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WA · Warrant guide

Is there an online warrant search in Washington?

Statewide search

Yes — Washington 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 Washington

The official online lookup

Washington's Department of Corrections (DOC) publishes an official, statewide, public, name-searchable online tool that shows active warrant status: the Secretary's Warrant Search (doc.wa.gov/records/incarcerated-data-search/warrant-search), searchable by first name, last name, DOC number, crime, or county.

Its coverage is limited to DOC 'secretary's warrants' — issued for people under DOC supervision who absconded or violated conditions — and it does NOT include court-issued bench or arrest warrants.

There is no comprehensive statewide search covering all warrant types.

The Washington Courts' Case Records Search (dw.courts.wa.gov) indexes filed cases across municipal, district, superior, and appellate courts, but it shows case records, not a definitive active-warrant status.

WATCH (Washington Access to Criminal History, run by the Washington State Patrol) returns conviction records and arrests less than one year old with dispositions pending for an $11 fee; it explicitly does not show active warrants and does not release non-conviction information to the public.

Some county sheriffs post curated 'most wanted' pages, which are not a comprehensive warrant lookup.

To confirm a court-issued bench or arrest warrant, contact the county sheriff's warrants unit or the clerk of the court where the case is pending.

Open the official statewide search

How to find out if you have a warrant in Washington

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 Washington DOC Secretary's Warrant database online

    The Washington Department of Corrections publishes an official, statewide list of people with an outstanding 'secretary's warrant,' searchable by first name, last name, DOC number, crime, or county. This covers only DOC secretary's warrants (issued for people under DOC supervision who absconded or violated conditions), not court-issued bench or arrest warrants — use the sheriff or court methods below to confirm those.

    Open official site

  2. Contact the county sheriff's warrants unit

    The sheriff's office in the county where the warrant issued can confirm it. Example: King County Sheriff's Office warrants line, (206) 296-4155.

    Open official site

  3. Contact the clerk of the court where the case is pending

    Call the municipal, district, or superior court clerk in the city or county of the charge to confirm whether a warrant was issued and to learn your court date.

    Open official site

  4. Search Washington Courts Case Records

    The statewide Case Records Search indexes filed cases across all court levels; use it to locate your case, then confirm with the court. It is not a warrant-status tool.

    Open official site

  5. WATCH criminal-history check (convictions only)

    WATCH returns Washington conviction records (and arrests under one year old with pending dispositions) for $11 per name; it does not show active warrants and excludes non-conviction data.

    Open official site

Types of warrants in Washington

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

Bench warrant
issued by a judge, commonly for failure to appear or failure to comply with a court order; includes civil bench warrants
Arrest warrant
issued on a finding of probable cause that a person committed an offense
Search warrant
authorizes a search of a place or person; not primarily an order to arrest the subject

What happens if a warrant is ignored

A warrant generally stays active until a court recalls (quashes) it or it is served by arrest; it does not expire on its own.

You can be taken into custody at any time, including during a routine traffic stop or when appearing in court on another matter.

Unresolved failure-to-appear matters can lead to additional charges and added court costs.

What you can do

Procedural steps only — no outcome is predicted.

Confirm whether a warrant exists and read its details by contacting the county sheriff's warrants unit or the clerk of the court where the case is pending.

Identify the issuing court and any scheduled court date, and ask the clerk about the process for addressing the warrant, including whether it can be quashed by scheduling a hearing.

Consider resolving it on your own schedule rather than waiting to be arrested, and keep copies of anything you file.

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 Washington

Is there an online warrant search in Washington?

Yes — Washington 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 Washington?

Contact the clerk of the court that issued the warrant or the county sheriff’s records or warrant division. Search the Washington DOC Secretary's Warrant database online; Contact the county sheriff's warrants unit; Contact the clerk of the court where the case is pending.

What happens if a warrant is ignored in Washington?

A warrant generally stays active until a court recalls (quashes) it or it is served by arrest; it does not expire on its own. You can be taken into custody at any time, including during a routine traffic stop or when appearing in court on another matter. Unresolved failure-to-appear matters can lead to additional charges and added court costs.

What should I do about a warrant in Washington?

Confirm whether a warrant exists and read its details by contacting the county sheriff's warrants unit or the clerk of the court where the case is pending. Identify the issuing court and any scheduled court date, and ask the clerk about the process for addressing the warrant, including whether it can be quashed by scheduling a hearing. Consider resolving it on your own schedule rather than waiting to be arrested, and keep copies of anything you file.

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 · 7 official sources