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CA · Warrant guide

Is there an online warrant search in California?

Some counties

Partly — some California counties publish an online warrant search, but there’s no single statewide one.

Official source

Open an official county search Opens an official county site in a new tab. Coverage varies by county — a name that isn’t listed does not rule out a warrant in another county or court.

Last verified 2026-07-23Coverage Some countiesJurisdiction California

The official online lookup

California has no single statewide public website for searching your own active warrant, and county Superior Court case-lookup sites generally show case records rather than a live warrant-status search.

However, several county sheriffs publish official, public, name-searchable active-warrant databases online.

For example, the San Diego County Sheriff's Office provides a warrant search that lets anyone query by name; it states that most warrants issued by the San Diego County Superior Court are available online and that the database updates hourly.

The Nevada County and Sonoma County sheriffs publish similar online warrant lookups.

Because coverage varies by county, if your county's sheriff does not publish an online warrant list, the reliable path is to contact that county's Superior Court clerk or the county sheriff's warrants/records division directly.

Open the official county search

How to find out if you have a warrant in California

Warrants are issued by courts and served by sheriffs — so the surest way to confirm one is to ask the source directly. Work down this list.

  1. Search your county sheriff's official online warrant lookup, where available

    Several California county sheriffs publish official, name-searchable active-warrant databases. For example, the San Diego County Sheriff's Office warrant search lets anyone query by name and states that most warrants issued by the San Diego County Superior Court are available online, with the database updated hourly. The Nevada County and Sonoma County sheriffs publish similar online lookups. Coverage varies by county, so check the sheriff's website for the county where a warrant might have been issued.

    Open official site

  2. Find your county Superior Court, then contact its clerk

    Use the California Courts 'Find My Court' locator to identify the Superior Court for your county, then use that court's case-lookup site or call its criminal clerk to ask whether a case or a bench/failure-to-appear warrant is outstanding.

    Open official site

  3. Contact the county sheriff's warrants/records division

    County sheriffs hold and serve warrants. Call the sheriff's records/warrants unit in the relevant county to ask whether a warrant is on file; some counties also publish an online warrant list or a 'most wanted' list.

    Open official site

  4. Request your own criminal-history record from the California DOJ

    This shows records, not primarily live warrants, but can surface open matters.

    Open official site

Types of warrants in California

Not every warrant means the same thing. These are the common types.

Bench warrant
issued by a judge, most often for failure to appear in court or failure to pay/comply with a court order
Arrest warrant
issued on a finding of probable cause that a person committed an offense
Search warrant
authorizes law enforcement to search a specified place or item; not aimed at arresting a person

What happens if a warrant is ignored

An outstanding warrant does not expire on its own and stays active until the issuing court resolves it.

A person named in an active warrant can be arrested at any encounter with law enforcement, including a routine traffic stop, or at home or work.

A bench warrant for missing court can lead the judge to add a failure-to-appear charge and to set or raise bail.

An unresolved failure to appear on a traffic matter can also lead to a hold or suspension on a driver's license.

The warrant is cleared only by addressing it through the court that issued it.

What you can do

Procedural steps only — no outcome is predicted.

  1. Confirm whether a warrant exists and which court issued it. If your county sheriff publishes an online warrant search (for example, the San Diego County Sheriff's warrant lookup), start there; otherwise locate your county Superior Court (Find My Court) and contact its criminal clerk, or the county sheriff's warrants/records division.
  2. Get the specifics: the court, the case or warrant number, the underlying charge, any scheduled hearing date, and any bail amount.
  3. Ask the clerk how that court handles recalling or quashing a bench/failure-to-appear warrant; some courts allow you to request a new hearing date or file a motion to recall.
  4. Consider resolving it on your own terms, such as appearing in court or arranging to surrender, rather than waiting for an unplanned arrest.

Your rights. You have the right to talk to a lawyer about your situation, and if you cannot afford one, you can ask the court about a public defender.

Common questions about warrants in California

Is there an online warrant search in California?

Some California counties publish an online warrant search, but there’s no single statewide one.

How do I find out if I have a warrant in California?

Contact the clerk of the court that issued the warrant or the county sheriff’s records or warrant division. Search your county sheriff's official online warrant lookup, where available; Find your county Superior Court, then contact its clerk; Contact the county sheriff's warrants/records division.

What happens if a warrant is ignored in California?

An outstanding warrant does not expire on its own and stays active until the issuing court resolves it. A person named in an active warrant can be arrested at any encounter with law enforcement, including a routine traffic stop, or at home or work. A bench warrant for missing court can lead the judge to add a failure-to-appear charge and to set or raise bail. An unresolved failure to appear on a traffic matter can also lead to a hold or suspension on a driver's license. The warrant is cleared only by addressing it through the court that issued it.

What should I do about a warrant in California?

1) Confirm whether a warrant exists and which court issued it. If your county sheriff publishes an online warrant search (for example, the San Diego County Sheriff's warrant lookup), start there; otherwise locate your county Superior Court (Find My Court) and contact its criminal clerk, or the county sheriff's warrants/records division. 2) Get the specifics: the court, the case or warrant number, the underlying charge, any scheduled hearing date, and any bail amount. 3) Ask the clerk how that court handles recalling or quashing a bench/failure-to-appear warrant; some courts allow you to request a new hearing date or file a motion to recall. 4) Consider resolving it on your own terms, such as appearing in court or arranging to surrender, rather than waiting for an unplanned arrest.

Sources & official links

Everything on this page links out to official government sources. We don’t store or search records.

Last verified 2026-07-23 · 8 official sources