A Purple Alert in Florida is a system designed to help locate missing adults who have a mental or cognitive disability that does not stem from Alzheimers disease or dementia-related disorders, brain injuries, intellectual or developmental disabilities, or emotional disabilities that are not related to substance abuse. The alert is used to assist in the location of missing adults whose disappearance poses a credible threat of immediate danger or serious bodily harm. The Florida Purple Alert Plan was established by the Florida Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis on July 1, 2021, with an effective date of July 1, 2022.

When a case meets the criteria for a Purple Alert, the agency will contact the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Missing Endangered Persons Information Clearinghouse, which will then issue the alert. The alert notifies the public using email or text alerts throughout the state, with a focus on the area where the person was last seen. The Purple Alert engages the public in the search for the missing person and provides a standardized and coordinated community response.