New York Court Filings & Arrest Reports

Common Questions About Public Records in New York

Real questions from people researching records in New York. Each answer is verified against official agency sources — no third-party services.

⚖️ What's the right place to search court cases in New York? ▼

To search court cases in New York, the NY Courts eCourts portals provide free name and case-number searches: WebCriminal at https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/webcrim_attorney/ (criminal cases), WebCivil at https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/webcivil/ (civil/Supreme Court), WebHousing at https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/webhousing/ (NYC housing), and WebSurrogate at https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/surrogateweb/ (probate/estates). City Courts and Town/Village Courts (justice courts) outside NYC may not be searchable online; contact the local court directly. NY Public Officers Law §84 (FOIL) governs disclosure. Sealed/expunged cases are excluded. Sources: NY Courts (https://www.nycourts.gov/), NY UCS (https://ww2.nycourts.gov/courts/).

Tagged: New York · court

🔒 How do I find an inmate in New York? ▼

To find an inmate in New York, the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision Inmate Lookup at https://nysdoccslookup.doccs.ny.gov/ shows current and former state-prison inmates. For county jail detainees, contact the local sheriff: NYC Department of Correction inmate lookup at https://www.nyc.gov/site/doc/inmate-info/inmate-lookup-service.page (Rikers Island and other NYC jails); Suffolk County at https://www.suffolkcountyny.gov/sheriff; Nassau County at https://www.nassaucountyny.gov/2074/Sheriff. Federal BOP locator at https://www.bop.gov/inmateloc/. NY Public Officers Law §84 (FOIL) governs disclosure. Sources: NYS DOCCS (https://doccs.ny.gov/), NYC DOC (https://www.nyc.gov/site/doc/).

Tagged: New York · inmate

❓ Where can I find out if a police officer was asked to resign in New York? ▼

NY police officer asked to resign — request via NY POL §87 (FOIL, https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/POL/87): submit written request to the agency that employed the officer. Pre-2020 personnel records were generally exempt under former Civil Rights Law §50-a, but §50-a was REPEALED in June 2020 (NY Laws of 2020 Ch. 96). Now disciplinary and resignation records are largely public. NY State Attorney General's Law Enforcement Misconduct Investigative Office (https://ag.ny.gov/bureau/law-enforcement-misconduct-investigative-office). NYS Police Misconduct Records (https://www.criminaljustice.ny.gov/) — DCJS may have aggregated data. NYCLU CAPstat (https://www.nyclu.org/) for NYPD officer disciplinary history. NY Committee on Open Government (https://opengovernment.ny.gov/).

Tagged: New York · general

💍 How do I get a copy of a marriage record in New York? ▼

To get a copy of a marriage record in New York State, contact the City Clerk (NYC) or Town/City Clerk where the license was issued. For NYC marriages, use the NYC City Clerk at https://www.cityclerk.nyc.gov/. Statewide marriage verifications come from NY Department of Health Vital Records at https://www.health.ny.gov/vital_records/ for $30 (records from 1881 forward outside NYC, 1908 forward in NYC). Only the parties, immediate family, attorneys with court order, or government agencies can obtain certified copies under NY Public Health Law §4173. Index searches by name (no certificate) cost $22. For genealogy (50+ years old), use the NY State Archives at https://www.archives.nysed.gov/. Sources: NY DOH Vital Records (https://www.health.ny.gov/vital_records/), NYC City Clerk (https://www.cityclerk.nyc.gov/).

Tagged: New York · marriage

📄 Where do I look up a divorce in New York? ▼

To look up a divorce in New York State, search the NY Courts WebCivil portal at https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/webcivil/, which lists matrimonial cases by county. Records are at the Supreme Court of the county where the divorce was filed. Statewide divorce verifications come from the NY Department of Health Vital Records at https://www.health.ny.gov/vital_records/ for $30 (one-line verification, not full decree). Records since 1963 are statewide. Only the parties or their attorneys with court authorization can obtain the full decree. NY Public Officers Law §84 (FOIL) governs disclosure. Sources: NY DOH Vital Records (https://www.health.ny.gov/vital_records/), NY Courts (https://www.nycourts.gov/).

Tagged: New York · divorce

🏠 How do I look up property records in New York? ▼

To look up property records in New York State (2026): (1) For NYC's five boroughs (including Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx) use the NYC Department of Finance ACRIS at https://www.nyc.gov/site/finance/property/acris.page — searches by address, BBL, party name, document type. Staten Island deeds are at the Richmond County Clerk. (2) Outside NYC, each county clerk maintains its own land-records index — find the local clerk via the NY Department of State county directory. (3) NYC Open Data ACRIS exports https://data.cityofnewyork.us/City-Government/acris_1967/bpgd-h3pq . Practical guides: https://researchguides.journalism.cuny.edu/findpeople/ACRIS-NYC-RealEstate .

Tagged: New York · property

⚰️ How do I get a death certificate in New York? ▼

To get a death certificate in New York (outside NYC), order from NY Department of Health Vital Records at https://www.health.ny.gov/vital_records/. Certified death certificates cost $30 ($45 with priority handling). For NYC deaths, use the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Office of Vital Records at https://www.nyc.gov/site/doh/services/vital-records.page. Records from 1881 forward are at the state level; only the spouse, parents, children, or legal representatives can obtain certified copies under NY Public Health Law §4173. Pre-1881 records and genealogy (50+ years old where decedent and immediate family are deceased) are at the NY State Archives at https://www.archives.nysed.gov/. Sources: NY DOH (https://www.health.ny.gov/), NYC DOHMH (https://www.nyc.gov/site/doh/).

Tagged: New York · death

🚔 What's the source for arrest records in New York? ▼

Arrest records in New York come from the local police or sheriff that made the arrest. The NYPD arrest data is at https://www.nyc.gov/site/nypd/. The NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services Personal Background Check at https://www.criminaljustice.ny.gov/ provides individual criminal history requests via fingerprint through IdentoGO ($63 statewide). The NYS Department of Corrections and Community Supervision inmate locator at https://nysdoccslookup.doccs.ny.gov/ shows current state-prison detainees. Court charges tied to arrests appear at https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/webcrim_attorney/. NY Public Officers Law §84 (FOIL) governs disclosure. Sources: NY DCJS (https://www.criminaljustice.ny.gov/), NYS DOCCS (https://doccs.ny.gov/).

Tagged: New York · arrest

⚰️ How do I confirm someone has died in New York? ▼

To confirm someone has died in New York, the NY Department of Health Vital Records at https://www.health.ny.gov/vital_records/ issues certified death certificates for $30 (records from 1881 forward outside NYC). For NYC deaths, use the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Office of Vital Records at https://www.nyc.gov/site/doh/. The Social Security Administration's Death Master File (DMF) provides confirmation of deceased Social Security numbers, accessible through services like Ancestry.com. Local newspaper obituary archives (e.g., NYTimes, Newsday) often confirm deaths. NY Public Health Law §4173 governs disclosure of death records. Sources: NY DOH Vital Records (https://www.health.ny.gov/vital_records/), NYC DOHMH (https://www.nyc.gov/site/doh/).

Tagged: New York · death

🔍 What's the right way to do a background check on someone in New York? ▼

To run a background check on someone in New York, the NY Division of Criminal Justice Services Personal Background Check at https://www.criminaljustice.ny.gov/. Subjects request their own record by submitting fingerprints through IdentoGO at https://www.identogo.com/ ($63 statewide, $14.25 FBI add-on). For employment-purpose checks, the employer must use a state-certified vendor. Court records are searchable at https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/webcrim_attorney/ (criminal) and https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/webcivil/ (civil). NY Public Officers Law §84 (FOIL) governs disclosure. Employment use must comply with NY Article 23-A and the FCRA, which limit consideration of arrest-only records. Sources: NY DCJS (https://www.criminaljustice.ny.gov/), NY Courts (https://www.nycourts.gov/).

Tagged: New York · background check

🚔 What's the source for arrest records in New York? ▼

New York arrest records source: County-level — each of 62 county sheriffs and city police via NY Sheriffs' Association (https://www.nysheriffs.org/). NYPD (https://www.nyc.gov/site/nypd/) for NYC arrests. Statewide criminal history: NY DCJS Personal Record Review (https://www.criminaljustice.ny.gov/ojis/recordreview.htm) — $65 fingerprint required, online via IDEMIA (https://uenroll.identogo.com/). Statute Exec. Law §837 (https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/EXC/A23-A). Court records: NY State Unified Court System eCourts (https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/webcrim_attorney/Login). NY DOCCS inmate (https://nysdoccslookup.doccs.ny.gov/). FBI Identity History Summary $18. NY Freedom of Information Law (POL §84). Article 23-A Correction Law for ban-the-box.

Tagged: New York · arrest

🏢 How do I look up a business in New York? ▼

To look up a business in New York, use the New York Department of State Division of Corporations Entity Search at https://apps.dos.ny.gov/publicInquiry/. Free name-based search returns LLCs, corporations, partnerships, and DBAs statewide. The NY DOS Division of Corporations is at One Commerce Plaza, 99 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12231 (518-473-2492). Annual filings, articles of incorporation, and certificates of standing are searchable. The Better Business Bureau at https://www.bbb.org/us/ny tracks consumer complaints. NY Public Officers Law §84 (FOIL) governs disclosure of state records. NY Department of Taxation and Finance also confirms business tax registration. Sources: NY DOS Corporations (https://apps.dos.ny.gov/publicInquiry/), NY DOS (https://www.dos.ny.gov/).

Tagged: New York · business

💍 How do I find a marriage record in New York? ▼

To find a marriage record in New York State (outside NYC), order from NY Department of Health Vital Records at https://www.health.ny.gov/vital_records/ — certified copies cost $30 ($45 with priority handling). For NYC marriages, use the NYC City Clerk at https://www.cityclerk.nyc.gov/. Records from 1881 to current are held at the state level; only the parties, immediate family, attorneys with court order, or government agencies can obtain certified copies under NY Public Health Law §4173. Index searches by name (no certificate) cost $22. For genealogy (records 50+ years old where both parties are deceased), use the NY State Archives at https://www.archives.nysed.gov/. Sources: NY DOH Vital Records (https://www.health.ny.gov/vital_records/), NYC City Clerk (https://www.cityclerk.nyc.gov/).

Tagged: New York · marriage

❓ Where can I find information about the New York Fire Department? ▼

For information about the New York Fire Department (FDNY), the official source is FDNY at https://www.nyc.gov/site/fdny/index.page. Records requests go through the FDNY Public Records Window at 9 MetroTech Center (Flatbush Avenue entrance), Brooklyn, NY 11201, or online at https://www.nyc.gov/site/fdny/about/resources/record-requests/records-request.page under New York Freedom of Information Law (FOIL, Public Officers Law section 84). Fire Incident Reports and EMS Patient Care Reports can be requested via NYC311 at https://portal.311.nyc.gov/article/?kanumber=KA-01468. The Bureau of Investigations and Trials investigates fire causes; Fire Marshal reports are obtained the same way. For genealogical research on FDNY firefighters, the New York City Fire Museum at https://www.nycfiremuseum.org/research-genealogy explains that the Museum does NOT hold personnel records - those are at FDNY Personnel Records (9 MetroTech Center). Patient EMS records (for the patient or representative) are at https://fdny.mypatientencounters.com/myrecord. New York Law School's Public Records Guide at https://libguides.nyls.edu/publicrecords/nyc explains FDNY access procedures. For statistics, see the FDNY Annual Report at the main NYC.gov site and the FDNY Diversity & Inclusion data. EMT/Paramedic licensing through the NYS DOH Bureau of EMS at https://www.health.ny.gov/professionals/ems/. The NYC Fire Code is at https://www.nyc.gov/site/fdny/codes/codes/codes.page.

Tagged: New York · general

🚔 Where do recent arrests show up in New York? ▼

For recent arrests in New York State, the NYPD arrest data for NYC is at https://www.nyc.gov/site/nypd/, with daily arrest summaries published at https://www.nyc.gov/site/nypd/stats/reports-analysis/. Other major cities have their own (Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Albany). Counties outside NYC use sheriff offices and town/village police. The NY Division of Criminal Justice Services at https://www.criminaljustice.ny.gov/ provides statewide criminal history (subject's own record via IdentoGO, $63 + $14.25 FBI). The NY DOCCS inmate locator at https://nysdoccslookup.doccs.ny.gov/ shows current state-prison detainees. Court charges tied to arrests are at https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/webcrim_attorney/. NY Public Officers Law §84 (FOIL) governs disclosure. Sources: NYPD (https://www.nyc.gov/site/nypd/), NY DCJS (https://www.criminaljustice.ny.gov/).

Tagged: New York · arrest

Have a question about records in New York? The agencies that hold these records are listed throughout this page — start there.

How to use this page: Pick the record type you need below. Each section names the agency that holds those records and links to the official source — no aggregators, no third-party services. Because New York City handles vital records and some arrest records separately from the state, note whether your event happened within the five boroughs.

What You Can Find Here

⚖️ Court case records through the NY Unified Court System

🔍 Arrest records from NYPD, NYSP, and county sheriffs

📋 Criminal history checks through NYS DCJS

🏛️ Vital records (state and NYC separately)

Have this ready before you start:

Full name of the person or business
Case number, if you have one
The county or borough where the record was created

How Records Work in New York

New York organizes court and arrest records across state, county, and — uniquely — New York City systems. The Unified Court System under the Court of Appeals maintains court records. DCJS holds statewide criminal history. Most vital records, property deeds, and local court filings live at the county level, with NYC operating its own parallel registries.

New York has 62 counties. Five of them are the boroughs of New York City: Bronx, Kings (Brooklyn), New York (Manhattan), Queens, and Richmond (Staten Island). The borough-equals-county structure means NYC residents deal with both the city agency (NYPD, NYC DOHMH) and the county structure (county clerk, surrogate) depending on the record. Outside NYC, each county has its own clerk, sheriff, and Supreme Court that maintain local records separately.

Counties in New York

New York has 62 counties (the 5 boroughs of New York City are each a county: New York = Manhattan, Kings = Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx, Richmond = Staten Island). Select one below to find local court, arrest, and court and arrest records.

📍 Albany County 📍 Allegany County 📍 Bronx County 📍 Broome County 📍 Cattaraugus County 📍 Cayuga County 📍 Chautauqua County 📍 Chemung County 📍 Chenango County 📍 Clinton County

What this page does not show: Not every record is online. Family and criminal court records often require a clerk's office visit. NYC records run on a separate track from state records for vital statistics and some other categories. When in doubt, call the agency directly.

This page is a guide to help you find official records — it is not the official database. All information comes from government sources. Verify details directly with the agency that holds the records.

Last updated: April 24, 2026