Reviewed and updated October 11, 2026 by the SearchSystems.net editorial team. The arrest counts are the ones each agency reported to the FBI, as the FBI held them on October 8, 2026. The jail figures are from the Vera Institute of Justice's Incarceration Trends data. Every office link was opened and checked against the office's own site between September 23, 2026 and October 11, 2026.
Key West, Florida, in Monroe County, has about 25,000 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). A DUI arrest in Key West starts two cases, a criminal case in the County Court and a license case before the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, and leaves three records. This guide follows the arrest from the roadside to the court file and the driving record.
This guide covers the law, the arrest, booking, the court case, the license case, the records and common questions.
Related guides: Key West public records, Monroe County DUI, Key West arrest records, Key West warrants, Key West inmate search, Key West criminal records, Florida arrest records and Florida inmate search.
The DUI Law in Florida
Drunk driving is charged as DUI in Florida, at a blood alcohol level of 0.08 or more.
Driving in Florida is consent to a breath or blood test when an officer has cause to suspect DUI; the license case that follows a refusal or a failed test is run by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, separately from the criminal case.
For charging and sentencing, Florida counts prior offenses within 5 years for a second offense and 10 years for a third.
Who Makes DUI Arrests in Key West
The Monroe County Sheriff's Office and the agency that reports for Key West (filed by the FBI as Key West Police Department) make the DUI arrests in and around Key West.
The FBI's agency list also places one state police unit and five state agencies in Monroe County (the arrest records guide names each one); the Highway Patrol in Monroe County makes the arrests on the state highways.
Together, the two agencies in Monroe County with all twelve months of 2025 on file reported 4,300 arrests to the FBI that year, all offenses together; the FBI's count for Monroe County does not break DUI out.
Booking After a DUI Arrest in Key West
A driver arrested for DUI and kept in custody goes to the county jail, whichever agency made the arrest. The jail, run by the Monroe County Sheriff's Office, held about 210 people on an average day so far in 2026 by the Vera Institute of Justice's count and has a jail page SearchSystems verified at keysso.net/arrestQintro, phone (305) 289-2351. The Key West inmate search guide covers the jail in full.
The Court Case
A DUI charge from Key West is brought by the State Attorney in the County Court.
The court records page SearchSystems verified for the county is at monroecounty-fl.gov/m/directory/department?did=75, phone 305-295-3130.
Florida has no single public index of every trial court case; each court's records are looked up through that court.
The License Case
A DUI arrest starts two cases: the criminal one above and an administrative one over the license, run by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. The driving record, kept by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, carries the result of both.
The Records a DUI Leaves
- The arrest report: from the agency that made the arrest, under the Florida Public Records Act (Chapter 119).
- The court file: from the County Court, kept by the Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller.
- The driving record: from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.
More on each: Key West arrest records, Key West police reports and Key West court records.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the DUI limit in Florida?
0.08 percent blood alcohol.
Where is a DUI case from Key West heard?
In the County Court, brought by the State Attorney. The court records page SearchSystems verified for the county is at monroecounty-fl.gov.
Where is a person arrested for DUI in Key West held?
At the county jail, run by the Monroe County Sheriff's Office, if kept in custody.
Who handles the license after a DUI arrest in Florida?
The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, in an administrative case separate from the court case.
How long does a DUI count as a prior in Florida?
5 years for a second offense and 10 years for a third.
Is this the official Key West website?
No. SearchSystems.net is an independent public records guide, online since 1997. It links to the official city, county, court and state offices described above and does not hold records, charge for them or take requests.