Westchester County Background Check

Westchester County background check records are managed by the County Clerk, courts, and law enforcement in White Plains, New York. As part of the 9th Judicial District, Westchester is one of the most populated counties in the state and sits just north of New York City. This page covers how to search criminal history, court filings, and public records through Westchester County and state-level agencies.

Westchester County Clerk Background Check Records

The Westchester County Clerk's Office is at 110 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, White Plains, NY 10601. Phone is (914) 995-3080. Hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The clerk holds Supreme Court and County Court records for Westchester County.

Files include felony case records, civil judgments, liens, and land documents. You can visit and look at records during office hours at no charge. Copies run about $0.65 per page. Certified copies are more. A name search costs $5 per two-year period. For a broader search, each additional two-year block carries the same fee.

Westchester County has a high volume of court filings given its large population. The clerk's office sees steady traffic for record requests. The office also maintains land records, processes passport applications, and handles naturalization records for genealogy research. Under FOIL, Sections 84 through 90, court records are public and open for inspection.

Statewide Background Check Through Court Records

The Office of Court Administration runs the Criminal History Record Search. The fee is $95 per name. It covers all 62 New York counties. Results include open and pending criminal cases plus convictions from county, supreme, city, town, and village courts statewide. Sealed records do not show up.

Each alias or date of birth variation counts as a separate search with its own $95 fee. Town and village court data between May 1991 and 2002 may be incomplete. Results are not certified. A certified Certificate of Disposition can only come from the court where the case was filed.

Online requests with no record return results in real time. Searches that find records go through staff review and are emailed the next business day. Mail requests go to the Criminal History Record Search Unit at 25 Beaver Street, Room 940, New York, NY 10004. Make checks payable to the N.Y.S. Office of Court Administration.

Westchester County has multiple city courts. Yonkers City Court, White Plains City Court, Mount Vernon City Court, and New Rochelle City Court each handle misdemeanors and violations for their areas. Town and village courts manage similar cases across the rest of the county. All of these feed into the statewide OCA search.

Fingerprint-Based Background Check in Westchester County

The Division of Criminal Justice Services is the sole source for fingerprint-based criminal history in New York. Under Executive Law Article 35, DCJS is the central repository. Submit fingerprints at an IdentiGO location in Westchester County. The fee runs between $62 and $65.

DCJS rap sheets cover arrests, indictments, convictions, and sentences from all criminal justice agencies in the state. A suppressed response omits sealed records. An unsuppressed response includes everything, including records sealed under CPL 160.50, CPL 160.55, CPL 160.58, and CPL 160.59. Which response you get depends on the legal authority behind the request. You cannot get another person's records without specific legal basis.

Contact DCJS at 518-457-9847 or email RecordReview@dcjs.ny.gov. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 4 PM.

Westchester County Law Enforcement Records

The Westchester County Department of Public Safety provides police services across the county. The department keeps arrest records and incident reports. These are available through FOIL. Write to the Records Access Officer with a specific request. The agency must respond within five business days under FOIL Sections 84 through 90.

Local police departments in Westchester cities and towns also maintain their own records. Yonkers, White Plains, Mount Vernon, and New Rochelle each have their own police department with separate records. Each handles its own FOIL requests. The standard FOIL copy fee is 25 cents per page.

The Westchester County Department of Correction runs the county jail. Booking data and inmate information are held there. Contact the facility for current inmate information. Fingerprinting services are available at various locations in the county for DCJS background checks.

Westchester County Sex Offender Registry

DCJS runs the Sex Offender Registry under the Sex Offender Registration Act. Level 2 and Level 3 offenders are in the public online directory. For Level 1 offenders in Westchester County, call 800-262-3257 with the person's name and one identifier like date of birth or address.

Public data includes residence addresses, conviction information, and photos. Level 3 offenders verify their address every 90 days. Sexual predators and predicate sex offenders remain on the registry for life. All others stay for 20 years. Sign up through NY-ALERT to get notified about address changes. Given Westchester's large population, the registry covers a significant number of registered offenders in the area.

Clean Slate Act and Westchester County Records

The Clean Slate Act took effect November 16, 2024. Eligible misdemeanors can be sealed three years after the sentence ends. Felonies need eight years. No new convictions or pending charges can exist during the waiting period.

OCA has up to three years to build the automated sealing system. Until it is running, Westchester County background check results from DCJS may still show convictions that will be sealed eventually. Sex offenses requiring SORA registration and non-drug Class A felonies are never eligible. Those who do not qualify for automatic sealing can petition under CPL 160.59. Certificates of Relief from Disabilities and Certificates of Good Conduct remain available through Judiciary Law Section 255.

Corrections and State Prison Records

The Department of Corrections and Community Supervision operates 42 state prisons. The online inmate lookup lets you search by name, DIN, or NYSID number. Results show facility, sentence, parole eligibility, and conviction details going back decades. A parolee lookup is also available.

For records beyond the online tool, send a FOIL request to the DOCCS Records Access Officer. The VINE system provides victim notifications about changes in custody status. DOCCS publishes a most wanted list for parole absconders.

FOIL Public Records in Westchester County

The Freedom of Information Law covers records from all Westchester County agencies. Any person can request records under FOIL Sections 84 through 90. No New York residency is needed. Agencies must respond in five business days. Denials can be appealed within 30 days. If the appeal fails, an Article 78 proceeding in Supreme Court is available.

DCJS criminal history records are not available through FOIL. Court records, police reports, and most other agency records in Westchester County are covered. The standard copy fee is 25 cents per page. Agencies can waive fees when it serves the public interest.

Background Check in Westchester County Cities

Westchester County includes several large cities and towns. Background check records for residents go through the Westchester County Clerk and court system. Select a city below for specific local resources.

Nearby Counties

Westchester County borders the Bronx to the south and several Hudson Valley counties. Each has its own clerk and court system.