A free public criminal record check in New York is possible for some information, but there is no single free statewide background-report database. WebCrims can show certain pending criminal cases and future court appearances at no charge; state prison and parole lookups are also free. A formal statewide Office of Court Administration criminal-history search currently costs $95, while the official fingerprint-based DCJS rap sheet is generally available only to the person whose record it is or as otherwise authorized by law.
What New York criminal-record information is actually free?
The word free needs some explanation in New York. Several official government systems let the public look up limited criminal-justice information without paying, but the state’s comprehensive court-system criminal-history search is not free.
| Official resource | Cost | What it can show | Major limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| WebCrims | Free | Qualifying criminal cases with future appearances in supported courts | Does not show warrants, finished cases or sealed cases |
| New York Court Locator | Free | Correct court, address, phone and jurisdiction | Locator itself is not a statewide criminal-history database |
| DOCCS Incarcerated Lookup | Free | Public information on qualifying state-prison records | Not a county-jail or complete criminal-history search |
| DOCCS Parolee Lookup | Free | Current or former state community-supervision information | Only DOCCS supervision records |
| NYC DOC Incarcerated Person Lookup | Free | NYC jail custody, charges, court date, bail and related information | Only NYC Department of Correction custody |
| NYS Sex Offender Registry | Free | Statutorily public registry information | Registry rules differ by risk level |
| OCA Criminal History Record Search | $95 | Statewide name-and-DOB search of qualifying pending cases and convictions | Not free, not certified and not fingerprint based |
| DCJS personal criminal-history request | Fingerprint fee applies | Your own official fingerprint-based New York criminal history | Not available as a public third-party lookup |
Use WebCrims for a free New York criminal case lookup
New York eCourts provides the official WebCrims service. It is one of the best free starting points when you are trying to find a currently pending criminal matter or future appearance in a supported New York court.
Open WebCrimsOpen WebCrims and enter as a guest
You do not need to buy an OCA CHRS report simply to check qualifying pending criminal-case information.
Choose the search type
Depending on the page available, you can search by defendant name, case number or court calendar.
Use enough of the person’s name
New York court guidance says a name search generally requires at least the first three letters of the last name and first two letters of the first name.
Confirm the court and next appearance
Review the docket or case number, court, appearance date and other available case details.
If nothing appears, do not stop there
A case may be closed, sealed, outside WebCrims coverage, entered under another spelling, or maintained by a court that requires direct clerk contact.
What WebCrims does not show
A zero-result WebCrims search is not the same as a statewide “no criminal record” finding.
- WebCrims does not display sealed cases
- it does not provide a general warrant search
- finished cases may not appear
- not every New York criminal court is represented equally
- some cases may not yet have been entered
- youthful-offender information can be confidential
- a misspelled or changed name can affect results
- federal cases are not part of WebCrims
New York Courts describes WebCrims as providing criminal-case information with future appearance dates for selected courts. Court guidance also expressly states that it does not display warrants, finished cases or sealed cases.
Search the court that actually handled the criminal case
New York court records are generally maintained by the court of original jurisdiction. This matters because a statewide name search can miss information that is available directly from the courthouse file.
Find the correct New York courtWhich New York criminal court should you search?
New York’s court structure changes depending on whether the case is in New York City or elsewhere in the state.
| Court | Where | Typical criminal role |
|---|---|---|
| NYC Criminal Court | Five boroughs | Misdemeanors, violations, arraignments and preliminary felony proceedings |
| Supreme Court, Criminal Term | New York City felony cases; broader statewide jurisdiction | Felony prosecutions and other qualifying matters |
| County Court | Every county outside NYC | Can handle all crimes; in practice often felony matters |
| City Court | Cities outside NYC | Misdemeanors, violations and preliminary felony proceedings |
| District Court | Nassau and parts of Suffolk | Misdemeanors, lesser offenses and preliminary felony matters |
| Town & Village Justice Court | Communities outside NYC | Misdemeanors, violations, traffic and preliminary felony proceedings |
New York statewide Criminal History Record Search: $95, not free
The New York State Office of Court Administration (OCA) offers a statewide Criminal History Record Search (CHRS) for the general public.
$95 per search
OCA currently charges $95 for each statewide search.
Exact name + date of birth
The search is strictly based on the name and DOB submitted.
All 62 counties
Qualifying cases can come from County/Supreme, City, Town and Village courts.
OCA says the report includes qualifying open/pending criminal matters and convictions. Sealed records are not disclosed.
Important CHRS limitations before paying $95
The statewide OCA search is useful, but it is not a complete picture of every criminal-justice event associated with a person.
- not a nationwide background check
- not an FBI criminal-history search
- not fingerprint based
- sealed records are not reported
- federal cases are not included
- Family and civil court information is not included
- non-criminal violations and infractions can be excluded
- Town and Village historical data has coverage gaps
- Youthful-Offender-eligible pending cases are not reported
- name or date-of-birth variation can cause a missed match
OCA also states that Town and Village Court disposition information is unavailable for May 1991 through 2002, limited for 2002 through 2007, and fully reported to OCA only from May 2007 forward.
How to request your own official New York rap sheet
The New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) maintains the state’s official fingerprint-based criminal-history records.
These records include information reported by police departments, prosecutors, courts and other criminal-justice agencies, including arrests, indictments, convictions and sentences.
If you live in New York State
Choose suppressed or unsuppressed record
DCJS offers separate service codes for a suppressed record and an unsuppressed record. If you want both, a separate request is required for each.
Schedule fingerprinting through IdentoGO
DCJS requires fingerprints so the response is linked to the correct person rather than simply a name match.
Bring acceptable identification
Confirm current identification requirements with IdentoGO before the appointment.
Pay the current fingerprint-processing charge
DCJS currently lists a $17.50 fee for New York State residents, effective February 2, 2026. A fee-waiver application is available for qualifying people who cannot afford that charge.
Wait for the mailed response
DCJS says processing generally takes three to four weeks after it receives the request. The response is mailed; it cannot be picked up in person.
If you live outside New York
DCJS currently lists a $57.45 IdentoGO appointment fee for the out-of-state enrollment option. If no nearby enrollment location exists, DCJS also explains a fingerprint-card / Cardscan procedure.
What to do if your New York criminal record is wrong
DCJS provides a formal process for challenging incomplete or inaccurate information. The correct fix depends on which part of the record is wrong.
Contact the arresting agency
Incorrect arrest charge, arrest date or crime-date information generally must be corrected by the police agency that submitted the information to DCJS.
Contact the court
Obtain a certified disposition from the court and submit the required documentation to DCJS.
Get the sealing order
If a court-ordered seal has not been reflected correctly, obtain the certified sealing documentation from the court.
Certificate of Disposition: the official court outcome
A Certificate of Disposition is an official court document showing what happened in a criminal case. It can list the charge, conviction, conviction date and sentence.
This is often more useful than a screenshot from a free search when someone needs an official record for immigration, licensing, employment paperwork, sealing or another formal purpose.
Often $5
New York Courts generally describes the certificate fee as $5 outside the five boroughs, though the issuing court should always confirm its current fee and payment method.
Often $10
Criminal courts within New York City’s five boroughs commonly charge $10 for a Certificate of Disposition.
The court may request:
- docket, case, indictment or SCI number
- defendant’s full name
- date of birth
- date of arrest where known
- photo identification
- court-specific fee or fee-waiver proof
Free criminal-record lookup options in New York City
New York City has additional systems because city criminal cases and city jail custody are handled differently from many upstate jurisdictions.
Misdemeanors and arraignments
NYC Criminal Court handles misdemeanors, violations and felony arraignments/preliminary proceedings.
Felony prosecutions
Felony matters in New York City generally proceed in the Criminal Term of Supreme Court after indictment.
Current city jail custody
The NYC incarcerated-person lookup can show custody, charges, court information and bail data.
NYC jail lookup
The New York City Department of Correction’s incarcerated-person lookup can provide:
- charges
- court date and location
- book and case number
- NYSID
- holding location
- release date
- bail or bond information
- jail mailing address
NYPD Certificate of Conduct
The NYPD offers a Certificate of Conduct, formerly called a Good Conduct Certificate, which is a fingerprint-based criminal-history/background search within New York City’s five boroughs. It is not free: NYPD currently lists a $50 fee.
NYPD record-request informationNew York prison, jail and parole records
Custody records answer a different question from a statewide criminal-history search. First determine whether the person is in a county/city jail, New York State prison or under state community supervision.
DOCCS Incarcerated Lookup
Search qualifying public information for people who are or have been under New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision custody.
DOCCS lookup toolsDOCCS Parolee Lookup
Search by NYSID, DIN, name or name and birth year for people currently or formerly supervised by DOCCS.
Search parole recordsNYC DOC lookup
Use NYC’s separate incarcerated-person service for people in the New York City jail system.
NYC custody searchNew York State Sex Offender Registry
The Division of Criminal Justice Services maintains the official New York State Sex Offender Registry. Public access depends partly on the registrant’s risk level and state disclosure rules.
Official New York Sex Offender RegistryDCJS also operates the telephone registry line at 800-262-3257.
Can you use New York FOIL for criminal records?
New York’s Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) provides public access to many government-agency records, subject to statutory exemptions.
FOIL can be useful for certain police, agency, policy, statistical or administrative records, but it does not provide public access to another person’s official DCJS rap sheet.
How to search New York warrant information
New York does not offer one unrestricted public statewide warrant-search website covering every city, town, village and county.
WebCrims is also not a warrant database; New York Courts expressly states that warrants are not displayed there.
Contact the court clerk
If a criminal case and court are known, ask the court what public case information is available.
Check police/sheriff guidance
Local policies differ on whether and how warrant information is released publicly.
Use an official source
Contact the responsible court, attorney or law-enforcement agency rather than relying on an unofficial people-search database.
Sealed criminal records in New York
New York generally uses sealing rather than erasing every record. Sealed records still exist but access is restricted by law.
New York Courts explains that some records can be sealed automatically or through application, including:
- cases ending in a favorable disposition
- youthful-offender adjudications
- certain violations and traffic infractions
- eligible convictions after ten years under CPL 160.59
- certain drug-related convictions
- qualifying records under Clean Slate when implemented
New York Clean Slate Act: current status in 2026
New York’s Clean Slate Act took effect on November 16, 2024. The Unified Court System has until November 16, 2027 to implement the systems necessary to automatically seal eligible conviction records.
Three-year waiting period
Eligible misdemeanor dockets can qualify after three years from sentencing or release from incarceration, whichever is later, subject to statutory conditions.
Eight-year waiting period
Eligible felony dockets can qualify after eight years from sentencing or release, whichever is later.
Important exclusions
Sex offenses and most non-drug Class A felonies, including murder, are not eligible for Clean Slate automatic sealing.
Federal criminal records in New York
State systems such as WebCrims, OCA CHRS and DCJS are not substitutes for federal court records. New York has four federal judicial districts:
- Southern District of New York
- Eastern District of New York
- Northern District of New York
- Western District of New York
Federal criminal cases can be searched through PACER.
New York City criminal court location
For Manhattan criminal matters, the New York County Criminal Court is located at 100 Centre Street, New York, NY 10013. It handles misdemeanor and lesser offenses and performs arraignment/preliminary functions in felony cases.
New York criminal-record search tips that prevent wasted searches
Start free before paying $95
Check WebCrims and identify the correct court before ordering a statewide CHRS report.
Closed case? Go to the court
WebCrims focuses on cases with future appearances. Older disposed records often require the original court or a Certificate of Disposition.
Use date of birth carefully
OCA CHRS is an exact name-and-DOB search, so a variation can cause a missed result.
Know NYC vs. upstate court structure
New York City Criminal Court and Supreme Court differ from the County/City/Town/Village structure used outside NYC.
Jail is not state prison
Search the local jail for recent custody and DOCCS for state prison or parole information.
Do not use FOIL for someone else’s rap sheet
DCJS official criminal-history records are specifically excluded from ordinary public FOIL access.
Check the final disposition
An arrest or pending charge is not proof of conviction. Obtain the final court outcome.
Sealed can explain missing records
Favorable dispositions, youthful-offender cases and other legally sealed records should not appear in ordinary public searches.
Use fingerprints for your own official record
A fingerprint-based DCJS review is more reliable for confirming your own state criminal-history identity than a name-only internet search.
Using New York public criminal records for employment or housing
A public-court lookup is not automatically the same as a legally compliant consumer background report. Employment, housing, licensing and other eligibility decisions may be regulated by federal, New York State or New York City laws depending on the situation.
DCJS specifically distinguishes its fingerprint-based official criminal-history process from commercial background-check companies that collect information from public databases using names, dates of birth and other demographic information.
New York free criminal-record search: frequently asked questions
1. Can I search New York criminal records for free?
Yes, but only certain information. WebCrims provides free case information for qualifying criminal matters with future appearances, and state correctional and parole lookup tools are also free. The statewide OCA Criminal History Record Search is not free; it currently costs $95.
2. What is the best free New York criminal court search?
WebCrims is the main official free starting point for qualifying pending criminal cases and future appearance dates. It does not provide a complete statewide criminal-history report.
3. Does WebCrims show old convictions?
WebCrims is primarily designed around criminal cases with future court appearances and does not function as a full archive of finished criminal cases. Contact the original court for older case records or a Certificate of Disposition.
4. How much does a statewide New York criminal-history search cost?
The New York State Office of Court Administration currently charges $95 for each statewide CHRS search.
5. Can I request another person’s official DCJS rap sheet?
No. DCJS says its official fingerprint-based criminal-history records are not public records and cannot be released to the general public or media simply to investigate another person’s history.
6. How do I get my own New York rap sheet?
Use the DCJS Record Review process. The request requires fingerprints through IdentoGO and returns either your criminal-history record or a no-record response.
7. Where can I search New York prison records for free?
Use the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision’s Incarcerated Lookup. Parole and community-supervision records are searched through the separate Parolee Lookup.
8. Can I use FOIL to get criminal records in New York?
FOIL can provide access to many government records subject to exemptions, but it cannot be used to obtain another person’s official DCJS criminal-history record. Contact the agency that created a police or administrative record to learn what can lawfully be released.
9. Are New York criminal records automatically sealed under Clean Slate now?
Not all at once. The Clean Slate Act took effect November 16, 2024, and gives the Unified Court System until November 16, 2027 to complete automatic sealing of eligible convictions.
10. Do New York criminal-record websites include federal criminal cases?
State systems do not provide a complete federal criminal-case search. Federal cases filed in New York are available through PACER and the relevant federal district court.
Official New York criminal-record resources
- New York Courts — eCourts / WebCrims
- New York Office of Court Administration — Criminal History Record Search
- OCA CHRS Frequently Asked Questions
- New York Court Locator
- New York Courts — Criminal Records Basics
- New York Courts — Certificate of Disposition
- DCJS — Request Your New York State Criminal History
- DCJS — Freedom of Information Law Requests
- New York State Sex Offender Registry
- New York State DOCCS
- New York DOCCS Parolee Lookup
- NYC Incarcerated Person Lookup
- NYPD Record Requests
- Open FOIL NY
- New York Courts — Sealed Criminal Records
- New York Courts — Clean Slate Act
- PACER — Federal Court Records