenburg Road Jail
520 North Falkenburg Road
Tampa, FL 33619
Phone: (813) 247-8300
Aside from the onsite video visitation, interested persons can schedule a home online video visitation. Visitors are allowed to visit an inmate from 9:30 a.m to 8:50 p.m. For the "At Home" video visitation, inmates are only allowed one (1) visit per day and three (3) visits per week. A twenty (20) minute session costs $8.
What are Tampa Vital Records?
The City of Tampa's vital records are documents that contain recordings of life events such as birth, marriage, divorce, and death. These records are generated and maintained by the government. Interested persons who wish to access or obtain copies of Tampa’s vital records can contact the Florida Department of Health - Hillsborough County and the Hillsborough Clerk of Court and Comptroller. However, some Tampa vital records are considered confidential and restricted to the general public. Such documents are only available to authorize or eligible persons.
Where and How to Obtain Tampa Divorce Records
The Hillsborough Clerk of Court and Comptroller maintains and issues copies of all divorce records in the county. Interested persons can access or obtain copies of divorce records in person, by mail, phone, or online. Requestors must provide the names of the parties involved and the years to be searched.
In addition, requestors must pay $2 for each year searched and $1 per page for each copy of the document requested. Interested persons who wish to certify a document must pay a fee of $2.
In-Person Request
Requestors can obtain copies of Tampa’s divorce records in person by visiting the Clerk's Office. The office is open to interested persons from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Aside from the details of the divorce records, requestors must present a means of payment for the divorce records. Examples of acceptable payment methods include checks, cash, money order, or credit card. Interested persons can visit any of the locations below:
Plant City Courthouse
301 North Michigan Avenue
Room 1071
Plant City, FL 33563
Phone: (813) 276-8100
Edgecomb Courthouse
800 East Twiggs Street
Customer Service Center
Room 101
Tampa, FL 33602
Phone: (813) 276-8100
Old Courthouse
419 Pierce Street
Tampa, FL 33602
Phone: (813) 276-8100
Mail Request
Requestors who wish to obtain Tampa divorce records via mail must provide details about the document they seek. Such information includes the names of the persons involved and the year to be searched. Requestors must also contact the Clerk's Office via (813) 276-8100 to determine the fees payable on the request. Interested persons must add a payment method: check or money, and address it to:
Clerk of Court - Divorce
P.O. Box 3249
Tampa, FL 33601-3249
Phone Request
Interested persons who wish to obtain Tampa divorce records by phone can pay for the documents with a credit card. Requestors must contact the Clerk's Office via (813) 276-8100. They must also provide relevant information to aid the record search.
Online Request
Interested persons can access and obtain divorce records via the online search portal provided by the Clerk's Office. Requestors can also request certified copies of the records they seek on the portal.
Where and How to Get Public Tampa Marriage Records
The Hillsborough Clerk of Court and Comptroller is responsible for maintaining and issuing copies of Tampa marriage records to interested persons on request. Interested persons who wish to access copies of Hillsborough County marriage records or indexes from 1846 forward can contact the Official Records Library at:
Official Records Library
419 Pierce Street
Room 140.
Tampa, FL 33602
Phone: (813) 276-8100
However, requestors can obtain marriage records that occurred in Hillsborough County from 1972 to present in person, by mail, by phone, or online. Interested persons must provide the names of the partners and the date of the marriage. The Clerk's Office charges $3 for certified copies of a document.
In-Person Request
Requestors who wish to obtain Tampa marriage records in person can visit the Clerk's Office from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Interested persons must provide a payment method for the marriage records while submitting their applications. Some of the acceptable payment methods include cash, check, money order, or credit card. Note, there is an additional 3.5% processing fee for credit cards. Requestors can walk into any of the following locations to make a request:
Plant City Courthouse
301 North Michigan Avenue
Room 1071
Plant City, FL 33563
Phone: (813) 276-8100
Edgecomb Courthouse
800 East Twiggs Street
Customer Service Center
Room 101
Tampa, FL 33602
Phone: (813) 276-8100
Old Courthouse
419 Pierce Street
Tampa, FL 33602
Phone: (813) 276-8100
Mail Request
Requestors can also obtain marriage records by sending a mail request to the Clerk's Office. Interested persons must provide checks or money orders payable to the Clerk of the Circuit Court. They must also provide the names of the spouses involved and the date of marriage. Typically, all marriage records requests sent by mail are processed within four to six business days. Interested persons can address their request to:
Clerk of Court - Marriage
P.O. Box 3249
Tampa, FL 33601-3249
Phone Request
Interested persons can contact the Clerk's Office at (813) 276-8100 to obtain marriage records by phone. Note, requestors must provide relevant information about the document and a credit card to pay for the records. Also, there is an additional 3.5% fee payable to the credit card processing vendor. Typically, a phone record request is processed within two to three business days.
Online Request
As an alternative, requestors obtain Tampa's marriage records via the online search portal provided by the Clerk's Office.
Where and How to Find Tampa Birth Records
The Florida Health Department in Hillsborough County maintains and issues copies of Tampa birth records upon request. In Florida, most of the birth records are not public records. A birth record is only considered public after 100 years from the date of birth. Therefore, only eligible persons can obtain birth records below 100 years. Examples of eligible persons include:
- The registrant (must be above 18)
- The parents
- The Guardians
- A legal representative
Eligible persons who wish to obtain Tampa birth records must provide valid photo identification (government-issued) and submit a completed birth record request form. Eligible persons may choose to access birth records in person, by mail, phone, or fax. For fax requests, requestors may send their application to (813) 903-3370. Requestors can contact the record custodian for a phone request via (866) 830-1906.
For mail requests, interested persons must send their complete application and other supporting documents to:
Mailing Address:
Florida Department of Health - Hillsborough County
Vital Statistics
P.O. Box 5135
Tampa, Florida 33675-5135
Interested persons can obtain Tampa’s birth record at the Vital Statistics location or the Hillsborough Tax Collector Office. Note, the Tax Collector Office may charge a convenience fee.
Vital Statistics Location
University Area Vital Statistics (Main Office)
13601 N. 22nd Street
P.O. Box 5135
Tampa, FL 33675-5135
Phone: (813) 307-8002
Fax: (813) 903-3370
Business Hours: Monday to Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Hillsborough County Tax Collector Offices
Brandon Branch
3030 North Falkenburg Road
Tampa, FL 33619
Business Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Downtown Branch
County Center Building
601 East Kennedy Blvd
14th Floor
Tampa, FL 33602
Business Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Drew Park Branch
4100 West MLK Boulevard
Tampa, FL 33614
Business Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
North Tampa Branch
3011 University Center Drive
Room 150
Tampa, FL 33612
Business Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Plant City Branch
4706 Sydney Road
Plant City, FL 33566
Business Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Southshore Branch
406 30th Street Southeast
Ruskin, FL 33570
Business Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Where and How to Find Tampa Death Records
The Florida Health Department in Hillsborough County is responsible for maintaining and issuing copies of all death records in Tampa and other cities in the county. The Health Department provides two types of death records to requestors; public and confidential death records. A public death record is a type of death record without the cause of death. Anyone can obtain certified copies of death records without the cause of death. However, the cause of death is only available for death records over 50 years from the date of death.
The confidential death record, on the other hand, is the type of death record that includes the cause of death. This type of record is only available to eligible persons such as the decedent's spouse, parent, sibling, child (if of legal age) , grandchild, legal representative, law enforcement agents, and more. Eligible persons must submit a completed death records request form and present a valid photo ID (government-issued).
Interested persons can obtain Tampa’s death records in person, by mail, phone, fax, or online. Requesters can send a fax to (813) 903-3370, while phone requests are available via (866) 830-1906. For in-person and mail requests, interested persons can use the following addresses:
Physical Address:
University Area Vital Statistics (Main Office)
13601 N. 22nd Street
P.O. Box 5135
Tampa, FL 33675-5135
Phone: (813) 307-8002
Fax: (813) 903-3370
Business Hours: Monday to Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Mailing Address
Florida Department of Health - Hillsborough County
Vital Statistics
P.O. Box 5135
Tampa, Florida 33675-5135
