Warrants are public records in Ontario County, New York, pursuant to the New York Freedom of Information Law (FOIL), codified in Public Officers Law Article 6, §§ 84-90. This statute establishes the framework for public access to government records, including warrant information maintained by law enforcement agencies within Ontario County jurisdiction.
The Ontario County Sheriff's Office and the Ontario County Clerk's Office maintain warrant records as part of their official duties. These records are generally accessible to members of the public, with certain statutory exceptions for active investigations, sealed records, or cases involving juveniles as specified in New York Criminal Procedure Law § 160.50.
Public access to warrant information serves multiple governmental functions, including:
Pursuant to FOIL guidelines, certain identifying information may be redacted from warrant records prior to public disclosure to protect privacy interests as determined by New York Public Officers Law § 87(2).
Warrant records maintained by Ontario County authorities typically contain the following standard components as required by New York Criminal Procedure Law § 120.10:
The Ontario County Clerk's Office maintains these records in accordance with retention schedules established by the New York State Archives under Arts and Cultural Affairs Law § 57.25.
Members of the public may verify warrant status in Ontario County through several no-cost methods established under local administrative procedures:
Requestors should be prepared to provide sufficient identifying information to facilitate accurate record retrieval. Pursuant to New York State guidelines, photo identification may be required for in-person inquiries to verify the requestor's identity.
The Ontario County Sheriff's Office is the primary law enforcement agency responsible for executing warrants within county jurisdiction. Sheriff warrants fall into several categories as defined by New York Criminal Procedure Law:
The Sheriff's Warrant Division, operating from the Ontario County Sheriff's Office at 74 Ontario Street, Canandaigua, NY 14424, maintains a dedicated unit for warrant service. This division coordinates with other jurisdictions through the New York State Electronic Warrant System as authorized by CPL § 120.30.
Individuals with questions regarding active warrants may contact the Sheriff's Warrant Division at (585) 396-4638 during standard business hours (Monday-Friday, 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM).
As of 2025, Ontario County provides multiple verification channels for individuals seeking to determine their warrant status:
Pursuant to New York Civil Rights Law § 50-a, certain procedural safeguards are in place to verify the identity of individuals making inquiries about their own records. Requestors should be prepared to provide proper identification when making such inquiries.
Legal counsel may also file formal discovery requests to determine warrant status on behalf of clients in accordance with Criminal Procedure Law § 240.20.
Ontario County maintains several official channels through which outstanding warrant information may be verified:
When checking for outstanding warrants, requestors should be prepared to provide:
Pursuant to New York Public Officers Law § 87, certain administrative fees may apply for extensive searches or document reproduction, though basic warrant status verification is typically provided without charge.
Ontario County Sheriff's Office
74 Ontario Street
Canandaigua, NY 14424
(585) 396-4560
Ontario County Sheriff's Office
Ontario County Clerk's Office
20 Ontario Street
Canandaigua, NY 14424
(585) 396-4200
Ontario County Clerk's Office