The OCA Attorney Search, formally the NYS Attorney Directory, is the free public database at iapps.courts.state.ny.us/attorney/AttorneySearch where you can confirm whether any lawyer admitted in New York is currently authorized to practice. It’s run by the New York State Office of Court Administration under Judiciary Law 468-a, which requires every admitted attorney to register every two years and pay a $375 fee.1New York State Senate. New York Judiciary Law Section 468-A – Biennial Registration of Attorneys As of the end of 2025, roughly 367,000 attorneys are in the system, including those who live in New York, practice elsewhere, or have retired.
Running the Search
Open the directory and confirm you’re on the “Attorney Search” tab. The site also hosts separate lookups for registered legal consultants and in-house counsel, and picking the wrong one will send you looking for a person who isn’t there.
The fastest way in is the seven-digit registration number. It’s unique to each attorney and appears on their biennial registration form and on court filings.2State of New York – Open Data NY Gov. NYS Attorney Registrations Worth knowing: New York does not use “bar numbers” the way many other states do. The OCA registration number is an internal identifier that fills the same practical role for lookups.3NYCOURTS.GOV. Registration FAQs
Without the number, search by first and last name. With nearly 370,000 attorneys registered, common names produce long results lists. Each hit shows the attorney’s office name and city, which is usually enough to identify the right person.2State of New York – Open Data NY Gov. NYS Attorney Registrations
What the Record Shows
Every record displays only what 22 NYCRR Part 118 designates as public: the attorney’s name, name at admission, law school, year of admission, judicial department of admission, office address, business phone number, and registration status.4NYCOURTS.GOV. Part 118 – Registration of Attorneys, In-House Counsel
Some fields are deliberately withheld. You will not see the attorney’s home address (unless no office address was listed), date of birth, Social Security number, or any optional demographic information the attorney provided. Disciplinary findings reported to OCA are also confidential under this rule, except where separately authorized by Judiciary Law 90(10).4NYCOURTS.GOV. Part 118 – Registration of Attorneys, In-House Counsel
Reading the Status Field
The status line is the point of the whole exercise. It tells you at a glance whether the person can actually represent you in New York today.
Currently Registered
This is the status you want. The attorney has filed their most recent biennial registration and paid the $375 fee, which is due within 30 days of their birthday every two years.3NYCOURTS.GOV. Registration FAQs
Delinquent
A delinquent status means the attorney has missed one or more biennial filings. It’s more serious than the word suggests. Judiciary Law 468-a treats failure to register as “conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice” and refers those cases to the Appellate Division for disciplinary action.1New York State Senate. New York Judiciary Law Section 468-A – Biennial Registration of Attorneys In practice, the Appellate Division periodically publishes mass suspension notices giving delinquent attorneys 30 days to register and pay everything owed. Those who don’t comply are suspended by court order.5NYCOURTS.GOV. Attorney Registration – Failure to Register May Result in Suspension If you see delinquent on someone you’ve hired, ask them about it. Sometimes it’s an oversight that clears up quickly; sometimes it isn’t.
Suspended
A suspended attorney has been temporarily barred from practicing by an Appellate Division order. The reason may be administrative (from prolonged registration delinquency) or disciplinary (from a misconduct finding). The status line alone won’t tell you which, so this is the case where checking the underlying disciplinary record is worth the extra step.
Disbarred or Resigned for Disciplinary Reasons
These are the most severe entries. “Disbarred” means the person has been permanently removed from the roll of attorneys. “Resigned from Bar — Disciplinary Reason” means they gave up their license while a disciplinary investigation was pending, which serves the same function. Neither status permits any practice of law.
Resigned, Deceased, or Incapacitated
You may also encounter “Resigned” for non-disciplinary reasons, “Deceased,” or “Incapacitated.” None of these authorize legal services. One status you will not see is “Inactive.” New York doesn’t recognize an inactive bar status. Every admitted attorney must either register biennially and pay $375 or certify that they have retired from practice.6NYCOURTS.GOV. Attorney Matters – Nondisciplinary Resignation Retired attorneys can still perform legal work without compensation; they file the biennial form without the fee.1New York State Senate. New York Judiciary Law Section 468-A – Biennial Registration of Attorneys
When the Status Isn’t “Currently Registered”
A delinquent status may be resolvable. Contact the attorney and ask them to address it. But if the record shows suspended, disbarred, or resigned for disciplinary reasons, that person is not authorized to practice, and any work they do for you may fall outside the protections attached to a legitimate attorney-client relationship, including malpractice coverage and the Lawyers’ Fund for Client Protection.
If you believe someone is practicing law in New York without authorization, the Unified Court System directs the public to report the matter to the local District Attorney’s office.7NYCOURTS.GOV. Unauthorized Practice of Law Unauthorized practice is a criminal matter in New York, which is why it goes to prosecutors rather than the bar.
The screen result will reflect a suspension or disbarment in the status field, but it will not tell you what happened. The detailed history lives with the Attorney Grievance Committee for the Appellate Division department where the attorney’s office is located: the First Department in Manhattan, the Second Department (with regional offices in Brooklyn, Hauppauge, and White Plains), the Third Department in Albany, or the Fourth Department in western New York. Public disciplinary orders (censures, suspensions, disbarments) are typically posted on each department’s Appellate Division website. Confidential outcomes such as letters of advisement and private admonitions will never appear in any search you can run.
Getting an Official Certificate
A “Currently Registered” result is fine for your own verification, but it isn’t an official document. For a pro hac vice application, admission to another state’s bar, or a federal court filing, you need a Certificate of Good Standing from the Appellate Division department where the attorney was admitted.
The certificate confirms that the attorney has been duly admitted, is not currently suspended or disbarred, is registered with OCA, and is current on the $375 biennial fee. All four departments accept electronic requests through OCA’s Attorney Online Services portal, and the certificate arrives by email, usually within one to two business days.8NYCOURTS.GOV. Appellate Division – Second Judicial Department – Certificates of Good Standing
What the Search Doesn’t Cover
Admission to the New York bar does not automatically permit practice in federal courts located in the state. Each federal district court and circuit court of appeals runs its own bar with its own admission process. If your matter is in federal court, verify the attorney’s admission there separately. Most federal courts publish attorney admission tools on their own websites or through PACER. The OCA Attorney Search confirms state-level registration and nothing more; it will not tell you whether the attorney is admitted in the Southern District, the Eastern District, or any other federal forum.