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NY · Warrant guide

Is there an online warrant search in New York?

No online search

No — New York has no public online warrant search. Here’s how to find out.

Last verified 2026-07-23Coverage No online searchJurisdiction New York

Why there’s no single online search

New York has no public statewide warrant search.

The Unified Court System's WebCriminal / eCourts tool (iapps.courts.state.ny.us) lets the public look up criminal case information and scheduled court appearances by defendant name in participating courts, but it is a case-lookup tool, not an active-warrant search, and coverage is limited.

Some county sheriffs post selective 'most wanted' lists, which are not a comprehensive way to check for a warrant against yourself.

How to find out if you have a warrant in New York

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. Call the clerk of the court that issued the warrant

    New York criminal matters run through many local courts (town, village, and city courts) as well as county and supreme court criminal terms. Call the clerk of the specific court handling the case to confirm a bench or arrest warrant and to get the case and next appearance date. Locate courts via the NY Unified Court System.

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  2. Contact the county sheriff's warrant unit or the local police department records division

    The county sheriff or the police agency for the jurisdiction that filed the charge can confirm whether a warrant is active. Call the non-emergency or records line.

  3. Look up the case in WebCriminal / eCourts

    The Unified Court System's WebCriminal tool shows criminal case information and scheduled appearances by defendant name in participating courts, helping you find the court and case number. It does not report warrant status, so confirm that with the court or sheriff.

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  4. Request your own criminal-history record from DCJS

    The NY Division of Criminal Justice Services offers a fingerprint-based personal Record Review so you can obtain your own criminal-history record. This is a records process, not an instant warrant lookup, and may not reflect every pending local warrant.

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Types of warrants in New York

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

Bench warrant
issued by a judge for failure to appear or failure to comply with a court order
Arrest warrant
issued on an accusatory instrument supported by probable cause
Search warrant
authorizes a search of a person, place, or property

What happens if a warrant is ignored

A warrant stays active until the court vacates it or you are taken into custody; it does not expire on its own and can surface during any police contact.

Separately, if you fail to answer or pay a traffic ticket, the NY Department of Motor Vehicles can suspend your driver's license for failure to answer or failure to pay.

A criminal bench warrant for failure to appear can also add consequences within the underlying case.

What you can do

Procedural steps only — no outcome is predicted.

Confirm whether a warrant exists and identify the issuing court by contacting that court's clerk or the county sheriff / local police records unit.

Get the case number, the charge, and any scheduled appearance date.

Ask the court what steps are available to resolve it, which may include appearing, requesting a new date, or asking the court to vacate a bench warrant; some courts let you arrange to surrender on a scheduled date.

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 New York

Is there an online warrant search in New York?

No public online warrant search exists in New York. Here’s how to find out through the court or sheriff.

How do I find out if I have a warrant in New York?

Contact the clerk of the court that issued the warrant or the county sheriff’s records or warrant division. Call the clerk of the court that issued the warrant; Contact the county sheriff's warrant unit or the local police department records division; Look up the case in WebCriminal / eCourts.

What happens if a warrant is ignored in New York?

A warrant stays active until the court vacates it or you are taken into custody; it does not expire on its own and can surface during any police contact. Separately, if you fail to answer or pay a traffic ticket, the NY Department of Motor Vehicles can suspend your driver's license for failure to answer or failure to pay. A criminal bench warrant for failure to appear can also add consequences within the underlying case.

What should I do about a warrant in New York?

Confirm whether a warrant exists and identify the issuing court by contacting that court's clerk or the county sheriff / local police records unit. Get the case number, the charge, and any scheduled appearance date. Ask the court what steps are available to resolve it, which may include appearing, requesting a new date, or asking the court to vacate a bench warrant; some courts let you arrange to surrender on a scheduled date.

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 · 4 official sources