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A deed tells you who owns a property, when they bought it, and often what they paid. In New York City, that information is public, and you can pull it up for free with no account and no fee. The tool that holds it is called ACRIS.
This guide covers what ACRIS is, what a deed lookup shows you, and how to run a search.
What Is ACRIS?
ACRIS stands for the Automated City Register Information System, the official database run by the New York City Department of Finance. It holds the documents recorded with the City Register, and anyone can search it with no login and no per-search cost. It covers four boroughs, which are Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx, with records going back to 1966. Staten Island is the one exception.
What a NYC Deed Lookup Shows You
The deed is the headline document, but a search usually returns several recorded documents tied to the property. Here are the nyc property records you'll see most often:
| Document | What It Tells You |
|---|---|
| Deed | Current and prior owners, plus the sale price |
| Mortgage | Lender name, original loan amount, and date |
| Tax Lien | Unpaid property taxes recorded against the owner |
| Lis Pendens | A pending lawsuit involving the property, worth a closer look |
If liens are your main concern, our breakdown of how liens attach to real estate pairs well with what you'll find here.
How to Do a Deed Lookup in NYC on ACRIS
The search is straightforward once you know the path.
- Open the document search. Go to the ACRIS website and choose "Search Property Records."
- Choose your search type. The three you'll use most are Address, Parcel Identifier (BBL), and Party Name.
- Enter your details. For an address, select the borough and type the street number and name. For condos, add the unit.
- Review the results. Documents appear newest first, each showing the type, recording date, and parties involved.
- Open and save the deed. Click the row marked DEED to view the scan, then download it as a free PDF.
Which type to pick depends on what you know. Address is the easiest starting point. The BBL, a property's permanent Borough-Block-Lot number, is the most reliable because it never changes even when an address does. A Party Name search finds every property tied to a person or LLC. If an address search returns messy results, switch to the BBL, found on the property's tax bill or the NYC Property Information Portal.
ACRIS Limitations to Know
ACRIS is genuinely useful, but it has a few blind spots. Knowing them up front keeps you from drawing the wrong conclusion.
- Co-ops usually don't appear. A co-op sale transfers shares and a lease, not a deed, so it won't show up. For that history, contact the building's managing agent.
- Staten Island is separate. Those records are kept by the Richmond County Clerk, not the City Register.
- Records start in 1966. Anything older is stored physically at the borough City Register office.
- Free copies aren't certified. The PDF is fine for research; a legal matter may need a certified copy for a fee.
For research that reaches beyond what's recorded, combine ACRIS with other public records research methods, since no single source covers everything.
From a Deed Lookup to Reaching the Owner
For most people, a "NYC deed lookup" is the first step, not the last. ACRIS shows the recorded owner, but not a phone number or current mailing address, and it only covers four boroughs. DealMachine's property owner lookup tool pulls owner details the way ACRIS does, but it works across the country and connects directly to skip tracing so you can find verified owner information. If you're working a whole list and need to reach owners, that combination saves hours. For more on putting ownership data to work, see our look at finding off-market opportunities. Once you have that list ready, the next steps are contacting the owners and closing the deals. You can see how Rob Schimmenti found success in New York here:
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ACRIS free to use?
Yes. ACRIS is run by the NYC Department of Finance and is completely free. You don't need an account to search, view, or download records. The only cost is for an official certified copy from the City Register's office.
How do I find out who owns a property in NYC?
Search the address or BBL in ACRIS, then open the most recent deed. The grantee on that deed is the current recorded owner. If the owner is an LLC, you can trace the people behind it through the New York State business entity database.
What is a BBL number?
BBL stands for Borough, Block, and Lot, the permanent ID the city assigns to every parcel. The first digit is the borough, followed by the block and the lot. Because it never changes, it's the most reliable way to search.
How far back do ACRIS records go?
Records are digitized back to 1966 for Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx. Anything older is kept physically at the borough City Register office and isn't online.
Does ACRIS show co-op sales?
Usually not. A co-op sale transfers shares and a proprietary lease rather than a deed, so there's no deed to record. For full co-op history, contact the building's managing agent.