Hillsborough County Warrant Records

Hillsborough County warrant records are held by the Sheriff's Office and the Clerk of Court in Tampa, Florida. With about 1.4 million residents, Hillsborough is one of the most populous counties in the state. The sheriff's office runs a dedicated warrants division that processes arrest warrants, bench warrants, and capias orders. You can search for active warrants in Hillsborough County through the HCSO warrant inquiry page or the statewide FDLE database. The Clerk of Court also keeps case files that show warrant activity in criminal dockets. Both agencies are open to public records requests for Hillsborough County warrant information.

Hillsborough Sheriff's Office Warrants

The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) is the primary agency for all warrant records in the county. This is one of the largest sheriff's offices in Florida. They have a dedicated warrants division that handles thousands of warrants each year. The main office is at 2008 E. Eighth Avenue in Tampa. Call (813) 247-8200 for general inquiries.

HCSO provides a warrant inquiry page on its website where you can check for active warrants in Hillsborough County. This is a useful tool for anyone who needs to verify whether a warrant exists. The warrants division processes all arrest warrants, coordinates with other agencies, and maintains the county's active warrant database. They also work with federal task forces to track down fugitives who have left the Tampa Bay area.

You can also search the FDLE Public Access System for Hillsborough County warrant records. This statewide tool is free and pulls data from all 67 Florida counties. Under F.S. 901.04, warrants are directed to all sheriffs in the state. A Hillsborough County warrant can be served by any sheriff in Florida. That goes both ways too. Warrants from other counties can be executed right here in Hillsborough County.

Note: Hillsborough County processes a high volume of warrants due to its large population, so the FDLE database may not reflect the most recent entries right away.

Hillsborough County Clerk of Court

The Hillsborough County Clerk of Court keeps all court case files in the county. Warrant activity shows up in criminal case dockets. When a judge signs a warrant, the clerk enters it into the case record. Bench warrants for failure to appear and capias orders are all part of these files. The clerk's office is at 800 E. Twiggs Street in Tampa. Call (813) 276-8100 for questions about court records.

The Hillsborough County Clerk of Court website provides access to court case records and other services.

The clerk offers an online case search tool. You can look up criminal cases by defendant name or case number. Warrant entries appear in the docket section of each case. This is especially useful for finding bench warrants and capias orders that may not show up in the sheriff's warrant inquiry tool. Under F.S. 119.07, these records are public. Anyone can access them.

How to Search Warrants in Hillsborough County

Hillsborough County gives you several ways to search for warrants. The HCSO warrant inquiry page lets you check for active warrants directly with the sheriff's office. The FDLE Wanted Persons search covers all 67 Florida counties and is free. The clerk's online case search shows bench warrants and capias orders in court dockets.

For in-person inquiries, you can visit the sheriff's office on Eighth Avenue or the clerk's office on Twiggs Street in downtown Tampa. Both are open during normal business hours. Phone inquiries to the sheriff's office are accepted at (813) 247-8200. With a population of 1.4 million, Hillsborough County has more resources for warrant searches than most of the state.

Note: Warrants sometimes appear on the clerk's website before they show up on the FDLE statewide database for Hillsborough County records.

Warrant Types in Hillsborough County

Hillsborough County processes all the standard warrant types found in Florida courts. Arrest warrants are the most common. Under F.S. 901.02, a judge must find probable cause before issuing one. Bench warrants come when someone misses a court date. The judge issues them right from the bench to bring that person in. Capias warrants are similar and may be filed by the Clerk of Circuit Court or the State Attorney's Office.

Violation of probation warrants make up a significant portion of warrant activity in Hillsborough County because of the large number of cases the court handles. Fugitive warrants come through for people wanted in other states. Search warrants are separate. Under F.S. 933.07, search warrants expire after 10 days if not executed. Arrest warrants in Hillsborough County never expire. They stay active until the person is found or a judge recalls them.

What to Do About a Hillsborough County Warrant

If you find a warrant in your name in Hillsborough County, get legal help first. Do not go to the county jail or a police station without a lawyer. Under Florida law, turning yourself in on a warrant means going into custody before you can post bond. A licensed bail bondsman in the Tampa area can help with this process. Many attorneys in Hillsborough County specialize in helping people handle outstanding warrants.

Under F.S. 901.16, the arresting officer has to tell you why you are being arrested and that a warrant exists. They do not need the physical warrant at the time of arrest. But you can ask to see it and they must show it as soon as possible. Warrants in Hillsborough County do not expire. A warrant from years ago can still lead to arrest during a traffic stop or other interaction with law enforcement in Tampa or anywhere else in the county.

Cities in Hillsborough County

Hillsborough County includes Tampa and several other large communities. All warrant records in the county go through the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office. The Tampa Police Department handles local law enforcement within city limits, but warrants are processed at the county level through HCSO.

Other areas in Hillsborough County include Brandon, Riverview, and Town 'n' Country. These communities do not have their own police departments and rely on the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office for warrant service and law enforcement.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Hillsborough County in the Tampa Bay area. Warrants are filed in the county where the case was opened. If you are not sure which county handles your case, check the address where the offense took place.