Chemung County Public Records Search

Chemung County public records are held by the County Clerk in Elmira and the state court system. Located in the Southern Tier of New York near the Pennsylvania border, Chemung County is part of the Sixth Judicial District. The County Clerk at 210 Lake Street maintains court files, land records, and provides online access to land documents through the Chemung County Land Records Online system. Court records can also be searched through the statewide eCourts portal that covers all 62 New York counties.

Chemung County Clerk's Office

The Chemung County Clerk maintains court records as Clerk of the Supreme and County Courts. The office also records land transactions. Deeds, mortgages, liens, and related documents all get filed here. The office provides online access to land records through the Chemung County Land Records Online system, which lets you search from home or anywhere with internet access.

Standard copies cost 25 cents per page. Certified copies are $5.00 plus page fees. The office takes cash, checks, and money orders. In-person and mail requests are both accepted.

How to Search Chemung County Records

For court records, the WebCivil Supreme portal has civil cases from the Chemung County Supreme Court starting in 2002. Search by party name, index number, or attorney. Data updates once daily. Pending criminal cases are on WebCriminal.

The Criminal History Record Search gives you a statewide check for $95. It uses exact name and date of birth matching. Results cover open cases and convictions from all court levels. Sealed records do not appear. Town and village court data has some gaps, especially for cases between 1991 and 2002.

Land records go through the Clerk's online system. The Chemung County Real Property Tax Services office maintains a separate database for property assessments and tax data. Search by address, parcel number, or owner name for assessment values and ownership information.

Vital records for Chemung County are filed with the New York State Department of Health. Birth records go back to 1881. Death records start at 1880. A certified copy costs $30 with standard processing of 8 to 10 weeks.

Types of Public Records in Chemung County

Chemung County offices hold court records, land records, property tax data, and vital records. Supreme Court civil cases and County Court criminal cases are maintained by the County Clerk. Under Public Officers Law Section 87, court records are open unless sealed. Family Court records have limited access due to privacy rules protecting children and families.

Land records include deeds, mortgages, satisfactions, assignments, and liens. These records form the chain of title for every property in the county. No restrictions limit who can search them. Title companies, attorneys, banks, and the general public all use these records for property transactions and research.

Vital records for Chemung County go through the state Department of Health. Birth records start in 1881. Death records go back to 1880. A certified copy costs $30. Genealogical records (births 75+ years old, marriages and deaths 50+ years old) are available to anyone for $22 per copy. Local town clerks in the county may process requests faster than the state office.

The Department of State Corporation Database covers business entities registered in Chemung County. The search is free and shows entity name, status, filing date, and registered agent. The database includes corporations, LLCs, limited partnerships, and other business types that file with the state.

FOIL Requests in Chemung County

Freedom of Information Law covers all Chemung County agencies. Under Public Officers Law Article 6, a record is anything an agency keeps in any form. Write to the Records Access Officer with details about what you need. The response deadline is five business days.

Copy fees top out at 50 cents per page. Labor charges may apply for requests that take more than two hours. Denials can be appealed within 30 days. The Committee on Open Government at (518) 474-2518 handles questions about FOIL access to Chemung County public records. The Department of State FOIL page has sample request language and step-by-step instructions.

Chemung County Legal Resources

Voter registration records sit with the Chemung County Board of Elections. The NYSVoter system includes name, address, party, and voting history. Under Election Law Section 5-614, driver's license and social security numbers are blocked from public view. Register or update your status at the Online Voter Registration portal.

Criminal Procedure Law Section 160.50 seals records of arrests that do not lead to convictions. These sealed records are not public and do not appear in any search tool. Civil Rights Law Section 50-a, which used to protect police discipline records, was repealed in 2020. That means some law enforcement records that were previously off limits are now accessible through FOIL requests in Chemung County and across the state.

The State Board of Elections maintains the statewide voter list and can answer questions about voter data availability. The Division of Criminal Justice Services handles fingerprint-based criminal history checks, which are restricted to authorized agencies and not available to the general public.

Communities in Chemung County

Chemung County includes the city of Elmira and communities like Horseheads, Big Flats, and Southport. None of these meet the population threshold for a separate page. All public records for Chemung County residents are filed through the County Clerk at 210 Lake Street in Elmira.

Nearby Counties

Chemung County sits in the Southern Tier, bordering Pennsylvania. Here are the neighboring New York counties.