Onondaga County Clerk Records

Onondaga County Clerk Contact Information

The current County Clerk is Emily Essi Bersani. The office is in downtown Syracuse at the same building that houses the Onondaga County Supreme Court, County Court, Family Court, and Surrogate's Court. The Clerk's office is open weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The main line handles general questions and routes to the right division.

The official contact page at onondaga.gov/clerk/contact/ lists the main number and each division's direct line, so callers can reach the right desk without being transferred.

The Clerk has several direct division lines. Calling the right division line cuts wait time. The list below matches each service area to its phone number.

• Business Certificates / Corporations: (315) 435-2235
• Civil Actions: (315) 435-2234
• Criminal Actions: (315) 435-2236
• Judgments and UCC: (315) 435-8200
• Notary: (315) 435-2226
• Passports: (315) 435-2230
• Real Property (Mortgages and Deeds): (315) 435-8250

What the Onondaga County Clerk Handles

The County Clerk is a constitutional county officer in New York. That means the role is not just a government job but a position created by the state constitution. In Onondaga County the Clerk serves two overlapping functions. First, the Clerk is the county's principal recorder of documents, including deeds, mortgages, easements, maps, liens, and business filings. Second, the Clerk acts as clerk of court for Supreme Court and County Court records, which means civil and criminal filings for those courts pass through this office.

The departments page at onondaga.gov/clerk/departments/ breaks down each service area and explains which division handles which record type.

The Clerk's scope is wide. A person who buys a house, files a judgment, registers a business name, applies for a passport, files a UCC financing statement, or records a notary commission all interact with this office. At the same time, Surrogate's Court estate files, Family Court custody orders, and marriage licenses belong to separate offices. The Clerk does not keep those records. Routing a request to the wrong place loses time, so confirming the custodian first matters.

For court records specifically, the split goes like this: Supreme Court civil index numbers, County Court criminal indictments, and recorded judgments all sit with the County Clerk. Surrogate's Court files sit with the Surrogate's Court clerk. Family Court files sit with that court's clerk. The statewide portals, WebCivil Local, WebCrims, and WebSurrogate, each cover different courts and are separate from the Clerk's Cott Systems portal.

Searching the Onondaga County Clerk Online Portal

The Clerk's online records run through a Cott Systems portal at cotthosting.com/NYOnondagaExternal. This is a land-records and county-document search system. It is not the same as WebCivil Local or WebCrims. A user who wants to find a recorded deed, a mortgage, a judgment lien, or a DBA certificate should start here. A user who wants a civil case docket should use WebCivil Local. A user who wants criminal case appearances should use WebCrims.

Public users can search the Cott portal by name, document type, date range, book and page number, or instrument number. Some document image viewing may require a login or a subscription. Free public index results show the document type, recording date, and instrument details; image access rules vary. Confirm the current access settings in a live browser session.

Older paper records that have not been digitized may require an in-person or mail request. Provide the document type, the parties' names, and an approximate year to narrow the search. The Clerk's staff can assist when an instrument number is not known.

Onondaga County Clerk Fee Schedule

The Clerk publishes a fee schedule at onondaga.gov/clerk/fees/. Fees cover copies, recordings, searches, and other services. Verify current amounts on the official page before submitting payment, since fees can change by state law or local rule. The table below reflects the verified fee schedule.

The fee schedule page at onondaga.gov/clerk/fees/ is updated by the Clerk's office and is the authoritative source for current copy and recording charges.

Certified copies cost more than plain copies but carry the Clerk's official seal and signature, which courts, agencies, banks, and employers typically require. An exemplified copy goes one level further: a judge certifies the Clerk's signature, producing a multi-layer authentication used for foreign filings and some federal matters. Plain copies are fine for personal research but are not accepted in place of certified copies for legal proceedings.

How to Request a Certified Copy from the Onondaga County Clerk

A certified copy is different from a printout or screenshot. The Clerk applies an official stamp or seal to confirm the copy is an accurate duplicate of the original record on file. Banks, courts, agencies, and immigration authorities generally require certified copies, not self-printed pages. The steps below walk through a standard Clerk certified-copy request for a recorded or court document.

1. Identify the record type and confirm the County Clerk is the custodian. A deed or judgment belongs here; an estate file belongs with Surrogate's Court; a Family Court order belongs with Family Court.
2. Gather the party names, the approximate filing or recording year, and any index number, instrument number, or case number you have. The more you can supply, the faster the search.
3. Determine whether you need a plain copy, a certified copy, or an exemplified copy. Specify this clearly when you submit the request.
4. Calculate the fee from the current fee schedule. The minimum certified-copy fee is $5.00 for the first four pages, then $1.25 per additional page. Add the court records search fee of $5.00 per name per 2-year period if a staff search is required.
5. Choose your submission method. In-person requests at Room 200 are the fastest. Mail requests require a written request letter with your name, address, phone, and a check or money order. Confirm accepted payment methods before sending cash.
6. Submit your request and payment. If the record is found, the Clerk mails or releases the copy. If additional information is needed, the office contacts you.

Mail requests can take longer than in-person requests, especially for older or archived documents that need a staff search. Including a self-addressed stamped envelope speeds return delivery. Requests for records that may be sealed or restricted, such as matrimonial files under Domestic Relations Law, will be declined at the clerk level; those require a court motion rather than a routine copy request.

Records Request Form Field Inventory

Whether you use the Clerk's forms page, a written letter, or an in-person counter request, the same set of information is needed to process any Onondaga County Clerk record request. The table below lists the fields a complete request should include. Missing information delays the search.

The Clerk's forms page includes a divorce file request form and other county clerk forms. Even when using a specific form, having the information above ready speeds the process. For court-specific records such as an Onondaga Supreme Court civil index or a County Court indictment, note whether a certified disposition or a full docket copy is needed, since those may require different handling.

Civil Actions Records at the Onondaga County Clerk

The Civil Actions division of the County Clerk's office holds Supreme Court and County Court civil filings. When a civil case is opened in Onondaga County Supreme Court, an index number is purchased from the Clerk. That index number becomes the identifier for the entire case file. Motions, orders, judgments, and notices all go into the record under that index number. The Civil Actions division phone is (315) 435-2234.

The civil actions page at onondaga.gov/clerk/departments/civil-actions/ explains which filings route to this division and how civil case documents are indexed and retrieved.

The index number fee is $210.00, with an additional $190.00 for mortgage foreclosure actions. A Request for Judicial Intervention, filed when a case needs judicial attention, costs $95.00. These fees are set by state law and applied uniformly in Onondaga County Supreme Court. A civil case user who wants to view docket entries online can use WebCivil Local or NYSCEF for electronically filed cases; certified copies come from the Clerk's office directly.

Matrimonial cases sit in Supreme Court too, but divorce files are restricted under Domestic Relations Law § 235. A party can get a certified divorce judgment through the Clerk's process using the divorce file request form; a third-party searcher cannot pull the full matrimonial file. The marriage and divorce records page covers that process in detail.

Judgments and Liens at the Onondaga County Clerk

The Judgments division records and indexes money judgments, federal tax liens, state tax warrants, and other judgment liens against persons and property in Onondaga County. When a creditor gets a money judgment in court, filing it with the County Clerk makes it a lien against real property the debtor owns in the county. Title searches pick up these liens, which is why a property can carry a judgment lien that was never connected to the property itself. The Judgments division direct line is (315) 435-8200.

The judgments page at onondaga.gov/clerk/departments/judgments/ explains the judgment docketing process, how to search the judgment index, and how liens are released after a debt is paid.

Searching the judgment index is done through the Cott Systems portal or in person at the Clerk's office. A federal tax lien search costs $40.00. Court records searches cost $5.00 per name per 2-year period. If a judgment search is needed for a title closing, a real estate attorney or title company typically runs a combined search through the Clerk's system. A UCC financing statement search also routes to this division, with UCC matters sharing the (315) 435-8200 line.

Mortgages, Deeds, and Real Property Records

Land records are the largest single category the Clerk manages. When a property in Onondaga County is sold or mortgaged, the deed or mortgage is recorded with the County Clerk. Recording creates the public chain of title and gives notice to future buyers and lenders. The Real Property division direct line is (315) 435-8250.

The mortgages and deeds page at onondaga.gov/clerk/departments/mortgages-deeds/ describes the recording process, required documents, and the transfer tax forms that accompany most deed recordings.

The recording fee for a deed or mortgage is $45.50 plus $5.00 per page, with additional charges for references and surnames depending on the document. A longer instrument with multiple parties costs more to record than a simple two-party deed. Searches for recorded documents run through the Cott Systems portal by grantor or grantee name, date range, book and page, or instrument number. Older records that pre-date digitization may require a staff search or a visit to inspect paper index books.

Property fraud is a growing concern. If a fraudulent deed or document is recorded against a property you own, contact the Clerk's office and consult a real estate attorney. Recording a fraudulent instrument is a crime under New York law, but the Clerk's recording function is ministerial, meaning the office records documents that meet the form requirements without verifying the truth of their contents.

Business Certificates, Notary, and Passport Services

The Clerk handles several services beyond court and property records. A person starting a business under an assumed name in Onondaga County files a business certificate, commonly called a DBA, with the County Clerk. The filing fee is $35.00. Banks often require a certified copy of the DBA to open a business checking account. The Business Certificates division direct line is (315) 435-2235.

Notary public registration is also handled through the Clerk's office. New York notaries who qualify through the state register their commission with the county clerk in each county where they maintain an office or where their employer is located. The Clerk keeps these registration records.

Passport acceptance services are available at the Clerk's office. The County Clerk charges a $35.00 acceptance fee, with photos available for $15.00. The Passports division direct line is (315) 435-2230. Federal passport application and processing fees are separate and paid to the U.S. Department of State. Confirm the current appointment requirement and accepted hours before visiting, since passport services can require scheduling.

Apostille services are also offered. An apostille is an international certification that authenticates the signature of an official on a document for use in countries that are parties to the Hague Convention. The Clerk charges $3.00 for an apostille. Naturalization and archive records fall under the Clerk's scope as well, though older records may require advance notice and a staff search.

Which Office Holds Your Onondaga County Record

Many record searches are really routing questions. The County Clerk holds some records and is the wrong place for others. Getting to the right office first saves a trip. The list below pairs common request types with the correct custodian in Onondaga County.

• A deed, mortgage, or easement: Onondaga County Clerk, Real Property division, Cott Systems portal.
• A money judgment or federal tax lien: County Clerk, Judgments division.
• A DBA or business certificate: County Clerk, Business Certificates division.
• A Supreme or County Court civil index number or case filing: County Clerk, Civil Actions division; docket information also available on WebCivil Local or NYSCEF.
• A criminal disposition from County Court or City Court: the court that handled the case, with WebCrims for appearance data.
• An estate or probate file: Surrogate's Court, not the County Clerk; search via WebSurrogate.
• A custody or support order from Family Court: Family Court clerk, not the County Clerk; Family Court files are restricted under Family Court Act § 166.
• A marriage license: the town or city clerk where the license was issued; in Syracuse, that is the Syracuse City Clerk. See the marriage and divorce records page.
• A birth or death certificate: Onondaga County Office of Vital Statistics at 421 Montgomery Street.

The Clerk's frequently asked questions page covers many common routing questions and confirms which division to contact. When in doubt, calling the main line at (315) 435-2229 and describing the record type is the fastest way to get directed to the right person.

Public Access and Restricted Records

Most records the County Clerk keeps are public by default. Deeds, mortgages, judgments, DBA filings, and general court docket information are open to any person who asks. The Clerk does not require a person to explain why they want a record. But some records are restricted by statute, and a clerk cannot override a court order or a statutory confidentiality rule.

Court record access is governed by the Judiciary Law, not the Freedom of Information Law. Judiciary Law § 255 controls clerk searches and certified copies. Public Officers Law Article 6, the Freedom of Information Law, applies to agency records, not court case files. Sending a FOIL request to the Clerk for a court file will not work; a certified copy request is the right channel.

Matrimonial files are restricted under Domestic Relations Law § 235. Parties to a divorce may request their own certified judgment; third parties cannot pull the full matrimonial record through a public counter request. Sealed criminal matters are restricted under CPL 160.50 and related sealing statutes. For more on sealed records and restricted court files, see the Onondaga County court records page.

Related Onondaga County Record Pages

The County Clerk connects to most other record types in Onondaga County. A user looking for a civil case docket should also check the court records page for the statewide portal guide. A user who wants to understand what public records laws apply to county agency records versus court files will find that breakdown on the public records page. Divorce filings are a Supreme Court matter covered on the marriage and divorce records page. Estate files belong to the Surrogate's Court, which has its own clerk under the New York State Unified Court System. And the Onondaga County Supreme Court page explains civil, matrimonial, and equity practice in the Fifth Judicial District.