New York Free Public Records Directory

The State of New York is our 4th most populous state, and it includes our largest city by population. With over 8 million residents, New York City the largest city in the U.S. and is home to about 40% of New York State’s population. The New York Metropolitan Area, which includes parts of New Jersey and Connecticut, is the largest metropolitan area in the world by land mass, and has over 20 million residents – including about 2/3 of New York State’s total population. The balance of New York’s population lives “upstate” in the counties north of the metro area. With a total land area of 54,455 square miles, New York is the 27th largest state by area. Its population of nearly 20 million makes it the 7th most densely populated state. Because most of that population lives in the New York City metro area, the “upstate” counties’ population density is much less.

The divide between New York City and “upstate” is far more than by population or geography. Although there are major industrial cities outside of New York City, “upstate” is mostly rural and agricultural, featuring dairy products, fruit, and winemaking. In contrast, New York City is generally considered one of the most important financial, commercial, and cultural centers in the world. The New York metro area’s location on the Atlantic Ocean gives it a humid subtropical climate, with warm, humid summers and cool, damp winters. Upstate New York has a humid continental climate, with much colder winters; areas near the Great Lakes often receive heavy snowfall in winter.

Lakes Ontario and Erie – separated by the Niagara River and its namesake Falls – form most of New York’s northwestern border. New York borders the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec to the north. States bordering New York include Pennsylvania to the west and south, New Jersey to the west, and Vermont, Massachusetts, and Connecticut to the east. New York has 62 counties. Its capital is Albany, on the Hudson River. Upstate New York includes large forested tracts and parks, the Catskill Mountains, and the Adirondack Mountains with their large wilderness tracts. The largest upstate cities are Buffalo and Rochester.

Upstate New York’s agricultural and industrial exports and New York City’s financial and commercial dominance make the state an economic powerhouse. If New York were a country, it would have the 12th largest economy in the world. The New York Stock Exchange and financial firms centered on Wall Street make New York City the most economically influential city in the world. New York earns its nickname: The Empire State. With its extensive network of state universities, community colleges, and private universities (including Ivy League members Columbia and Cornell Universities), New York is ranked #14 in higher education. It is also #11 in overall business environment and #4 in top company headquarters. Its state motto is Excelsior, Latin for “ever upward.”

To find New York public records, see our directory below of all types, including court records, birth certificates, government record search websites, and official records.

Abbreviation	NY
Capital	Albany
Population	19,849,399 (2017 est.)
Area size	54,555 sq. mi
Demonym	New Yorker
Primary languages spoken	English, Spanish
Governor	Andrew Cuomo
Lieutenant Governor	Kathy Hochul
U.S. Senators	Chuck Schumer, Kirsten Gillibrand
U.S. House Delegation	17 Republicans, 9 Democrats
Time Zone	Eastern: UTC -5/-4

*The map and data in the table are from Wikipedia.

Browse by Public Record Category

There are two types of public records: 1) personal public records that document major life milestones such as birth certificates, death certificates, divorce records, and marriage records, etc.; and 2) government records that are made public such as property tax records, recorded land records, voter records, crime data, jail inmate records, and court records. The Freedom of Information Act is a national law that releases government agency public records and makes it possible to view most public records. Since there are a multitude of records available, it can be difficult to know how or where to access them.

New York’s first public records law was enacted in 1974, and significant amendments have been passed since its enactment. It includes a very broad definition of “records” and permits anyone to request public records for any purpose.

When you are ready to start your search, you’ll find our Public Records Directory website easy to use since all of the records can be searched by federal, state, county, city, town or type of record. The links provided will connect you to the best website for the record search, provide details about the record, or provide contact information for those records without search capabilities.