If you’re worried about a warrant for your arrest – or a friend or family member’s arrest – in Harris County, it’s relatively simple to find out. 

Generally, this can be completed with an online search or a phone call. If you’re worried about detection, you can search from a public computer – at a library, for example. You can also ask a friend or family member to call on your behalf, or you can use a disposable phone or even a payphone if you can find one.

While there are plenty of websites that will help you search, many will charge a fee that isn’t disclosed until you’ve wasted time entering all of the relevant information. You don’t need to pay for this information. There are several ways to get it for free.

How Do I Find Out if I Have a Warrant in Harris County?

You don’t have to commit a serious crime to be named on a warrant. Sometimes, you just need to owe a fine. But the following seemingly minor transgressions could lead to an outstanding warrant:

• Keeping an overdue library item
• Missing jury duty (without following up)
• Failing to pay a traffic ticket
• Missing a court appearance without providing proper notification
• Ignoring a civil summons
  

Cops probably won’t show up to haul you to jail for these offenses, but it’s best to deal with them as soon as possible. 

However, if you learn that a warrant for your arrest has been issued, it’s more serious, and you should consult an attorney before taking further action.

Where to Search for an Open Warrant

While many counties provide a single searchable database to find open warrants, Harris County’s procedures are more cumbersome.

If you find a notice on your door informing you of an arrest warrant, contact the officer whose name and number are included on the document for instructions.

Additionally, clerks in the Warrant Division of the Harris County Precinct 7 Constable’s Office will search the Harris County database for open warrants if you call (713) 643-6118. They will also provide information on how to resolve the warrants.

District Clerk’s Office

The Harris County District Clerk’s website provides information on felony and misdemeanor warrants under Online Services. However, the site is slow and unreliable. If it doesn’t work, you must call the office instead.

Harris County Sheriff’s Office

The Harris County Sheriff’s Office offers an online search for Class A and Class B misdemeanor warrants.

Harris County Justice Courts

Information about fine-only misdemeanor cases pending in the Harris County Justice Courts can be found by selecting the “Find My Case and Court Date” link on the courts’ website. However, you’ll need one of the following:

• A case number
• Name and date of birth
• Driver’s license number

City of Houston Municipal Court

Information about fine-only misdemeanor cases pending in the City of Houston Municipal Courts may be obtained by calling 311 or via the Municipal Courts’ website at www.houstontx.gov/courts. You can also call 713-247-5479.

Call a Bail Bond Company

It’s not common knowledge that bail bond companies will check on your behalf for free, hoping they can get your business if a warrant arises. This will save you time searching, and you don’t have to worry about finding someone else to call on your behalf. It will also save you the money you’d have to pay a third-party service to locate the information. However, you’ll probably have to deal with a sales pitch if a warrant is found.

More Harris County Resources

How to find an inmate in Harris County

How to get someone out of jail in Harris County

How much is bail in Harris County?

How to visit an inmate in Harris County