Westchester County, New York public records

In Westchester County, deeds are recorded by the Office of the Westchester County Clerk, Land Records Division; property values come from Municipal Tax Assessors; court files are kept by the Office of the Westchester County Clerk, Legal Division.

Last checked against official sources on November 4, 2026.

On this page

1. Where to get each record
2. Deeds and land records
3. Property values, owners and tax bills
4. Court records: which clerk keeps which case
5. Marriage records
6. Divorce records
7. Birth certificates
8. Death certificates
9. Probate records and wills
10. Business names (DBA)
11. Voter records
12. Historical records
13. Good to know about Westchester County records
14. Office addresses, phones and hours
15. Records that are not online: public records requests
16. Questions people ask
17. Official copies vs look-alike sites
18. Sources

Where to get each record

Deeds and land records

Deeds, mortgages and other land documents for property in Westchester County are recorded by the Office of the Westchester County Clerk, Land Records Division.²

Online search

wro.westchesterclerk.com²Free search

Cost

Free (index search)²

Years online

Deeds back to 1680; mortgages back to 1950²

Copy fee

$1.30 for the first two pages, $0.65 each additional page; $40 maximum³

Search fee

$5 per instrument if no control number or liber and page is provided³

Certified copy fee

$5.00 up to four pages, plus $1.25 each additional page; $40 maximum¹⁴

Recording fee

Three-page residential deed in one municipality: $190; each additional page $5³

How to order

In person at Room 345 or by mail with a check payable to "Westchester County Clerk"; cash not accepted by mail²

Public stations

Free public viewing terminals in the office²

How deeds work in New York

Property values, owners and tax bills

Municipal Tax Assessors (each city and town) sets property values⁴.

Property search

westchesterclerkny.gov/local-assessors Cost: not stated⁴

Assessor held by

Local assessors in each city and town (and assessing villages) outside NYC; NYC Department of Finance values property in the five boroughs¹⁵

Parcel map (GIS)

gis.westchestercountyny.gov¹⁶

Sale price

Estimate older sale prices from transfer tax paid¹⁷

Appealing a value

westchesterclerkny.gov/… First: local Board of Assessment Review; Then: SCAR petition through NYSCEF¹⁸

How property tax works in New York

Court records: which clerk keeps which case

Fees

Copy $0.65 per page (minimum $1.30, maximum $40); prepare and certify $1.25 per page (minimum $5, maximum $40); index number $210⁷

Mail request

$10.00 for index or file number search if not provided and certified copy of the first legal record; $5.00 for each additional record⁵

Criminal records and background checks

Certified copy fee

$5.00 certificate of disposition; additional $5.00 search fee by mail without the indictment number¹⁹

Sealed and confidential records

Some criminal records are sealed¹⁹

How New York courts keep their files

Marriage records

Local clerk where the license was obtained; early records (from 1908) at the County Archives²⁰

Not clerk

County Clerk does not hold marriage certificates²⁰

State

Town or city clerk where the license was issued (local copies); NYS Department of Health Vital Records (statewide since 1881, except NYC); NYC licenses: Office of the City Clerk (Marriage Bureau)²¹

New York marriage records, statewide

Divorce records

Kept by the Office of the Westchester County Clerk, Legal Division (Supreme and County Court files).⁵

Who may order

A party, the attorney of record, or someone with a notarized release from a party⁹

Certified copy fee

$1.25 per page, $5.00 minimum, $40.00 maximum⁹

State

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 Health²²

New York divorce records: decree or state record

Birth certificates

Local clerk in the village, town or city where the birth took place²⁰

State

Outside NYC: NYS Department of Health Vital Records (since 1881) and the local Registrar of Vital Statistics where the birth occurred. NYC (five boroughs): NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene; pre-1910 NYC births: NYC Municipal Archives²³

Ordering a New York birth certificate

Death certificates

Local clerk in the village, town or city where the death took place²⁰

State

Outside NYC: NYS DOH Vital Records (since 1881) and the local Registrar where the death occurred. NYC: NYC DOHMH (deaths after 1951 via DOHMH; older via Municipal Archives)²⁴

Ordering a New York death certificate

Probate records and wills

Surrogate's Court in each county (probate records kept since 1787)¹¹

Copy fee

Certified copy of a will or any paper on file: $6.00 per page; authentication additional $20; record search and certificate $30 (under 25 years) or $90 (over 25 years)¹⁰

Finding a will or probate case in New York

Business names (DBA)

Kept by the Office of the Westchester County Clerk.¹³

Fee

$35.00 total: $25.00 filing fee + $10.00 for two certified copies¹²

Official page

westchesterclerkny.gov/…¹²

Voter records

Kept by the Westchester County Board of Elections.²⁵

State

Voter registration data is available on request (FOIL to the State Board of Elections or county boards) but may only be used for an election purpose under Election Law § 3-103(5); requester must certify election-purpose use²⁶

Historical records

Kept by the Westchester County Archives and Records Center.²⁷

Range

1680 to the present²⁷

Marriage index

archives.westchestercountyny.gov/…²⁸

Naturalization

Citizenship records research at the Archives²⁷

Good to know about Westchester County records

• The County Clerk says it is the oldest elected office in the county, with over 300 years of service.²⁹
• Land records reach back to 1680 for deeds.²
• Court documents from 2002 on can be viewed at office terminals; earlier files are ordered from an off-site archive.⁵
• Matrimonial records are sealed to parties and attorneys of record.⁵
• County Clerk does not issue birth, marriage or death certificates; those are local-clerk records.²⁰
• Clerk offers a Property Alert Service sign-up.³⁰

Office addresses, phones and hours

Records that are not online: public records requests

Request page

westchestercountyny.gov/…³³

Where to send it

Clerk records: FOIL Officer, Office of the Westchester County Clerk, 110 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., White Plains, NY 10601³³

What it covers

Each department answers its own FOIL requests; Supreme and County Court files are exempt from FOIL³³

How to write a public records request

Questions people ask

Other counties in New York with a full guide: Albany County, Bronx County, Broome County, Chautauqua County, Clinton County, Dutchess County, Erie County, Kings County, Monroe County, New York County, Oneida County, Onondaga County, Orange County, Queens County, Rensselaer County, Richmond County, Saratoga County, Schenectady County, Suffolk County, Sullivan County, Ulster County. Every county in the state: New York county list.

Sources

Every fact above links to the official page it comes from; all 34 sources were checked on November 4, 2026. Fees and rules change, so check the office's own page before you pay or travel.

1. Government Units List 2026US Census Bureau
2. Search Property Records: Deeds, Mortgages, Satisfactions of MortgageOffice of the Westchester County Clerk
3. Land Records Fees and TaxesOffice of the Westchester County Clerk
4. Municipal Tax AssessorsOffice of the Westchester County Clerk
5. Search Court RecordsOffice of the Westchester County Clerk
6. eCourtsNew York State Unified Court System
7. Legal FeesOffice of the Westchester County Clerk
8. City, Town and Village ClerksOffice of the Westchester County Clerk
9. Divorce DecreesOffice of the Westchester County Clerk
10. Surrogate's Court Procedure Act § 2402 (Surrogate's Court fees)New York State Senate (Open Legislation)
11. Getting Court Records (CourtHelp)New York State Unified Court System
12. Filing a Business CertificateOffice of the Westchester County Clerk
13. .gov registry current-full.csvCISA (get.gov)
14. Certified CopiesOffice of the Westchester County Clerk
15. Grievance proceduresNYS Department of Taxation and Finance (ORPTS)
16. Westchester CountyCounty of Westchester
17. Property Sales PricesOffice of the Westchester County Clerk
18. SCAR PetitionsOffice of the Westchester County Clerk
19. Criminal DispositionsOffice of the Westchester County Clerk
20. Birth, Marriage and DeathOffice of the Westchester County Clerk
21. Marriage CertificatesNew York State Department of Health
22. Divorce CertificatesNew York State Department of Health
23. Birth CertificatesNew York State Department of Health
24. Death CertificatesNew York State Department of Health
25. Board of ElectionsWestchester County Board of Elections
26. Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) RequestsNew York State Board of Elections
27. Westchester County Archives
28. Marriage Records, 1908-1935 - Personal Name IndexWestchester County Archives
29. Welcome from County Clerk Thomas M. RoachOffice of the Westchester County Clerk
30. Westchester County ClerkOffice of the Westchester County Clerk
31. Contact UsOffice of the Westchester County Clerk
32. Westchester County Archives Contact UsWestchester County Archives
33. Freedom of Information Law (FOIL)Office of the Westchester County Clerk
34. County population totals: Vintage 2025 (July 1, 2025)US Census Bureau