Utah Warrant Search: How to Perform a Warrant Search in Utah

It’s important to act really quickly when you realize that a warrant has been issued against you; doing so might improve your chances considerably.

That said, warrants can be issued against a person without their receiving any kind of notification. 

If there’s a warrant for your arrest, you may earn a bit of leeway by being proactive about your situation, rather than waiting around to be arrested.

However, you can only do this if you find out about the warrant early. This is where carrying out regular warrant checks on yourself becomes necessary.

There are several ways to find warrant records in Utah, for yourself, or for any other individual. Learn about all of them in this guide.

About Warrants in Utah

The purpose of a Utah warrant is to authorize police to take certain actions against someone on the basis of a written order signed by a judge.

In effect, warrants are official documents that authorize law enforcement officials to act in a specific manner in order to bring an offender into custody or search or seize their property for evidence of a crime committed.

The state of Utah prohibits the issuance of warrants without probable cause.

A warrant request must therefore have probable cause and a justifiable basis before it can be considered by the court's judicial officer. 

Most of the time, law enforcement personnel are not compelled to inform a suspect that a warrant has been issued for their arrest.

Law enforcement organizations rarely actively execute bench warrants either (unless one surface during routine inspections), but they may show up at a suspect's home or place of employment and make an arrest, conduct a search, or seize property.

Any law enforcement officer within the state of Utah is generally able to carry out warrants issued there.

Two types of warrants are available in Utah: bondable warrants and cash-only warrants.

It may be possible for someone to hire a bail bond company to post their bond for them if the warrant is bondable. A cash-only warrant, however, requires the offender to pay the full bail amount.

Types of Warrants in Utah

Arrest warrants, search warrants, and bench warrants are three of the most commonly issued warrants in Utah.

Each of them may be executed in slightly different ways.

Arrest Warrants

Utah is one of a number of states in the US where police officers do not need arrest warrants to arrest and detain an offender.

As long as the arresting officer has and can prove that there’s probable cause to believe that the accused has committed a crime, they can legally arrest a person without an arrest warrant.

A magistrate may also issue verbal arrest warrants in a few cases. That’s not to suggest that arrest warrants aren’t important in Utah, however.

The establishment of probable cause by officers making the complaint is absolutely key to the issuance of arrest warrants in Utah.

Search Warrants

Essentially, a search warrant is a legal document that gives a police officer authority to search or seize anything or anyone.

Before conducting searches at specific locations, law enforcement officials must speak with the county magistrates who are responsible for those locations and provide affidavits stating their intentions and rationale.

A search must be conducted within ten days of its issuance and during normal business hours, unless the judge orders otherwise.

Search warrants must also identify specific areas to be searched.

Bench Warrants

The establishment of probable cause by law enforcement is not necessary when it comes to bench warrants because they are issued at the judges' discretion.

Typically, these warrants are issued to those who disobey a court order, do not show up for their scheduled court appearances, do not pay fines or other required financial obligations, and do not appear in court on the planned hearing date.

A bench warrant may be issued in Utah without informing the subject. Similarly, law enforcement officials typically do not actively go after people with bench warrants in Utah.

How to Find Warrants in Utah

If you’re trying to find out if there is an outstanding warrant against you in Utah, there are a few ways to find warrant records, even though Utah is a closed records state. 

Utah Bureau of Criminal Identification

You may request a personal background report from this agency. To look for warrants with this method, you’ll need to fill out and download a public records' request form from the State Bureau of Information website, then send the form, along with a check for $15, to:

The Bureau of Criminal Identification

3888 West 5400 South

Salt Lake City, Utah 84118

You may make your public records request in person or by telephone. 

County Clerk

Contact your county's court clerk if you are interested in finding out about active warrants.

Since warrants are issued by courts, the information on them is usually accurate. In the case of an active warrant issued for a third party, it's best to avoid getting personally involved.

A person who is the subject of an active warrant may consult with a lawyer who will analyze the warrant before making decisions regarding its disposition.

Third-party Websites

One of the most convenient methods of finding warrants in Utah is through third-party or background check websites.

Since these websites have access to government databases, a background check on any of these platforms will reveal any active or outstanding warrants.