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WI · Warrant guide

Is there an online warrant search in Wisconsin?

Some counties

Partly — some Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin

The official online lookup

Wisconsin has no statewide public warrant search; the state warrant database (via the DOJ TIME System) is restricted to law enforcement.

The public Wisconsin Circuit Court Access site (WCCA/CCAP) at wcca.wicourts.gov lets anyone search circuit court case records by name, and a bench/failure-to-appear warrant issued inside a case can appear in that case's history and status, but WCCA is a case-record portal, not a dedicated warrant lookup, and it suppresses or removes some records.

Genuine online 'active warrant' lookups exist only where an individual county sheriff publishes one; example: the Dane County Sheriff's Office Active Warrant Search.

Open the official county search

How to find out if you have a warrant in Wisconsin

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/visit the Clerk of Circuit Court in the county where the case would be filed

    The court that would issue a bench/FTA warrant is the circuit court in the county of the underlying case. Ask the Clerk of Circuit Court whether there is an active warrant or a missed court date. Find the county's court and contact info in the Wisconsin Court System directory.

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  2. Contact the county Sheriff's Office Warrants/Records division

    County sheriffs maintain and serve warrants and can confirm an active warrant. Example: the Dane County Sheriff's Office Warrants Division (608-284-6110). Use the sheriff's office for the county where the matter is pending.

    Open official site

  3. Check the county sheriff's online active-warrant list, where published

    Some Wisconsin county sheriffs post a searchable active-warrant or most-wanted list online (for example, Dane County). Availability and coverage vary by county; many counties publish nothing online.

    Open official site

  4. Search Wisconsin Circuit Court Access (WCCA/CCAP) by name

    Searching wcca.wicourts.gov by name shows circuit court cases and their status/history, which can reveal a case-level warrant entry. This is a case-record search, not a warrant search, and does not include every warrant type.

    Open official site

  5. Request your own criminal-history record from the Wisconsin DOJ Crime Information Bureau

    The Wisconsin DOJ Crime Information Bureau offers name-based criminal background checks through the Wisconsin Online Record Check System (WORCS) for a fee. This is a criminal-history record check, not a live warrant lookup, but can surface a criminal record.

    Open official site

Types of warrants in Wisconsin

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

Bench warrant / failure-to-appear
capias) warrant issued by a circuit court judge when a required appearance or payment is missed
Arrest warrant issued on a finding of probable cause that a person committed an offense
Search warrant authorizing a search of a place or property
not directed at arresting a person

What happens if a warrant is ignored

An outstanding warrant generally remains active until it is resolved by the court and does not expire on its own.

While it is active a person can be taken into custody at any law-enforcement contact, such as a traffic stop.

A bench warrant for failure to appear can lead to being held for a court appearance, and in some cases separate charges such as bail jumping (Wis. Stat. sec. 946.49) or, for certain matters, driver-license consequences.

Consequences depend on the specific case and court.

What you can do

Procedural steps only — no outcome is predicted.

Confirm whether a warrant actually exists by contacting the issuing circuit court clerk or the county sheriff's office.

Ask what the warrant is for and whether a court date or hearing is set.

Bring identification and any case or citation number when you contact the court.

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 Wisconsin

Is there an online warrant search in Wisconsin?

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

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

Contact the clerk of the court that issued the warrant or the county sheriff’s records or warrant division. Call/visit the Clerk of Circuit Court in the county where the case would be filed; Contact the county Sheriff's Office Warrants/Records division; Check the county sheriff's online active-warrant list, where published.

What happens if a warrant is ignored in Wisconsin?

An outstanding warrant generally remains active until it is resolved by the court and does not expire on its own. While it is active a person can be taken into custody at any law-enforcement contact, such as a traffic stop. A bench warrant for failure to appear can lead to being held for a court appearance, and in some cases separate charges such as bail jumping (Wis. Stat. sec. 946.49) or, for certain matters, driver-license consequences. Consequences depend on the specific case and court.

What should I do about a warrant in Wisconsin?

Confirm whether a warrant actually exists by contacting the issuing circuit court clerk or the county sheriff's office. Ask what the warrant is for and whether a court date or hearing is set. Bring identification and any case or citation number when you contact the court.

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 · 6 official sources