Fort Lauderdale Warrant Records
Fort Lauderdale warrant records are held by the Broward County Sheriff's Office and filed through the Broward County Clerk of Courts. Fort Lauderdale sits as the county seat of Broward County with a population near 190,000. The city has its own police force, but all warrant records flow through the county system. You can search for active warrants in Fort Lauderdale through several free tools. The FDLE statewide database covers all 67 Florida counties. The BSO also runs its own search portal. Both let you check warrant status at no cost and without an account.
Fort Lauderdale Quick Facts
Fort Lauderdale Warrants at BSO
The Broward County Sheriff's Office handles all warrant records for Fort Lauderdale. BSO has a Warrants Division that processes felony and misdemeanor warrants, traffic capias warrants, juvenile pick-up orders, and writs of bodily attachment. The division confirms each warrant and assigns a warrant number before it enters the system. Fort Lauderdale Police can make arrests on active warrants during routine work, but the warrant itself lives in the county database. This is how it works for every city in Broward County.
The Fort Lauderdale Police Department is at 1300 W. Broward Blvd in Fort Lauderdale. You can call them at (954) 828-5700 for general questions. For non-emergency calls, use (954) 764-4357. If you ask about a specific warrant, the police department will point you to BSO or the FDLE statewide search. Fort Lauderdale officers work with BSO fugitive squads to serve warrants across the city.
The BSO homepage provides links to their arrest search tool and public records request portal. This is where Fort Lauderdale warrant records are tracked and stored.
BSO serves all of Broward County, which has about 1.9 million people across dozens of cities including Fort Lauderdale.
| Fort Lauderdale Police |
1300 W. Broward Blvd, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312 Phone: (954) 828-5700 Non-Emergency: (954) 764-4357 |
|---|---|
| BSO |
2601 W. Broward Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312 Phone: (954) 831-8901 |
| Clerk of Courts |
201 SE 6th Street, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 Phone: (954) 831-6565 |
How to Search Fort Lauderdale Warrants
Start with the FDLE Public Access System. Go to the Wanted Persons search page and type in the name you want to check. The search is free. No account needed. Results come from all 67 Florida counties, so Fort Lauderdale warrants filed through Broward County will show up here. The system lists the warrant type, the charge, and the agency that issued it. FDLE updates this data every 24 hours.
BSO has its own arrest search on their site. This tool pulls from the Broward County system directly and may show Fort Lauderdale warrants before they reach the FDLE database. You can search by name and date of birth. It covers all warrant types in the county.
The Broward County Clerk of Courts runs an online case search where bench warrants and capias entries show up in criminal case dockets. Search by party name or case number. This is useful when you need case-level detail rather than just a yes-or-no on active warrants in Fort Lauderdale. Warrant activity appears in the docket once the clerk processes it.
Note: Fort Lauderdale warrant records may appear on BSO or the clerk site before they show up on the statewide FDLE system.
Warrant Types in Fort Lauderdale
People in Fort Lauderdale deal with several warrant types. Arrest warrants are the most common. Under Florida Statute 901.02, a judge signs one after finding probable cause based on a sworn complaint. The warrant tells all sheriffs in the state to arrest the named person. It can be served any day, any time. Fort Lauderdale Police and BSO deputies both serve warrants in the city.
Bench warrants come out when someone fails to appear for a scheduled court date in the 17th Judicial Circuit. A capias is similar to a bench warrant and can be issued by the Clerk of Circuit Court. Violation of probation warrants go out when someone breaks the terms of their supervision. Fugitive warrants apply when a person is wanted in another state but located in Fort Lauderdale. All of these types show up in Broward County warrant records.
Under Florida Statute 933.07, search warrants expire after 14 days. Arrest warrants do not expire. They stay active until the person is found or a judge recalls the warrant. Even old warrants from years ago can still lead to arrest during a traffic stop or other police contact in Fort Lauderdale.
Public Access to Fort Lauderdale Warrants
Fort Lauderdale warrant records are public under Florida's Sunshine Law. Florida Statute 119.07 gives anyone the right to inspect and copy public records held by state and local agencies. This includes warrant records at BSO and the Broward Clerk of Courts. You do not have to be the person named on the warrant. You do not need to explain why you want the information.
Some records are exempt. Active criminal intelligence and investigative info stays private under Florida Statute 119.071. Search warrant affidavits remain confidential until served or until law enforcement says execution is not possible. BSO may also hold warrants that have not yet been entered into any public database. If you think a warrant exists but can't find it online, talk to a criminal defense attorney who can check directly with the investigating agency in Fort Lauderdale.
What to Do About a Warrant
If you find a warrant in your name in Fort Lauderdale, get legal advice first. Do not go to a police station or jail without talking to a lawyer. Under Florida law, if you turn yourself in, you go into custody before you can post bond. A bail bondsman in Fort Lauderdale can help you through the process.
Under Florida Statute 901.07, if you are arrested on a warrant in a county other than Broward, the arresting officer must tell you about your right to bail. If you post bail right away, you can do so in that county. If not, the officer takes you before the judge who issued the warrant. Under Florida Statute 901.16, the officer must tell you why you are being arrested and that a warrant has been issued. The officer does not need to have the physical warrant at the time of arrest but must show it to you if asked.
Note: Warrants in Fort Lauderdale do not expire and can lead to arrest at any time, even years later.
Broward County Warrant Records
Fort Lauderdale is the county seat of Broward County. All warrants go through the Broward County Sheriff's Office. The county handles warrant records for about 1.9 million residents across Fort Lauderdale, Pembroke Pines, Hollywood, Coral Springs, and many other cities. For more details on the county court system, BSO contacts, and warrant resources, visit the Broward County page.
Nearby Florida Cities
These cities are near Fort Lauderdale and also have warrant records pages. All of them are served by their respective county sheriff's offices for warrant processing.