Suffolk County Criminal Records
Criminal records in Suffolk County are managed by County Clerk Vincent Puleo at 310 Center Drive in Riverhead, the Criminal Courts Building at 210 Center Drive, and the Suffolk County Criminal Court at 400 Carleton Avenue in Central Islip. Suffolk is one of the largest counties in New York and part of the 10th Judicial District. The County Clerk's imaging system is linked to the internet, giving users access to about 2.5 million documents. The county court system is large and handles a high volume of felony prosecutions and civil matters. You can search criminal records online, in person, or by mail. Multiple state-run tools also pull case data from Suffolk County courts.
Suffolk County Criminal Records Overview
Where to Search Suffolk County Criminal Records
The Suffolk County Clerk at 310 Center Drive, Riverhead, NY 11901 is the main office for court records. The phone is (631) 852-2001. The clerk maintains non-judicial public records including deeds, mortgages, liens, UCC filings, and business certificates. For court records specifically, call (631) 852-2000. You can search by name, corporation, or index number under Judiciary Law 255. In-person inspection is free during business hours, Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM.
The Suffolk County Court is at the Cromarty Court Complex, Criminal Courts Building, 210 Center Drive, Riverhead, NY 11901. Supervising Judge is Hon. Richard Ambro. Nicole Dawood is the Chief Clerk. The Criminal Office phone is 631-852-1462. County Court handles felony prosecutions and civil cases up to $25,000. Judges are elected to 10-year terms. The court also runs specialty programs including a Judicial Diversion Program (631-852-3545) and a Sex Offense Court.
Suffolk County Criminal Court at 400 Carleton Avenue, Central Islip, NY 11722 handles misdemeanors. The phone is 631-208-5775. For motions and appeals, call 631-852-2130.
Online Criminal Records Search Options
WebCrims gives free access to pending criminal cases in Suffolk County. Guest access provides basic case info without registration. The eCourts portal covers multiple case types including WebCivil Local, WebCivil Supreme, WebFamily, and WebSurrogate. NYSCEF handles electronically filed civil cases.
The Suffolk County Clerk provides online access to approximately 2.5 million documents through its imaging system.
The County Clerk also offers a Judgments Online Record Search. Enter the last name and use a percent sign with the first few letters of the first name. Click search and access details by clicking the index number. This tool covers debtor searches and judgment records.
For a statewide search, the Criminal History Record Search costs $95 per name. Results arrive the next business day. Sealed records are excluded. Free options include the Sheriff's Inmate Search for current inmates and the Sex Offender Registry.
DCJS Criminal History Records
DCJS keeps fingerprint-based criminal history records. These are separate from court records and are not public. Use the Record Review program to get your own. Submit fingerprints through an approved vendor. The cost is about $77.75 total. Results come in 7 to 10 business days.
Criminal Record Sealing in Suffolk County
Suffolk County courts follow New York's statewide sealing laws. Dismissed cases seal automatically under CPL 160.50. Juvenile delinquency proceedings are protected under Family Court Act 381.3. Adoption records fall under Domestic Relations Law 114. Mental health proceedings are also restricted.
For convictions, CPL 160.59 allows sealing up to two convictions after 10 years. Sex offenses and violent felonies are excluded. The Clean Slate Act, effective November 16, 2024, provides for automatic sealing of misdemeanors after 3 years and felonies after 8 years. Certain serious offenses are excluded.
Fees for Suffolk County Criminal Records
In-person inspection is free. Copies and other services cost money.
- CHRS statewide search: $95.00 per name
- DCJS personal record review: about $77.75
- County clerk name search: $5.00
- Copy fees: $0.25 per page
- Certified copies: $5.00 minimum plus $1.25 per page after the first 4 pages (max $40)
- Certificate of Disposition: $5.00
WebCrims guest access is free. For written requests, download a FOIL Request Form from the Suffolk County website. Include a copy of valid ID and self-addressed stamped envelope. Allow 10 to 15 business days for processing.
Public Access to Criminal Records
Court records are mostly public under New York's Freedom of Information Law, Open Meetings Law, and Judiciary Laws. Publicly accessible records include case filings, dockets, dispositions, judgments, property disputes, traffic violations, liens, and probate filings. Restricted records include juvenile proceedings, adoption records, mental health proceedings, and sealed cases. If access is denied, the Committee on Open Government can help.
Suffolk County provides multiple pathways for accessing criminal and court records online and in person.
Sex Offender Registry
The Sex Offender Registry lets you search Suffolk County offenders by name, county, or zip code. It is free. Level 2 and 3 offenders show up online. For Level 1, call 1-800-262-3257.
Corrections and Inmate Records
The DOCCS website has an inmate lookup for state prison. The Suffolk County Sheriff's Office runs a jail inmate search tool for current inmates at the county facility.
Cities and Towns in Suffolk County
Suffolk County has several large towns with their own criminal records pages. Criminal records for each area go through the courts that serve that location.
- Brookhaven - The largest town in Suffolk County by population.
- Islip - Located in the central part of the county with its own court system.
- Huntington - A large town on the north shore of Long Island.
- Babylon - Located in the southwestern part of Suffolk County.
- Smithtown - Served by the Suffolk County 4th District Court in Hauppauge.
- Southampton - Located on the east end of Long Island.
Other towns in Suffolk County have their own town courts that handle local criminal matters. District Courts also serve portions of the county for misdemeanor and lower-level cases.
Nearby Counties
Suffolk County occupies the eastern portion of Long Island. Only one county borders it directly.