Below are links to Web sites that can help you find government information and apply for government benefits.
For additional information, please call the Broward County Main Library’s Reference Section at 954-357-7439.
Links 
Portals for Government Information
USA.gov
www.usa.gov
Use this Web portal to U.S. federal government agencies and information by either searching for government information by topic or by entering a specific keyword in the search box.
My Florida
www.myflorida.com
Use this Web portal to access State of Florida government agencies and information. Click on “View all
e-Government Services” (to find a list of topics in alphabetical order) or enter a specific keyword in the search box.
Florida Government Information Locator Service
http://dlis.dos.state.fl.us/fgils
This Web portal to State of Florida government information includes topics from A to Z with links to related federal and local government information.
Broward County Government
www.broward.org
Use this Web portal to Broward County government agencies and information to find a particular agency or service.
Business Licenses
Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation
www.myfloridalicense.com/dbpr
Users may apply for and renew business licenses at this website and also verify licenses.
Child Care Licensing
Florida Department of Children and Families
www.dcf.state.fl.us/childcare
Information on licensing requirements is provided. Users may apply for child care licenses here. Included are a Child Care Licensing Overview and a Child Care Training Overview in both English and Spanish.
Child Support
Florida Department of Revenue
http://dor.myflorida.com/dor
In addition to finding information on property taxes and business taxes, users may use this site to apply for child-support services.
Citizenship and Immigration
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
www.uscis.gov
Information on immigration and citizenship is provided. Forms relating to green cards and naturalization can be printed or downloaded. Online filing is available for some forms. Users may also determine case status here.
Codes of Ordinances
Municipal Code Corporation
www.municode.com
Find the Codes of Ordinances for Broward County and most municipalities at this website. Select “Municode Library” and the geographic area of your choice.
American Legal Publishing
www.amlegal.com
Find the Codes of Ordinances for some of the municipalities that are not found at www.municode.com. Click on “Library” and select the geographic area of your choice.
Disaster Assistance - Hurricanes, Flooding, etc.
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
www.fema.gov
Information on how to prepare for a disaster as well as how to recover and rebuild after a disaster is provided here. Also included is a toll-free telephone number (1-800-621-FEMA) and information on applying for assistance.
Drivers’ Licenses and Motor Vehicle Registration
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles
www.flhsmv.gov/html/dlnew.html
Information about obtaining drivers’ licenses is available here.
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles
http://www.flhsmv.gov/html/titlinf.html
Information about obtaining motor vehicle and vessel registration is available here.
Federal Government Benefit Programs
GovBenefits.gov: Your Benefits Connection
www.govbenefits.gov
Select “Benefits” and “Take Questionnaire” to answer a series of questions about yourself, and then have GovBenefits.gov return a list of benefit programs from the Federal Government for which you may be eligible. Information about how to apply for these benefits is also provided.
Federal Government Grants and Loans
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
www.cfda.gov
A comprehensive listing of grants and loan programs from the federal government is available here. Type a keyword or program number in the search box.
Food Stamps, Medicaid, Temporary Cash Assistance
Florida Department of Children and Families
www.myflorida.com/accessflorida
Use this site to apply for food stamps, Medicaid, or temporary cash assistance. Users may also access their accounts to check on the status of their benefits.
Forms
Forms.gov
www.forms.gov
This is the official site for U.S. federal government forms. Forms may be searched by form name or by government agency. Frequently-used forms include tax forms, small-business forms. Social Security forms, veterans’ benefits forms, and FEMA forms.
Florida State Courts Self Help
www.flcourts.org/gen_public/family/forms_rules
Family law forms approved for use in Florida courts are provided here. Included are forms for name changes, divorce, child custody, and much more.
Homeowners’ Insurance
Shop and Compare
www.shopandcomparerates.com
Select a county and compare the homeowners’ insurance rates of various companies at this site provided by the Florida Office of the Governor and the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation.
Income Tax
Internal Revenue Service
www.irs.gov
Use this site to find income tax forms, instructions, and publications. You may also check the status of a refund here.
Incorporation
Florida Division of Corporations – Sunbiz.org
www.sunbiz.org
This site provides information on applying online for fictitious name registration and incorporation. Document searches are also available here.
Inmate and Offender Searches
Florida Department of Corrections
http://www.dc.state.fl.us/InmateInfo/InmateInfoMenu.asp
Search for current inmates of Florida prisons as well as individuals who have been released from prisons or who are on probation.
Federal Bureau of Prisons
www.bop.gov/iloc2/LocateInmate.jsp
Use this site to locate inmates incarcerated in Federal prisons.
Intellectual Property
U.S. Copyright Office
www.copyright.gov
Information on copyright law and how to apply for a copyright may be found at this website.
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
www.uspto.gov
This site provides information on patent and trademark law and how to apply for a patent or trademark.
Jobs
Broward County Employment
http://www.broward.org/careers/welcome.htm
Check this site to find career opportunities with Broward County government agencies.
Employ Florida Marketplace
www.employflorida.com
This is Florida’s official portal to job-matching services and other workforce resources. Information and services for job-seekers as well as employers is provided.
People First
https://peoplefirst.myflorida.com/logon.htm
Use this site to find government jobs for the State of Florida.
USA Jobs
www.usajobs.gov
This is the official job site for government jobs at the federal level. Searches may be customized by job title and geographic area.
Passports and Visas
U.S. Department of State
http://travel.state.gov
A wealth of information on international travel is provided here. Users may also obtain information on applying for or renewing passports and visas.
Property Appraiser
Broward County Property Appraiser
www.bcpa.net
Click on “Property Search” to find details of properties in Broward County. Information on Homestead Exemptions and a New Homebuyer’s Tax Estimator are also included.
Records Search
Broward County Clerk of the Circuit Court
http://www.clerk-17th-flcourts.org/Clerkwebsite/BCCOC2/PASystemTransfer/CourtTypeSelection.aspx?Destination=CaseSearch.aspx
Search here for criminal, civil, family, and probate case records.
Schools – Public
Broward County Public Schools
www.browardschools.com
This site includes information, facts, and statistics about the Broward County school district and its schools.
Social Security
Social Security Administration
www.ssa.gov
This site enables users to prescreen for Social Security benefit eligibility, apply for Social Security benefits, and check the status of online applications. Users may select one of the following categories: “Retirement”, “Survivors”, “Disability”, “Supplemental Social Security Income”, or “Medicare”.
Student Aid
U.S. Department of Education – Federal Student Aid
www.fafsa.ed.gov
Information on preparing for and funding education beyond high school is provided. Users may fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) here.
Taxes
Broward County Records, Taxes and Treasury Division - Revenue Collection
https://www.broward.county-taxes.com/tcb/app/main/home
This site enables users to search their accounts and pay their bills. View and pay real-estate taxes, tangible personal and property taxes, or renew a Local Business Tax Receipt.
Teacher Certification
Florida Department of Education
www.flboe.org/asp/ftce
Examination dates, locations, and registration requirements may be found at this website. Information on purchasing test-preparation guides online is also included.
Unemployment Compensation
Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation
www.floridajobs.org/unemployment
This site may be used to file unemployment claims or appeals and to report unemployment compensation fraud.
Vital Statistics
Florida Department of Health
www.doh.state.fl.us/planning_eval/vital_statistics
Use this site to obtain birth and death certificates as well as certificates of marriages and divorces.