Search Illinois Warrant Records
Illinois warrant records are kept by circuit courts and law enforcement agencies across the state. All 102 counties in Illinois have circuit court clerks who file and store warrant case data. The Illinois State Police also keeps criminal history records that may show warrant information through the Bureau of Identification in Joliet. You can look up warrant records online through county court portals, the IDOC fugitive list, or by reaching out to a local sheriff. Some counties post active warrant lists on their own sites. This page covers the main ways to search for Illinois warrant records and what you can expect to find.
Illinois Warrant Records Quick Facts
Illinois Warrant Records by Agency
Several state agencies handle warrant records in Illinois. The main one is the Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification. This office collects and stores criminal history data, including warrant information, through the Automated Biometric Identification System. They keep over 5 million fingerprint files at their location at 260 North Chicago Street in Joliet. You can reach them at (815) 740-5160 on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Name-based searches for criminal history are done through the CHIRP system, and those searches do not need consent from the person being looked up.
The Illinois Department of Corrections posts a public list of wanted fugitives. These are people who broke parole or probation rules, or who escaped from custody. If you know where one of these people is, call the tip line at (877) 795-4519. This list is one of the few free, public warrant-related tools at the state level in Illinois.
Circuit courts are where all arrest warrants, bench warrants, and search warrants start in Illinois. A judge in one of the 24 judicial circuits must sign off on each one. The Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts runs the court system at the state level. Each county circuit clerk files and stores the warrant records for their court.
How to Search Warrant Records in Illinois
There is no single public database that covers all Illinois warrant records in one place. The LEADS system (Law Enforcement Agencies Data System) holds the most data, but only police can use it. For the public, the best path is to check county-level court records or use the CHIRP system from the State Police. CHIRP lets you do a name-based criminal history search. Paper documents cost $16, while electronic records cost $10. You need to register first at the ISP Bureau of Identification site.
Many Illinois counties use the Judici platform for online case searches. This free tool lets you look up court cases by name or case number in dozens of counties across the state. Not every county uses Judici, though. Some bigger counties run their own court portals. Cook County, for example, has case search at the Cook County Clerk of Court website. Kane County has its own court records portal as well. The best approach for any Illinois warrant search is to start with the county where the case was filed.
Some sheriffs in Illinois post active warrant lists on their sites. Will County runs willcountywarrants.com, which shows a public list of all active warrants with a map of last known locations. Peoria County puts out a warrant list that gets updated every 24 hours. Lake County has an active warrants PDF you can view. These resources are free and do not need a login. Not every county offers this, so you may have to call the sheriff or circuit clerk to ask about specific warrant records in Illinois.
Note: The IDOC offender search at idoc.illinois.gov lets you look up people in state custody and check the wanted fugitives list.
Types of Illinois Warrant Records
Illinois law defines several types of warrants. An arrest warrant is a written order from a court that tells a peace officer to arrest a named person. Under 725 ILCS 5/107-1, a warrant of arrest must name the person, list the offense, and show the date it was issued. Arrest warrants in Illinois are sent to all peace officers in the state. This means an officer in any county can serve it unless the court sets a geographic limit.
Bench warrants come from a judge when someone fails to show up for court. These are common in Illinois courts. If you miss a court date, the judge can issue a bench warrant for your arrest right then and there. Bench warrants stay active until you are picked up or until the court takes the warrant back. They show up in the court record under the case where you failed to appear.
Search warrants let police search a specific place or person for evidence. Under 725 ILCS 5/108-3, a search warrant in Illinois needs a written complaint under oath that shows probable cause. The warrant must say exactly what place will be searched and what items police expect to find. Search warrants in Illinois must be served within 96 hours. If they are not, the warrant is void. Officers must leave a copy of the warrant at the location they search, per 725 ILCS 5/108-6.
How Warrants Are Issued in Illinois
For an arrest warrant, someone must file a written complaint that is signed under oath. The complaint goes to a judge. Under 725 ILCS 5/107-9, the warrant must list the name, sex, and birth date of the person (or a description if the name is not known). It must also state the nature of the offense, the date of issue, and the county or city where it was issued. Illinois law lets warrants be sent by electronic means or fax, and these carry the same legal weight as a paper warrant.
Peace officers in Illinois can also arrest someone without a warrant in some cases. Under 725 ILCS 5/107-2, an officer can arrest if they have reasonable grounds to believe a warrant exists, or if they see the person commit a crime. Officers who serve warrants in good faith beyond their geographic area are not liable for false arrest. All reasonable force may be used to serve a search warrant, but no-knock entry needs a specific showing of urgent conditions and body cameras must be on during the process under 725 ILCS 5/108-8.
Illinois Warrant Search Fees
Costs for warrant records in Illinois depend on the source. The Illinois State Police charges $16 for paper documents and $10 for electronic records through CHIRP. These are for criminal history checks that may include warrant data. County court records vary in cost. Many Judici county searches are free to browse online. Getting copies of court papers costs per page at most clerk offices.
The Illinois State Comptroller runs a separate warrant inquiry system for financial warrants. This is not for arrest or bench warrants. It is for state payment warrants, which are checks issued by the state. Vendors can enter a warrant number to see if a payment has been cashed. The Illinois State Treasurer Warrant Division handles cases where payment warrants were forged. Replacement checks can take up to 10 weeks to process.
If you want to challenge your own criminal record in Illinois, the ISP runs an expungement unit. You can email them at ISP.Expungement.Unit@illinois.gov. The Office of the State Appellate Defender has more details on the expungement and sealing process. Some warrant records can be sealed or expunged under Illinois law, but the process takes time and may need a lawyer.
Contact Info for Illinois Warrant Records
The Illinois State Police Bureau of Identification is the main state contact for warrant-related criminal history in Illinois. Their office is at 260 North Chicago Street in Joliet. Call (815) 740-5160 or email ISP.BOI.Customer.Support@illinois.gov. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. You need an appointment to visit in person. For FOIA requests about warrant records, email ISP.FOIA.Officer@illinois.gov or mail your request to 801 South 7th Street, Suite 1000-S, Springfield, Illinois 62703.
The IDOC Springfield office is at 1000 Converse Street, P.O. Box 19277, Springfield, IL 62794-9277. Phone is (217) 558-2200. Their Chicago office is at 555 West Monroe, 6th Floor, Suite 600-S, Chicago, IL 60661. For tips on fugitives with active warrants, call the IDOC tip line at (877) 795-4519.
If you think you have a warrant in Illinois, talk to a lawyer first. The State Police warns that if you go to a police station to ask about warrants and you have an active one, they can arrest you right there. The safest path is to have an attorney check for you. You can also search online through county court portals or contact a circuit clerk by phone.
Browse Illinois Warrant Records by County
Each county in Illinois has a circuit clerk who files and stores warrant records. Pick a county below to find local contact info and resources for warrant records in that area.
Warrant Records in Major Illinois Cities
Residents in large Illinois cities search for warrant records through their county circuit court. Pick a city below to learn how to look up warrants in that area.