How to find who owns a property in New York City
The owner of record for a New York City property is on the last recorded deed and on the city's tax roll. For buildings with three or more apartments, the city's housing registration also names an owner, officers and a managing agent.
Reviewed
The records that name an owner
| Record | What it tells you | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Recorded deed (ACRIS) | The legal owner who took title, and when | Staten Island deeds are kept by the Richmond County Clerk, not in ACRIS |
| Tax roll (Department of Finance) | The owner the city bills | Can lag a recent sale; the name may be abbreviated |
| City lot file (PLUTO) | An owner name for every tax lot, updated a few times a year | A snapshot, not a live record |
| Housing registration (HPD) | Owner, head officer and managing agent for buildings with 3+ units | Self-reported by the owner; agents are not owners |
Look it up step by step
- Find the lot: search the address and note the borough, block and lot (the BBL). Every other record keys off it.
- Read the tax roll owner and the latest deed. If they agree, you have the owner of record.
- If they disagree, trust the later recorded deed and check its recording date.
- For an apartment building, read the housing registration for the officer and managing agent.
- If the owner is an LLC, you have a legal entity, not a person. See the guide on LLC owners.
Hercules puts these on one report keyed to the lot, so you do not have to look the same address up in four places.