Search Hilo Warrant Records
Hilo warrant records come from the Hawaii Police Department and the Third Circuit Court. Hilo is the county seat of Hawaii County and the largest town on the Big Island. You can search Hilo warrant records through the state eCourt Kokua portal, visit the public access terminal at the courthouse, or request a police report in person at HPD headquarters. This page lays out the main offices, phone lines, and steps to find a Hilo warrant record whether you want a case file or a name based check.
Hilo Overview
Hilo Warrant Records at the Police Department
Hilo is the county seat of Hawaii County. It is home to the main Hawaii Police Department headquarters. The address is 349 Kapi'olani Street, Hilo, HI 96720. The main line is (808) 935-3311. HPD is the lead agency for Hilo warrant records, police reports, and name based checks on the Big Island. For service steps and public info, see the Hawaii Police Department FAQ page.
HPD put a clear note on that page: a Hawaii Police Department officer will never ask for payment for a warrant.
The Hilo Station Records Section handles in-person requests for police reports and warrant info. Hours are 7:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on weekdays. The phone line for records is (808) 961-2233. Area I Criminal Investigation Division is based in Hilo and covers East Hawaii, which takes in Hilo, Puna, Hamakua, and Ka'u. Most Hilo warrant service goes through patrol and the Area I CID.
How to Request Hilo Police Reports
Hilo police reports cost $1 for the first page and $0.10 for each added page. Payment is cash only. You can ask in person at the Hilo Station, or send a written request by mail to the Records and Identification Section, Hawai'i Police Department, 349 Kapi'olani Street, Hilo, HI 96720. HPD says to allow 10 business days for a response. See the HPD get a police report page for the form and fees.
The Hilo Station is the main spot to file a report request in East Hawaii.
If you need warrant info but not a full report, call the Records Section first. Staff can tell you if an open warrant is on file and can guide you on next steps. For any arrest that did not lead to a conviction, the record is kept private under state law. For any arrest that led to a conviction, the record is open under the Uniform Information Practices Act.
Hilo warrant records also show up in the state eCourt Kokua portal. You can search cases by name or case number. The system covers all four circuits, so a Hilo case will show up along with any other case for the same person. Basic info is free. Case docs with a PDF icon cost $3 for up to 30 pages.
Third Circuit Court Hilo Warrant Records
The Third Circuit Court Hilo Division sits at Hale Kaulike, 777 Kilauea Avenue, Hilo, HI 96720-4212. Phone: (808) 961-7400. Fax: (808) 961-7493. Email: hilolegaldocs.3cc@courts.hawaii.gov. In-person hours run 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays. The court handles all civil, criminal, and family cases for East Hawaii. See the Third Circuit contact page for more.
The Hale Kaulike building is the main court for all Hilo warrant records.
Public Access Computer Terminals are set up at the courthouse for free eCourt Kokua searches. One set is on the First Floor near the Legal Documents Section. A second set is in the Law Library on the Second Floor. Hours are 7:45 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekdays. See the eCourt Kokua search page for what is public.
Older case files may be kept off-site. If a case is more than five years old, call the Hilo Division at (808) 961-7400 before you drive to the court. Staff can pull the file in advance. The court also took a big step in April 2024 when the Third Circuit moved to review all search warrants by electronic means. That lines Hilo up with the state push toward e-warrants across all four circuits.
Warrant Law for Hilo Cases
Hilo warrant records follow the rules in Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 803. Section 803-1 says an arrest warrant is a written order to bring a person before a judge. Section 803-31 sets the bar for a search warrant. Section 803-36 requires a search warrant to be served within 10 days of issue. Section 803-33.5 covers electronic warrants. See the full text of HRS Chapter 803 on the state capitol site.
HPD on the Big Island rolled out e-warrants in late 2021. Since then, more than 50 e-warrants have been issued island-wide. The system cuts the time needed to get a warrant signed by a judge. Officers can now get a search warrant approved in the field in real time on many calls. Hilo patrol and CID use the system most often.
Under the Uniform Information Practices Act (HRS Chapter 92F), arrest records that led to a conviction are open to the public. Arrest records that did not lead to a conviction are kept private. Hilo residents can ask for a police report once the case is closed, not before. For the full set of rules on what is public, see the state Office of Information Practices guide.
Note: A Hawaii Police Department officer will never ask for payment for a warrant. Any such call is a scam and should be reported.
Hilo Public Access Sites for Criminal History
Hilo is a designated Public Access Site for criminal history record checks. You can visit Hale Kaulike, use the public terminal, and print out a record for a flat fee. Each printout costs $25. See the HCJDC public access sites page for the full list of sites across the state.
The Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center runs the eCrim service for name based conviction checks. The system is open online through ecrim.ehawaii.gov. A name search is $5 and an official report is $12. You do not need to drive to Honolulu to run a check on a Hilo name. See the HCJDC records check page for a full fee list.
Key phone lines for Hilo warrant records:
- HPD Main Line: (808) 935-3311
- Hilo Station Records Section: (808) 961-2233
- Third Circuit Court Hilo: (808) 961-7400
- HCJDC (Honolulu): (808) 587-3279
- Third Circuit Court Fax: (808) 961-7493
HCJDC and Statewide Warrant Searches
The Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center is the main state agency for criminal history records checks. Hilo residents can call (808) 587-3279 for help with the eCrim system. The HCJDC sits at 465 S. King Street, Room 102, Honolulu, HI 96813. See the HCJDC FAQ page for common questions.
Fingerprint checks cost $55 in person or $35 by mail. Certification is $20. First expungement is $35. These fees are the same for all Hawaii residents who use the HCJDC system. HCJDC does not handle local police records. For a local Hilo police report, you still need to go through HPD Records and Identification in Hilo.
Beyond state tools, tips on open Hilo cases can go to CrimeStoppers Hawaii. The line takes tips on wanted suspects and open cases on the Big Island. All tips stay private. HPD also keeps a public wanted persons page that shows open cases for Hawaii County, which covers Hilo.
Note: If you think you have an open Hilo warrant, call the Hilo Station Records Section at (808) 961-2233 before you go to the court.
Hawaii County Warrant Resources
Hilo is the county seat of Hawaii County and sits on the east side of the Big Island. Other Big Island communities like Kailua-Kona, Waimea, Pahoa, Honokaa, and Captain Cook are served by Hawaii Police Department stations, but they do not meet the population threshold for a local page. See the Hawaii County page for a full list of district stations and contact info for warrant work across the Big Island.