Active Warrants in Washington County
An arrest warrant is a court order that lets law enforcement take a person into custody. In Washington County, District Court judges issue the warrants, and the Sheriff's Office enforces them. The Sheriff's Office runs a public warrant search and a Warrants Division that answers questions at 651-430-7998. The warrant page repeats a clear warning: there are often delays between a court action and an update to the Sheriff's warrant system.
The county explains that most warrants are limited to two reasons: a failure to respond to court, or a failure to carry out an order of the court. Probation officers can also issue arrest and detention orders for probationers, and those go into the Sheriff's warrant system for enforcement. The Sheriff's Warrant Search landing page hosts the disclaimer and the link to the public form.
Questions about a specific warrant should go to the Warrants Division or to Washington County District Court, not to a third-party site.
Types of Warrants in Washington County
Warrants fall into a few common groups. The label affects what happens next and whether bail is set. The list below covers the types the county describes.
- Arrest warrant: a court order to take a named person into custody on a charge.
- Bench warrant: issued when a person fails to appear or fails to follow a court order.
- Probation detention order: issued by a probation officer for a probationer and entered into the Sheriff's system.
- Out-of-county warrant: a warrant from another county that the Sheriff may process for bail.
A warrant can carry a set bail amount or none at all. When bail is set, a person can be booked and then post bail or a bond. When no bail is set, the person waits for a court appearance after booking.
Most county warrants trace back to a court process that stalled. A person missed a hearing, did not pay a fine, or broke a condition of probation, and the court issued a warrant in response. That is different from a brand-new criminal charge. It also means many warrants can be cleared by dealing with the underlying court matter, such as setting a new hearing or resolving an unpaid citation. The Warrants Division at 651-430-7998 can point a person to the right next step.
How to Search Washington County Warrants
The public warrant search is free and runs from the Sheriff's site. It is a single search form, not a full database with filters. Read the disclaimer first, then enter a name and start the search. The steps below walk through it.
- Open the Sheriff's Warrant Search page and read the disclaimer.
- Follow the link to the public warrant search form.
- Type a name in the single Name box. Try a last name first if results are too broad.
- Click Start Search to run the query.
- Confirm any result with the Warrants Division at 651-430-7998 before taking action.
Because warrant data can lag behind the court, a clear result does not promise there is no warrant, and a listed result must still be confirmed by the issuing agency.
Washington County Warrant Search Fields
The live form is simple. It exposes one search box and one button, not separate first and last name fields. The Name box has a character limit, so very long names may need a shorter entry or an alternate spelling.
| Field Label | Type | Required | Notes / Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Text | At least a partial name | Single box; limited to 25 characters. Not split into first and last. |
| Start Search | Button | Yes | Runs the public warrant query. |
Since the form does not publish its matching rules, try a last name alone first, then add more of the name if the list is too long.
The form runs on the county's web server and uses the same warning text found on the Sheriff's landing page.
What a Washington County Warrant Record Shows
A public warrant listing is brief. It is meant to identify a warrant, not to replace a court file. The fields below are the kind of details a public warrant result may show; confirm the exact entry with the Sheriff's Office before acting.
- Name of the person named in the warrant.
- Warrant number or court file number.
- Issuing agency or court.
- Charge or offense tied to the warrant.
- Warrant type and date issued.
- Bail or bond amount, if one is set.
No one should surrender, pay, travel, or confront another person based only on a website result. The county disclaimer is the most important part of the page.
What to Do If You Have an Outstanding Warrant
Confirm the warrant first. Call the Warrants Division at 651-430-7998 or contact Washington County District Court. If you decide to turn yourself in, the Sheriff's Office sets a clear process through the Jail Division.
- Report to the Jail Division main lobby and jail window no later than 5:45 a.m. on a weekday, excluding holidays.
- Bring valid government photo identification.
- Expect booking and processing if bail is set; bail cannot be posted before booking.
- Pay bail at the jail or post a bond through an approved bonding agency.
- Once bail or bond is accepted, the court assigns a date and release begins.
The Sheriff's Office tries to get the person on that day's court docket but cannot promise a same-day appearance.
Bail can be posted in more than one place, depending on the time and the warrant. From Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., Washington County bail is posted at Court Administration in the courthouse. After 4:15 p.m. and on weekends, it is posted at the Jail Administration window in the Law Enforcement Center. Out-of-county warrant bail can be paid at that window around the clock. A jail lobby kiosk also accepts bail 24 hours a day, with a $1,000 limit and an $8.95 credit card fee. The jail does not accept bail for out-of-state warrants.
Reporting a Wanted Person Safely
If you know where a wanted person is, do not approach or confront them. Share the information with law enforcement and let officers handle the arrest. For an emergency in progress, call 911. For a non-emergency tip, the Sheriff's Office non-emergency line is 651-439-9381.
Public warrant data exists so people can check their own status and resolve a matter, not so neighbors can act as police. Confronting a person with an active warrant can be dangerous and can interfere with a lawful arrest.
Restricted Washington County Warrant Records
Not every warrant is public the moment it is issued. Under the law enforcement data rules in Minn. Stat. § 13.82, arrest warrant indices can be confidential until the person is in custody, served, or appears, unless the agency decides public release serves a public purpose. Active criminal investigative data can also be not public while a case is open.
That is why a warrant may exist without showing in the public search, and why the Sheriff repeats that all warrants must be confirmed by the issuing agency before enforcement. When in doubt, treat the public search as a starting point and verify with the Warrants Division.
Note: A public warrant search result is not confirmation; always verify a warrant with the Warrants Division at 651-430-7998 before acting on it.