Find Rockland County Background Check Records

Rockland County background check records are maintained by the County Clerk, the Sheriff's Office, and the courts in the 9th Judicial District. The county seat is New City. Rockland has about 338,000 residents and sits just north of the New Jersey border along the Hudson River. Criminal records, civil case files, and other public records are available through local offices and state agencies. This page walks through the main ways to search for background check records in Rockland County.

Rockland County Clerk Background Check Records

The Rockland County Clerk's Office is at 1 South Main Street, Suite 100, New City, NY 10956. The main phone is (845) 638-5221. For court records, call (845) 638-5094. Hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The Clerk files and records court-related documents for New York State Supreme and County Courts.

The office accepts filings to start supreme and county court actions. It also accepts subsequent documents in existing cases. A name search costs $15.00. Copies run $0.65 per page. Free in-person inspection of court records is available under New York Judiciary Law Section 255. You can view records at the office during business hours without charge.

Many Rockland County Clerk documents have been converted to digital format. Digital records are available online free of charge. Searchable records include court, land, maps, naturalization, notary public, and judgment files. The Clerk also serves as Clerk of the Supreme and County Courts.

Court records date back to 1791. Public documents include civil court cases such as lawsuits, foreclosures, real property disputes, and money judgments. Felony case files are kept permanently for cases with convictions. Misdemeanor files are retained for 25 years after case disposition. Violation and infraction files are kept for 6 years.

Rockland County Courts and Background Check

Rockland Supreme and County Court is at 1 South Main Street, New City, NY 10956. Phone is 845-483-8310. The court hears felony criminal cases and major civil cases. It operates under the 9th Judicial District. Court hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Supreme Court Justices include Hon. Robert M. Berliner and Hon. Paul I. Marx. The court handles criminal proceedings including arraignments, trials, and sentencings. Appeals from lower courts are processed through the Supreme Court. Records can be accessed in person at the clerk's office or through online portals.

WebCrims provides a Public Access Terminal at the courthouse for free electronic case access. The eCourts service provides court calendars and appearance information online. WebCivil Supreme offers basic civil case information. These are free tools for part of a background check in Rockland County.

Rockland County Sheriff and Criminal Records

The Rockland County Sheriff's Office is at 55 New Hempstead Road, New City, NY 10956. Phone is (845) 638-5400. The Rockland County District Attorney's Office is at 1 South Main Street, New City, NY 10956, phone (845) 638-5001.

Criminal records from the Sheriff's Office include arrest records, booking information, court records, and correctional records. For mail requests to the Sheriff's Office, allow 10 to 15 business days for processing. FOIL requests can be submitted through the Rockland County FOIL Portal online.

The Sheriff's Office also runs an inmate lookup for people held in the county jail. The Sex Offender Registry provides free access to registered offenders in Rockland County. For a full background check, combine local records with state-level sources.

A statewide criminal history search through OCA costs $95. For Rockland County alone, the name search fee at the clerk's office is $15, which is higher than many other New York counties. Copies run $0.65 per page. Mail requests to the Sheriff's Office take 10 to 15 business days. Include the full name and date of birth for any person you are searching. The WebCrims Public Access Terminal at the courthouse in New City is free to use during court hours.

Statewide Background Check Options

The OCA Criminal History Record Search costs $95 per name and covers all 62 counties. The DCJS fingerprint-based check is about $65 and provides the most accurate results. DCJS maintains rap sheets with arrest, indictment, conviction, and sentence data.

The OCA search relies on exact name and date of birth matching. Sealed records are excluded. DCJS records are not public. You must submit your own fingerprints. Two response types are available: suppressed (hides sealed records) and unsuppressed (shows everything including cases under CPL 160.50, 160.55, 160.58, 160.59, and 720.35).

Public records in Rockland County fall under the Freedom of Information Law. Under Public Officers Law Sections 84 through 90, any person can request records. The standard copy fee is 25 cents per page. Agencies respond within five business days.

Clean Slate Act and Rockland County

New York's Clean Slate Act took effect November 16, 2024. Eligible misdemeanor convictions are sealed three years after sentence completion. Felonies qualify after eight years. No new convictions or pending charges are allowed during the wait. Sex offenses and non-drug Class A felonies are excluded.

The OCA has up to three years to build the automated sealing system. Until then, a Rockland County background check may show convictions that will eventually be sealed. Juvenile records are sealed under Family Court Act Section 375.1. Adoption records are kept permanently but sealed from public access. Surrogate's Court probate proceedings are public and maintained permanently.

Cities and Towns in Rockland County

Rockland County has several large towns. Court records for residents go through the Rockland County court system. The towns below have their own pages with specific local information.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Rockland County. Each has its own clerk and court system for background check records.