FAQs

The NYS Office of Court Administration (OCA) requires the individual's Full Name and Date of Birth.

There are several ways to submit. You can download a copy of the CHRS application form used to request searches via the New York State Court's website: www.nycourts.gov/apps/chrs. The application can be mailed (include a self addressed stamped envelope if you like results mailed back) or hand delivered. Results can be emailed by specifying your preference and including your email address. You can also electronically submit via OCA’s on-line application called Direct Access.

Direct Access is the NYS Office of Court Administration’s (OCA) on-line Criminal History Record Search (CHRS) program for commercial entities and frequent users who submit through a secure website. The Direct Access program requires payment by either e-check or credit/debit card at the time the request is submitted. For more information, visit our website at:
www.nycourts.gov/apps/chrs.

Conviction and pending records as it relates to felony and misdemeanor cases originating in Town and Village Courts, City, and County/Supreme Courts. Sealed records are not reported. As of July 20, 2007, data relating to noncriminal offenses (e.g., violations, infractions) will no longer appear as part of the CHRS Report. Cases processed in Town/Village Courts from 1991 to 2002 are not part of the NYS Office of Court Administration's criminal disposition database.

As a result of a recent case filed in a New York court, the Unified Court System has reviewed its policy regarding the contents of criminal history summaries that it provides to individuals and businesses upon their request and for a fee. The review has resulted in a change of policy to the extent that the summaries provided will report only convictions on charges that New York State law regards as crimes. Crimes are defined by New York State law as including misdemeanors and felonies only. Convictions on offenses classified as violations and infractions which are not crimes as defined by New York State law will no longer be reported unless the criminal history summary includes a misdemeanor or felony conviction for the same event.

This means the charge displayed is not part of OCA”s charge dictionary. You can contact the court for the charge description or you can access the New State Assembly’s website at: www.assembly.state.ny.us/leg (click “New York State Laws.) This site also includes NYC Administrative Codes.

Refer to OCA's C.R.I.M.S (County) Data Chart

Yes. The New York State Court's website: www.nycourts.gov/courts have information which provides court addresses and phone numbers (click Trial Courts or Town/Village Courts.)

Upon receipt, CHRS results are completed within 24 hours. Customers who use Direct Access, OCA's online application, typically receives results within four to five hours.

Names searched with a dual (e.g., Garcia Rivera, James) or hyphenated (e.g., Garcia-Rivera, James) surname will generate the following variations: with a hyphen (e.g., Garcia-Rivera), with a space (e.g., Garcia Rivera), and dual names together (e.g., Garcia Rivera) Dual surnames are not automatically reconfigured and searched in its single format (e.g., Garcia-Rivera, James searched as Garcia, James and Rivera, James.)

Names searched with surnames appearing with an apostrophe (e.g., O'Donahue) will generate the following variations: with an apostrophe (e.g., O'Donahue), with a space (e.g., O Donahue), and surname intact (e.g., ODonahue.)

Names searched with a suffix will prompt the following variations: with a suffix as entered (e.g., John Smith Jr.) and without (e.g., John Smith.) However, names searched without a suffix will not generate names appearing with a suffix in the database.

NYS Town and Village court dispositions are not available for the period May 1991 through 2002. As of April 2007, all Town and Village courts report to OCA. All City and County/Supreme courts, within the 62 counties, are required to report criminal disposition data to the NYS Office of Court Administration.

No. However, you can contact the court of origination and request a Certificate of Disposition for a nominal fee. A Certificate of Disposition is an official court document affixed with the Court Seal reflecting the disposition of the case. Court Locations and phone numbers are available on the New York State Court's website: www.nycourts.gov/courts.

The holiday schedule for the NYS Office of Court Administration is available via the New York State Court's website.