New York City Criminal History Records

Criminal history records in New York City are spread across five boroughs, each one its own county with its own court system. The NYPD handles law enforcement citywide, but court records, arrest data, and case files are held by the county clerk in each borough. You can get a Certificate of Conduct from the NYPD, submit a FOIL request through NYC OpenRecords, or search pending cases using the state court system's online tools. This page covers how to find and access criminal history records in New York City across all five boroughs.

NYPD Criminal History Records

The NYPD Certificate of Conduct is the main police record check available to the public in New York City. It is processed at One Police Plaza, Room 152-A, New York, NY 10038. You must book an appointment. Walk-ins are not accepted. The fee is $50 per certificate, payable by money order, certified check, or Visa/MasterCard. Processing takes about 10 working days.

To apply, US citizens need a valid passport, or an original birth certificate plus a valid driver's license or state ID. A voter registration card plus valid ID also works. The NYPD Criminal Records Section is at One Police Plaza, Room 303, and can be reached at (646) 610-5200. That office is not open to the general public for walk-in record requests. All public requests go through the Certificate of Conduct process or through FOIL.

The NYPD appointments line for Certificate of Conduct is (646) 610-5541. Hours are Monday through Friday, 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM, with processing from 8 AM to 3 PM.

The NYPD Certificate of Conduct appointments portal is shown below, accessed through the NYPD online scheduling system.

Appointments fill up fast, especially at the start of each month. Book your slot early to avoid delays.

NYC OpenRecords and FOIL Requests

The NYC OpenRecords portal at a856-openrecords.nyc.gov handles Freedom of Information Law requests to all NYC agencies, including the NYPD. You can submit, track, and receive records electronically. For NYPD records, you can also send FOIL appeals by email to FOILAPPEALS@nypd.org or call (646) 610-5400.

Mail appeals go to NYPD Records Access Appeals Officer, Sgt. Jordan Mazur, Legal Bureau-Civil Section, One Police Plaza, Room 1406, New York, NY 10038. Under New York's Freedom of Information Law, found in Public Officers Law Article 6, agencies must respond to requests within 5 business days. They then have 20 business days to produce records or explain any delay. Keep in mind that criminal history records held by the state's Division of Criminal Justice Services are not available through FOIL. Those require a separate DCJS review process.

Note: The NYC311 portal at portal.311.nyc.gov has info on the Criminal History Record Search program run by the NYS Office of Court Administration. That statewide search costs $95 and covers all 62 counties.

Criminal Records by Borough

Each borough of New York City is also a county, and each has its own County Clerk and court system. Court records for criminal cases are held by the clerk of each borough. Here is where to look for records in each one.

Manhattan (New York County) courts fall under the 1st Judicial District. The County Clerk handles Supreme Court and County Court records. Brooklyn (Kings County) is in the 2nd Judicial District; the Kings County Clerk Office is at 360 Adams Street. Queens (Queens County) is in the 11th Judicial District; the Queens County Clerk is located at 88-11 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica. The Bronx (Bronx County) is in the 12th Judicial District; the Bronx County Clerk is at 851 Grand Concourse. Staten Island (Richmond County) is in the 13th Judicial District; the Richmond County Clerk is at 130 Stuyvesant Place.

For pending criminal cases, the eCourts system shows cases with upcoming court dates. Search by defendant name, case number, or court calendar. This is free and open to the public.

NYC Inmate Lookup and DOCCS

The NYC Department of Correction runs an inmate lookup tool that lets you search for people currently held in NYC jails. You can search by name, NYSID number, or book and case number. It shows current custody status and the facility where the person is held. This system only covers current inmates, not historical arrest data.

For people serving state prison sentences, the DOCCS Incarcerated Lookup run by the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision is the tool to use. It covers inmates from 1982 to the present. You can search by name or Department Identification Number. Results show conviction charges, sentence data, and release status.

The NYC311 service can also direct you to the right agency when you are not sure who holds the records you need. Call 311 from any NYC phone or visit the NYC311 portal online.

DCJS and Statewide Criminal History

The New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services maintains the state's fingerprint-based criminal history database. This is a separate system from court records and cannot be obtained through FOIL. New York residents pay $14.25 for a personal record review. Out-of-state requests cost $44.25. The personal review through IdentoGo costs about $60.75 and involves fingerprinting.

New York City residents seeking a full statewide criminal history check on themselves must go through the DCJS review process. This covers arrests, charges, and dispositions statewide, including cases from all five boroughs and all 62 New York counties. The CHRS search through the Office of Court Administration at $95 covers court case records but not the full fingerprint-based DCJS file.

New York's Clean Slate Act took effect November 16, 2024. It sets up automatic sealing of eligible convictions after certain waiting periods. Under CPL 160.50, records are sealed when a case ends in dismissal or acquittal. Sex crimes and Class A non-drug felonies will not be sealed under Clean Slate. Until the sealing system is fully live, DCJS records will still show convictions that may later qualify.

The state's Sex Offender Registry run by DCJS under the Sex Offender Registration Act covers Level 2 and Level 3 offenders in a public online search. For Level 1 offenders, call 800-262-3257 with the person's name and one identifier.

Borough County Records

Criminal history records in New York City are filed through the county clerk of each borough. Use the links below to find county-level records for each borough.

Nearby Qualifying Cities

These cities are near New York City and have their own criminal history record pages.