Start with the right NYC criminal-record system
New York City criminal records are split among NYC Criminal Court, Supreme Court Criminal Term, the New York State Office of Court Administration, NYPD, NYC Department of Correction, state criminal-history agencies and federal courts. NYC Criminal Court primarily handles misdemeanors, lesser offenses, arraignments and preliminary felony proceedings, while felony prosecutions are generally handled in Supreme Court Criminal Term. The right search depends on the borough, court level and record type.
Which NYC criminal record are you actually looking for?
Current court case
Best for open NYC criminal cases with future appearance dates and public case information searchable by defendant name or case number.
Misdemeanor / arraignment
NYC Criminal Court handles misdemeanors, lesser offenses, arraignments and preliminary felony proceedings.
Felony prosecution
Felony prosecutions after indictment are generally handled by Supreme Court Criminal Term in the borough.
Statewide public history
A paid New York statewide search based on an exact match of name and date of birth.
Current jail custody
Use for the current location of a person in NYC Department of Correction custody.
Arrest or incident report
Request qualifying NYPD arrest, incident or police records through the department’s FOIL process.
NYC Criminal Court vs Supreme Court Criminal Term
New York’s court names can be confusing because Supreme Court is a trial court, not simply the state’s highest appellate court.
Misdemeanors and early felony proceedings
Criminal Court handles misdemeanors and lesser offenses. It also handles arraignments and preliminary felony proceedings before a felony case can move to Supreme Court.
Felony prosecutions
In New York City, Supreme Court Criminal Term handles felony prosecutions in each borough.
arraignment after arrest → Criminal Court.
indicted felony → Supreme Court Criminal Term.
Search current NYC criminal cases with WebCrims
New York Courts’ WebCrims service provides online information about criminal cases with future appearance dates in New York City and other selected New York courts.
Open WebCrimsSearch by defendant name or case number
New York Courts states that WebCrims can be used to search NYC criminal cases using a defendant name or docket/case number.
Use enough of the name
Court guidance says a name search requires at least the first three letters of the last name and first two letters of the first name.
Use the full docket number when you have it
A complete criminal docket number is more precise than a common-name search.
Check the next appearance
WebCrims is especially useful for finding future criminal court dates and court parts.
Contact the courthouse when the case is missing
Sealed, completed or otherwise unavailable cases may not appear online.
Important WebCrims limitations
WebCrims is useful, but it is not a full historical NYC criminal-record archive.
- sealed cases
- finished cases with no future appearance
- warrant information
- some matters not yet entered into the system
NYC Criminal Court locations by borough
New York County Criminal Court
100 Centre StreetNew York, NY 10013
General Information: 646-386-4511
Kings County Criminal Court
120 Schermerhorn StreetBrooklyn, NY 11201
General Information: 347-404-9400
Queens Criminal Court
125-01 Queens BoulevardKew Gardens, NY 11417
Clerk’s Office: 718-298-0792
Richmond County Criminal Court
26 Central AvenueStaten Island, NY 10301
General Information: 718-675-8558
NYC Criminal Court Information Line
Useful when you know the case is in NYC Criminal Court but are unsure which office handles the matter.
How to read an NYC criminal court result
| Record item | What it means | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Docket / indictment number | Unique identifier for the criminal matter. | Save it for court calls and document requests. |
| Charge | The criminal accusation. | Do not assume a filed charge became a conviction. |
| Court part | The courtroom or judicial part handling the case. | Useful when checking a future appearance. |
| Disposition | How the case or charge ended. | Dismissal, acquittal, plea, conviction or another outcome. |
| Sentence | Penalty imposed after a qualifying conviction. | Custody, probation, fine or other conditions. |
| Sealed | Public access has been restricted under New York law. | Sealed cases generally do not appear in normal public searches. |
New York statewide Criminal History Record Search (CHRS)
The New York State Office of Court Administration offers a paid statewide Criminal History Record Search covering public criminal court information from all 62 counties.
The current search fee is $95 per name/date-of-birth search.
Open NYS Criminal History Record SearchExact name + DOB
CHRS uses an exact match of the name and date of birth supplied. Variations are not automatically reported.
All 62 counties
Reports can include public open/pending and conviction information originating from County/Supreme, City, Town and Village criminal courts.
Not certified
OCA specifically states that CHRS results are not certified and are not the same as a Certificate of Disposition.
Important CHRS limitations
CHRS is broader than an NYC-only case lookup, but it still has important limitations.
- sealed records are not disclosed
- it is not an FBI background check
- it is not a nationwide criminal-history search
- non-criminal offenses such as violations and infractions are not reported as case dispositions
- certain transferred Family Court matters are not reported
- Town and Village data can be limited
- exact name and DOB matching can miss spelling or data variations
How to obtain your own New York RAP sheet
A New York State RAP sheet—Record of Arrest and Prosecution—is different from OCA’s public CHRS report.
New York Courts explains that the official state RAP sheet is maintained by the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) and requires fingerprint verification.
Public name-based search
Anyone can request it using exact name and date of birth. Current fee: $95.
Your official arrest/prosecution history
Requires fingerprints and is intended for the subject of the record or legally authorized access.
Get a Certificate of Disposition from an NYC criminal court
A Certificate of Disposition is an official court document showing what happened in a particular criminal case.
New York Courts states that the certificate can show:
- the original charge
- what the defendant was convicted of, if anything
- conviction date
- sentence
- official court seal
Certificates generally cost $10 in New York City.
Identify the court where the case was filed
Use the borough and court level—Criminal Court or Supreme Court Criminal Term.
Bring or provide the case identifiers
Useful information includes docket or indictment number, full name, date of birth and date of arrest.
Bring photo identification when required
Sealed cases have stricter access requirements and can require defendant authorization.
Pay the current court fee
NYC courts commonly list a $10 Certificate of Disposition fee.
NYC Department of Correction Person in Custody Lookup
The NYC Department of Correction provides an official Person in Custody Lookup for people currently in DOC custody.
Search NYC DOC CustodyThe search can use:
- NYSID number
- Book & Case number
- first name
- last name
NYC VINE custody and release notifications
NYC operates a VINE service for custody status and release notifications.
NYC VINE
Phone: 888-846-3469
VINE can confirm qualifying DOC custody and let registered users receive automated notice when custody status changes.
How to request NYPD arrest and police records
NYPD arrest and incident records are separate from court records. If you need the actual police report, use the NYPD’s record-access process.
NYPD says FOIL requests for arrest records should include as much identifying information as possible, such as:
- complete arrest number, if known
- full name
- date of birth
- NYSID number
- date of arrest
- precinct of arrest
- report or complaint number
- location of occurrence
Submit an NYPD FOIL request through NYC OpenRecords
NYPD directs Freedom of Information Law requests through NYC OpenRecords.
Open NYC OpenRecordsSelect New York City Police Department
Choose NYPD from the agency list rather than sending a court-record request to police.
Describe the record precisely
Give dates, precinct, report number, arrest number and names when known.
Submit the written request
FOIL requests must be sufficiently specific for the agency to conduct a records search.
Expect redactions when required
Statutory exemptions can limit release of protected investigative or personal information.
Records Access Officer
NYPD Legal Bureau – FOIL UnitOne Police Plaza, Room 110-A
New York, NY 10038
Phone:
646-610-5296
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
NYC warrant information
WebCrims specifically does not display warrants. That is an important limitation when a case appears to have no upcoming date.
NYC criminal appeals
New York City criminal appeals can move through different appellate courts depending on the borough and the court from which the case originated.
Manhattan and Bronx
Supreme Court appeals from New York and Bronx Counties generally proceed through the Appellate Division, First Department.
Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island
Supreme Court appeals from Kings, Queens and Richmond Counties generally proceed through the Appellate Division, Second Department.
Federal criminal cases in New York City
Federal prosecutions are separate from NYC Criminal Court and New York Supreme Court cases.
Manhattan and Bronx
Federal criminal cases arising in Manhattan and the Bronx are generally filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island
Federal criminal cases arising in Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island are generally handled by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York.
Search federal dockets through PACER .
Sealed NYC criminal records
New York uses sealing rather than broad expungement for most criminal records.
Courts state that records can be automatically sealed after certain favorable outcomes, including qualifying dismissals and acquittals.
Other sealing laws include:
- CPL 160.50 favorable-disposition sealing
- CPL 160.55 partial sealing for certain violations
- CPL 160.58 qualifying drug-related sealing
- CPL 160.59 sealing of certain older convictions
- Clean Slate automatic sealing under newer New York law
New York’s Clean Slate Act and NYC criminal records
New York’s Clean Slate Act took effect on November 16, 2024. The court system has until November 16, 2027 to complete automatic sealing of eligible conviction records.
3-year waiting period
Qualifying misdemeanor convictions generally become eligible after three years from sentencing or release from incarceration, whichever is later, subject to statutory conditions.
8-year waiting period
Qualifying felony convictions generally become eligible after eight years from sentencing or release from incarceration, whichever is later, subject to statutory conditions.
Official information: New York State Clean Slate Act .
What to do if an NYC criminal record is wrong
The correct correction process depends on which record is wrong.
Contact the court
If a docket or disposition is incorrect, contact the Criminal Court or Supreme Court Criminal Term that maintains the case.
Use New York sealing correction guidance
New York Courts provides a process for cases that should have been sealed but still appear publicly.
Review DCJS data
If the state RAP sheet is wrong, use the record-review/correction process connected to DCJS records.
Manhattan Criminal Court map
100 Centre Street is one of New York City’s best-known criminal-court locations and houses both Criminal Court functions and New York County Supreme Court Criminal Term operations.
New York County Criminal Court: 100 Centre Street, New York, NY 10013. Other boroughs have their own Criminal Court and Supreme Court Criminal Term locations.
NYC criminal-record search tips that save time
Start with the borough
Manhattan, Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island each have separate criminal-court offices.
Know Criminal Court vs Supreme Court
Criminal Court handles misdemeanors and early felony stages; indicted felony cases generally move to Supreme Court Criminal Term.
WebCrims is mainly for current cases
Completed cases and warrants do not appear the same way, so missing results require a different search path.
Exact spelling matters in CHRS
OCA’s statewide search requires an exact name and DOB match.
CHRS is not a certified disposition
If you need official proof of what happened in one case, obtain a Certificate of Disposition from that court.
DOC lookup only shows DOC custody
It does not cover police lockups, state prisons, federal detention or people released after arraignment.
NYPD reports require NYPD
A court docket cannot substitute for the underlying police arrest or incident report.
Sealed cases can disappear
Public search results change when New York sealing law applies.
Federal cases use PACER
SDNY and EDNY federal cases are separate from NYC state criminal-court systems.
Using NYC criminal records for employment or tenant screening
Public court records and OCA CHRS reports can be useful for research and case verification, but a public-record search is not automatically the same as a legally compliant consumer background report.
NYC criminal records: frequently asked questions
1. Where can I search current NYC criminal court cases?
Use New York Courts’ WebCrims system. It provides information about criminal cases with future appearance dates in New York City and selected other New York courts.
2. Does WebCrims show finished criminal cases?
Not reliably. New York Courts states that WebCrims does not show finished cases, sealed cases or warrants. Contact the appropriate courthouse for older or completed matters.
3. How much does a New York statewide CHRS search cost?
The New York State Office of Court Administration currently charges $95 per name and date-of-birth search.
4. Is the NYS CHRS report certified?
No. OCA specifically states that CHRS results are not certified. For an official outcome of a specific case, request a Certificate of Disposition from the court.
5. How much does a Certificate of Disposition cost in NYC?
New York Courts generally lists a $10 fee for Certificates of Disposition issued by courts in the five boroughs.
6. How can I see whether someone is currently in an NYC jail?
Use the NYC Department of Correction Person in Custody Lookup. It provides the current location of people in DOC custody along with basic case information.
7. How do I request an NYPD arrest report?
Submit a written FOIL request through NYC OpenRecords and select NYPD as the agency. Include the arrest number, name, DOB, arrest date, precinct, NYSID or other identifying information when known.
8. Can sealed NYC criminal cases still exist even when they do not appear online?
Yes. Sealing restricts public access but does not necessarily mean every underlying government record was physically destroyed.
9. What is New York’s Clean Slate Act?
The Clean Slate Act took effect November 16, 2024 and requires automatic sealing of many qualifying misdemeanor and felony convictions after statutory waiting periods. Full implementation must be completed by November 16, 2027.
10. Where are federal criminal cases in New York City searched?
Manhattan and Bronx federal cases are generally filed in the Southern District of New York, while Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island federal cases are generally filed in the Eastern District of New York. Federal records are searched through PACER.
Official sources used for this guide
- New York Courts e-Courts
- New York Courts WebCrims
- New York State Criminal History Record Search
- OCA CHRS Online Direct Access
- NYC Criminal Court Locations
- New York County Supreme Court Criminal Term
- Kings County Supreme Court Criminal Term
- Queens County Supreme Court Criminal Term
- Certificate of Disposition
- New York Criminal Records Basics
- Criminal Records and Sealing
- New York Clean Slate Act
- NYC DOC Person in Custody Lookup
- NYC VINE Custody Information
- NYPD FOIL Requests
- NYC OpenRecords
- PACER Federal Court Records