A Silver Alert in Florida is a public notification system that helps law enforcement locate missing adults who have Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, or another condition causing permanent cognitive decline. It runs at two levels: a local alert when the person is believed to be on foot, and a statewide alert, with highway message signs and broader media distribution, when the person is believed to be driving a vehicle with a known license plate.1Florida Department of Transportation. Silver Alert
The Two Levels: Local and Statewide
The difference between the two tiers decides how far the alert travels.2Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Silver Alert Activation Steps
A Local Silver Alert is used when the missing person is believed to be on foot. The local police department or sheriff’s office issues a “Be On the Lookout” (BOLO) to nearby law enforcement agencies and 911 centers, and the alert stays within that region. Each agency sets its own activation procedures, though a statewide Silver Alert Support Committee publishes recommended criteria.
A State Silver Alert is used when the missing person is believed to be driving and law enforcement has verified a license plate number or other identifying vehicle information. Because a driver can cover long distances quickly, this level triggers dynamic highway message signs, email alerts to subscribers, and broader media distribution. Only law enforcement agencies can request a State Silver Alert.
Who Qualifies
For either level, the missing person must meet three conditions:2Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Silver Alert Activation Steps
- Age 60 or older, or between 18 and 59 if law enforcement determines the person lacks the capacity to consent and a Silver Alert may be the only viable way to find them.
- A verified permanent deterioration of intellectual faculties, such as Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, confirmed by law enforcement.
- A determination by the investigating agency that the disappearance poses a credible threat to the person’s welfare and safety.3Florida Department of Transportation. Florida Silver Alert Plan Policy
A State Silver Alert adds one more requirement: the person must be traveling by motor vehicle, with a verified plate number or other vehicle identifier.2Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Silver Alert Activation Steps
Verification is handled by law enforcement. You don’t need to arrive at the station with a formal diagnosis in hand, though the agency may ask for documentation from a medical or mental health professional confirming the condition.3Florida Department of Transportation. Florida Silver Alert Plan Policy
How to Request a Silver Alert
Call your local police department or sheriff’s office first. They investigate, confirm that the person meets the criteria, enter the information into the Florida Crime Information Center, and send out a BOLO.3Florida Department of Transportation. Florida Silver Alert Plan Policy
If the case qualifies for a State Silver Alert, the local agency contacts the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s Missing Endangered Persons Information Clearinghouse (MEPIC) at 1-888-356-4774 to request activation. You can also reach MEPIC directly at that number, though local law enforcement should be your first call.2Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Silver Alert Activation Steps
What Happens Once an Alert Goes Out
A State Silver Alert uses several channels at once. FDLE pushes the alert through dynamic highway message signs, email notifications to subscribers, and other available resources.2Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Silver Alert Activation Steps The Florida Department of Transportation also broadcasts details through radio, lottery machines, and the 511 traveler information system.1Florida Department of Transportation. Silver Alert
Highway signs show the vehicle’s make, model, color, and license plate number. They stay active until the person is found or for a maximum of six hours, whichever comes first.4Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Frequently Asked Questions The six-hour cap applies to the signs; the underlying alert remains active until law enforcement confirms the person has been recovered.
If You See a Silver Alert
Pay attention to the specifics: physical description, clothing, vehicle details, and the area where the person was last seen. Most recoveries happen because an ordinary driver or passerby notices the right car or the right person at the right moment.
If you spot a match, call 911 or the Florida Highway Patrol at *FHP (*347) right away. Tell the dispatcher the location, the direction of travel, and the license plate number if you can read it. Don’t try to stop or approach the person yourself. Someone with advanced dementia may become frightened or disoriented by a stranger’s intervention, and law enforcement is trained to handle these encounters safely.
Preparing Before Someone Goes Missing
A Silver Alert works best when it launches with detailed, accurate information from the first minute. If you care for someone with dementia or Alzheimer’s, the time to prepare is now, not when they’re already gone.
Keep a Ready File
Put together a folder with everything law enforcement will ask for. Include recent photographs from the past six months showing the face, profile, and full body. Record height, weight, hair and eye color, and any identifying marks like scars, tattoos, or birthmarks. Note assistive devices they use daily, such as glasses, hearing aids, a cane, or a walker.
If the person drives, document the vehicle’s make, model, color, license plate number, and VIN, along with any built-in tracking service like OnStar. Keep bank and credit card information handy so officers can check for transactions that might reveal a location.
Write Down Behavioral Patterns
Note whether the person becomes fearful or agitated around strangers or uniformed officers, how they communicate, and what calms them, whether that’s a particular tone of voice, a familiar object, or a quiet setting. These details can shape a safer recovery.
Also list places the person might head for: former addresses, childhood homes, past workplaces, favorite restaurants, parks they visit regularly. People with dementia often wander toward places anchored in long-term memory, and those locations give searchers somewhere concrete to check first.
Register With Local Law Enforcement
Many Florida police departments and sheriff’s offices run voluntary registries for residents with dementia, autism, or other conditions that put them at risk of wandering. Registering ahead of time means the agency already has the photograph, physical description, medical needs, and emergency contacts on file, so a BOLO can go out within minutes of a report instead of the hour or more it takes to gather that information from scratch.5Law Enforcement Bulletin. Registries for Persons Prone to Wandering
Registration is typically free and usually involves a one-page form and a recent photo. Ask your local department whether they offer a wandering-person or special needs registry. Some agencies also participate in Project Lifesaver, which equips at-risk individuals with wearable tracking devices that search-and-rescue teams can locate quickly.
Consider a GPS Tracker
Wearable GPS trackers designed for people with cognitive impairments can cut search times significantly. Most look like a watch or small bracelet and let a caregiver check location through a smartphone app. Monthly subscription fees for consumer devices generally run between $30 and $40. If cost is a problem, ask your local law enforcement agency about subsidized options; some cover tracking equipment through community policing grants.