Clinton County Public Records

What Are Public Records in Clinton County?

Public records in Clinton County, New York, are defined under the New York Freedom of Information Law as any information kept, held, filed, produced, or reproduced by, with, or for any agency in any physical form. Pursuant to Public Officers Law § 84–90, all records maintained by government agencies are presumed to be open and accessible to the public unless a specific exemption applies.

The following categories of records are currently available through various Clinton County offices:

Court records — civil, criminal, probate, and family court filings maintained by the Clinton County Clerk's Office and the New York State Unified Court System
Property records — deeds, mortgages, liens, and property assessments maintained by the Clinton County Clerk's Office and the Real Property Tax Services office
Vital records — birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates maintained by the Clinton County Clerk and the New York State Department of Health
Business records — licenses, permits, and assumed name (DBA) filings maintained by the County Clerk
Tax records — property tax bills and assessment records maintained by the Real Property Tax Services office
Voting and election records — voter registration data and election results maintained by the Clinton County Board of Elections
Meeting minutes and agendas — records of county legislature sessions, board meetings, and public hearings maintained by the County Clerk and individual departments
Budget and financial documents — annual budgets, audits, and expenditure reports maintained by the Clinton County Finance Department
Law enforcement records — arrest logs and incident reports, where permitted by law, maintained by the Clinton County Sheriff's Office
Land use and zoning records — zoning maps, variance applications, and planning documents maintained by the Clinton County Planning Office

Is Clinton County an Open Records County?

Clinton County fully complies with New York State's open records framework, which establishes a broad right of public access to government documents. Under Public Officers Law § 87, every state and local agency is required to maintain a records access officer, respond to requests within five business days, and make records available for inspection and copying during regular business hours. The law establishes a presumption of openness, meaning that the burden falls on the agency to justify any denial of access rather than on the requester to justify the need for disclosure.

Clinton County's records access policies are administered through each respective department's designated Records Access Officer. The county operates in compliance with New York's Sunshine Law provisions, which require that meetings of public bodies be open to the public and that minutes be made available pursuant to Public Officers Law § 103. Members of the public may submit Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) requests directly to the relevant county office or through the county's official channels.

How to Find Public Records in Clinton County in 2026

Members of the public may obtain Clinton County records through several official channels. The following steps outline the standard process for accessing government documents:

Identify the record type and custodial office. Determine which county department maintains the record being sought. Property and court records are held by the County Clerk; vital records may require contact with the State Department of Health; law enforcement records are held by the Sheriff's Office.
Submit a FOIL request in writing. Requests may be submitted in person, by mail, or by email to the designated Records Access Officer of the relevant agency. Written requests should identify the record with reasonable specificity.
Use online portals where available. The Clinton County Clerk's Office provides online access to certain land records and court indexes through its official website. The New York State sex offender registry allows members of the public to search registered offenders by name or location through the official New York State sex offender registry.
Await agency response. Under current law, agencies must acknowledge receipt of a FOIL request within five business days and either provide the records, deny the request with written explanation, or provide a reasonable timeframe for fulfillment.
Appeal a denial if necessary. If a request is denied, the requester may file an administrative appeal within 30 days. If the appeal is denied, the requester may seek judicial review under Article 78 of the New York Civil Practice Law and Rules.

How Much Does It Cost to Get Public Records in Clinton County?

Current fees for public records in Clinton County are governed by state statute and individual agency fee schedules. Under Public Officers Law § 87(1)(b), agencies may charge no more than twenty-five cents per page for photocopies of records up to nine inches by fourteen inches. The following standard fees currently apply:

Photocopies: $0.25 per page (standard size)
Certified copies of court records: Fees vary; the County Clerk currently charges $5.00 for the first page and $1.25 for each additional page for certified documents
Deed and mortgage copies: $1.00 per page for plain copies; $5.00 for certified copies
Vital records (birth, death, marriage certificates): Fees are set by the New York State Department of Health and currently range from $10.00 to $30.00 per certified copy depending on the record type
Electronic records: Agencies may charge the actual cost of reproduction for records provided in electronic format

Accepted payment methods at the Clinton County Clerk's Office include cash, check, and money order made payable to the Clinton County Clerk. Fee waivers may be available for indigent requesters or for requests made in the public interest, subject to agency discretion.

Does Clinton County Have Free Public Records?

Free inspection of public records is available to all members of the public under New York State law. Agencies are required to permit in-person inspection of records at no charge during regular business hours. The following free resources are currently available:

In-person inspection at the Clinton County Clerk's Office, where members of the public may review land records, court indexes, and filed documents without charge
Online land records search through the Clinton County Clerk's official web portal, which provides free index searches for recorded documents
New York State sex offender registry, which allows free public searches of registered sex offenders residing in Clinton County
Clinton County Board of Elections, which provides free access to voter registration records and election results
Clinton County Legislature meeting minutes and agendas, which are posted publicly on the county website at no cost

Who Can Request Public Records in Clinton County?

Any person, regardless of residency, citizenship, or stated purpose, may request public records from Clinton County agencies under current New York State law. The Freedom of Information Law does not require requesters to:

Be a resident of Clinton County or New York State
Provide personal identification for most standard requests
State the reason or purpose for the request

Certain record types carry additional access restrictions. Requesters seeking their own records — such as personal court filings, arrest records, or vital records — may be required to provide government-issued identification to verify identity. Records pertaining to third parties, such as sealed court files or juvenile records, are subject to statutory restrictions regardless of the requester's identity. Non-residents retain the same rights of access as residents for all publicly available records. Attorneys, journalists, researchers, and members of the general public are treated equally under the FOIL framework.

What Records Are Confidential in Clinton County?

Certain categories of records are exempt from public disclosure under New York State law. Public Officers Law § 87(2) enumerates the following exemptions, among others:

Sealed court records — records sealed by court order or by operation of law, including certain criminal case dispositions
Juvenile records — records pertaining to persons under the age of 18 involved in Family Court proceedings
Ongoing investigation records — law enforcement records that, if disclosed, would interfere with active criminal investigations
Personal identifying information — Social Security numbers, financial account data, and similar information protected from disclosure
Medical records — health information protected under both state law and the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
Adoption records — sealed by statute and accessible only through court order
Child welfare and protective services records — maintained as confidential under the Social Services Law
Personnel records — employee disciplinary files and evaluations, with limited exceptions for final disciplinary determinations
Trade secrets and proprietary business information — submitted to agencies in confidence
Security plans and critical infrastructure details — records whose disclosure could endanger public safety

Where a record contains both exempt and non-exempt information, agencies are required to redact the exempt portions and provide the remainder of the document. New York courts apply a balancing test in cases where the public interest in disclosure may outweigh the agency's interest in withholding.

Clinton County Recorder's Office: Contact Information and Hours

The Clinton County Clerk's Office serves as the primary repository for land records, court filings, and other official documents in Clinton County.

Clinton County Clerk's Office 137 Margaret Street, Suite 104, Plattsburgh, NY 12901 (518) 565-4700 Monday–Friday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM Clinton County Clerk's Office

Clinton County Real Property Tax Services 137 Margaret Street, Suite 210, Plattsburgh, NY 12901 (518) 565-4760 Monday–Friday: 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM Clinton County Real Property Tax Services

Clinton County Board of Elections 189 Ohio Avenue, Plattsburgh, NY 12903 (518) 565-4740 Monday–Friday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM Clinton County Board of Elections

Clinton County Sheriff's Office 25 McCarthy Drive, Plattsburgh, NY 12901 (518) 565-4700 Clinton County Sheriff's Office