Nassau County Public Records /Nassau County Criminal Records

Nassau County Criminal Records

What Is Nassau County Criminal Records

Criminal records in Nassau County, New York, are official government documents that chronicle an individual's interactions with the criminal justice system. These records are generated and maintained by multiple agencies across law enforcement, judicial, and correctional branches of government.

Members of the public should understand the distinctions among the various types of criminal records maintained in Nassau County:

Arrest records vs. conviction records: An arrest record documents that an individual was taken into custody by law enforcement, while a conviction record reflects a formal finding of guilt by a court. An arrest does not constitute a conviction.
Felony vs. misdemeanor: Felonies are serious offenses carrying potential sentences of more than one year in state prison; misdemeanors carry lesser penalties, typically up to one year in a local jail.
Adult vs. juvenile records: Adult criminal records are generally accessible to the public under applicable law. Juvenile records are routinely sealed pursuant to New York Family Court Act § 375.1 and are not available for public inspection except under limited circumstances.
Active warrants vs. historical records: Active warrants reflect outstanding judicial orders for an individual's arrest, while historical records document past arrests, charges, and dispositions.

The principal agencies responsible for maintaining Nassau County criminal records include:

Nassau County Sheriff's Office – maintains arrest records, booking information, and jail records
Nassau County District Court and Supreme Court – maintains case filings, arraignments, pleas, trial records, sentencing, and dispositions
New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) – maintains statewide criminal history repositories
Local municipal police departments – including the Nassau County Police Department, which generates arrest and incident reports

Criminal records in Nassau County may include charges filed, arraignment proceedings, entered pleas, trial outcomes, sentencing details, probation and parole conditions, and any subsequent modifications to a sentence.

Nassau County Supreme Court 100 Supreme Court Drive Mineola, NY 11501 (516) 493-3400 Nassau County Supreme Court

Nassau County District Court 99 Main Street Hempstead, NY 11550 (516) 572-2355 Nassau County District Court

Are Criminal Records Public In Nassau County

Under current law, adult criminal records in Nassau County are generally accessible to the public pursuant to the New York Freedom of Information Law (FOIL), Public Officers Law § 87, which establishes the right of members of the public to inspect and copy government records maintained by state and local agencies. New York Public Officers Law § 87(2) provides that agencies shall make records available for public inspection and copying unless a specific exemption applies.

Records that are generally available to the public include:

Adult conviction records and court dispositions
Court proceedings and case dockets
Arrest logs and booking information
Sentencing records and probation terms

Records that are restricted or exempt from public disclosure include:

Records pertaining to ongoing criminal investigations, where disclosure would interfere with law enforcement
Sealed records pursuant to New York Criminal Procedure Law § 160.50, which mandates sealing of records when charges are dismissed or the defendant is acquitted
Juvenile delinquency records, which are protected under the New York Family Court Act
Records sealed under CPL § 160.55 for certain misdemeanor and violation convictions
Youthful offender adjudications, which are confidential under New York law

Members of the public seeking criminal history information should be aware that New York State does not operate a fully open statewide criminal history database for general public use. Comprehensive criminal history records maintained by the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services are accessible primarily to authorized entities such as employers in regulated industries, licensing agencies, and criminal justice agencies.

How To Look Up Criminal Records In Nassau County in 2026

Members of the public may obtain Nassau County criminal records through several official channels. The following steps outline the process for accessing these records:

Step 1 – Identify the appropriate agency. Determine whether the record sought is a court record, an arrest record, or a comprehensive criminal history. Court records are obtained from the Nassau County courts; arrest records from the Nassau County Police Department or Sheriff's Office; and statewide criminal histories through the New York State DCJS.

Step 2 – Submit a FOIL request. For records held by Nassau County agencies, members of the public may submit a Freedom of Information Law request to the relevant agency's Records Access Officer. Requests may be submitted in writing, by mail, or in person during public counter hours.

Step 3 – Request court records directly. Court case records may be requested from the Nassau County Clerk's Office or reviewed in person at the courthouse. The Nassau County Clerk maintains civil and criminal court indices.

Step 4 – Request a criminal history through DCJS. Individuals seeking their own criminal history record may submit a fingerprint-based request to the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services. Third-party access to comprehensive criminal histories is restricted to authorized agencies.

Step 5 – Pay applicable fees. Fees for copies of records are established by statute and agency schedule. Under Public Officers Law § 87(1)(b), agencies may charge up to twenty-five cents per page for photocopies.

Nassau County Clerk's Office 240 Old Country Road Mineola, NY 11501 (516) 571-2664 Nassau County Clerk

Public Counter Hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM

Nassau County Police Department – Records Bureau 1490 Franklin Avenue Mineola, NY 11501 (516) 573-7000 Nassau County Police Department

New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services 80 South Swan Street Albany, NY 12210 (518) 457-5837 New York State DCJS

How To Find Criminal Records in Nassau County Online?

Several official online portals currently provide access to Nassau County criminal and court records. Members of the public may use the following resources:

New York State Courts Electronic Filing and Case Search (eCourts) The New York State Unified Court System operates the eCourts case search portal, which allows members of the public to search Nassau County court case information by party name, case number, or attorney. The portal contains civil and criminal case index information, appearance dates, and case dispositions. No registration is required for basic case searches.

WebCriminal – New York State Courts The WebCriminal portal provides online access to criminal court case information statewide, including Nassau County. Users may search by defendant name or case number to retrieve case status, charges, and court dates.

Nassau County Sheriff's Office – Inmate Lookup The Nassau County Sheriff's Office maintains a current inmate roster for the Nassau County Correctional Center. Members of the public may search for individuals currently held in county custody.

Nassau County Sheriff's Office 100 Carmen Avenue East Meadow, NY 11554 (516) 572-4100 Nassau County Sheriff's Office

Online portals generally provide court index information and current custody status. Detailed arrest reports, booking photographs, and complete case files may require an in-person visit or a formal FOIL request. Registration is not required for most public court search tools, though electronic filing access requires attorney credentials.

Can You Search Nassau County Criminal Records for Free?

Under current law, members of the public have the right to inspect government records without charge. New York Public Officers Law § 87 provides that agencies shall make records available for public inspection, and fees may only be assessed for reproduction of records, not for inspection itself. Accordingly, members of the public may inspect Nassau County criminal and court records at no cost during regular business hours.

The following free resources are currently available:

eCourts Case Search – Free online access to Nassau County court case indices through the New York State Unified Court System
WebCriminal Portal – Free online criminal case search through the New York State Courts WebCriminal system
In-person inspection at the Nassau County Clerk's Office – Members of the public may inspect court records at no charge at 240 Old Country Road, Mineola, NY 11501, during public counter hours
Nassau County Sheriff's Inmate Roster – Free online lookup of individuals currently held in county custody

Fees apply when requesting printed copies of records. The Nassau County Clerk's Office charges statutory fees for certified copies of court documents. Fingerprint-based criminal history searches through DCJS carry a processing fee established by the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services fee schedule.

What's Included in a Nassau County Criminal Record?

A Nassau County criminal record may contain several categories of information depending on the type of record and the agency maintaining it.

Identifying Information

Full legal name and known aliases
Date of birth
Physical description, including height, weight, eye color, and hair color
Booking photograph (mugshot)
Last known address
State Identification Number (SID) assigned by DCJS
FBI Number (if applicable)

Arrest Information

Date, time, and location of arrest
Arresting agency and officer information
Booking number and facility
Charges filed at the time of arrest
Bail or bond information
Jail facility where the individual was held

Court Case Information

Case number and court jurisdiction
Filing date and arraignment date
Charges and applicable statutes, including felony or misdemeanor classification
Entered plea (guilty, not guilty, no contest)
Attorney of record and prosecuting agency

Disposition Information

Verdict or case outcome
Conviction date (if applicable)
Sentencing details, including type and length of sentence, fines, restitution, and conditions of supervision
Probation or parole terms
Appeals filed and outcomes

Additional Record Elements

Outstanding warrants
Orders of protection or protective orders
Sex offender registration status under the New York Sex Offender Registration Act
DUI/DWI convictions
Traffic violations adjudicated in criminal court
Pending charges and open cases

How Long Does Nassau County Keep Criminal Records?

Nassau County and New York State agencies retain criminal records in accordance with schedules established under the New York State Archives Records Retention and Disposition Schedule MU-1 for local governments and applicable court retention schedules.

Retention periods for principal record types currently include:

Arrest records and booking records: Retained for a minimum of 25 years from the date of arrest for felony arrests; shorter periods may apply for misdemeanor arrests not resulting in conviction
Court case files – felony convictions: Retained permanently or for a minimum of 75 years
Court case files – misdemeanor convictions: Retained for a minimum of 25 years
Dismissed or acquitted cases: Records subject to sealing under CPL § 160.50 are retained by the court but sealed from public access; law enforcement agencies retain sealed records for internal use
Juvenile records: Retained in accordance with Family Court Act provisions; sealed upon the subject reaching adulthood or upon court order
Probation records: Retained for a minimum of 10 years following discharge from supervision

The New York State Archives establishes mandatory minimum retention periods for local government records through its Local Government Records Management Improvement Fund program. Individual agencies may retain records beyond the minimum period at their discretion. Destruction of records prior to the expiration of the applicable retention period is prohibited without authorization from the State Archives.

New York State Archives 222 Madison Avenue Albany, NY 12230 (518) 474-6926 New York State Archives