How Do I Look Up Warrants in Virginia?

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    VirginiaStateCourts.us is not a consumer reporting agency as defined by the FCRA and does not provide consumer reports. All searches conducted on VirginiaStateCourts.us are subject to the Terms of Service and Privacy Notice.

    You can use VirginiaStateCourts.us to locate a warrant in Virginia, as it compiles publicly available information reported by Virginia's courts and law enforcement agencies into a single search. When available, a search reveals the warrant type, issuing court, case number, alleged offense, and bail or bond amount, among other details depending on the record type and issuing jurisdiction.

    Virginia's judicial geography is unlike any other state's. The Commonwealth divides into 95 counties and 38 independent cities, each functioning as a separate jurisdiction with its own sheriff, its own general district court, and its own circuit court clerk. An independent city like Richmond or Norfolk is not part of the surrounding county — it maintains an entirely separate court system. That means a warrant search confined to Henrico County would miss a warrant issued ten minutes away in the City of Richmond, and vice versa. The state's Online Case Information System (OCIS) does provide statewide case lookups across district and select circuit courts, but it is a case-information tool rather than a dedicated warrant database, and its coverage of circuit court data depends on which clerks have opted to participate.

    Consolidating records from more than 130 separate jurisdictions into a single query is where VirginiaStateCourts.us provides its clearest value — particularly for anyone uncertain whether a case originated in a county or in the independent city seated within it.

    Are Warrants Public Information in Virginia?

    The Virginia Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), codified at Va. Code § 2.2-3700 et seq., establishes that all public records "shall be open to citizens of the Commonwealth" during regular office hours. Arrest warrants and bench warrants, once executed, are part of the public case file. Basic criminal incident information for felony offenses — including a description of the criminal activity, the date and location, and the investigating officer — must be released by any law enforcement agency under § 2.2-3706.1(B), regardless of whether the investigation is still open.

    Criminal investigative files receive broader protection. Section 2.2-3706.1(C) excludes investigative files relating to an ongoing criminal investigation or proceeding from mandatory disclosure entirely, though the custodian retains discretion to release them. Even after a case concludes, the statute gives the custodian — rather than the requester — the decision on whether to disclose the file, and it layers a victim-notification process that can delay release by at least 14 days. Search warrants and their supporting affidavits can be sealed by a magistrate or judge under § 19.2-54, keeping the application, the probable-cause affidavit, and sometimes the warrant itself out of public view until the seal is lifted.

    Agencies must respond to a FOIA request within five working days under § 2.2-3704(B). If a response is not practicable within that window, the agency may invoke an additional seven working days — or, for criminal investigative files specifically, up to 60 working days. A failure to respond within the applicable deadline counts as a denial, which the requester can challenge in circuit court. But FOIA governs records held by agencies; it does not create an obligation for any agency to publish those records online. Much of Virginia's warrant data exists only on paper in a clerk's office or in a magistrate's file, never reaching any digital system.

    How to Search for a Warrant in Virginia

    1. Start with VirginiaStateCourts.us. Our Instant Warrant Lookup presents you with warrant record data compiled from available public resources in one convenient search. When available, you can find warrant type, issuing court, case number, alleged offense, and bail/bond amount, among other details, depending on the record type and issuing county.
    2. Search Virginia's Online Case Information System. OCIS 2.0 provides free statewide access to adult criminal case data in juvenile and domestic relations district courts, criminal and traffic case data in general district courts, and case information from participating circuit courts. Searches can be filtered by locality, name, or case number. Coverage is strong for district courts statewide, but circuit court participation varies — not all of the Commonwealth's 120 circuit court clerks have made their data available through the system. The companion General District Court portal offers a separate lookup for misdemeanor, traffic, and preliminary felony hearing records.
    3. Contact the sheriff's office or clerk of court. Have the subject's full legal name, date of birth, and — critically in Virginia — the specific county or independent city where the warrant may have been issued. A search in Fairfax County will not return results from the independent City of Fairfax; those are separate jurisdictions with separate records. The clerk of the general district court in each jurisdiction maintains warrant files for misdemeanor and preliminary felony cases, while the circuit court clerk handles indictments and felony case records.
    4. Visit in person. Virginia courthouses are open to public inspection of case records during business hours. Anyone checking on their own warrant status should understand that an active warrant can lead to immediate arrest if identified by courthouse security or the sheriff's deputies who provide court security across the Commonwealth.
    5. Retain an attorney. A Virginia attorney can contact the issuing court or magistrate's office on your behalf, confirm whether a warrant exists, and advise on options such as a motion to quash or a voluntary surrender arrangement — without triggering an encounter with law enforcement.

    How Long Is a Warrant Active in Virginia?

    Arrest warrants and bench warrants in Virginia do not expire. They remain enforceable until the person is taken into custody, the court recalls the warrant, or the underlying charge is dismissed. Search warrants carry a 15-day execution deadline under Va. Code § 19.2-56 — longer than the 10-day window common in most states and three times the length of states like Texas that use a five-day or three-day clock.

    Virginia's search warrant statute also imposes an unusually narrow daytime-execution window for searches of a "place of abode": initial entry must occur between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. unless a judge or magistrate authorizes an exception based on particularized facts in the affidavit. No-knock warrants for residences are prohibited outright under § 19.2-56(B), and any evidence obtained in violation of these restrictions is inadmissible.

    Virginia Warrant Records by County

    Virginia's court system is divided among 95 counties and 38 independent cities, each operating as its own jurisdiction with a separately elected sheriff. This structure — unique to Virginia among all U.S. states — means that cities like Richmond, Virginia Beach, and Norfolk are not part of any county and maintain fully independent law enforcement and court systems. No centralized statewide warrant database exists. OCIS provides case-level data across most district courts, but it is not a warrant-specific tool and does not cover every circuit court. For definitive confirmation of an active warrant, a direct inquiry to the sheriff's office or clerk of court in the issuing jurisdiction remains necessary.

    The directory below lists all sheriff's offices across Virginia's counties and independent cities, sourced from the Virginia Sheriffs' Association.

    County/City

    Organization

    Address

    Phone Number

    Accomack County

    Accomack County Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 149, Accomac, VA 23301

    (757) 787-1131

    Albemarle County

    Albemarle County Sheriff's Office

    411 E. High Street, Bldg B, Charlottesville, VA 22902

    (434) 972-4001

    Alexandria (City)

    Alexandria Sheriff's Office

    2003 Mill Road, Alexandria, VA 22314

    (703) 746-4114

    Alleghany County

    Alleghany County Sheriff's Office

    268 West Main Street, Covington, VA 24426

    (540) 965-1770

    Amelia County

    Amelia County Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 463, Amelia, VA 23002

    (804) 561-2118

    Amherst County

    Amherst County Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 410, Amherst, VA 24521

    (434) 946-9381

    Appomattox County

    Appomattox County Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 366, Appomattox, VA 24522

    (434) 352-8241

    Arlington County

    Arlington County Sheriff's Office

    1425 N. Courthouse Rd #9100, Arlington, VA 22201

    (703) 228-4460

    Augusta County

    Augusta County Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 860, Verona, VA 24482

    (540) 245-5333

    Bath County

    Bath County Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 218, Warm Springs, VA 24484

    (540) 839-2375

    Bedford County

    Bedford County Sheriff's Office

    1345 Falling Creek Road, Bedford, VA 24523

    (540) 586-4800

    Bland County

    Bland County Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 449, Bland, VA 24315

    (276) 688-4311

    Botetourt County

    Botetourt County Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 18, Fincastle, VA 24090

    (540) 473-8230

    Bristol (City)

    Bristol Sheriff's Office

    417 Cumberland Street, Bristol, VA 24201

    (276) 645-7430

    Brunswick County

    Brunswick County Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 705, Lawrenceville, VA 23868

    (434) 848-3133

    Buchanan County

    Buchanan County Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 90, Vansant, VA 24656

    (276) 935-2313

    Buckingham County

    Buckingham County Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 50, Buckingham, VA 23921

    (434) 969-1772

    Buena Vista (City)

    Buena Vista Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 1031, Buena Vista, VA 24416

    (540) 261-8615

    Campbell County

    Campbell County Sheriff's Office

    87 Courthouse Lane, Rustburg, VA 24588

    (434) 332-9580

    Caroline County

    Caroline County Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 39, Bowling Green, VA 22427

    (804) 633-1120

    Carroll County

    Carroll County Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 575, Hillsville, VA 24343

    (276) 728-4146

    Charles City County

    Charles City County Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 87, Charles City, VA 23030

    (804) 829-9265

    Charlotte County

    Charlotte County Sheriff's Office

    222 Law Lane, Charlotte Courthouse, VA 23923

    (434) 542-5141

    Charlottesville (City)

    Charlottesville Sheriff's Office

    315-A East High Street, Charlottesville, VA 22902

    (434) 970-3777

    Chesapeake (City)

    Chesapeake Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 15125, Chesapeake, VA 23328

    (757) 382-6159

    Chesterfield County

    Chesterfield County Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 940, Chesterfield, VA 23832

    (804) 748-1261

    Clarke County

    Clarke County Sheriff's Office

    100 N. Church St, Berryville, VA 22611

    (540) 955-1234

    Colonial Heights (City)

    Colonial Heights Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 3401, Colonial Heights, VA 23834

    (804) 520-9352

    Craig County

    Craig County Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 266, New Castle, VA 24127

    (540) 864-5127

    Culpeper County

    Culpeper County Sheriff's Office

    14023 Public Safety Ct, Culpeper, VA 22701

    (540) 727-7520

    Cumberland County

    Cumberland County Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 71, Cumberland, VA 23040

    (804) 492-4120

    Danville (City)

    Danville Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 3405, Danville, VA 24543

    (434) 799-5135

    Dickenson County

    Dickenson County Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 339, Clintwood, VA 24228

    (276) 926-1600

    Dinwiddie County

    Dinwiddie County Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 120, Dinwiddie, VA 23841

    (804) 469-4550

    Emporia (City)

    Emporia Sheriff's Office

    401-D South Main St., Emporia, VA 23847

    (434) 634-4671

    Essex County

    Essex County Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 955, Tappahannock, VA 22560

    (804) 443-3346

    Fairfax County

    Fairfax County Sheriff's Office

    4110 Chain Bridge Road, Fairfax, VA 22030

    (703) 246-3227

    Falls Church (City)

    Falls Church Sheriff's Office

    300 Park Avenue, #205C, Falls Church, VA 22046

    (703) 248-5111

    Fauquier County

    Fauquier County Sheriff's Office

    78 West Lee Street, Suite 200, Warrenton, VA 20186

    (540) 422-8600

    Floyd County

    Floyd County Sheriff's Office

    100 E. Main Street, Rm 206, Floyd, VA 24091

    (540) 745-9334

    Fluvanna County

    Fluvanna County Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 113, Palmyra, VA 22963

    (434) 589-8211

    Franklin County

    Franklin County Sheriff's Office

    70 East Court Street #101, Rocky Mount, VA 24151

    (540) 483-3000

    Frederick County

    Frederick County Sheriff's Office

    1080 Coverstone Drive, Winchester, VA 22602

    (540) 662-6168

    Fredericksburg (City)

    Fredericksburg Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 448, Fredericksburg, VA 22404

    (540) 372-1056

    Giles County

    Giles County Sheriff's Office

    1 Taylor Avenue, Ste 3, Pearisburg, VA 24134

    (540) 921-3842

    Gloucester County

    Gloucester County Sheriff's Office

    7502 Justice Drive, Gloucester, VA 23061

    (804) 693-3890

    Goochland County

    Goochland County Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 29, Goochland, VA 23063

    (804) 556-5349

    Grayson County

    Grayson County Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 160, Independence, VA 24348

    (276) 773-3241

    Greene County

    Greene County Sheriff's Office

    10005 Spotswood Trail, Stanardsville, VA 22973

    (434) 985-2222

    Greensville County

    Greensville County Sheriff's Office

    174 Uriah Branch Way, Emporia, VA 23847

    (434) 348-4200

    Halifax County

    Halifax County Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 370, Halifax, VA 24558

    (434) 476-3334

    Hampton (City)

    Hampton Sheriff's Office

    1928 West Pembroke Avenue, Hampton, VA 23661

    (757) 926-2540

    Hanover County

    Hanover County Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 40, Hanover, VA 23069

    (804) 537-6110

    Henrico County

    Henrico County Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 90775, Henrico, VA 23273

    (804) 501-4571

    Henry County

    Henry County Sheriff's Office

    3250 Kings Mountain Road, Martinsville, VA 24112

    (276) 656-4200

    Highland County

    Highland County Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 485, Monterey, VA 24465

    (540) 468-2210

    Hopewell (City)

    Hopewell Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 1193, Hopewell, VA 23860

    (804) 541-2300

    Isle of Wight County

    Isle of Wight County Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 75, Isle of Wight, VA 23397

    (757) 357-2151

    King and Queen County

    King and Queen County Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 38, King & Queen, VA 23085

    (804) 785-7400

    King George County

    King George County Sheriff's Office

    10445 Government Center Blvd, King George, VA 22485

    (540) 775-2049

    King William County

    King William County Sheriff's Office

    351 Courthouse Ln, Ste 160, King William, VA 23086

    (804) 769-0999

    Lancaster County

    Lancaster County Sheriff's Office

    8293 Mary Ball Road, Lancaster, VA 22503

    (804) 462-5111

    Lee County

    Lee County Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 177, Jonesville, VA 24263

    (276) 346-7753

    Loudoun County

    Loudoun County Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 7200, Leesburg, VA 20177

    (703) 777-0407

    Louisa County

    Louisa County Sheriff's Office

    1 Woolfolk Avenue, Ste 101, Louisa, VA 23093

    (540) 967-1234

    Lunenburg County

    Lunenburg County Sheriff's Office

    160 Courthouse Sq, Lunenburg, VA 23952

    (434) 696-4452

    Lynchburg (City)

    Lynchburg Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 217, Lynchburg, VA 24505

    (434) 847-1301

    Madison County

    Madison County Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 322, Madison, VA 22727

    (540) 948-5161

    Martinsville (City)

    Martinsville Sheriff's Office

    13 S. Moss Street, Martinsville, VA 24112

    (276) 403-5151

    Mathews County

    Mathews County Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 190, Mathews, VA 23109

    (804) 725-7177

    Mecklenburg County

    Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 390, Boydton, VA 23917

    (434) 738-6171

    Middlesex County

    Middlesex County Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 207, Saluda, VA 23149

    (804) 758-2779

    Montgomery County

    Montgomery County Sheriff's Office

    1 East Main Street, Christiansburg, VA 24073

    (540) 382-6915

    Nelson County

    Nelson County Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 36, Lovingston, VA 22949

    (434) 263-7050

    New Kent County

    New Kent County Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 186, New Kent, VA 23124

    (804) 966-9500

    Newport News (City)

    Newport News Sheriff's Office

    2501 Washington Avenue, Newport News, VA 23607

    (757) 926-3992

    Norfolk (City)

    Norfolk Sheriff's Office

    811 East City Hall Avenue, Norfolk, VA 23510

    (757) 664-4951

    Northampton County

    Northampton County Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 68, Eastville, VA 23347

    (757) 678-0460

    Northumberland County

    Northumberland County Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 310, Heathsville, VA 22473

    (804) 580-5221

    Norton (City)

    Norton Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 307, Norton, VA 24273

    (276) 679-5308

    Nottoway County

    Nottoway County Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 6, Nottoway, VA 23955

    (434) 645-9044

    Orange County

    Orange County Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 445, Orange, VA 22960

    (540) 672-1200

    Page County

    Page County Sheriff's Office

    108 S. Court Street, Luray, VA 22835

    (540) 743-6571

    Patrick County

    Patrick County Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 128, Stuart, VA 24171

    (276) 694-3161

    Petersburg (City)

    Petersburg Sheriff's Office

    8 Courthouse Ave, Petersburg, VA 23803

    (804) 733-2369

    Pittsylvania County

    Pittsylvania County Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 407, Chatham, VA 24531

    (434) 432-7800

    Portsmouth (City)

    Portsmouth Sheriff's Office

    2690 Elmhurst Lane, Portsmouth, VA 23701

    (757) 393-5461

    Powhatan County

    Powhatan County Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 133, Powhatan, VA 23139

    (804) 598-5656

    Prince Edward County

    Prince Edward County Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 25, Farmville, VA 23901

    (434) 392-8101

    Prince George County

    Prince George County Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 366, Prince George, VA 23875

    (804) 733-2690

    Prince William County

    Prince William County Sheriff's Office

    9311 Lee Avenue, Manassas, VA 20110

    (703) 792-6070

    Pulaski County

    Pulaski County Sheriff's Office

    802 East Main Street, Pulaski, VA 24301

    (540) 980-7800

    Radford (City)

    Radford Sheriff's Office

    619 2nd St, Ste 8, Radford, VA 24141

    (540) 731-5501

    Rappahannock County

    Rappahannock County Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 487, Washington, VA 22747

    (540) 675-5300

    Richmond (City)

    Richmond Sheriff's Office

    1701 Fairfield Way, Richmond, VA 23223

    (804) 646-0140

    Richmond County

    Richmond County Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 115, Warsaw, VA 22572

    (804) 333-3611

    Roanoke (City)

    Roanoke Sheriff's Office

    340 Campbell Ave., SW, Roanoke, VA 24016

    (540) 853-2941

    Roanoke County

    Roanoke County Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 510, Salem, VA 24153

    (540) 283-3102

    Rockbridge County

    Rockbridge County Sheriff's Office

    258 Greenhouse Rd, Lexington, VA 24450

    (540) 463-7329

    Rockingham County

    Rockingham County Sheriff's Office

    25 South Liberty Street, Harrisonburg, VA 22801

    (540) 564-3800

    Russell County

    Russell County Sheriff's Office

    79 Rogers Avenue, Lebanon, VA 24266

    (276) 889-8033

    Salem (City)

    Salem Sheriff's Office

    2 East Calhoun Street, Salem, VA 24153

    (540) 375-3040

    Scott County

    Scott County Sheriff's Office

    336 Water Street, Gate City, VA 24251

    (276) 386-7679

    Shenandoah County

    Shenandoah County Sheriff's Office

    810 N. Main Street, Suite 1, Woodstock, VA 22664

    (540) 459-6100

    Smyth County

    Smyth County Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 964, Marion, VA 24354

    (276) 783-7204

    Southampton County

    Southampton County Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 70, Courtland, VA 23837

    (757) 653-2100

    Spotsylvania County

    Spotsylvania County Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 124, Spotsylvania, VA 22553

    (540) 582-7115

    Stafford County

    Stafford County Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 189, Stafford, VA 22555

    (540) 658-4450

    Staunton (City)

    Staunton Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 64, Staunton, VA 24402

    (540) 332-3880

    Suffolk (City)

    Suffolk Sheriff's Office

    150 N. Main Street, Suffolk, VA 23434

    (757) 514-7840

    Surry County

    Surry County Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 233, Surry, VA 23883

    (757) 294-5264

    Sussex County

    Sussex County Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 1326, Sussex, VA 23884

    (434) 246-5000

    Tazewell County

    Tazewell County Sheriff's Office

    140 School Street, Suite 3, Tazewell, VA 24651

    (276) 988-5966

    Virginia Beach (City)

    Virginia Beach Sheriff's Office

    2501 James Madison Blvd., Virginia Beach, VA 23456

    (757) 385-4073

    Warren County

    Warren County Sheriff's Office

    200 Skyline Vista Drive, Front Royal, VA 22630

    (540) 635-4128

    Washington County

    Washington County Sheriff's Office

    20281 Rustic Ln, Abingdon, VA 24210

    (276) 676-6000

    Waynesboro (City)

    Waynesboro Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 189, Waynesboro, VA 22980

    (540) 942-6639

    Westmoreland County

    Westmoreland County Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 305, Montross, VA 22520

    (804) 493-8066

    Williamsburg-James City County

    Williamsburg-James City County Sheriff's Office

    5201 Monticello Ave., Suite 5, Williamsburg, VA 23188

    (757) 564-2220

    Winchester (City)

    Winchester Sheriff's Office

    5 North Kent Street, Winchester, VA 22601

    (540) 667-5770

    Wise County

    Wise County Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 916, Wise, VA 24293

    (276) 328-3566

    Wythe County

    Wythe County Sheriff's Office

    245 S. 4th Street, Wytheville, VA 24382

    (276) 223-6000

    York County-Poquoson

    York County-Poquoson Sheriff's Office

    P.O. Box 99, Yorktown, VA 23690

    (757) 890-3630