Where to Look in New York
The six most productive places to start a people search in New York. Each links directly to the official record source.
Official New York Sources
State-level databases and agency record portals.
New York Courts
Dockets, civil & criminal case filings, judgments.
Property & Tax Records
Deeds, assessor data, owner history, liens.
Inmates & Offenders
State prison rosters, sex offender registries, jails.
Vital Records
Birth, death, marriage, divorce — certified records.
New York FAQ
Laws, fees, turnaround, and common questions.
1Best Starting Points in New York
https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/webcivil/ecourtsMain
The unified portal for accessing civil Supreme Court cases across all 62 NY counties.
What it's useful for: Finding active and disposed civil litigation involving individuals and businesses.
https://a836-acris.nyc.gov/CP/
The Automated City Register Information System for property records in Manhattan, Bronx, Queens, and Brooklyn.
What it's useful for: Tracing property ownership, deeds, and mortgages for individuals in NYC.
https://apps.dos.ny.gov/publicInquiry/
Official registry of corporations, LLCs, and limited partnerships.
What it's useful for: Finding business owners, registered agents, and corporate addresses.
2Official State Sources
Secretary of State / State Government Portal
The NY Department of State is the central hub for state-level business and licensing filings.
State Archives
NY State Archives: https://www.archives.nysed.gov/ - Essential for historical public records, early court documents, and genealogical research.
Vital Records
NY DOH Vital Records: https://www.health.ny.gov/vital_records/ - Access to birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates (subject to state privacy laws; often requires demonstrating direct lineage or legal interest).
3Court Records
Statewide Court Search System
NY Unified Court System: https://www.nycourts.gov/ - The main portal for New York's judicial branches.
Federal Courts
Access federal civil, criminal, and bankruptcy records via PACER for the Northern, Southern (SDNY), Eastern (EDNY), and Western Districts of New York.
Major County Courts
- Erie County Court
- Monroe County Court
- Onondaga County Court
- Albany County Court
- Westchester County Court
- Nassau County Court
- Suffolk County Court
- Queens County Court
4Property and Tax Records
State-level Property Info
Property assessments are generally handled at the municipal or county level in NY, not statewide.
Major County Assessor Links
For upstate counties (like Erie, Monroe, Westchester, Nassau, Suffolk), property deeds and tax rolls are found on the individual County Clerk or Real Property Tax Service websites.
5Business and Licensing Records
Professional Licensing Boards
NY Dept of State Licensing: https://www.dos.ny.gov/licensing/ - Verify licenses for real estate brokers, notaries, cosmetologists, and private investigators.
Other major boards (accessed via NYSED Office of the Professions) include Medical, Nursing, Accounting, and Engineering.
6Corrections & Inmate Records
https://nysdoccslookup.doccs.ny.gov/
What it's useful for: Locating individuals currently or formerly incarcerated in NY state prisons.
https://www.criminaljustice.ny.gov/nsor/
What it's useful for: Searching Level 2 and 3 offenders officially registered in the state.
7Voter Registration
New York voter registration rolls are public records but access is legally restricted to specific uses (e.g., political campaigns, journalism) and cannot be used for commercial purposes.
8Archives, Genealogy & Obituary Resources
Utilize the NY State Library and the Library of Congress (Chronicling America) for historic NY newspaper archives. Finding family histories often requires checking local municipal historical societies, especially in regions predating the 1880 state vital records mandate.
More New York Record Tools
Combine a people search with New York-specific record searches for a complete profile. These companion directories are already live on PublicRecordCenter.com:
Search People in Other States
Every state's public records system works differently. Click any state for its dedicated people-search directory.
Frequently Asked Questions — New York
Can I access NY birth certificates online?
Only if you are the person named on the certificate, a parent, or have a documented lawful right. NY vital records are closed to the general public until a specific time has passed (usually 75+ years for births).
Why isn't a known lawsuit showing up in eCourts?
eCourts primarily covers Supreme Court cases. Lower courts (Town, Village, City courts) and some specific family/surrogate court cases are not universally integrated into the online WebCivil system.
Final Takeaway: Mastering New York people search means recognizing the divide between the five boroughs of NYC and the rest of the state. By leveraging ACRIS for downstate property, WebCivil for litigation, and the DOS for corporate footprints, researchers can build highly accurate profiles without relying on inaccurate commercial data brokers.