New York criminal records are spread across several official systems. Current criminal case information can be available through WebCriminal, the Office of Court Administration offers a statewide Criminal History Record Search, the Division of Criminal Justice Services maintains the official fingerprint-based RAP sheet, and the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision provides incarceration and parole lookups. This guide explains what each system includes, what it leaves out, and which one to use for your search.
Which New York criminal record do you actually need?
New York does not use one public database for every criminal-record question. Court cases, criminal-history summaries, prison custody, parole supervision and certificates of disposition are different records maintained by different agencies.
Current criminal case
Use WebCriminal when the case falls within its supported criminal courts and you need current case information or future appearance dates.
Statewide public court history
Paid exact-name-and-DOB search across criminal cases reported by participating courts statewide.
Official RAP sheet
Fingerprint-based record of arrest and prosecution maintained by the Division of Criminal Justice Services.
State prison / parole
Use DOCCS when the question concerns state incarceration or parole supervision.
Official disposition
A Certificate of Disposition is the court-sealed document stating what happened in a specific criminal case.
Federal criminal case
Federal prosecutions use PACER and federal court systems, not New York’s state criminal databases.
Search New York criminal cases with WebCriminal
New York Courts provides WebCriminal through its eCourts system. It is useful for locating criminal cases with future appearance dates in supported courts.
Open New York eCourtsOpen eCourts and select WebCriminal
WebCriminal is separate from WebCivil, WebFamily and other New York court-search tools.
Search by defendant name or case number
Use the strongest identifier available. A case or indictment number can reduce mistaken matches.
Review the court and appearance date
WebCriminal can identify the criminal court, part and future appearance information for supported cases.
Contact the court when details are incomplete
Court staff maintain the underlying record and are the correct source when online information needs clarification.
Which courts are covered by WebCriminal?
New York Courts currently identifies WebCriminal access for criminal case information in selected courts, including several high-volume jurisdictions.
| Area | Examples of supported criminal access | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|
| New York City | NYC criminal courts and Supreme Court criminal matters within supported search functions. | Sealed or otherwise confidential records are not public. |
| Nassau & Suffolk | Current criminal case information within supported courts. | Not a replacement for statewide CHRS. |
| Ninth Judicial District | County Courts in Westchester, Rockland, Orange, Putnam and Dutchess. | Coverage can differ by court and case type. |
| Erie County | County Court criminal case information. | Older or local-court records may require direct court contact. |
| Buffalo | Buffalo City Court criminal case information. | Not every local criminal court is necessarily covered. |
New York statewide Criminal History Record Search (CHRS)
The New York State Office of Court Administration provides a statewide Criminal History Record Search (CHRS) for the general public, businesses and corporations.
The current fee is $95 per search.
Official NYS CHRSExact name + DOB
OCA says CHRS uses an exact match of the submitted name and date of birth.
All 62 counties
CHRS searches criminal cases originating from County/Supreme, City, Town and Village courts statewide.
Pending + convictions
Public pending and conviction records can be included when they fall within CHRS reporting coverage.
What New York CHRS does not show
A $95 CHRS result is useful, but it is not the same as a fingerprint-based DCJS RAP sheet.
- sealed records are not disclosed
- expunged marijuana records should not appear
- exact-name and DOB matching can miss aliases or variations
- Town and Village disposition data can be limited
- CHRS results are not certified court documents
- out-of-state and federal cases are outside the New York state-court search
New York Certificate of Disposition
A Certificate of Disposition is an official court document bearing the court seal that states what happened in a criminal case.
It can identify:
- the original charge
- the conviction, if any
- conviction date
- sentence
- final court disposition
Contact the court that handled or sentenced the case.
| Location | Typical published fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Outside New York City | $5 | Common fee referenced by New York Courts for CPL 160.59 disposition requests. |
| New York City | $10 | Common NYC fee for a criminal Certificate of Disposition. |
The court may ask for photo identification, docket number, date of birth, arrest date or other case details.
How to get your own New York criminal-history RAP sheet
The New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services maintains the state’s official record of arrest and prosecution (RAP sheet).
Unlike OCA CHRS, a personal DCJS Record Review is fingerprint-based.
OCA CHRS
Name-and-date-of-birth search of public New York court criminal records.
DCJS RAP sheet
Fingerprint-based official New York arrest and prosecution history belonging to the subject of the record.
New York Courts explains that the DCJS RAP sheet cannot be requested without fingerprints.
DCJS Record Review informationFingerprint-based New York criminal-history review
Fingerprints help prevent a common-name match from being mistaken for the wrong person. They are also the basis for New York’s official personal criminal-history Record Review.
A DCJS response may include:
- criminal-history information
- fingerprint submissions associated with authorized employment or licensing
- a “no response” when DCJS has no criminal history on file
- instructions for challenging inaccurate information
New York arrest records and police reports
Police arrest records are not the same as court records or a DCJS RAP sheet. Arrest and incident information can remain with the police, sheriff or other law-enforcement agency that created the record.
Arrest or incident record
Start with the law-enforcement agency that handled the arrest or incident.
Criminal prosecution
Once the case reaches court, search WebCriminal or contact the court clerk.
Official RAP sheet
DCJS maintains the fingerprint-based statewide history of arrests and prosecutions.
New York state prison inmate lookup
The New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision provides an Incarcerated Individual Lookup.
A Department Identification Number (DIN) is assigned to each person admitted to state DOCCS custody. Name and birth information can also help locate a person when the DIN is unknown.
DOCCS incarcerated-person lookupNew York parolee lookup
DOCCS also provides a separate Parolee Lookup for people currently or formerly under New York State parole supervision.
Search options include:
- NYSID
- DIN
- full or last name
- name plus birth year
New York Sex Offender Registry search
The New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services administers the Sex Offender Registry.
The online public directory includes individuals classified as Level 2 or Level 3. It can be searched by last name, county or ZIP code.
Search NY Sex Offender RegistryWhich New York criminal records are sealed?
New York uses several different sealing rules. Some records are sealed automatically after a favorable disposition, while others require an application or are affected by newer Clean Slate rules.
Common examples include:
- cases ending in a qualifying favorable disposition
- certain youthful-offender records
- many violations and traffic infractions
- eligible drug-related cases
- certain older convictions under CPL 160.59
- qualifying convictions under the Clean Slate Act
New York Clean Slate Act: what is happening now?
New York’s Clean Slate Act took effect on November 16, 2024. The Unified Court System has until November 16, 2027 to complete automatic sealing of eligible conviction records.
3-year eligibility period
Eligible misdemeanor convictions generally become eligible three years after sentencing or release from incarceration, whichever is later.
8-year eligibility period
Eligible felony convictions generally become eligible eight years after sentencing or release from incarceration, whichever is later.
The person generally must not be on probation, parole or post-release supervision and must not have a pending misdemeanor or felony case.
Sealing older convictions under CPL 160.59
Separate from Clean Slate, New York Criminal Procedure Law §160.59 allows some people to apply to seal older convictions after a 10-year waiting period.
New York Courts says applicants may qualify when:
- they have been crime-free for at least 10 years
- they have no more than two qualifying convictions
- the record includes no more than one qualifying felony
- there is no current criminal case pending
Sex offenses, violent felonies and certain serious felonies are not eligible under this procedure.
Get a Certificate of Disposition
Request one for each case you want the court to consider sealing.
Complete the sealing application
New York Courts uses a Notice of Motion and Affidavit in Support for this application.
Serve the District Attorney
The prosecutor must receive the required application materials.
File the papers with the correct court
File in the court directed by the CPL 160.59 rules, generally tied to the most serious or most recent qualifying conviction.
How to correct a New York criminal-record mistake
First identify where the error appears.
Contact the court
New York eCourts says the specific court enters the case data, so corrections must be directed to that court.
Use Record Review challenge procedures
A personal DCJS Record Review includes information explaining how to challenge inaccurate criminal-history information.
New York City, Town and Village criminal records
New York has a highly decentralized local-court system. City Courts, Town Courts and Village Courts can all generate criminal records, and online access differs by court.
Criminal Court / Supreme Criminal
Use WebCriminal and court clerk offices for current case information and official records.
Local criminal jurisdiction
Some City Court information appears in statewide electronic systems, but direct court contact may still be required.
Local justice courts
CHRS includes reported Town and Village criminal data, but OCA warns that disposition coverage can be limited.
Federal criminal records in New York
Federal criminal cases are separate from New York state-court cases.
Use PACER for U.S. District Court and federal appellate records.
Search federal cases with PACERFor your own nationwide fingerprint-based federal criminal-history record, use the FBI Identity History Summary process.
New York criminal-record search tips
Use WebCriminal first for active cases
It can quickly reveal future appearance dates for supported courts without paying for CHRS.
Use exact legal name for CHRS
OCA searches exact name and DOB. A nickname or spelling variation can miss the record.
Search aliases separately
OCA treats each alias and DOB variation as an additional search.
Get a Certificate of Disposition
This is the stronger official document when you need proof of how a specific criminal case ended.
Use fingerprints for your own history
DCJS Record Review ties the criminal history to your fingerprints rather than a name match.
Don’t confuse county jail with DOCCS
DOCCS covers state prison and parole. Local pretrial detention may require a county sheriff or NYC DOC search.
Expect sealed cases to disappear
Sealed records and expunged marijuana cases should not appear in ordinary public CHRS results.
Check Clean Slate timing
Eligible records are being processed through the statewide implementation period ending November 16, 2027.
Confirm the final disposition
Pending charges, dismissed cases and convictions should never be treated as interchangeable.
Using New York criminal records for employment or housing
Public court information is not automatically a legally compliant consumer background report. Employment, housing, licensing and other eligibility decisions can trigger federal and New York-specific rules.
New York State criminal records FAQs
1. Can I search New York criminal cases online for free?
Yes. WebCriminal provides free criminal case information for supported New York courts, especially cases with future appearance dates.
2. Is there a statewide New York criminal-record search?
Yes. The New York State Office of Court Administration offers the statewide Criminal History Record Search, or CHRS, covering all 62 counties.
3. How much does New York CHRS cost?
The current OCA CHRS fee is $95 for each statewide search.
4. Does CHRS include sealed records?
No. OCA states that sealed records are not disclosed in CHRS results.
5. Is CHRS the same as a DCJS RAP sheet?
No. CHRS is a name-and-date-of-birth court-record search. A DCJS RAP sheet is the fingerprint-based official record of arrest and prosecution.
6. What is a Certificate of Disposition?
It is an official court-sealed document stating the criminal charge, conviction if any, conviction date and sentence in a specific case.
7. Where can I search for a New York state prisoner?
Use the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision Incarcerated Individual Lookup.
8. Are New York sealed criminal records public?
Generally no. Sealed records are hidden from ordinary public access, although authorized agencies may still access them when state law permits.
9. When does the New York Clean Slate Act finish implementation?
New York Courts states that the Unified Court System has until November 16, 2027 to complete automatic sealing of eligible convictions.
10. Does a New York criminal-record search include federal or out-of-state cases?
No. New York state-court searches and DCJS records are not substitutes for federal court records or another state’s criminal-history system.
Official sources used for this New York guide
- New York Courts — eCourts / WebCriminal
- New York Courts — Criminal History Record Search
- New York Courts — CHRS Direct Access
- New York Courts — Criminal Records Basics
- New York Courts — Certificate of Disposition
- New York Courts — Criminal Records & Sealing
- New York Courts — Clean Slate Act
- New York Courts — CPL 160.59 Sealing
- NYS DCJS — Personal Record Review
- NYS DOCCS — Incarcerated Individual Lookup
- NYS DOCCS — Parolee Lookup
- NYS DCJS — Sex Offender Registry