New York City DUI Records

New York City DUI records span five boroughs and five separate Criminal Court locations. The NYC Criminal Court system processes all misdemeanor DWI and DWAI cases that happen within the city, making it the largest DUI case processing operation in the state. Each borough has its own courthouse, its own clerk, and its own set of case files to search through.

NYC Criminal Court Locations for DUI Cases

Each borough has its own Criminal Court. Here is where DUI cases get filed.

Manhattan (New York County) Criminal Court is at 100 Centre Street. The phone number is (646) 386-4500. Brooklyn (Kings County) Criminal Court sits at 120 Schermerhorn Street, reachable at (718) 643-5293. The Bronx Criminal Court is at 215 East 161st Street with a number of (718) 618-2400. Queens Criminal Court is at 125-01 Queens Boulevard, phone (718) 298-0792. Staten Island (Richmond County) Criminal Court is at 26 Central Avenue, phone (718) 675-8453.

Arraignment courts in NYC run seven days a week from 9:00 AM to 1:00 AM, including holidays. That is unusual for New York courts. All other court parts and clerk offices are open Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The NYC Criminal Court information line at (646) 386-4500 can help you figure out which courthouse has your case.

Misdemeanor DWI charges stay in Criminal Court. Felony DUI cases get moved to Supreme Court after arraignment. All courts file under VTL § 1192, the same state law used everywhere in New York.

How to Search NYC DUI Records

The WebCrims system is the fastest free option. Search by name, case number, or attorney. It covers all five borough Criminal Courts and shows case status, court dates, charges, and dispositions. No fee. No sign-up needed for basic searches.

The OCA Criminal History Record Search costs $95 per name. It covers all 62 counties, so if someone was arrested in Manhattan and also in Queens, both cases show up. You need the exact legal name and date of birth. The CHRS unit is at 25 Beaver Street, Room 940, New York, NY 10004. You can also call (212) 428-2943 during business hours.

Online CHRS results come back in real time if there are no records. If records exist, they go through manual review that takes up to five business days. Remember that CHRS results are not certified. For a certified Certificate of Disposition, you must go to the specific court where the case was heard.

For police reports, contact the NYPD precinct where the arrest took place. Each precinct has its own records office. You need a FOIL request in writing with the date, location, and names involved. The NYPD has five business days to acknowledge your request.

DUI Records Fees in NYC

Court copies cost $0.65 per page. Certified copies are $8.00 per document. Each borough courthouse charges the same rates since they all fall under the state court system.

The OCA CHRS is $95 per name. Pay online with a credit or debit card through the Direct Access program. Or mail in a check payable to "N.Y.S. Office of Court Administration." Each alias or different date of birth counts as a separate $95 search. This adds up fast for someone with multiple names.

The DCJS record review costs $14.25 and requires fingerprints. This gives you your own rap sheet. It is not the same thing as an OCA search. Contact DCJS at (518) 457-9847 or email RecordReview@dcjs.ny.gov for the process.

DUI Law in New York City

New York calls it DWI. The law is VTL § 1192. First DWI is a misdemeanor with a $500 to $1,000 fine, up to one year in jail, and six-month license revocation. A second DWI in ten years is a Class E felony. Fines go up to $5,000 and prison time can reach four years.

Leandra's Law makes it a felony if a child under 16 is in the car during a DWI. This applies everywhere in NYC. It also requires an ignition interlock device on any vehicle the convicted person owns or operates.

Sealed records under CPL § 160.50 affect many NYC DUI searches. Dismissed cases are sealed automatically. When a DWI gets reduced to DWAI through a plea deal, the original DWI arrest record may be sealed under CPL § 160.55. This is very common in NYC Criminal Court. Judiciary Law § 255 governs public access to court records. You send requests to the court clerk, not through the standard FOIL process used for police records.

The NYC Department of Probation operates DWI Treatment Court programs in several boroughs. The Impaired Driver Program costs $75 for the DMV fee plus $225 for enrollment. It runs 16 hours over at least seven weeks. Completing it may qualify you for a conditional license.

DMV Records and NYC DUI Cases

The DMV tracks DUI penalties on your driving abstract. A DWI conviction stays on the abstract for 15 years. DWAI stays for 10 years. Refusing a chemical test triggers an automatic one-year license revocation and a $500 civil penalty. You have 15 days to request a refusal hearing.

The DMV record and the court record are two separate things. You can order your own driving record from the DMV for $7 online. The court record comes from the courthouse or through the OCA search. Both may be needed to get a full picture of a DUI case in New York City.

Nearby Cities

These neighboring areas also have their own DUI records and court systems.

Borough County Pages

NYC spans five counties. Each county page has more details on DUI record searches at the county level.