Pennsylvania Warrants: Types, Searches, and What to Expect

A warrant is a legal document issued by a court that authorizes law enforcement to perform a given task, such as arresting someone, seizing some particular property, or searching a particular place. Individual rights, under the Fourth Amendment, are protected by the fact that a warrant is to be issued only where searches and arrests can be justified by solid reasons and judicial oversight.

What Is a Warrant in Pennsylvania?

The Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure set forth the formal description and requirements for warrants. These provisions outline a warrant’s contents, purpose, and legal foundation. In Pennsylvania, warrants are generally issued by judges or magisterial district judges in the Courts of Common Pleas, Magisterial District Courts, and Municipal Courts for reasons such as:

• Violating the conditions of probation, parole, or a bail agreement
• Authorizing an arrest when the defendant’s identity is unknown
• Failing to pay court-ordered restitution, fines, or child support
• Authorizing the search and seizure of evidence, contraband, or property connected to a crime.

Types of Warrants in Pennsylvania

The different types of warrants issued by magisterial district judges or judges in Pennsylvania include:

• Bench Warrant - A bench warrant is issued by a judge to sheriffs, constables, or police officers to locate, arrest, and bring the individual named in the warrant before the court.
• Arrest Warrant - This is issued when law enforcement presents a judge with probable cause to believe that a specific individual committed a crime. An arrest warrant authorizes the police to arrest the individual and take them into custody.
• Search Warrant - Judges in Pennsylvania may issue a search warrant giving law enforcement the authority to enter and search a designated area for evidence connected to a criminal offense.

Fugitive Warrant - This is issued when a person is wanted in another state or jurisdiction. Law enforcement in Pennsylvania may detain the individual until they can be extradited to the jurisdiction where the warrant was issued.

Civil Warrant - This type of warrant deals with non-criminal matters involving debts, court orders, or property. Instead of authorizing an arrest, a civil warrant enforces compliance with court obligations.

How to Search for Warrants in Pennsylvania

Individuals searching for warrant records in Pennsylvania can explore multiple resources, such as:

• Pennsylvania State Police (PSP)

The Pennsylvania State Police does not provide a warrant search tool for the public. Instead, individuals can request criminal history records through the Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History (PATCH) system, which can show warrant-related information.

• Unified Judiciary System Web Portal

By using the public docket sheet search, individuals may locate warrants issued in a case through search criteria like a case number or the name of a party.

• Local Police Departments

Municipal police departments within Pennsylvania, such as the Philadelphia Police Department, often maintain information on active warrants in their jurisdiction. Some departments may publish a warrant list online, while others may require interested parties to request records in person.

• Clerk of Courts’ Offices

These offices keep official court records, including criminal case files that may contain information about past and active warrants. To access these files, record seekers may visit the relevant Clerk of Court’s Office in person during regular business hours.

• Third-party Websites

Anyone may look for warrant records in Pennsylvania through third-party platforms that compile publicly available court and criminal records. Because these sites are not the official sources and can be outdated, it is important for users to obtain confirmation from the courts or law enforcement.

• County Sheriff’s Offices

The sheriff’s office in some counties may provide an online tool through which individuals can look up active warrants. Others may prefer record seekers to visit the office in person or make a phone request to obtain warrant information.

Publicly available warrant records often list details like bail terms, the subject’s name, the case number, warrant type, issuing court, and the charges.

Warrant Records in Major Pennsylvania Counties and Cities

• Philadelphia (Philadelphia County): The Philadelphia Sheriff’s Office does not publish a list of active warrants on its website. To find these records, interested parties may visit the office in person during regular walk-in hours.
• Pittsburgh (Allegheny County): In Allegheny County, bench warrant information issued by the Criminal Division of the Common Pleas Court is maintained by the Sheriff’s Warrant Office. This information is only available to other authorized law enforcement entities and individuals who believe that they have an active warrant.
• Harrisburg (Dauphin County): Individuals may obtain warrant information from criminal case files by visiting the Dauphin County Clerk of Courts’ office.

What Happens After a Warrant Is Issued in Pennsylvania?

In Pennsylvania, once an arrest warrant is issued, law enforcement may locate and take the person named in the warrant into custody. Afterward, the individual will go through the normal court process from arraignment to trial until the case is resolved.

After a bench warrant is issued and the individual named in the warrant is arrested, a hearing is scheduled where the judge reviews the reason the warrant is issued. Moreover, the judge may impose bail or keep them in custody until the case proceeds.

Upon the issuance of a search warrant in Pennsylvania, law enforcement must execute it within two days and during daytime.

In Pennsylvania, the most effective way to resolve a warrant is to secure legal counsel immediately to negotiate a voluntary surrender or to file a motion to recall the warrant with the issuing court. Because a warrant remains active on law enforcement databases, it can lead to an arrest at any time and location.

How Long Does a Warrant Stay Active in Pennsylvania?

Both arrest warrants and bench warrants are not void through the mere lapse of time measured in years. Until the person sought to be arrested is arrested, these warrants remain good warrants for arrest.

In Pennsylvania, a search warrant must be executed within two days from its issuance. The law requires this short time limitation so that if the warrant is issued on probable cause, that probable cause will not have become stale.

A civil warrant has no time limit and may remain a valid order of arrest until it is properly disposed of. A warrant may be canceled by virtue of the compliance by the named individual with court orders or canceled when it is disposed of in court.

Warrants are an important part of Pennsylvania’s justice system. They provide judicial oversight over arrests, searches, and court appearances. In Pennsylvania, different types of warrants may be issued by magisterial district judges or judges in our courts: arrest warrants, bench warrants, civil warrants, and search warrants.

In each county, the Sheriff’s Warrant Office generally serves as the central repository for active warrants. Other potential resources that may assist in locating warrant information include the Pennsylvania State Police, the Clerk of Courts’ Office, and the UJS Web Portal.

Individuals who believe they may have an active warrant may, depending on the circumstances, contact or visit the issuing court or the county sheriff's office to address the matter and lessen the chances of arrest, sometimes unexpectedly.