Access Rochester Public Records
Public records in the City of Rochester are available through the City Clerk, the Monroe County Clerk, and several city departments with their own archives. Rochester is the third largest city in New York State with a population around 211,000. It sits on Lake Ontario in western New York. The City Clerk handles local records and FOIL requests. The Monroe County Clerk manages court filings and land records. Rochester also has its own Municipal Archives with historical records going back to 1817, making it one of the richer sources for older public documents in the state. Between these offices, you can find a wide range of records for the Rochester area.
Rochester Public Records Overview
Monroe County Court and Land Records
The Monroe County Clerk manages court filings and land records for Rochester. The Clerk's office is at the Monroe County Office Building, 39 West Main Street in downtown Rochester. Supreme Court cases, property deeds, mortgages, liens, and other land documents are filed there. Monroe County has an online search system for land records, and copies cost 65 cents per page with a $1.30 minimum. Certified copies are $5 plus page fees.
Monroe County is in the 7th Judicial District. Civil cases from Rochester go to Supreme Court or Rochester City Court based on the amount and type. The eCourts portal has Supreme Court civil case data from Monroe County. It is free to search by name or index number. For City Court cases, WebCivil Local covers that. Rochester City Court handles small claims, housing, and misdemeanor cases within city limits.
The Criminal History Record Search costs $95 and covers all courts in the state, including Monroe County. It uses exact name and date of birth matching. Sealed records do not show up in the results.
Rochester City Clerk
The Rochester City Clerk handles local records and serves as the main contact for FOIL requests. You can find information about the City Clerk at cityofrochester.gov/departments/city-clerk/.
| Office | City Clerk, City of Rochester |
|---|---|
| Website | cityofrochester.gov/departments/city-clerk/ |
| County | Monroe County |
The City Clerk keeps vital records for events in Rochester. Birth, death, and marriage certificates are available for events that took place in the city. The office also maintains city council minutes, local laws, and ordinances. Licenses and permits are on file. For vital records from outside Rochester or the city's records collection, the New York State Department of Health has statewide records going back to 1881.
FOIL Requests and the Law Department
The Rochester Law Department handles FOIL requests for city records. Their office is at City Hall Room 400A, 30 Church Street, Rochester, NY 14614. Call (585) 428-6986 for information. The copy fee for FOIL requests is 25 cents per page.
| Office | Law Department, FOIL Division |
|---|---|
| Address | City Hall Room 400A, 30 Church St, Rochester, NY 14614 |
| Phone | (585) 428-6986 |
| Copy Fee | $0.25/page |
To make a FOIL request, write to the Law Department. Be specific about what you need. Include dates, names, and departments. The city has five business days to respond. They can release the records, deny the request with reasons, or ask for more time. If denied, you have 30 days to appeal.
The Department of State FOIL page explains your rights under the law. The Committee on Open Government can help if you run into problems. For Monroe County records, file a separate FOIL request with the county agency that has the files.
Rochester Municipal Archives
Rochester has its own Municipal Archives, which is unusual for a city this size. The archives hold records going back to 1817, covering the early days of the village through the modern city. Call (585) 428-7331 for information about the collection and visiting hours.
The collection includes Village of Rochester Trustees minutes from the earliest years of the settlement. Common Council minutes from 1834 to 1987 are in the archives. There is also a Register of Marriages from 1876 to 1907. These records are valuable for genealogy research and for understanding the history of local government decisions.
City department records eventually make their way to the archives after their retention period ends. This means you can find old records from the police department, the fire department, public works, and other city agencies. Not everything has been cataloged or digitized, so a visit or phone call may be needed to find out what is available for your research topic. The archives staff can point you to the right collection once they know what you are looking for.
For more recent records that have not yet been transferred to the archives, contact the city department directly or file a FOIL request through the Law Department.
How to Search Rochester Public Records
Start with the record type. Court and land records go through the county. City records, vital records, and archives are local.
Court cases are free to search online. Use the eCourts portal for Supreme Court cases from Monroe County. WebCivil Local covers Rochester City Court cases. Both let you search by name or case number. For criminal history, the statewide search costs $95.
Property records go through the Monroe County Clerk. Their online land records database covers deeds, mortgages, and other instruments. Copies cost 65 cents per page. Certified copies are $5 plus page fees. Tax records are at the Monroe County Real Property Tax Service and the city assessor.
For historical records, the Municipal Archives is a unique resource. If you are doing genealogy or historical research, call the archives at (585) 428-7331 first. They can tell you if they have what you need and how to access it.
Legal Resources in Rochester
Legal Assistance of Western New York provides free civil legal help to low-income residents of Monroe County. They handle housing, family law, public benefits, and consumer cases. The Monroe County Bar Association has a lawyer referral service. LawHelp NY at lawhelpny.org lists free legal aid providers across the state.
The 7th Judicial District courts have a Help Center where self-represented litigants can get assistance with forms and procedures. Rochester City Court also has resources for people without attorneys. For records-related questions, the Committee on Open Government can explain what you have the right to see under New York law.
Nearby Cities
Other cities near Rochester with public records pages: