An out of county warrant is a Kansas warrant issued by a court in a different county from the one where you are arrested. It can be served anywhere in the state. If Wichita police stop you on a Butler County warrant, you are booked into the Sedgwick County Jail. Kansas law then gives you a choice most people never hear about: you can ask to be taken before the nearest judge, post bond in Wichita, and go to the other county on your own within 14 days.
Case Bail Bonds is at 705 N Broadway, three blocks from the jail. We write bonds in Sedgwick County and in 34 other Kansas counties. Call (316) 900-1667.
On this page
- Can you be arrested in Wichita on a warrant from another county?
- What does Kansas law say happens next?
- The big exception: bench warrants
- How does bond work on an out of county warrant?
- What if you also have a new charge in Sedgwick County?
- What about a warrant from another state?
- What if you were arrested elsewhere on a Sedgwick County warrant?
- How to handle a warrant before you are arrested
- Frequently asked questions
- Call before the stop on Kellogg
Can you be arrested in Wichita on a warrant from another county?
Yes. K.S.A. 22-2305 says a warrant may be executed at any place within the State of Kansas. The officer does not need a copy in hand. If you ask, the officer must show it to you as soon as possible, and must at least tell you the charge and that a warrant exists.
In practice the warrant shows up when an officer runs your name. A broken tail light on Kellogg, a fender bender at 21st and Rock Road or an ID check is enough. These are the counties around Wichita:
| County | County seat | Direction from Wichita |
|---|---|---|
| Butler | El Dorado | East |
| Harvey | Newton | North |
| Sumner | Wellington | South |
| Reno | Hutchinson | Northwest |
| Kingman | Kingman | West |
| Cowley | Winfield | Southeast |
What does Kansas law say happens next?
K.S.A. 22-2901 covers an arrest in a county other than the one where the crime is charged. There are two paths.
- Transport. Officers may take you directly to the county that issued the warrant, without unnecessary delay.
- Nearest judge, at your request. If you ask, you must be taken without unnecessary delay before the nearest available judge. That judge confirms the charge and the bond amount on the warrant, by phone if the paper is not there.
On the second path, the local judge can release you on an appearance bond. The bond can be no lower than the amount on the warrant. You are ordered to appear before the court that issued the warrant on a set day, not more than 14 days later. The judge who took the bond sends the bond and the case papers to that court.
If you cannot post the bond, or the charge is not bailable, the judge either commits you to the local jail or orders you handed to an officer from the other county.
The practical point: say out loud that you want to go before the nearest judge and post bond here. Then have someone call a bondsman.
The big exception: bench warrants
Those rules do not apply to a bench warrant. K.S.A. 22-2901 says a person arrested on a bench warrant must be taken, without unnecessary delay, before the judge who issued it. So if the Butler County warrant is for a missed court date, expect to wait for transport to El Dorado unless the warrant carries a bond amount that can be posted.
Not sure which kind you have? Read bench warrant vs arrest warrant in Kansas.
How does bond work on an out of county warrant?
Every Kansas arrest warrant has to state the amount of the appearance bond. That is in K.S.A. 22-2304. So the number exists before you are arrested.
| Bond on the warrant | Minimum bondsman premium (10%) | Minimum due before posting |
|---|---|---|
| $1,000 | $100 | $50 |
| $2,500 | $250 | $125 |
| $5,000 | $500 | $250 |
| $20,000 | $2,000 | $1,000 |
Those minimums come from K.S.A. 22-2809b and apply statewide.
One more rule shapes who can help you. A bondsman has to be authorized by the chief judge of each judicial district where the company writes bonds. A Wichita company can post a bond tied to another county only if it is approved there too. Ask that question first. Case Bail Bonds lists the counties it serves on its website.
What if you also have a new charge in Sedgwick County?
This is the situation that keeps people in jail longer than they expected. The jail record will show two things:
- The local charge, with its own bond
- A hold for the other county
Posting the local bond does not release the hold. The Sheriff’s bond page says each bond amount applies to the charge on its own line and that the total is the sum of all lines. Until the other county’s warrant is bonded or that county picks the person up, they stay at 141 W Elm.
Before you pay anything, ask the bondsman to read the whole record to you. You can view it on the Sedgwick County inmate search. If a line shows $0.00, see what no bond means.
What about a warrant from another state?
Different rules. The Sedgwick County Sheriff states that on an out of state warrant, no bond is allowed until a judge of the 18th Judicial District sets one. The person goes in front of a Wichita judge, and the other state decides whether to come and get them. A lawyer is worth the money here.
What if you were arrested elsewhere on a Sedgwick County warrant?
The same statute works in reverse. Ask to see the nearest judge in the county where you were arrested, post the bond there, and appear in Wichita on the date given. Rule 303 of the 18th Judicial District says people on bonds written outside the county must come to first appearance court the same as if the bond had been written here. See our guide to the first appearance in Sedgwick County.
How to handle a warrant before you are arrested
- Confirm it. Call the clerk of the court in that county, or have us check. Our Wichita warrant search page lists local lookups.
- Get the bond amount. It is on the warrant.
- Line up the bond. Do the paperwork and the premium ahead of time.
- Turn yourself in during the week. A weekday morning gives you the best chance of a quick release. Friday night is the worst time.
- Go to court on the date you are given. Missing it forfeits the bond.
Frequently asked questions
Can you bond out of jail if you have a warrant in another county?
Usually yes, if it is an arrest warrant with a bond amount. Ask to go before the nearest judge under K.S.A. 22-2901. A bench warrant is different and sends you back to the judge who issued it.
Can a bail bondsman bail you out in a different county?
Only if the bondsman is authorized in that judicial district. Kansas requires approval from the chief judge of each district.
Will Sedgwick County hold me for another county’s warrant?
Yes. A hold stays on your record until the warrant is bonded or the other county takes custody.
Can you go to another county while you are out on bond?
Generally yes, unless your bond or your bail contract says otherwise. See can you leave Kansas while on bond.
Call before the stop on Kellogg
Case Bail Bonds is family owned and run by Tyson and Rachel Case. We are open 24 hours at 705 N Broadway, Wichita, KS 67214. Call (316) 900-1667.
Sources
- K.S.A. 22-2901, appearance before the magistrate, Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes
- K.S.A. 22-2305, execution of a warrant
- K.S.A. 22-2304, form of warrant
- K.S.A. 22-2809b, compensated sureties
- Sedgwick County Sheriff, how to post bond for an inmate
- 18th Judicial District Court, local court rules, Rule 303
This article is general information checked against the sources above in October 2026. It is not legal advice.
