Can I seal my record in Florida?

Florida allows sealing under § 943.059, but eligibility is narrow. The court must have withheld adjudication - meaning you were not formally convicted. You must never have been adjudicated guilty of any criminal offense, never previously sealed or expunged a record in any state, and your offense must not fall under the excluded categories in § 943.059(1)(a)1 (which include violent felonies, most sex offenses, child abuse, and domestic violence). You must also have completed your sentence, probation, and fines.

What's the difference between sealing and expunging in Florida?

Sealing (§ 943.059) restricts public access to your record - it stays in FDLE's database but is hidden from most employers and the general public. Expungement (§ 943.0585) results in physical destruction of the records at criminal justice agencies, and even most government entities cannot acknowledge it. Expungement is harder to qualify for - generally requiring either a prior seal for 10+ years, an arrest with no charges filed, or a case dismissed without a guilty finding. Florida allows only one lifetime sealing or expungement.

Does Florida's anti-mugshot law apply to court records?

No. Florida Statute § 501.212 specifically targets commercial mugshot sites that publish arrest photos and charge fees for removal. It does not apply to court record databases, legal aggregators like CourtListener or Justia, county clerk portals, or data broker sites. For mugshot-specific removals, § 501.212 provides a strong legal basis. For court record data on other platforms, the approach is separate removal requests backed by your sealing or expungement order.

How do I remove my case from myflcourtaccess.com?

myflcourtaccess.com is Florida's statewide court records portal. Once your record is sealed or expunged under Florida law, the associated case records on official court portals should be restricted from public access. Contact the clerk of court in the county where your case was filed with a certified copy of your sealing or expungement order. However, note that official court portals cannot be fully removed - only restricted. Third-party sites that scraped data from these portals before the restriction must be addressed separately through individual removal requests.

What happens after I seal my record in Florida - does it disappear online?

No. Sealing your Florida record under § 943.059 restricts access within official Florida systems, but it does not remove data already cached by third-party websites. CourtListener, Justia, county clerk portals, and data aggregators all may have cached your case information before the seal was applied. Each platform must be contacted individually with proof of your seal order. Google results will not change until the underlying source pages are updated or removed - and that requires separate, persistent outreach to each platform.

Does removing a court record from Florida's court portal also remove it from background checks?

No. Removing a record from the state court portal is a separate step from removing it from background check databases. Background check companies maintain their own databases and don't automatically sync with court portal changes. After your court record is sealed or removed from the state portal, you need to separately notify background check companies and submit documentation of the legal change.

How long does it take to remove Florida court records from Google?

Removing Florida court records from Google typically takes 4-10 weeks. The process includes: (1) requesting removal from source pages (state court website, legal databases), (2) submitting Google URL removal requests, and (3) following up as Google processes the de-indexing. We work all sources simultaneously to minimize the total timeline. Results are confirmed before charging.

Does expungement remove my records from the internet?

No - expungement is a court order that seals your record from government databases, but it does not automatically notify or update third-party websites, background check companies, or legal databases like Justia, UniCourt, or Spokeo. You must pursue online removal separately after obtaining your expungement. This is a critical distinction most attorneys do not explain upfront.

Can employers see expunged records?

In most states, private employers cannot access expunged records through standard background checks. However, certain licensed professions (healthcare, law, education, finance) and federal government positions may still require disclosure. The rules vary significantly by state and by type of employer, so consult a local attorney to understand your specific obligations.

How long does expungement take?

The expungement process typically takes 3 to 12 months depending on your state, the court's caseload, and whether the prosecutor objects. Some states have expedited processes for certain offense types. After the court grants the order, you should allow an additional 30 to 90 days for government databases to update - and online third-party sites may never update without a separate removal request.

What is the cost of expungement?

Expungement costs range from $150 to $400 in court filing fees, plus attorney fees of $1,000 to $3,500 depending on complexity. Some states offer fee waivers for low-income applicants. After expungement, online record removal is a separate service that operates on a results-only basis - you only pay after the records are confirmed removed.

Can I seal my record in Florida? +

Florida allows sealing under § 943.059, but eligibility is narrow. The court must have withheld adjudication - meaning you were not formally convicted. You must never have been adjudicated guilty of any criminal offense, never previously sealed or expunged a record in any state, and your offense must not fall under the excluded categories in § 943.059(1)(a)1 (which include violent felonies, most sex offenses, child abuse, and domestic violence). You must also have completed your sentence, probation, and fines.

What's the difference between sealing and expunging in Florida? +

Sealing (§ 943.059) restricts public access to your record - it stays in FDLE's database but is hidden from most employers and the general public. Expungement (§ 943.0585) results in physical destruction of the records at criminal justice agencies, and even most government entities cannot acknowledge it. Expungement is harder to qualify for - generally requiring either a prior seal for 10+ years, an arrest with no charges filed, or a case dismissed without a guilty finding. Florida allows only one lifetime sealing or expungement.

Does Florida's anti-mugshot law apply to court records? +

No. Florida Statute § 501.212 specifically targets commercial mugshot sites that publish arrest photos and charge fees for removal. It does not apply to court record databases, legal aggregators like CourtListener or Justia, county clerk portals, or data broker sites. For mugshot-specific removals, § 501.212 provides a strong legal basis. For court record data on other platforms, the approach is separate removal requests backed by your sealing or expungement order.

How do I remove my case from myflcourtaccess.com? +

myflcourtaccess.com is Florida's statewide court records portal. Once your record is sealed or expunged under Florida law, the associated case records on official court portals should be restricted from public access. Contact the clerk of court in the county where your case was filed with a certified copy of your sealing or expungement order. However, note that official court portals cannot be fully removed - only restricted. Third-party sites that scraped data from these portals before the restriction must be addressed separately through individual removal requests.

What happens after I seal my record in Florida - does it disappear online? +

No. Sealing your Florida record under § 943.059 restricts access within official Florida systems, but it does not remove data already cached by third-party websites. CourtListener, Justia, county clerk portals, and data aggregators all may have cached your case information before the seal was applied. Each platform must be contacted individually with proof of your seal order. Google results will not change until the underlying source pages are updated or removed - and that requires separate, persistent outreach to each platform.

Does removing a court record from Florida's court portal also remove it from background checks?+

No. Removing a record from the state court portal is a separate step from removing it from background check databases. Background check companies maintain their own databases and don't automatically sync with court portal changes. After your court record is sealed or removed from the state portal, you need to separately notify background check companies and submit documentation of the legal change.

How long does it take to remove Florida court records from Google?+

Removing Florida court records from Google typically takes 4-10 weeks. The process includes: (1) requesting removal from source pages (state court website, legal databases), (2) submitting Google URL removal requests, and (3) following up as Google processes the de-indexing. We work all sources simultaneously to minimize the total timeline. Results are confirmed before charging.

Florida State Guide · 2026

Florida Expungement, Sealing & Court Record Removal

Florida operates one of the most restrictive criminal record sealing and expungement frameworks in the United States. With a strict one-expungement-per-lifetime rule, narrow eligibility criteria, and a mandatory FDLE application process before any court petition can even be filed, Florida residents face significant hurdles in obtaining legal relief. And once that relief is obtained, a second equally important challenge begins: the internet. Florida county clerk portals, the statewide myflcourtaccess.com system, CourtListener, Justia, and dozens of data broker sites will continue showing your record long after FDLE updates its database. This guide covers Florida sealing and expungement law in full, identifies where your records are most likely appearing, and explains how to address the online footprint that legal relief alone cannot erase.

By Anthony Will Est. 2013 Published May 27, 2026 Published May 27, 2026 Read time: 17 min

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Florida Expungement, Sealing & Court Record Removal

Can your Florida court record be removed from Google?Find out — free.

Can your Florida court record be removed from Google?
Find out — free.