New York County Arrest Records
Arrest records in New York County, which covers Manhattan, are handled by the NYPD, Manhattan Criminal Court, and the District Attorney's Office. Unlike most New York counties where the Sheriff runs law enforcement, the NYPD handles arrests across all five boroughs, and Manhattan's Criminal Court at 100 Centre Street processes the bulk of criminal cases for the borough. New York County is in the 1st Judicial District. With a population over 1.6 million and the busiest criminal court system in the state, finding arrest records here involves a few different agencies. This page breaks down each one and explains how to access the records you need.
New York County Overview
Manhattan Criminal Court
Manhattan Criminal Court is at 100 Centre Street, New York, NY 10013. General information is at (646) 386-4511. The Arraignment Clerk can be reached at (212) 374-3126, and Central Booking is at (212) 374-3921. Court hours are Monday through Wednesday from 8 AM to 1 AM, and Thursday through Sunday from 9 AM to 1 AM. This is where most criminal cases in New York County start.
Cases are heard in courtrooms called "parts." Arraignments happen on the first floor in AR1, AR2, AR3, AR3A, and AR4. After arraignment, cases go to different parts depending on the charge. Part E handles DWI cases. Part F is for felonies. Part N covers drug felonies. Misdemeanor cases stay in Criminal Court, while felony cases that get indicted move to Supreme Court at 100 Centre Street or 111 Centre Street for trial.
A secondary location at 346 Broadway handles some misdemeanor cases. The Midtown Community Court at 314 West 54th Street takes certain low-level offenses. If you need to find where a specific case is being heard, the Arraignment Clerk at (212) 374-3126 can help.
Public transportation is strongly recommended. Parking is almost nonexistent. Take the 4 or 5 train to Brooklyn Bridge, the 6, N, or R to Canal Street, or the 1 to Franklin Street. Security screening is required for all visitors entering the courthouse.
NYPD Records for New York County
The NYPD handles all arrests in Manhattan. To get arrest records or incident reports, you submit a request through the NYPD's records system. FOIL requests go to the NYPD's Records Access Officer. Put your request in writing with the person's name, date of incident, and any report numbers you have.
The NYPD does not provide walk-in records service at local precincts for arrest records. Requests are processed centrally. Response time can vary because of the volume of requests the department handles. Under FOIL, the agency has five business days to acknowledge your request. Standard copy fees are $0.25 per page.
For pending criminal cases in Manhattan, check WebCrims. Guest access is free. You need at least three letters of the last name and two of the first. Only active cases with future court dates show up.
New York County District Attorney
The Manhattan District Attorney's Office is at 1 Hogan Place, New York, NY 10013. Phone is (212) 335-9000. Alvin Bragg serves as the District Attorney. This office reviews every arrest made in Manhattan and decides what charges to file. The DA works with NYPD and other law enforcement on case preparation and prosecution.
Victim services are available for people affected by crime in Manhattan. The DA's office runs diversion programs and participates in treatment courts. FOIL requests for records held by the DA can be submitted in writing. Community outreach programs are also part of the office's work.
New York County Clerk and Court Records
The New York County Clerk is at 60 Centre Street, New York, NY 10007. Phone is 646-386-5955. Norman Goodman serves as the County Clerk. Hours are Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM. The Clerk maintains records from Supreme Court cases, including felony matters that went to trial. Commercial division filings and judgments are also kept here.
Court records can be searched online through the NYS court system. The Office of Court Administration offers a Criminal History Record Search at $95 per name. It is name-based and needs an exact match. Sealed records will not appear. Results take one to two business days.
The New York County Sheriff's Office is at 66 John Street, New York, NY 10038. Phone is 212-488-2800. Unlike upstate counties, the NYC Sheriff is part of the Department of Finance and handles civil enforcement, evictions, and warrants rather than criminal arrests. For arrest records specifically, go through the NYPD or the court system.
State Resources for New York County Records
The Division of Criminal Justice Services keeps the official fingerprint-based state criminal history database. To get your own record, submit fingerprints at an IdentoGO location for $50 to $65. Results come by mail in 7 to 10 business days. DCJS records are not available through FOIL or third-party sites.
Under CPL section 160.50, dismissed cases are sealed automatically. The Clean Slate Act, effective November 16, 2024, seals eligible misdemeanor convictions after 3 years and felony convictions after 8 years from sentence completion. Sex offenses and Class A felonies are not eligible.
The DOCCS Inmate Lookup lets you search for people in state prison. The Sex Offender Registry is free to search for Level 2 and 3 offenders by name, county, or ZIP code.
Manhattan Detention and Inmate Data
Detention in Manhattan is handled by the NYC Department of Correction. The main facility is the Manhattan Detention Complex, commonly known as the Tombs. Phone is 212-266-1500. The DOC website has an inmate lookup tool that lets you search for people in city custody across all NYC facilities.
If someone was arrested in Manhattan and is awaiting trial, they may be held at one of the city's facilities. You can find out custody status, charges, and bail information through the DOC. If someone has been sentenced and sent to state prison, use the DOCCS lookup tool instead.
Sealing and Expungement
Arrests ending in dismissal or acquittal are sealed automatically under CPL section 160.50. No application needed. Cannabis convictions wiped out by the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act are treated as if they never happened.
CPL section 160.59 lets you apply to seal up to two criminal convictions if 10 years have passed since the last sentence was completed. Only one can be a felony. Sex offenses, violent felonies, and Class A felonies do not qualify. Apply at the court where the conviction took place. The NY Attorney General's office has details on eligibility.
The DCJS Record Review page above outlines the process for Manhattan residents who want to check their own criminal history through the state system.
Nearby Counties
These neighboring counties within New York City each have their own criminal court system:
Cities in New York County
New York County is coterminous with the Borough of Manhattan. For city-wide arrest record information: