Manatee County Crime Number
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) collates crime statistics for all the counties in the state. The most recent crime numbers for Manatee County are for the year 2017. In that year, the county recorded 1,882 violent crimes and 6,829 property crimes. Compared with 2013 data, this shows both violent and property crime indices dropped by 3.7% and 35.7% respectively. Reported incidences of violent crimes in Manatee County in 2017 include 24 homicides, 185 rapes, 274 robberies, and 1,399 aggravated assaults. Incidences of property crimes include 1,236 burglaries, 5,179 larcenies, and 414 motor vehicle thefts.
The most recent five-year crime trend for the county indicates that homicide (84.6%) and aggravated assault (5.8%) rates went up between 2013 and 2017. On the other hand, Manatee County recorded fewer robberies (28.8%), burglaries (53.2%), rape (11.5%), robbery (28.8%), motor vehicle theft (1.9%), and larcenies (31.5%) in the same period.
Manatee County Criminal Records
Manatee County criminal background records are provided by the Division of Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). A certified background check record can be obtained from the agency in person, by regular mail, or via email. In-person requests can be made at:
Florida Department of Law Enforcement,
2331 Phillips Road,
Tallahassee, FL 32308
Alternatively, submit a mail request by sending it to:
Florida Department of Law Enforcement
Criminal History Services
P.O. Box 1489
Tallahassee, FL 32302
Send email requests to backgroundchecks@fdle.state.fl.us. For further information, contact the CJIS at (850) 410-8161. A certified criminal history record takes 6 - 7 business days to process excluding mail delivery time and costs $24.
The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office also provides local background checks detailing criminal history records fromlocal law enforcement agencies. The office accepts requests in person and by mail and charges $2 per request. To request the information in person, visit the Records Section of the Sheriff’s Office anytime from Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Its address is:
Manatee County Sheriff’s Office
600 301 Boulevard West, Suite 202
Bradenton, FL 34205
Mail requests must be accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope. Make sure to include the name, date, race, and sex of the subject in the request letter. The mailing address is:
Manatee County Sheriff’s Office
Records Section
600 301 Boulevard West, Suite 202
Bradenton, FL 34205
Accident andoffense reports are also available from the Manatee County Sheriff's Office. The fee is $1 per report. Direct the requests to the same addresses as above. For more information, contact Sharon Chasteen, Records Director at (941) 747-3011 ext. 2295.
For Bradenton City (the county seat), the Bradenton Police Department providescriminal history records for crimes committed within the city. Requests for background checks and police reports are accepted in person and by mail. Contact BradentonPolice Department at:
100 10th Street West
Bradenton, FL 34205
Phone: (941) 932-9358
Manatee County Sex Offender Information
Florida law mandates the FDLE to maintain a database of registered sex offenders/predators living in the state. This agency gives the public access to this information via its website. To find an offender/predator in Manatee County, visit the Florida Sexual Offenders and Predators Search page and fill in an address in the county. The search result lists all offenders/predators living within a 5-mile radius of the selected address in Manatee County.
Manatee County Inmate Search
A Manatee County Inmate Search can be conducted by making online or in-person queries to the facility where the detainee is held. The main correctional facility in Manatee County is the Central Jail located at:
14470 Harlee Road,
Palmetto, FL 34221
To fund an account for an inmate, send a money order made out to "MSCO Inmate Account". Write the inmate's name and booking number on the memo line of the money order and mail it to the address above. Indicate “for deposit only” on the top of the envelope. Alternatively, friends and family can fund inmates’ accounts online by visiting https://www.smartdeposit.com. They can pay with VISA or MasterCard and indicate “PLC#5500” as the facility. To make a cash deposit, visit thekiosk at the Visitation Center. This location is available every day between 7:45 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Manatee County Court Records
Manatee County courts are part of the 12th Judicial Circuit of Florida. The primary trial court in the county is the Manatee County Circuit Court and it is located in:
Manatee County Judicial Center
1051 Manatee Avenue West,
Bradenton, FL 34205
Phone: (941) 749-3600
Fax: (941) 749-3692
The Circuit Court handles all criminal, estate, juvenile, property, and tax cases, as well as civil disputes involving more than $15,000. The County Court is the lower court in the county and also holds its sessions in the Manatee County Judicial Center.
The Manatee County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller maintains all criminal and civil case records for the courts in the county. The Clerk provides online access to these records via its Public Records Hub for various fees. The Hub hosts a search engine that allows anyone to search for court records by name, case number, citation number, and type of case. Alternatively, the public can request for Manatee County court records by mail or in person at the office of the Clerk located at:
Manatee County Historical Courthouse
1115 Manatee Avenue West,
Bradenton, FL 34205
The office’s open hours are between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. from Monday to Friday. When sending a mail request to the office, address the request to:
Manatee County Clerk of the Circuit Court & Comptroller
Custodian of Public Records
1115 Manatee Avenue West
Bradenton, FL 34205
The Clerk provides copies of these records at $1 per page, while certification costs $2 per document. There may be an addition $2 records search fee, charged for each year searched. For further information about accessing and requesting court records, contact the County Clerk by calling (941) 749-1800 or via email at clerkscopycenter@manateeclerk.com.
Manatee County Vital Records
Divorce records for Manatee County available from the Bureau of Vital Statistics, Florida Department of Health. The Bureau only provides divorce reports from June 6, 1927 to the present to the public and charges $5 for each copy. Older divorce records are provided by the Manatee County Clerk of Court. The Bureau charges an additional $2 per year search fee for requests submitted without the year of divorce. Visit the Bureau's office to request a record in person. This office address is:
1217 N Pearl Street
Jacksonville, FL 32202
The office is open from Monday through Friday between8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. To make a mail request to the Bureau, complete this application form and send along it with a check or money order for the fee to:
Bureau of Vital Statistics
Vital Records Section
Post Office Box 210
Jacksonville, FL 32231-0042
Phone: (904) 359-6900
Manatee County marriage certificates are also provided by the Bureau of Vital Statistics of the Florida Department of Health. Only records of marriages from June 6, 1927 to present available and each copy costs $5. The requirements for requesting a divorce record also apply for marriage record requests.
Birth and death certificates can be obtained from the local office of the Bureau of Vital Statistics in the county. A copy of a birth certificate costs $15.00 while a certified copy of a death record costs $8.00. The office provides certificates for Florida births from 1930 to the present. Only death certificates for deaths that occurred in Florida from 2009 to present are available. The office provides a mail-in application (also in Spanish) for birth certificate requests. Similarly, there is a mail-in application (also in Spanish) for death certificate requests. Complete the relevant form and mail it to any of the four local locations of the office of Vital Statistics in the county. These are:
16th Avenue East
410 6th Avenue East
Bradenton, FL 34208
Phone: (941) 748-0747
Pine Village
1107 56th Avenue Terrace East
Bradenton, FL 34203
Phone: (941) 741-3400
WIC Main Office
212 6th Ave E
Bradenton, FL 34208
Phone: (941) 741-3400
Palmetto WIC
1802 8th Avenue West
Palmetto, FL 34221
Phone: (941) 741-3400
The locations are open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Death certificates prior to 2009 must be requested from the Bureau's office in Jacksonville in person or by mail. To request a death certificate from the Bureau by mail, download and complete the mail-in application (also provided in Spanish).
A copy of the death certificate from the Bureau costs $5. This fee covers the cost of a thorough search of one calendar year for the entire State of Florida and one certified copy of the death record. If the date of death is unknown, there is an additional charge of $2.00 per calendar year searched. Requesters must providecopies of their valid, state-issued photo IDs when applying for birth and death certificates.
Are Property Records Open to the Public in Manatee County?
Property records in Manatee County are considered public records as established under the Florida Sunshine Law. Residents or interested persons may inspect or obtain copies of Manatee County property records by submitting requests to the custodian agency.
Where and How to Find Property Records in Manatee County
The Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller record and maintain all property records or documents in Manatee County. This usually includes both real and personal property transactions. Interested persons may obtain Manatee County property records by contacting the office location at:
Manatee County Clerk of Circuit Court
1115 Manatee Avenue West
Bradenton, FL 34205
Phone: (941) 749-1800
Business Hours: Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Regular Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 25400
Bradenton, FL 34206
Overnight Mail Address:
1115 Manatee Avenue West
Bradenton, FL 34205
How to Look Up Manatee County Property Records
The Manatee County Property Appraiser’s office compiles and maintains an online property search portal for all property transactions in the county. Interested persons may search the portal using any of the following search criteria: Main, Sales, Value, Building, Residential, Commercial, Exemptions, Districts, and TPP. The following information is required for the Main search option: Owner last Name or Entity, Owner First Name, Parcel ID, Property Type, Owner Type, Jurisdiction, Land Acreage, Situs Address, Postal City, Zip Code, Sec/Twp/Rng, DOR Land Use, Manatee Land Use, Neighborhood, Subdivision, Condominium, and Cooperative.
Alternatively, the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Manatee County maintains a Public Records Hub that provides information on property records in the county. Interested users may search Manatee County property records by names of parties involved, condo, subdivision, instrument number, instrument type, book page, case number, advanced party, consideration, and daily record.
Location of Manatee County Property Assessors
Office Address:
915 4th Avenue West
Bradenton, FL 34205
Phone: (941) 748-8208
Fax: (941) 742-5664
Business Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 1338
Bradenton, FL 34206
