Florida Level 2 Background Check Rules for Youth Sports: 2026 Employer Update
- Carlos Crameri
- 1 hour ago
- 3 min read
Florida organizations that oversee youth athletic teams should review their Level 2 background check process following a 2026 update to Florida law.
Chapter 2026-114, effective July 1, 2026, applies to independent sanctioning authorities involved with youth athletic teams in Florida. It addresses required screening for covered coaches, access to criminal-history information, and documentation responsibilities.
Not every Florida employer is subject to this law. It is most relevant to organizations that authorize, approve, govern, or oversee youth athletic coaches, assistant coaches, managers, or referees who have direct contact with minors.
What should covered Florida organizations do?
Organizations subject to these requirements should take the following steps:
1. Identify everyone who may require a Florida Level 2 background check
Review current and prospective coaches, assistant coaches, managers, referees, and volunteers. The law applies to covered individuals who work with a youth athletic team based in Florida and have direct contact with one or more minors.
Do not limit the review to paid employees. Volunteers and other authorized personnel may also be covered.
2. Confirm that required Level 2 screenings are completed before service
A covered independent sanctioning authority must ensure that required Level 2 background screenings are completed for current and prospective athletic coaches. The authority cannot simply delegate its screening responsibility to an individual team.
Employers and organizations should confirm the correct screening purpose and required ORI number before fingerprinting. A Florida Level 2 background check requires the appropriate Florida fingerprinting workflow; it is not the same as a standard name-based criminal background check.
Order a Level 2 Background Check Now (Fingerprint)
Don't Need a Level 2 Background Check? Learn more on a traditional Employment Background Checks
3. Maintain secure access to criminal-history information
Covered qualified entities must designate a user administrator to manage compliance with state and federal security and privacy requirements for criminal-history information.
Organizations should:
Limit access to authorized personnel with a legitimate need to review results.
Maintain an internal list of authorized users.
Remove access promptly when an employee or volunteer no longer needs it.
Avoid sharing screening information with teams, parents, or other parties that do not have an authorized reason to receive it.
4. Retain required records and notices
Covered organizations must maintain screening results and written disqualification notices for at least five years.
Employers should establish a secure retention process for:
Level 2 screening confirmations and results.
Disqualification and exemption-related documentation, where applicable.
Access logs or internal records showing who reviewed sensitive criminal-history information.
5. Follow the required process when a screening raises an eligibility issue
A criminal record does not always mean an organization should make an immediate final decision.
Covered organizations should follow the applicable Florida eligibility and exemption process before allowing or disqualifying a person from a covered role.
For employment decisions that also rely on a consumer report, employers should separately follow applicable FCRA compliance procedures, including required disclosures, authorization, and—when applicable—adverse action procedures.
Can a standard background check replace a Florida Level 2 background check?
No. When Florida law requires a Level 2 background check, the employer or organization must use the required fingerprint-based Florida process. A standard employment background check may be useful as an additional screening tool, but it does not replace a required Florida Level 2 screening.
Before scheduling fingerprints, employers should confirm the applicant’s ORI number, the responsible agency, and the exact requirement for the role. For more details, read What Is a Level 2 Background Check in Florida?.
Florida youth sports background check compliance checklist
Before authorizing a covered coach, referee, manager, or volunteer to work with minors, confirm that your organization has:
Determined whether it is a covered independent sanctioning authority.
Identified all covered roles, including volunteers.
Confirmed whether a Florida Level 2 background check is required.
Obtained the correct ORI number and screening purpose.
Completed the required fingerprinting and eligibility process.
Restricted access to criminal-history information.
Retained required screening records and notices.
Followed applicable FCRA procedures for any separate consumer report used in an employment decision.
This article is for general informational purposes and is not legal advice. Organizations should consult qualified legal counsel or the appropriate Florida agency for role-specific requirements.
