Onondaga County Criminal Records Search
Criminal records in Onondaga County are managed through courts and offices centered in Syracuse, which serves as the county seat. Onondaga County is part of the 5th Judicial District and handles a large volume of criminal cases each year due to the size of the Syracuse metro area. The County Clerk at 401 Montgomery Street maintains felony case files, while Syracuse City Court at 505 South State Street processes misdemeanor criminal records for the city. State online tools also pull criminal case data from Onondaga County courts. Which tool or office you use depends on the type of case and what you are looking for.
Onondaga County Criminal Records Overview
Where to Search Onondaga County Criminal Records
The Onondaga County Clerk at 401 Montgomery Street, Room 200, Syracuse, NY 13202 is the primary office for criminal records from County Court and Supreme Court cases. The clerk stores documents for all felony matters. You can visit in person and inspect public records at no charge under Judiciary Law 255. Copies come with a small fee. Call (315) 435-2226 for questions about what records are on file.
Syracuse City Court at 505 South State Street processes misdemeanor criminal records, violations, and some preliminary felony hearings within the city. The phone number is (315) 671-2700. If you need records from a case heard in Syracuse City Court, start there or check WebCrims first.
Onondaga County Court is at 505 South State Street, Syracuse, NY 13202. Felony cases are tried here. Criminal records from this court include indictments, pleas, trial results, and sentencing information. The County Clerk acts as clerk for County Court, so records go to 401 Montgomery Street for long-term storage. Town courts in places like Clay, Cicero, Dewitt, and Manlius each handle their own low-level criminal matters.
Online Criminal Records Search
The quickest free option is WebCrims. It shows active and pending criminal cases by name or case number. WebCrims covers courts in the 5th Judicial District, including Onondaga County. It does not show sealed cases or old closed matters. Use it to track a case that is still going through the system.
The eCourts portal provides broader access to court records statewide. Search by name, case number, or attorney. It pulls results from courts in Onondaga County. The system is free to use but not every record type appears, and some older criminal records may not be in the database yet.
Online tools for searching Onondaga County criminal records and court case data.
The Criminal History Record Search costs $95 per name and date of birth. It pulls results from every court level in all 62 counties. You get results the next business day. Sealed records will not show up. Town and village court data from before 2007 may have gaps. This is a name-based search, not fingerprint-based.
DCJS Criminal History Records
The Division of Criminal Justice Services keeps fingerprint-based criminal history records for all of New York. These are not court records. DCJS records include arrest data, charges, and case outcomes tied to a set of fingerprints. They are not public, and you cannot get someone else's DCJS record through any request method.
To get your own DCJS record, use the Record Review program. Submit fingerprints through an approved vendor. The cost is about $77.75. Results take 7 to 10 business days. You can pick a suppressed version that hides sealed records, or an unsuppressed version showing everything. Syracuse has multiple fingerprinting sites available to Onondaga County residents.
Criminal Record Sealing in Onondaga County
New York has several paths for sealing criminal records. Onondaga County courts follow the same rules as the rest of the state.
Dismissed and acquitted cases seal on their own under CPL 160.50. No filing is required. The court and police seal their files. This applies across Onondaga County Court, Syracuse City Court, and all local town courts.
Under CPL 160.59, a person can apply to seal up to two convictions after waiting 10 years from sentencing or release. Only one can be a felony. Sex offenses, Class A felonies, and violent felonies are not eligible. Youthful offender adjudications are confidential under CPL 720.35 and will not appear in public searches.
The Clean Slate Act became effective November 16, 2024. It provides for automatic sealing of certain convictions. Misdemeanors seal 3 years after sentencing or release. Felonies seal after 8 years. Excluded offenses include sex crimes, Class A felonies, violent felonies, and homicides. DCJS manages this process across the state.
Fees for Onondaga County Criminal Records
The Onondaga County Clerk charges standard fees set by state law. Inspecting records in person is free. You pay when you want copies made.
- CHRS statewide search: $95.00 per name
- DCJS personal record review: about $77.75
- County clerk name search: $5.00 per name (two-year period)
- Copy fees: $0.25 to $0.65 per page
- Certified copies: $5.00 to $10.00 per document
WebCrims and eCourts are free to use. They show case info on screen but you cannot get certified copies through them. If you need a Certificate of Disposition from Onondaga County Court, request it through the County Clerk's office.
Public Access to Records
Criminal court records in Onondaga County are generally public. New York's Freedom of Information Law under Public Officers Law Article 6 grants broad access to government records. Court records fall under Judiciary Law 255. You do not need to be a party to the case, and you do not need a reason for the request.
Records that are off limits include sealed cases, Family Court files, juvenile matters, youthful offender adjudications, and grand jury proceedings. The Syracuse Police Department and Onondaga County District Attorney may withhold active investigation files under FOIL exemptions. If a records request gets denied, the Committee on Open Government can help.
Sex Offender Registry Search
The Sex Offender Registry lets you search by name, county, or zip code. Look up registered offenders in Onondaga County at no cost. Level 2 and Level 3 offenders appear in the online search. For Level 1 offenders, call the registry hotline at 1-800-262-3257. This system is separate from the criminal court records held by the Onondaga County Clerk.
Corrections and Inmate Records
The DOCCS website has an inmate lookup tool. Search by name or DIN number for people sentenced in Onondaga County who are now in state prison. The Onondaga County Justice Center holds people awaiting trial or serving short local sentences. Contact the facility at (315) 435-3032 for info on current inmates. The Jamesville Correctional Facility, also in Onondaga County, is a state facility covered by DOCCS records.
Cities in Onondaga County
Onondaga County includes Syracuse and several large towns. Criminal records for each area go through the courts serving that location.
- Syracuse - County seat. Syracuse City Court handles misdemeanor criminal records.
- Clay - Town of Clay has its own justice court for local criminal cases.
Other towns like Cicero, Dewitt, Salina, and Manlius have their own town courts. Records from those courts can be searched through CHRS or eCourts.
Nearby Counties
Onondaga County is in central New York. If you need criminal records from surrounding areas, each of these counties has its own court system.