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ND · Warrant guide

Is there an online warrant search in North Dakota?

Statewide search

Yes — North Dakota has an official statewide online warrant search.

Official source

Open the official statewide search Opens the official state site in a new tab. It may not be complete or current — confirm active status with the court that issued the warrant.

Last verified 2026-07-23Coverage Statewide searchJurisdiction North Dakota

The official online lookup

North Dakota's statewide court records system, the ND Courts Public Records Search (publicsearch.ndcourts.gov), is searchable by name and surfaces active-warrant status: cases that carry an active warrant are flagged with a warrant-indicator icon next to the case number.

It is operated by the North Dakota court system, is free to use, and covers criminal and traffic cases statewide.

Multiple county sheriff's offices - for example Ward, McKenzie, and Stark counties - direct the public to this same tool to check for an active warrant.

It is a general court-records search rather than a dedicated standalone warrant portal and is not necessarily updated in real time, so confirm any result with the clerk of court or the county sheriff before relying on it.

Open the official statewide search

How to find out if you have a warrant in North Dakota

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 the ND Courts Public Records Search online (shows active-warrant status)

    Open the ND Courts Public Records Search, choose the Criminal & Traffic search, and search by name. Cases that carry an active warrant are flagged with a warrant-indicator icon next to the case number, and the record shows the issuing court and case number. This is the statewide tool that several North Dakota sheriff's offices point the public to for checking warrants. Because the data may not be real time, confirm any result with the clerk of court or the county sheriff.

    Open official site

  2. Call the clerk of District Court in the county where the case is

    North Dakota criminal cases are handled by the District Courts, organized into judicial districts by county. Call the clerk of court for the county where the charge would have been filed to confirm whether a warrant is outstanding and to get the case number and any court date. Find courts via the ND Courts site.

    Open official site

  3. Contact the county sheriff's office (records/warrants)

    The sheriff in the county where the warrant originated serves warrants and can confirm an active warrant. Call the non-emergency or records line for that county sheriff.

  4. Request your own criminal-history record from the ND BCI

    This is a records process, not an instant warrant lookup, and may not reflect every pending local warrant.

    Open official site

Types of warrants in North Dakota

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 a complaint 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 recalls it or you are taken into custody; it does not expire on its own and can surface during any police contact, including in state and national law-enforcement databases.

A bench warrant for failure to appear can add consequences within the underlying case, such as new charges or bond changes.

What you can do

Procedural steps only — no outcome is predicted.

Confirm whether a warrant exists and identify the county by searching the ND Courts Public Records Search by name, then verifying with that county's clerk of District Court or the sheriff's office.

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

Ask the court what options exist to resolve it, which may include appearing, requesting a new date, or asking the court to recall a bench warrant; some jurisdictions 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 North Dakota

Is there an online warrant search in North Dakota?

Yes — North Dakota runs an official statewide online warrant search. Read the caveats before you rely on it.

How do I find out if I have a warrant in North Dakota?

Contact the clerk of the court that issued the warrant or the county sheriff’s records or warrant division. Search the ND Courts Public Records Search online (shows active-warrant status); Call the clerk of District Court in the county where the case is; Contact the county sheriff's office (records/warrants).

What happens if a warrant is ignored in North Dakota?

A warrant stays active until the court recalls it or you are taken into custody; it does not expire on its own and can surface during any police contact, including in state and national law-enforcement databases. A bench warrant for failure to appear can add consequences within the underlying case, such as new charges or bond changes.

What should I do about a warrant in North Dakota?

Confirm whether a warrant exists and identify the county by searching the ND Courts Public Records Search by name, then verifying with that county's clerk of District Court or the sheriff's office. Get the case number, the charge, and any scheduled court date. Ask the court what options exist to resolve it, which may include appearing, requesting a new date, or asking the court to recall a bench warrant; some jurisdictions 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 · 5 official sources