Search Miami Warrant Records
Miami warrant records are processed through the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office Warrants Bureau. The city of Miami has its own police department, but all warrants go through the county sheriff for tracking and service. With about 487,000 residents, Miami is the second-largest city in the county. You can search for active warrants through the FDLE statewide database or contact the Warrants Bureau directly at (305) 471-1700. The Miami-Dade Clerk of Court also maintains criminal case dockets where warrant activity appears for cases filed in Miami.
Miami Quick Facts
Miami Warrants at MDSO
The Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office runs the Warrants Bureau for all of Miami-Dade County, including the city of Miami. The bureau processes new warrants, manages the active warrant database, and coordinates with fugitive units. You can reach the Warrants Bureau at (305) 471-1700. They handle arrest warrants, bench warrants, capias orders, and fugitive warrants for Miami and every other municipality in the county.
The Miami Police Department is at 400 NW 2nd Avenue, Miami, FL 33128. Their phone number is (305) 579-6111. Miami PD officers can arrest people on active warrants during routine patrols, traffic stops, and calls for service. But the warrant itself sits in the county system. Miami Police do not maintain their own warrant database. When an officer makes an arrest on a warrant in Miami, they work through the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office to process the booking.
The MDSO website provides information about warrants, booking, and how to contact the Warrants Bureau for questions about Miami cases.
| Miami Police |
400 NW 2nd Avenue, Miami, FL 33128 Phone: (305) 579-6111 |
|---|---|
| MDSO Warrants Bureau | Phone: (305) 471-1700 |
| Clerk of Court |
Miami-Dade Clerk Phone: (305) 275-1155 |
Note: Miami Police officers serve warrants locally but all warrant records are stored in the Miami-Dade County system.
How to Search Miami Warrants
The FDLE Public Access System is the best starting point. Go to the Wanted Persons search page and type in the name. It is free. You do not need to create an account. The system pulls active warrants from all 67 Florida counties. Miami-Dade warrants show up here once the sheriff's office submits them to the statewide system. The results list the warrant type and the issuing agency.
The Miami-Dade Clerk of Court has an online case search. This is useful if you want to look up a specific criminal case in Miami and see whether warrant activity appears in the docket. Search by party name or case number. Bench warrants and capias entries show up in the timeline of the case. The clerk's phone number is (305) 275-1155 if you need help with a search. You can also visit the clerk's office in person at the Miami-Dade County Courthouse.
For direct warrant questions, call the Warrants Bureau at (305) 471-1700. They can confirm whether a warrant is active in the Miami-Dade system. This is sometimes faster than waiting for the FDLE database to update.
Types of Warrants in Miami
Arrest warrants in Miami are issued when a judge finds probable cause under Florida Statute 901.02. A sworn complaint or affidavit must support the request. Once signed, the warrant goes to every sheriff in the state. It can be served day or night, any day of the week, in Miami or anywhere else in Florida. Arrest warrants do not expire. They remain active until the person is found or a judge pulls the warrant back.
Bench warrants get issued when a person fails to show up for a court date in Miami. These are very common. A capias is similar and comes from the clerk or the court directly. Violation of probation warrants go out when someone on probation breaks the rules set by a Miami-Dade judge. Fugitive warrants apply to people wanted in other states who are thought to be in the Miami area.
Under Florida Statute 933.07, search warrants must be executed within 14 days or they become void. This is different from arrest warrants, which have no time limit. Even a warrant that is years old in Miami can still result in an arrest during a traffic stop or other law enforcement contact.
Public Access to Miami Warrants
Miami warrant records fall under Florida's Sunshine Law. Florida Statute 119.07 gives any person the right to inspect public records. You do not have to be the named person. You do not have to state a reason. Both the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office and the Clerk of Court must provide access to warrant records that are not exempt from disclosure.
Certain records stay sealed. Active criminal intelligence is exempt. Search warrant affidavits are not public until the warrant has been served or law enforcement determines it cannot be executed. Under Florida Statute 901.16, the arresting officer must inform the person that a warrant has been issued and state the cause of arrest. The officer does not need the physical warrant at the time but must produce it upon request.
What to Do About a Miami Warrant
Get a lawyer before you do anything else. If you find your name on an active warrant in Miami, a criminal defense attorney can help you figure out the best course of action. Turning yourself in means going into custody first. A bail bondsman in Miami can help arrange bond once you are booked. For bench warrants from missed court dates, your attorney may file a motion to quash the warrant and reset the hearing. This avoids the need to spend time in jail.
Under Florida Statute 901.04, officers serving warrants must tell the person the reason for the arrest. If arrested on a Miami warrant in another county, you have the right to post bail in that county if bail has been set. If no bail is set, the officer must take you before the judge who issued the warrant in Miami-Dade County.
Note: A warrant in Miami does not go away on its own and can lead to arrest during any encounter with law enforcement.
Miami-Dade County Warrant Records
Miami is the county seat of Miami-Dade County. All warrants are processed through the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office Warrants Bureau. The county serves over 2.7 million residents across dozens of municipalities. For full details on the county court system, sheriff contacts, and warrant lookup tools, see the Miami-Dade County page.
Nearby Florida Cities
These cities are near Miami and also have warrant records pages. Most are within Miami-Dade County and share the same sheriff's office for warrant processing.