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New York court records

Who holds it: Unified state court system (New York State Unified Court System, administered by the Office of Court Administration); records are kept by the clerk of each court or by the County Clerk, who acts as clerk/archive for Supreme and County Court files1

Last checked against official sources on .

On this page
  1. What is public and what is sealed
  2. Related records in New York
  3. How New York handles it
  4. Court records in New York counties with a full guide
  5. Official warnings
  6. Official copies vs look-alike sites
  7. Sources

Fees

Court clerks charge County Clerk rates under CPLR 8019(f) via Judiciary Law § 255 (copy 65 cents/page, min $1.30; prepare-and-certify $1.25/page, min $5); statewide criminal history search (CHRS) $951

Statewide case search

eCourts (free): WebCivil Supreme (all 62 counties, active and disposed), WebCivil Local, WebCriminal (pending cases with future dates, selected courts), WebFamily, WebSurrogate; NYSCEF guest search for e-filed Supreme Court cases2

Free search

What is public and what is sealed

What is public
Court records are generally available from the clerk of the court or the County Clerk, except categories made confidential by law (e.g. matrimonial, Family Court, adoption, sealed criminal, youthful offender, sex-offense victim-identifying records)3
Sealed and confidential records
Sealed or suppressed records are not released to the public: CPL 160.50 dismissed cases, CPL 160.55 violation/infraction convictions, CPL 160.58 substance-abuse-related convictions, CPL 160.59 court-granted sealing, CPL 720.35 youthful offender adjudications; marijuana convictions for listed offenses before March 31, 2021 are sealed by law (destruction requests go to OCA). Clean Slate Act automatic sealing being implemented by OCA (law effective Nov. 16, 2024, up to three years to implement)4
Criminal history checks: who may order
DCJS: only the record subject (or as authorized by law for employment/licensing). OCA CHRS: anyone (including companies) paying the fee5
Divorce records: who holds it
Divorce decree (full judgment): County Clerk, usually in the county where the plaintiff lived; Certificate of Dissolution (divorces since January 1, 1963): NYS Department of Health6
Probate: who holds it
Surrogate's Court in each county (probate records kept since 1787)3

How New York handles it

  • New York City: deeds for Manhattan, Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens are recorded with the NYC Department of Finance Office of the City Register (ACRIS), not a County Clerk; Staten Island deeds are with the Richmond County Clerk7
  • New York City vital records are separate from the state system: NYC DOHMH issues NYC birth/death certificates and the NYC City Clerk handles NYC marriage records; NYS DOH does not hold them8
  • Albany, Buffalo and Yonkers: records before January 1, 1914 are only at the city's local registrar (births/deaths) or city clerk (marriages)8
  • Marriage licenses are issued by town and city clerks (not counties); copies are kept by the issuing clerk9
  • County Clerks act as the archive for Supreme and County Court files, and court records are governed by Judiciary Law § 255, not FOIL1

Court records in New York counties with a full guide

The local office, its official online search and its own fee, for each county with a full guide. Local fees can differ from the statewide figures above.

CountyOfficeSearch onlineFee
Albany County———
Bronx County—Supreme Court, Bronx County10County Clerk copies: 65 cents per page, minimum $1.30 (CPLR 8019(f)); court clerks may charge the same11
Broome County—Broome County Supreme Court12copies $0.65/page; certified copy $5.20 up to 8 pages13
Chautauqua County—Supreme & County Court14
Surrogate's Court14		—
Clinton County———
Dutchess County——certified copy $1.25/page (min $5.00); exemplified copy $15.0015
Erie County—New York State Supreme Court and Erie County Court16
Erie County Surrogate's Court17		certificate of search of court records $5.00 per name per record type; copies per CPLR 8019(f)18
Kings County—Supreme Court, Kings County19County Clerk copies: 65 cents per page, minimum $1.30 (CPLR 8019(f)); court clerks may charge the same20
Monroe County——criminal Certificate of Disposition $521
New York County——County Clerk copies 65 cents per page (minimum $1.30); prepare and certify $1.25 per page (minimum $5) (CPLR 8019)22
Oneida County———
Onondaga County———
Orange County——County Clerk: search $5.00 each name for each 2 year period; certified copy $1.25/page ($5.00 minimum); exemplification $15.00; index number $210.0023
Queens County—Supreme Court, Queens County24County Clerk copies: 65 cents per page, minimum $1.30 (CPLR 8019(f))25
Rensselaer County—Supreme Court and County Court26—
Richmond County—Richmond County Supreme Court27—
Saratoga County——certificate of disposition issue $528
Schenectady County—Supreme Court and County Court, Schenectady County29
Surrogate's Court, Schenectady County29		—
Suffolk County—Supreme Court and County Court, Suffolk County30—
Sullivan County——certification of document on file $5.20 (+$0.65/page after 8 pages)31
Ulster County——copy $0.65/page; certify prepared copy $5.20 first 8 pages + $0.65/page; prepare & certify $5.00 first 4 pages + $1.25/page32
Westchester County—Supreme Court and County Court, Westchester County33
Surrogate's Court of Westchester County34		Copy $0.65 per page (minimum $1.30, maximum $40); prepare and certify $1.25 per page (minimum $5, maximum $40); index number $21035

For any other county, see the county list on the New York guide.

Official warnings

  • NY Attorney General deed-theft warning: thieves forge deeds and file them with the county clerk; never transfer your deed without your own attorney36

Official copies vs look-alike sites

A certified copy comes only from the office that holds the record; reports and "research copies" sold by commercial sites are not issued by any New York office. How to tell an official record source from a paid look-alike.

Rules in other states: court records in every state. Everything else in New York: New York public records guide.

Sources

Every fact above links to the official page it comes from. Fees and rules change, so check the office's own page before you pay or travel.

  1. FOIL - Court RecordsNew York State Unified Court Systemchecked November 4, 2026
  2. eCourtsNew York State Unified Court Systemchecked November 4, 2026
  3. Getting Court Records (CourtHelp)New York State Unified Court Systemchecked November 4, 2026
  4. Requesting Your New York State Criminal HistoryNYS Division of Criminal Justice Serviceschecked November 4, 2026
  5. Criminal History Record Search (CHRS)New York State Unified Court System (Office of Court Administration)checked November 4, 2026
  6. Divorce CertificatesNew York State Department of Healthchecked November 4, 2026
  7. Deed FraudNYC Department of Financechecked November 4, 2026
  8. Genealogy Records & ResourcesNew York State Department of Healthchecked November 4, 2026
  9. Domestic Relations Law § 15 (marriage license; clerk fee)New York State Senate (Open Legislation)checked November 4, 2026
  10. Bronx County Clerks' Office case searchNYS Unified Court Systemchecked November 4, 2026
  11. CPLR § 8019 (county clerk fees; copies of records)New York State Senate (Open Legislation)checked November 4, 2026
  12. County ClerkBroome County, New Yorkchecked November 4, 2026
  13. County Clerk: Schedule of FeesBroome County, New Yorkchecked November 4, 2026
  14. eCourtsNY Unified Court Systemchecked November 8, 2026
  15. County Clerk Fee SchedulesDutchess County, New Yorkchecked November 4, 2026
  16. Court Records/FilingErie County Clerkchecked November 4, 2026
  17. Erie County Surrogate's CourtNYS Unified Court Systemchecked November 4, 2026
  18. Schedule of FeesErie County Clerkchecked November 4, 2026
  19. eCourtsNew York State Unified Court Systemchecked November 4, 2026
  20. CPLR § 8019 (county clerk fees; copies of records)New York State Senate (Open Legislation)checked November 4, 2026
  21. Court FilingsMonroe County Clerkchecked November 4, 2026
  22. CPLR § 8019 (county clerk fees; copies of records)New York State Senate (Open Legislation)checked November 4, 2026
  23. Schedule of Fees (PDF)Orange County Clerkchecked November 4, 2026
  24. eCourtsNew York State Unified Court Systemchecked November 4, 2026
  25. CPLR § 8019 (county clerk fees; copies of records)New York State Senate (Open Legislation)checked November 4, 2026
  26. County ClerkRensselaer County, NYchecked November 4, 2026
  27. eCourtsNew York State Unified Court Systemchecked November 4, 2026
  28. County Clerk Fee ScheduleCounty of Saratoga, New Yorkchecked November 4, 2026
  29. eCourtsNew York State Unified Court Systemchecked November 4, 2026
  30. Court Actions and Court MinutesSuffolk County Clerkchecked November 4, 2026
  31. Fee Schedule | Sullivan County NY (County Clerk)Sullivan County, New Yorkchecked November 4, 2026
  32. Court FeesUlster County Clerkchecked November 4, 2026
  33. Search Court RecordsOffice of the Westchester County Clerkchecked November 4, 2026
  34. eCourtsNew York State Unified Court Systemchecked November 4, 2026
  35. Legal FeesOffice of the Westchester County Clerkchecked November 4, 2026
  36. Deed theftOffice of the New York State Attorney Generalchecked November 4, 2026