(a) Generally. Except where otherwise prescribed by law, the place of trial shall be in the county in which one of the parties resided when it was commenced; the county in which a substantial part of the events or omissions giving rise to the claim occurred; or, if none of the parties then resided in the state, in any county designated by the plaintiff. A party resident in more than one county shall be deemed a resident of each such county.
§ 503.Venue based on residence.
Article 5. Venue · Last amended 2023 · Last verified July 21, 2026
In one sentenceCPLR 503 sets the default venue rule for New York civil actions — generally the county where a party resided when the action began or where a substantial part of the events occurred — and defines residence for fiduciaries, corporations, associations, partnerships, assignees, and certain consumer and student-debt defendants.
Full Text of CPLR 503
(b) Executor, administrator, trustee, committee, conservator, general or testamentary guardian, or receiver. An executor, administrator, trustee, committee, conservator, general or testamentary guardian, or receiver shall be deemed a resident of the county of his appointment as well as the county in which he actually resides.
(c) Corporation. A domestic corporation, or a foreign corporation authorized to transact business in the state, shall be deemed a resident of the county in which its principal office is located; except that such a corporation, if a railroad or other common carrier, shall also be deemed a resident of the county where the cause of action arose.
(d) Unincorporated association, partnership, or individually-owned business. A president or treasurer of an unincorporated association, suing or being sued on behalf of the association, shall be deemed a resident of any county in which the association has its principal office, as well as the county in which he actually resides. A partnership or an individually-owned business shall be deemed a resident of any county in which it has its principal office, as well as the county in which the partner or individual owner suing or being sued actually resides.
(e) Assignee. In an action for a sum of money only, brought by an assignee other than an assignee for the benefit of creditors or a holder in due course of a negotiable instrument, the assignee’s residence shall be deemed the same as that of the original assignor at the time of the original assignment.
(f) Consumer credit transaction. In an action arising out of a consumer credit transaction where a purchaser, borrower or debtor is a defendant, the place of trial shall be the residence of a defendant, if one resides within the state or the county where such transaction took place, if it is within the state, or, in other cases, as set forth in subdivision (a).
(g) Student debt. In an action to recover tuition, fees, room and board, educational benefit payments, student loans, or other such charges incurred by a student in furtherance of such student’s education owed to the state of New York, the place of trial shall be the residence of a defendant, if one resides within the state, or, in other cases, as set forth in this article.
Plain-English Summary
Subdivision (a) states the general rule most cases run on: the place of trial is the county where one of the parties resided when the action was commenced, or the county where a substantial part of the events or omissions giving rise to the claim occurred. If no party then resided in New York, the plaintiff may designate any county. A party who resides in more than one county counts as a resident of each of them.
The rest of the section defines residence for parties that don't fit the ordinary individual pattern. An executor, administrator, trustee, committee, conservator, general or testamentary guardian, or receiver is a resident of both the county of appointment and the county of actual residence. A domestic corporation, or a foreign corporation authorized to do business in the state, is a resident of the county of its principal office, with railroads and other common carriers also counted as residents of the county where the cause of action arose. The president or treasurer of an unincorporated association, suing or being sued on its behalf, and a partner or individual owner of a partnership or individually-owned business, suing or being sued on its behalf, is a resident of the county of the entity's principal office as well as that person's own county of residence. In an action for a sum of money only, an assignee — other than an assignee for the benefit of creditors or a holder in due course of a negotiable instrument — takes on the residence the original assignor had at the time of the assignment, closing off the option of using an assignment to shop for a friendlier venue.
Two newer subdivisions protect individual defendants in debt-related cases. In an action arising from a consumer credit transaction, venue lies where the defendant resides, if that's in New York, or where the transaction took place, if that's in New York, with the general rule as a fallback. In an action to recover tuition, fees, or similar education-related charges owed to New York State, venue lies where the defendant resides, if in the state, with the general rule again as a fallback. Both provisions push these cases toward the county where the individual being sued lives, rather than wherever the creditor prefers to sue.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do I file a lawsuit in New York?
Generally in the county where one of the parties resided when the action began, or the county where a substantial part of the underlying events occurred. If no party resided in New York, the plaintiff may pick any county.
What if the defendant lives in a different county than the plaintiff?
Venue can still be proper in either party's county of residence under CPLR 503(a), or in the county where a substantial part of the events giving rise to the claim occurred.
How is a corporation's residence determined for venue purposes?
A domestic corporation, or a foreign corporation authorized to do business in New York, is deemed a resident of the county where its principal office is located. A railroad or other common carrier is also a resident of the county where the cause of action arose.
What venue applies to a consumer debt collection lawsuit?
Under CPLR 503(f), the place of trial is the defendant's residence, if the defendant resides in New York, or the county where the transaction took place, if that's in New York. If neither applies, the general residence-based rule governs.
Can I pick any county if no party lives in New York?
Yes. CPLR 503(a) lets the plaintiff designate any county as the place of trial when none of the parties resided in the state when the action was commenced.
Where does venue lie based on a partnership's residence?
In any county where the partnership has its principal office, as well as the county where the partner suing or being sued on its behalf lives.
Advisory Committee Notes
The provision of subd (a) is taken from the first, third, and fourth sentences of CPA § 182 without substantial change. It continues the former New York rule that, subject to special exceptions, venue in transitory actions is determined by residence of the parties.
The provision of subd (b) is taken from the second sentence of CPA § 182 with the addition of committee and general and testamentary guardian. These were added because the same considerations apply to them as to the persons presently included.
The provision of subd (c) codifies former New York law with respect to domestic corporations. It changes the former law by making a foreign corporation a resident of the state for venue purposes if it has obtained authority to transact business in New York. The provision also is intended to apply to railroad corporations, contrary to the former rule that, for purposes of venue, such corporations are deemed to be residents of every county in which they operate a railroad or otherwise transact business. Last clause added to cover peculiar problems involved in such actions. It is designed to avoid requiring nonresidents injured in upstate counties either to sue in New York City or to obtain New York City counsel to move for a change of venue.
The provision of subd (d) is designed to place a partnership, an individual owner of a business and an unincorporated association suing or being sued through an officer on substantially the same basis as a corporation for venue purposes. Residence of an association officer, partner, or individual owner as the basis for venue is not affected by this subdivision, which merely provides an alternative basis. Thus, for example, if an individual conducts a business in New York County and lives in Suffolk County, a resident of Erie County may fix venue of a transitory action involving the business in Erie, New York or Suffolk County.
The provision of subd (e) is derived from CPA § 184-a but with simplification of language and omission of the provisions relating to a suit in the county where the contract was made or to be performed or the cause of action or part of it arose. It accomplishes in a simpler manner the purpose of preventing assignments designed to circumvent the venue rules. The phrase “only” has been added to the words “an action for a sum of money.” This makes it clear that the provision is not applicable to a claim for a sum of money joined to a nonmonetary claim.
Amendment History
Add, L 1962, ch 308, eff Sept 1, 1963; amd, L 1965, ch 114, § 1, eff Sept 1, 1965; L 1973, ch 238, § 3, eff Sept 1, 1973; L 1981, ch 115, § 17, eff May 18, 1981; L 2017, ch 366, § 1, effective October 23, 2017; L 2023, ch 570, § 1, effective October 25, 2023.
Source & verification. Provision text, History, and Advisory
Committee Notes are reproduced verbatim from the Consolidated Laws of New York.
Last verified July 21, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as: New York venue ruleswhere to file a lawsuit in New Yorkresidence for venue purposes NYconsumer credit transaction venue NYCPLR 503 venue based on residencecorporation venue New York