Reviewed and updated October 4, 2026 by the SearchSystems.net editorial team. Every office link on this page was opened and checked against the office's own website at review time.
Ithaca is a city in Tompkins County, New York, with about 34,000 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). Its public records are split between the city and the county. The city keeps council records and its own licenses and permits; court cases, jail bookings, deeds and vital records are county or state records. This guide names the Ithaca offices SearchSystems verified, links to each one's own website and gives the phone number and address where the office publishes them. SearchSystems verified 2 city office pages for Ithaca, every one opened and checked.
In this guide: City or county, City Clerk, City Hall, Records requests and Questions.
City or county record: where Ithaca records are kept
- Kept by the City of Ithaca: council and board meeting records, ordinances and the city's own licenses and permits.
- Kept by Tompkins County or the state: court cases, jail bookings, deeds and property values and birth and death certificates. These are not city records; they are in the Tompkins County public records guide under court records, jail lookups, property records and vital records.
Ithaca City Clerk: council records and ordinances
The City Clerk keeps the official records of the city government: council and board agendas and minutes, ordinances and resolutions, and the city's contracts and other official documents. The office below is the one SearchSystems verified for Ithaca.
- Website: cityofithacany.gov/170/City-ClerkDepartment-of-Information-Comm (page title: City Clerk | Department of Information & Community Engagement | Ithaca, NY)
- Phone: 607-274-6570
- Hours: Monday - Friday 8:30 AM - 4:00 PM
- Checked: September 25, 2026, the page answered.
Ithaca City Hall: departments, licenses and permits
Business licenses, building permits, code enforcement cases and the city's other records are kept by the department that issued them. The city's own website below lists its departments and how to reach them.
- Website: cityofithacany.gov/129/Departments (page title: Departments | Ithaca, NY)
- Checked: September 25, 2026, the page answered.
Public records requests to Ithaca
New York public records law applies to the city government of Ithaca. A record that is not posted online is requested from the office that holds it: the City Clerk for council and city records and the department that issued a permit or license for its records. A request that names a date, an address, or a report or case number is the easiest to answer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this the official Ithaca website?
No. SearchSystems.net is an independent public records directory, online since 1997. It links to the official Ithaca offices listed above, and the city's own website is cityofithacany.gov; SearchSystems does not hold records, charge for them or take requests.
Where do I find Ithaca city council minutes and ordinances?
From the City Clerk at cityofithacany.gov, phone 607-274-6570. The office keeps the official agendas and minutes, ordinances and resolutions.
Where do I find court records or jail bookings for Ithaca?
Ithaca cases are heard by the courts that serve Tompkins County, and people arrested in Ithaca are usually booked into the county jail. Both are covered in the Tompkins County public records guide on SearchSystems.
How do I request a public record from Ithaca?
From the office that holds it: the City Clerk for council and city records and the department that issued a permit or license for its records. New York public records law applies to city governments.