County Clerk

Genesee County Clerk Services

The Genesee County Clerk is an elected position established under the New York State Constitution. The County Clerk is the Constitutional Clerk of the County and Supreme Courts and has full responsibility for the Recording Office and Motor Vehicle Office. Briefly, the duties and functions of the office are:

Agent for the Office of Court Administration:
Processes all notes of issue, jury demands, small claims assessment review petitions, requests for judicial intervention, notices of appeal, etc.

Business Names:
Indexes, files, searches and certifies all Assumed Names Certificates and Corporations.

Civil Court Records:
All court proceedings for Civil Court are indexed, filed, microfilmed, searched, and certified for judgments, changes of name, matrimonial actions (sealed for one hundred years), foreclosures, lawsuits, guardianships, conservatorships, separation agreements (sealed for one hundred years), contracts, torts, tax certioraries, etc.

Criminal Court Records:
All court proceedings for criminal cases are indexed, filed and searched including indictments, conditions of probation, court minutes appeal proceedings, etc. Certificates of Conviction are issued, commitments certified, etc. Youthful Offender and Sex Offense files are sealed and/or have restricted access.

Genealogical & Research Records:
Maintain and search many areas of Genesee County's historical records listed herein and other records including but not limited to Miliary (Revolutionary, War of 1812, Civil War, etc.) formation of churches, cemeteries, libraries, etc., oaths of officers, records of early courts, (Oyer & Terminer, Circuit Court, Court of General Sessions, etc.) election records, tax collector's bonds, adoptions (sealed), surrenders, etc., etc., etc.

Judgments & Liens:
Files, indexes, searches, certifies all judgments, federal tax liens, uniform commercial code filings, mechanics and producers liens, building loan agreements, notices of lending, crime victim, hospital welfare, criminal surety bond liens, etc. Issues income and property executions for collection of judgments.

Miscellaneous Recordings:
Military Discharges, Exempt Volunteer Fireman Certificates, Powers of Attorney, Water & Sewer District Proceedings, Trust Agreements, Notice of Pendency, etc.

Passport Applications:
As the Acceptance Agent for the U. S. Department of State, we review and process passport applications for travel to foreign countries.

Pistol Permits:
Files are maintained for all pistol permit holders in the county, background checks processed, non-destruction certificates issued and all handguns registered.

Public Inspection & Access:
Maintain all records listed above (most have to be maintained permanently) for review and inspection by the public, including official searches and copies. All records are available to the public with the exception of the following sealed of restricted access categories: adoptions, youthful offender & sec related criminal cases, divorce & separation agreements, coroner's inquests and decisions.

Oaths of Office:
Administers, indexes and files oaths of office for all notaries public in the county, county officials, town officers, etc. and performs all notarial services for the public.

Real Property Records:
Records, indexes, microfilms and searches all documents relating to the land records of the county including deeds, mortgages, easements, rights of way, driveway & boundary agreements, leases, affidavits, assignments, releases, discharges, land contracts, modification extension, consolidation & spreading agreements, bankruptcy orders, appropriations, maps, subdivisions, land separations, highway proceedings, miscellaneous records etc.

Specialized Taxes:
As Agent for the NYS Department of Taxation & Finance we collect, apportion and distribute mortgage tax and real estate transfer tax to the State of New York, the Rochester Regional Transportation Authority, the State of New York Mortgage Agency and all of the municipalities in Genesee County.