New York Criminal History, Court Case and Inmate Lookup
Need to find a recent booking, confirm where someone is held, check a court date or review your own New York criminal record? This guide routes you to the right city, county, court or state system without treating a private arrest listing as proof of guilt.
OCA CHRS; current fee $95 per exact name and date-of-birth search.
DCJS Personal Record Review requires fingerprints.
NYC DOC Person in Custody Lookup; processing can take 48 hours or longer.
DOCCS Incarcerated Lookup; not the first search for a fresh arrest.
Use WebCrims where the selected criminal court publishes the appearance.
Use the arresting county sheriff or correction department.
Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–4 p.m., except legal holidays.
Verify bail and release instructions with the court or facility before paying.
Confirm the arresting agency and borough or county. Check NYC DOC for a city arrest or the county sheriff outside NYC. Allow time for booking and arraignment, search with fewer name fields, then call the facility when the online result is still missing.
Choose the New York record task you need to complete
The helper runs only in your browser and does not ask for a name, birth date or case number.
New York arrest records are split across several official databases
There is no single free portal containing every arrest, jail, court and criminal-history record in New York. Match the question to the system below.
Your goal | Correct source | Prepare | After opening |
|---|---|---|---|
Find a private booking clue | Name, county and approximate arrest date | Save the county, agency, booking date and identifiers; then verify officially. | |
Search public statewide criminal-court history | Exact first name, last name, date of birth and $95 fee | Read coverage limits, submit online or use the mail form, then save the result. | |
Review your own official NY criminal history | Official fingerprint appointment and identity documents | Choose the correct record-review response and follow the fingerprint instructions. | |
Check a future criminal court appearance | Name, county, case or docket information | Compare court, date and case number; confirm changes with the clerk. | |
Find NYC jail custody | Name, book-and-case number or NYSID | Confirm facility, status and case information; allow for processing delay. | |
Find a county jail outside NYC | Arresting county, name and booking date | Use the county inmate resource or call the correction division. | |
Find state-prison custody | DIN, NYSID or complete name | Confirm DIN, facility and custody information. | |
Find federal custody | Name or federal register number | Confirm institution and federal identifier. |
How to verify a New York arrest listing without matching the wrong person
Determine whether the arrest occurred in New York City or another county. Record the police department, sheriff or arresting agency.
Use the full legal name, birth date or age, county, booking date, photograph and identifiers. A name-only match is not enough.
Use NYC DOC, the county sheriff, DOCCS or the federal locator according to the person’s likely custody stage.
Use WebCrims for an available future appearance or contact the clerk. Use OCA CHRS when a paid statewide court-based search is needed.
Look for pending status, dismissal, plea, conviction, sentence and sealing. Booking charges can change after arraignment.
Keep the official URL, case or booking number, result date and office contacted. Recheck time-sensitive information before acting.
Use OCA CHRS for a statewide New York criminal-court history search
The Office of Court Administration’s CHRS searches public open, pending and conviction data reported by courts across all 62 counties. It excludes sealed information, is not an FBI search and has limited town and village court coverage.
$95 for each name-and-date-of-birth search.
Exact first name, last name and date of birth.
Direct Access is available online; review the current service instructions.
OCA says CHRS is not provided in person at 25 Beaver Street.
Confirm that a court-based New York search fits your purpose before paying.
Open OCA CHRSUse the correct legal spelling and date of birth. An exact-match service can miss a record when the input differs.
Compare court, case number, filing date and disposition. Similar names can belong to different people.
Record when it was obtained and protect personal information. Recheck later when the decision is time-sensitive.
Use DCJS Personal Record Review for your own official New York record
DCJS criminal-history records are not public records. Personal Record Review is the route for obtaining your own fingerprint-based rap sheet or a no-record response; it is not a service for checking another person.
A person reviewing their own New York criminal-history information.
Fingerprints and the identity process listed by DCJS.
518-457-9847 or 518-485-7675, Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–4 p.m., except legal holidays.
Read the difference between suppressed and unsuppressed responses.
Open DCJS Record ReviewUse the provider and service information supplied by DCJS rather than an unrelated background-check seller.
Compare arrest, court and disposition details with your documents.
Use the correction process and supporting court disposition when information is incomplete or inaccurate.
NYC jail, county jail, state prison and federal custody use different searches
System | Use it for | Important limit | Help |
|---|---|---|---|
People in NYC Department of Correction custody | A new arrest may take 48 hours or longer to appear; police, state and federal custody are separate. | ||
County sheriff or correction department | Local custody outside New York City | Not every county offers the same online fields or retention period. | |
People in the state correctional system | Not the first search for a new city or county arrest. | ||
Federal prison custody | Does not cover New York city, county or state inmates. | Use the federal facility information shown. |
Verified county examples
Correctional Center general information: 516-572-4200; inmate records: 516-572-3802.
Open Nassau Correctional CenterUse the county’s inmate search; correction information line: 914-231-1000.
Open Westchester inmate searchThe sheriff publishes a current roster PDF with ICN, name, date of birth, facility and booking date. Jail Management: 716-858-7618.
Open Erie inmate rosterCheck New York bail, the next court date and legal representation
Ask the court or facility for the amount, accepted form, payment location, case number and any hold preventing release.
Read New York bail guidanceUse WebCrims where available, then confirm changes with the clerk because calendars can move.
Open WebCrimsUse the official CourtHelp finder when the county, court type or clerk contact is unclear.
Find a New York courtAsk the arraignment court or county public-defense provider about eligibility and application steps. New York Indigent Legal Services supports the statewide public-defense system but does not replace the local appointment process.
Open Indigent Legal ServicesThe New York State Bar Association offers an online lawyer-referral service. Referrals are free; the first 30-minute consultation is currently $35.
Open NYSBA lawyer referralVisitation, calls, mail and money depend on the exact facility
First confirm whether the person is in NYC DOC, a county jail or DOCCS custody. Do not copy state-prison rules onto a local jail visit.
Open the exact facility page, check approval, schedule, ID, clothing, child and property rules, and confirm the visit before travelling.
DOCCS visiting informationDOCCS states that state-prison calls have been free since August 1, 2025. The incarcerated person calls approved numbers; family cannot call directly through to the person.
DOCCS telephone callsUse only the facility’s approved deposit routes. DOCCS notes that fees vary, while its visitor lockbox and mailed check or money-order methods may avoid a deposit fee.
DOCCS account depositsUse the full name and DIN, correct facility address and return address. Read current prohibited-item and package rules before mailing.
DOCCS mail and packagesUnderstand common New York court and custody terms
Correcting, sealing or removing an outdated New York arrest record
Keep the URL, screenshot, date accessed, name used, county and case or booking identifiers.
Contact the court where the case was filed and obtain the document showing the current outcome.
Use Personal Record Review and the DCJS challenge process when your official state record is incomplete or inaccurate.
Sealing generally restricts public access but does not erase every government record or every authorised use.
Read NY sealing guidanceProvide the exact page and redacted official evidence. Removing a webpage does not correct the underlying court or DCJS record.
Contact this websiteNew York criminal-record contacts and visit guidance
Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–4 p.m., except legal holidays.
Alfred E. Smith Building80 South Swan Street
Albany, NY 12210
Use for statewide court-history search questions and mail submissions.
25 Beaver Street, Room 940New York, NY 10004
No public in-person CHRS search service at this address.
Use for NYC Department of Correction custody questions after checking the online lookup.
Published assistance hours: Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
80 South Swan Street, Suite 1147Albany, NY 12210
Automated notification service available 24 hours a day for participating records.
Why a New York arrest or inmate result may be missing
Common urgent scenarios
Allow for processing, check NYC DOC, use WebCrims when available and call 718-546-1500 if the person still cannot be located.
Identify the county, use the sheriff directory, call the correction division and save the booking number.
Ask about payment confirmation, other holds, release paperwork, transportation and whether the court changed the conditions.
Check release, transfer, DOCCS, federal custody and another county before assuming the record is wrong.
Ask the arraignment court how to apply for assigned counsel and what financial information is required.
Obtain the official disposition, review the DCJS record, check sealing status and then request a private-page correction.
Official New York arrest, court, custody and support resources
New York arrest records FAQs
Where can I search New York arrest records?
Use Arrests.org only to discover a possible booking. Verify current custody through NYC DOC, the county sheriff, DOCCS or the federal locator. Use WebCrims for available future criminal court dates, OCA CHRS for a paid statewide court-based history, and DCJS Personal Record Review for your own fingerprint-based New York record.
Is there a free statewide New York criminal-record search?
New York does not provide one free public portal containing every arrest, jail and criminal-history record. WebCrims can show future appearances for selected criminal courts, while OCA’s statewide CHRS costs $95 and DCJS Personal Record Review requires fingerprints for your own record.
How much does a New York OCA criminal history search cost?
The New York State Office of Court Administration currently charges $95 for each statewide Criminal History Record Search. The search uses an exact first name, last name and date of birth.
Can I request another person’s official DCJS rap sheet?
No. DCJS states that its official criminal history records are not public records and that you cannot request another person’s record to determine whether that person has a criminal history. Use the public court-search routes that are legally available instead.
How do I find someone arrested in New York City?
Use the NYC Department of Correction Person in Custody Lookup after allowing for arrest and arraignment processing. NYC warns that 48 hours or more may pass before a person is housed and entered into its system. The lookup does not cover police lockups, state prisons or federal custody.
How do I find someone in a New York county jail?
Identify the arresting county and use that county sheriff or correction department’s official inmate resource. When no online search is provided, call the jail or use VINE. The New York State Sheriffs’ Association directory helps locate the correct county office.
Why is a recent arrest missing from DOCCS Incarcerated Lookup?
DOCCS is primarily the state-prison system and is not the first place to look for a fresh county or New York City arrest. The person may still be in police processing, local jail custody, released after arraignment or held federally.
How can I check bail or the next New York court date?
Use WebCrims when the selected court publishes a future appearance, then confirm the case with the court clerk. Check bail with the handling court or detention facility because the amount, accepted form, additional holds and release status can change.
Are calls from New York state prisons free?
DOCCS states that calls from New York State correctional facilities have been free since August 1, 2025. The incarcerated person places the call to an approved telephone number; family members cannot call directly into the facility to speak with that person.
How do I correct or seal a New York criminal record?
Obtain the official court disposition, review your fingerprint-based DCJS record and use the DCJS correction process when data is incomplete or inaccurate. Review New York sealing and Clean Slate guidance separately. Removing a private webpage does not correct or seal the government record.
Official-resource review completed August 2, 2026.
This independent guide is not affiliated with a New York government agency or Arrests.org. Court fees, custody status, phone programs, visitation schedules, search coverage and office availability can change. Confirm time-sensitive details directly on the linked official page before travelling, paying or relying on a result.
Responsible-use notice: An arrest is not a conviction. Do not use a private arrest listing to harass someone or for employment, housing, credit, insurance or another decision that requires a legally compliant consumer report.