Population
752K
County Seat
Rochester
Libraries
33
Schools
179

Searching Monroe County: what to expect

Searches in Monroe County run on two layers: a few county-run sources (3 below) and New York's statewide databases for everything else. You don't need a county-level docket here — New York courts are searchable statewide, mapped on our New York court records page. The standout local source is monroecounty.gov, covering parcel and property-tax data. The county posts nothing for criminal records, so that search runs through the statewide sources on our New York criminal records page. Anything not online lives with the county offices in Rochester.

SearchSystems Editorial
Edited by — verified against official government sources. About our editorial process.
Last reviewed: June 04, 2026 · Methodology: all Monroe County record-source URLs verified against the official local and New York state publishers on the review date. 4 primary .gov / official sources cited below.

Monroe County — Key Numbers (2026)

Population, demographics, and county-seat data for Monroe County, New York — verified against U.S. Census 2024 estimates.
752,202
Population
Census estimate
314,727
Households
Census estimate
$71,450
Median income
Annual household
$182,700
Median home value
Census ACS
Rochester
County seat
In New York
Monroe County Records Availability Map
Criminal records
see state portal
Court records
4 sources
Wants & warrants
see state portal
Property records
10 sources
Vital records
1 source
Voter records
see state portal
Professional licenses
see state portal
Recorded documents
see state portal
Count of verified official sources per record type. Multiple sources   One source   Use state portal

Monroe County Records at a Glance

Record typeMonroe County verified sources
Court recordsWeb Civil Supreme Court Case Search
EXHIBIT B FILED: MONROE COUNTY CLERK 02/10/2025 11:19 AM IND…
Criminal recordsNew York State Division of Criminal Justice Services - NYC
Wants & warrants 
Property recordsMonroe County Real Property Portal
Monroe County, NY - Board of Elections
Vital recordsHistoric marriage records | City of Rochester, New York
Voter recordsNy
Professional licensesLicensee Name Search - NY.Gov
Recorded documentsMonroe County, NY
Monroe County, NY - Department of Transportation
Monroe County, NY - 911 Incidents
Monroe County — Verified Record Sources by Type (2026)
Court records4Criminal records0Wants & warrants0Property records10Vital records1Voter records0Licenses0Recorded docs0
Count of officially verified .gov / .us record sources cataloged for Monroe County. Sources reviewed June 04, 2026.

What Changed in 2026 — Monroe County Records

2026
Monroe County official government portal active
The official Monroe County government website at www.monroecounty.gov continues to serve as the canonical local source.
2026
Monroe County court records portal verified
State court system links for Monroe County verified against the New York judiciary portal in 2026.
2026
Monroe County property records online
Monroe County property assessment and recorder office online portal active in 2026.
2026
FBI Identity History Summary (federal complement)
For records that may exist outside New York, the FBI Identity History Summary at fbi.gov complements all county-level state records.

The 4-Step Monroe County Records Pathway

1
Step 1 — Start at the Monroe County clerk/courthouse
For most local records (court cases, property deeds, marriage licenses), the Monroe County clerk's office is the first stop.
2
Step 2 — Use the New York statewide systems
Criminal background, court case search, voter registration, and professional licensing are all run at the New York state level — not by the county.
3
Step 3 — Federal sources for federal records
Federal court cases (PACER), federal tax liens (IRS), military records (NPRC), and immigration data (ICE) are all federal — not held by the county.
4
Step 4 — Cross-check before relying on data
Most county portals lag 24-48 hours behind the courthouse. For time-sensitive verification, call the clerk directly.

Five Things People Get Wrong About Monroe County Records

MYTH"Monroe County maintains all criminal records."
FACTCriminal records for Monroe County are held by the New York state repository, NOT the county. The county sheriff has only the local arrest log.
MYTH"Records sealed in Monroe County are gone everywhere."
FACTSealing removes records from public search but they still exist at the courthouse and may appear in FBI records (Identity History Summary).
MYTH"Free 'instant background' sites have Monroe County data."
FACTOnly the official New York state repository has verified, current Monroe County data. Free sites often have stale data.
MYTH"The Monroe County assessor's value is what I'll sell my home for."
FACTThe Monroe County assessor's value is for property tax purposes only — usually below market value.
MYTH"All county records older than 50 years are public."
FACTPartially false. Public-records rules vary by record type AND state. Court records and deeds are usually older-public; vital records remain restricted longer (often 75-125 years).

Primary Sources and Official Record Portals

Related — Monroe County & New York Records

For records not specific to Monroe County, use New York's statewide system or the national hub.
📍 New York statewide record systems:
🇺🇸 National hubs:
Related Public Records
Other counties in New York: Livingston · Madison · Montgomery · Nassau · New York
Looking for a person, not a database? Start with the New York guides:

About Monroe County, New York

Monroe County is located in northwestern New York. The county seat is Rochester (official site: https://www.monroecounty.gov/).

  • Households: 314,727
  • Median household income: $71,450
  • Median home value: $182,700
  • Below poverty line: 13.4%
  • Land area: 656.9 sq mi
  • Population density: 1,145.0 people / sq mi
PR
Monroe County Real Property Portal
Official Free
The maps and tabular data presented real property tax assessment records. Users of this mapping application should consult the original public information sources for verification of the information contained in this application. While efforts have been made to use the most current and accurate data, Monroe County, New York, and their mapping and software consultants assume no legal responsibility for the information contained in this Internet-based Geographic Information System (GIS)
PR
Monroe County, NY - Board of Elections
Official Free
The Board of Elections Department of government. The Monroe County Board of Elections conducts all national, state, county, city, and town elections. The structure of this agency, its responsibilities, and its duties are mandated by New York State Election La
PR
Property data, assessment, sales and taxes | City of Rochester, New York
Official Free
for the City of Rochester Property Information Application · Recent sales of residential properties (one, two, and three-family homes) in an interactive map format. Search residential and commercial properties in Monroe County (including the City of Rochester) for sales, assessment and property data information for specific and comparable properties.
PR
Geographic Information System (GIS) maps | City of Rochester, New York
Official Free
- Returns the name and contact information of a code inspector based on the City of Rochester address entered · Vacant Structures, Vacant Land, and City-Owned Properties - Draw a polygon or radius and get a returned table of vacant structures, vacant land, city-owned properties, and demo cases that can be opened in Excel
PR
Geocortex Essentials Sites Directory
Official Free
Assessment and tax records covering Monroe County are published through this system. If a link breaks, the office homepage at mappingmonroe.monroecounty.gov carries the new path.
PR
Assessor | Irondequoit, NY
Official Free
The Town Assessor’s duties and responsibilities are determined by the New York State Real Property Tax Law and include the preparation of the annual assessment role; administration of the complaint (grievance)/tax certiorari procedure; administration of exemptions.
PR
Monroe County, NY - GIS Data
Official Free
Use the links below to download a zip file of map layer data in ESRI shapefile format for use in mapping applications. Each zip contains files with the following file extensions: cpg, dbf, prj, sbn, sbx, shp, shp.xml, & shx. Street Centerlines and Address Points are maintained by the New York State GIS Program Office. Click on the links below to download street centerlines or address points directly from New York State. Parcel Boundaries are maintained by the Monroe County Office of Real Property.
PR
Brighton, NY - Official Website | Official Website
Official Free
View our public meetings and town events! Whether you are currently a resident of Brighton or are considering moving your home or business here, we appreciate your interest.
PR
Village of Hilton
Official Free
Welcome to the Town of Hoosick Online Tax Payment and History System You may pay your taxes online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by using your Visa, MasterCard or Discover credit card (2.50% convenience fee will apply).
PR
Document Search Introduction
Official Free
Welcome to the New York City Department of Finance Office of the City Register 's Document Search.
PR
County Fusion - Recorded Documents - kofiletech.us
Official Free
This site will not function properly if IE Compatibility Mode is enabled. Please disable Compatibility Mode and refresh the page. If you do not know how to disable Compatibility Mode please submit a ticket to our support team and they will be happy to assist you.
CT
Web Civil Supreme Court Case Search
Official Free
This system provides past, present and future case information for New York State Civil Supreme Courts Only · Index Search Find New York State Civil Supreme Court cases by index number. Party Search Find New York State Civil Supreme Court cases by party name.
CT
EXHIBIT B FILED: MONROE COUNTY CLERK 02/10/2025 11:19 AM INDEX NO. E2025000070
Official Free
Court case information for Monroe County, New York. Coverage is deepest for recent decades and thins out further back — check the stated start dates. Try surname-only searches when a full name returns nothing; spelling variations are common.
CT
NYSCEF Surrogate's Court - E Courts
Official Free
This site allows NYS attorneys and other authorized persons to file legal papers by electronic means. E-filing is authorized for certain case types in certain courts. See our Authorized Courts and Case Types page.
CT
Monroe County, NY - Law - Child Support Enforcement Unit
Official Free
It searches new hire reports, unemployment insurance records, Department of Motor Vehicles records, correctional facility records, as well as information from NYS Department of Taxation and Finance, Internal Revenue Service, Social Security Administration, Department of Parole and Veterans’ Administration.
CT
Webcrims NY
Official Free
Court case information for Monroe County — dockets, hearing dates, and case lookups. Searching the official side is free.
VR
Historic marriage records | City of Rochester, New York
Official Free
Vital-record certificates connected to Monroe County are ordered here. Searching the official side is free.
VT
Vital Statistics of New York State
Official Free
Information on vital records, including obtaining your birth or death certificates, can be found at: https://www.health.ny.gov/vital_records/ Through a cooperative agreement, the New York State Department of Health receives data on live births, deaths, fetal deaths, induced terminations of pregnancy/abortions (abortion), marriages, and divorces/dissolutions of marriage recorded in New York City from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and on live births and deaths recorded outside of New York State to residents of New York State from other states and Canada.
CR
New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services - NYC
Official Free
The Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) administers the state’s Commercial Security Tax Credit Program.
VR
Ny
Official Free
Election administration for Monroe County runs through this office, from voter rolls to results. Searching the official side is free.
LC
Licensee Name Search - NY.Gov
Official Free
Enter all or part of last name and/or first name. Select a license type or "ALL LICENSE TYPES" from the drop-down list. To narrow down this search, you may select a county name or enter all or part of a city name or a Zip Code.
BZ
Monroe County, NY - Department of Transportation
Official Free
The Monroe County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) is responsible for the safe and efficient operation and maintenance of approximately 1,480 lane miles (approximately 664 centerline miles) of county-owned highways, 192 bridges (60 are co-maintained with other agencies such as New York State Department of Transportation and New York State Thruway Authority), 344 major culverts, approximately 140 retaining walls, and approximately 830 traffic signal and flasher devices on the Monroe County highway system.
BZ
Monroe County, NY - 911 Incidents
Official Free
Law enforcement records from Monroe County, New York. Case numbers from these logs are the key to everything downstream — note them. It covers this agency's jurisdiction; city departments and neighboring counties publish their own.
BZ
Monroe County, NY - Information Services
Official Free
Any new requests or questions about service should be directed to your IS Business Analyst. All problems related to existing Monroe County equipment or Monroe County provided network access should be directed to the Help Desk at 585 753-3333.

Additional Records

Jail Bureau - Monroe County Sheriff NY
Official Free
If friends and family members wish to send photographs to incarcerated individuals at the Monroe County Jail through one of the following third party vendors - Free prints, Walmart, Inmate Photos, or Shutterfly - the photograph will be delivered to the incarcerated individual and not require ...

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I look up court cases in Monroe County?
Monroe County court cases are searchable through the Monroe County, NY - Law - Child Support Enforcement Unit portal: https://www2.monroecounty.gov/law-cseu. New York also operates a state-level case lookup through the eCourts / WebCivil system. For federal matters, see PACER.
Can my employer see a sealed record in New York?
Generally, most private employers running a standard name-based check cannot see a sealed New York record. However, government employers, law enforcement, schools, healthcare facilities, and any role requiring a fingerprint-based check can see sealed records under specific statutory exemptions. Confirm specifics with the sealing court.
Are New York marriage records public?
Marriage records in New York are generally public — anyone can verify that a marriage occurred and request a non-certified copy. Certified copies (needed for legal purposes like name changes or immigration) may be restricted to the spouses, immediate family, or those with a court order.
How do I run a New York background check?
New York background checks are handled by the New York DCJS. Name-based searches are available through the official state portal (per-search fee applies). Fingerprint-based checks — required for licensing, foster care, and many employers — must be submitted through an approved vendor.