Hawaii
Hawaii Warrant Search: How to Check If You Have a Warrant (2026)
Independently fact-checked against primary sources (last audited August 10, 2026). · 6 primary sources cited on this page. How we verify our legal content
Hawaii runs a real-time statewide warrant database, but it's not one you can search. eBench Warrant is restricted by policy to law enforcement and criminal justice agencies. The public tool you can actually use is eCourt Kokua, a free case-search system that isn't built specifically around warrants but is the most reliable way to check your own status online.
Information last verified on 2026-07-15. This article has not yet been reviewed by a licensed lawyer.
What a warrant search actually checks
When people talk about a "warrant search," they usually mean one of two things: an arrest warrant, which a judge issues after police present evidence establishing probable cause that you committed a crime, or a bench warrant, which a judge issues directly, most often because someone missed a court date, missed a court-ordered payment, or violated a probation condition. Neither is the same as a search warrant, which authorizes police to search a specific place, like a home or vehicle, for evidence, and has nothing to do with whether you personally are wanted.
There is also no single national database the public can search for either kind. The FBI's National Crime Information Center (NCIC) maintains a Wanted Persons File, but access is restricted to authorized criminal justice and law enforcement agencies, with no public login. Hawaii's own version of that problem is unusually specific: the state built a real, comprehensive statewide warrant system, and then restricted it to law enforcement only, leaving the public to rely on a general court records tool instead.
How to check if you have a warrant in Hawaii
Understand the eBench Warrant trap
Hawaii's judiciary operates an electronic warrant system called eBench Warrant, and it's genuinely comprehensive: it's the state's real-time repository of active bench and arrest warrants, and Hawaii has used an electronic warrant system in some form since 2009. But it was built for law enforcement, not the public. The system's own site states that access is limited to approved members of Hawaii's law enforcement and criminal justice agencies, authenticated through a state single sign-on account. There is no public search option on eBench Warrant, and no version of it that lets an ordinary person look up their own name. If a search result or an article tells you to check "eBench Warrant" yourself, that's a dead end. Use eCourt Kokua instead.
Watch out: don't waste time looking for a public login to eBench Warrant. It doesn't exist, and no legitimate path gets an individual member of the public into that system. Hawaii's actual public warrant-checking option is a different system, eCourt Kokua, described below.
Use eCourt Kokua, Hawaii's public case search
eCourt Kokua is Hawaii's free, public case-search system, and it's the most useful tool available to an ordinary person checking their own status. It requires no account or login and is available at any time. To use it, choose Party Search, then Name Search, and enter your legal name, adding a middle name or narrowing by court type if you have a common name. The system covers traffic cases and District, Circuit, and Family Court criminal cases, along with civil, land court, and appellate matters, statewide, since Hawaii's judiciary is organized by circuit rather than by individual county court systems the way most states are.
If a case shows an active bench warrant status, that's a strong signal something is outstanding. Viewing basic case information is free; downloading certain documents carries a small per-page fee, but that's not necessary just to check your own status.
If eCourt Kokua doesn't show anything
A clean eCourt Kokua search is a good sign, but it's a general case-search tool, not a dedicated warrant checker, so it isn't an absolute guarantee. If you have reason to think a warrant exists, for example, you know you missed a court date, but nothing shows up, contact the Clerk's Office of the Circuit or District Court where the underlying case was filed, or your local police department, directly. Honolulu Police Department, for instance, publishes its own wanted persons information and can be reached by phone through its Warrants Section for a personal check.
Watch for warrant scam calls
A well-documented, currently active scam involves someone calling, texting, or emailing you claiming to be a police officer, court officer, or U.S. Marshal, saying you missed jury duty or have an active warrant, and demanding immediate payment, by gift card, wire transfer, cryptocurrency, or an app like Zelle or Cash App, to avoid arrest. Scammers can spoof caller ID to display a real courthouse or police department number and sometimes already know your name and address, which makes the call sound more credible than it is.
Real Hawaii law enforcement and courts do not resolve warrants over the phone for payment, and they don't text or email an actual warrant to you. The FTC and multiple federal courts have published direct public warnings about this exact pattern. If you get a call like this, hang up, don't call back the number that contacted you, and if you want to verify anything, look up the police department or court's phone number yourself.
You may also see ads for paid "background check" or "people search" websites promising instant warrant results. In September 2023, the FTC fined two of the largest such companies, TruthFinder and Instant Checkmate, a combined $5.8 million for marketing their reports as highly accurate while doing no real verification of the underlying data. These sites are generally legal but unnecessary for a personal warrant check: they resell the same public records a free tool like eCourt Kokua or a local police department can already give you directly.
What to Do If You Have a Warrant
If you confirm a warrant, the standard advice from criminal defense attorneys is to talk to a lawyer before contacting law enforcement or a courthouse yourself. An attorney can often confirm the warrant's validity, explain what it covers, and in many cases file a motion to recall or quash it, particularly for a bench warrant tied to a missed court date you can explain, such as illness, a lack of proper notice, or a scheduling conflict. Some attorneys can also arrange a scheduled, voluntary surrender at a time coordinated with the court, which tends to go more smoothly than an unplanned arrest.
Warrants generally don't expire. A Hawaii warrant, like those in most states, remains active indefinitely until you're arrested, you surrender, or a judge formally recalls it. Ignoring one doesn't make it disappear, and it can surface unexpectedly later, for example during a traffic stop when an officer runs your information.
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Disclaimer
This article provides general legal information about checking your own warrant status in Hawaii. It is not legal advice, and it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Warrant procedures, tools, and agency practices can change; if you believe you may have an active warrant, consult a licensed Hawaii criminal defense attorney for guidance specific to your situation.
Last updated: 2026-07-15.
More Hawaii Laws
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I search Hawaii's eBench Warrant system myself?
No. eBench Warrant is Hawaii's real statewide warrant database, but it's restricted by policy to approved law enforcement and criminal justice personnel through a secure login. There's no public version.
What's the public alternative to eBench Warrant?
eCourt Kokua, Hawaii's free statewide case-search system. It isn't built specifically as a warrant checker, but searching your name there is the most reliable public option available.
Is eCourt Kokua free?
Yes. Viewing case information is free and requires no account. Downloading certain documents carries a small per-page fee, but that's not needed just to check your own status.
Do I need to find my county clerk in Hawaii?
No. Hawaii's judiciary is organized statewide by circuit rather than by individual county court systems, so eCourt Kokua covers the whole state in one search rather than requiring you to find a specific county's system.
What if eCourt Kokua shows nothing but I think I have a warrant?
Contact the Clerk's Office of the Circuit or District Court connected to your case, or your local police department, directly. eCourt Kokua is a general case search, not a dedicated warrant database, so it isn't a guaranteed final answer.
What's the difference between an arrest warrant and a bench warrant in Hawaii?
An arrest warrant is issued after police present a judge with evidence of probable cause that you committed a crime. A bench warrant is issued directly by a judge, often for missing a court date, missing a court-ordered payment, or violating probation.
Do Hawaii warrants expire?
No. Like in most states, a warrant generally remains active indefinitely until you're arrested, you surrender, or a judge formally recalls it.
Someone called claiming to be Hawaii police, saying I have a warrant and need to pay. Is that real?
Almost certainly not. Real law enforcement does not call demanding immediate payment to cancel a warrant. Hang up, and if you want to verify, call the police department or court yourself using a number you look up independently.
Facing a warrant, DUI, or criminal charge in Hawaii? Get a free case review
An active warrant or a criminal charge like DUI puts your freedom, license, and record at risk, and deadlines to act, like challenging a license suspension or resolving a warrant before an arrest, can be just days away. Get a free, confidential review from a Hawaii criminal defense attorney. Acting quickly protects your options.
Updates
Independently fact-checked against the cited primary sources
Sources and References
- Hawaii State Judiciary, "Search Court Records"(courts.state.hi.us).gov
- eCourt Kokua, party search(courts.state.hi.us).gov
- Hawaii State Judiciary, eBench Warrant login portal(ehawaii.gov).gov
- Honolulu Police Department, Warrants policy(honolulupd.org).gov
- FTC, "FTC Says TruthFinder and Instant Checkmate Deceived Users About Background Report Accuracy, Violated FCRA"(ftc.gov).gov
- FTC Consumer Alert: Ignore calls, texts, and emails threatening to arrest you for missing jury duty(consumer.ftc.gov).gov