A sheriff in New York can mean very different things depending on the county. In Erie County the sheriff runs a large jail and a patrol division. In Manhattan the sheriff works inside a city finance agency and does something much narrower. This page explains how these offices are organized across the state, so you can work out which one to call before you drive anywhere.

How County Sheriffs Are Organized Under New York Law

Outside New York City, the sheriff is an elected county official. Voters in each of the 57 counties outside the five boroughs choose their own sheriff. The office is created by the State Constitution and regulated by County Law Article 11. The county legislature funds the department, but the sheriff does not report to a county department head. That independence is why two neighboring counties can run their offices quite differently.

Three jobs show up almost everywhere. The first is civil enforcement: serving court papers, carrying out judgments, and executing court-ordered evictions in many areas. The second is the county jail. Our listings for Cayuga County, Wayne County, Seneca County and Lewis County each pair the sheriff's office with a jail, which is common in the state. The third is law enforcement, from full road patrol in rural towns to supplemental patrol where a village or city police department already exists.

Two state bodies sit above the local offices. The State Commission of Correction sets minimum standards for county jails and inspects them. The Division of Criminal Justice Services handles training standards, the sex offender registry and the law enforcement accreditation program. The New York State Sheriffs' Association is a professional group, not a regulator, so complaints about a sheriff go elsewhere, as the FAQ section below explains.

New York City and Long Island: Sheriffs Without a County Patrol Force

The five counties of New York City do things differently. The City Sheriff is appointed rather than elected, and the office sits within the city's Department of Finance. Our database lists offices for Bronx County at 3030 3rd Avenue Bridge (718-993-3880), Queens County at 144-06 94th Avenue in Jamaica (718-298-7550), and Kings County at 210 Joralemon Street, Room 909, in Brooklyn (718-802-3545). Their work centers on civil enforcement, such as collecting judgments and tax debts and seizing property under court orders. Residential evictions in the city are generally carried out by city marshals rather than the sheriff.

Just as important is what the city sheriff does not do. The NYPD patrols the streets, the city Department of Correction runs the jails, and state court officers staff the courthouses. If you need a jail, a patrol officer or courthouse security in New York County, the sheriff is the wrong door. Check the address on each listing against the service you actually need.

Long Island follows a hybrid pattern. In Nassau County, the sheriff's office handles the correctional center and civil process, while the county police department handles patrol and investigations. Someone who wants to report a crime there should not start with the sheriff. The civil division and the jail may also work from different buildings, so confirm before you go.

Upstate and Rural New York: Where the Sheriff Is Often the Main Police Force

Travel north or west of the Hudson Valley and sheriff's deputies often provide the only full-time police coverage for many towns. The Steuben County Sheriff's Office on Rumsey Street Extension in Bath lists a toll-free number, 800-724-7777, which helps in a county with long distances between towns. In Chemung County our listings include a Town of Southport Resident Sheriff's Deputy in Elmira (607-734-3637), which points to a deputy assigned to a specific town. Belmont, the seat of Allegany County, has three listings, one of them at 4884 State Route 19 North.

Western and northern counties follow similar patterns. The Chautauqua County Sheriff's Office is at 3 North Erie Street in Mayville (716-338-1021). Lewis County's office and jail share 5252 Outer Stowe Street in Lowville (315-376-3511). Warren County's office in Lake George (518-743-2500) serves an area that draws heavy seasonal tourism, so expect a different pace there than in a farm county.

The Hudson Valley and Central New York mix rural and suburban needs. Ulster County has five listings, including the Accord Substation at 22 Main Street (845-626-2233). A substation gives people in outlying towns a closer point of contact, but hours vary, so phone first. Onondaga County's main office is at 407 South State Street in Syracuse (315-435-3044). Monroe County lists a Zone A Penfield office at 789 Linden Avenue in Rochester (585-753-4370), which suggests patrol divided into geographic zones.

How to Find the Right Sheriff's Office in New York

These steps help you avoid a wasted trip:

Fees, Paperwork and Eligibility Rules for New York Sheriff Services

Fees for civil work are set by state law, mainly the Civil Practice Law and Rules, rather than by each sheriff. The amount depends on the service, such as serving a summons, levying on property or collecting under an income execution. Ask the civil division for the current fee schedule before you file, and ask which payment methods it accepts. Staff can explain procedure, but they cannot give legal advice or choose the best enforcement option for your case.

Bring original court documents, copies for every party, and the full address where the person can be found. For an income execution, bring the employer's name and address. For an eviction, the sheriff needs a warrant from the court, and a landlord cannot simply ask a deputy to remove a tenant. Carry photo ID for any in-person visit.

Pistol permits depend on where you live. In New York City, the NYPD License Division handles them. Outside the city, a county licensing officer, often a judge, decides, and the sheriff's office or county clerk may take the application depending on local practice. Records requests fall under the Freedom of Information Law. Write to the agency's records access officer, who must acknowledge the request within five business days.

Sheriff offices in New York are independently elected county agencies responsible for law enforcement, jail operations, and civil process service. Each county in New York elects its own sheriff, who serves as the chief law enforcement officer for that county's unincorporated areas.

Sheriff locations are available in 76 cities across New York. They are spread across 62 counties.

Cities with the highest concentration of sheriff office listings include New York, Elmira, Belmont, reflecting the population centers where multiple sub-offices or specialty divisions may be located.

New York residents should note that sheriff offices handle civil law enforcement functions — such as serving eviction notices and foreclosure papers — in addition to criminal law enforcement, so the sheriff office is often the correct point of contact for civil legal matters at the county level.

Sheriff by Counties

A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
W
Y

If you are a New York resident looking to obtain a concealed carry permit, request a background check clearance letter, or serve legal documents through official channels, your county sheriff office is the starting point — contact them directly to confirm required documentation and current processing times.

Browse Sheriff by county across New York to find the nearest location.

Local Notes on Jails, Routes and Rural Offices Across New York

Jail contact is the most common reason people search for a county sheriff here. Broome County's correctional facility and sheriff's office share 155 Lt Vanwinkle Drive in Binghamton (607-778-1911). Cayuga County's jail is at 7445 County House Road in Auburn (315-253-1222). Erie County's holding center operates alongside the sheriff's office at 10 Delaware Avenue in Buffalo. Each facility sets its own visiting schedule, ID rules and procedures for money, mail and phone calls, so check with the specific jail before you travel.

Many offices sit on state routes rather than downtown streets. Wayne County is at 7368 New York 31 in Lyons, Seneca County at 6150 New York 96 in Romulus, and Orleans County at 13925 New York 31 in Albion. Plan for highway driving and limited public transit. In smaller counties such as Schoharie (157 Depot Lane, 518-295-7071) and Genesee (165 Park Road in Batavia, 585-345-3000), a short phone call can save a long drive, since civil staff may be at a different site from the jail.

Ontario County's office is at 74 Ontario Street in Canandaigua (585-394-4560). Mayville in Chautauqua County, Cooperstown in Otsego County and Bath in Steuben County all place the sheriff close to the county courthouse, which is useful when you are filing papers the same day. In counties such as Putnam and Cayuga, check the county page for every listing, since some counties have more than one office.

Frequently Asked Questions About Sheriffs in New York

Yes. The City Sheriff's Office is part of the Department of Finance and focuses on civil enforcement: carrying out court orders, collecting judgments and tax debts, and seizing property. Our directory lists borough offices for the Bronx (718-993-3880), Queens in Jamaica (718-298-7550) and Brooklyn (718-802-3545). The sheriff does not run the city jails, which belong to the Department of Correction. It also does not patrol, which is the NYPD's job, or staff courthouses, which state court officers do. Residential evictions are generally handled by city marshals. Call the borough office first to confirm it handles your matter.

In most counties outside New York City, the sheriff is responsible for the county jail. Examples in our database include the Wayne County Jail in Lyons (315-946-9711), the Broome County Correctional Facility in Binghamton (607-778-1911) and the Erie County Holding Center in Buffalo. Each jail sets its own rules for visits, ID, mail, phone calls and money deposits, so call the facility directly or ask for the inmate services desk. The State Commission of Correction sets minimum standards and reviews jail conditions, and it accepts concerns about treatment inside a facility.

Contact the civil division of the sheriff in the county where the person lives or works. Bring the original documents, copies for each party, the full service address, and the fee. Fees are set under state law, so ask for the current schedule. The deputy attempts service and then completes a return documenting what happened. You cannot serve your own papers in a case you are part of. Some people use private process servers when they need faster scheduling, but the sheriff is a common and reliable option, especially in rural counties.

Not on its own authority in most places. Under Penal Law Article 400, a licensing officer decides each application. In New York City, that is the NYPD License Division. Outside the city, it is usually a county judge or another designated officer, and the sheriff's office or county clerk often takes the application and runs the background steps. Local practice varies, so call your county sheriff or clerk first. State law also requires approved firearms training for applicants. Do not buy or carry anything until the license is actually issued.

Our directory reproduces names as they appear in public records, and some entries carry naming errors. Belmont is the seat of Allegany County, but one record there is titled Kings County Sheriff's Office, which is the name of the Brooklyn office. The Brooklyn office is the one at 210 Joralemon Street. If a name does not match the town or county, call the number and ask which county the office serves. This matters for civil papers, since the wrong county's sheriff cannot serve them for you.

For records, send a written Freedom of Information Law request to the office's records access officer. The agency must acknowledge it within five business days. For a complaint about a deputy, start with the sheriff's internal affairs process, then the county district attorney if you believe a crime occurred. Concerns about jail conditions can go to the State Commission of Correction. If a law enforcement officer may have caused a death, the Attorney General's Office of Special Investigation has jurisdiction in specific circumstances. Keep dates, names and any report numbers.