Guide
How to Search County Records
Select Your County
Choose a county from the grid below to access that county's official public records portal, court system, and government offices.
Identify the Record Type
Decide what you need: court records, property deeds, vital records, business filings, or tax assessment records, each is held by a different county office.
Search Online or In Person
CourtConnect gives free online access to civil cases in the Superior Court, Court of Common Pleas and Justice of the Peace Court, the three county recorder of deeds offices post land records online, and birth and death certificates are ordered from Vital Statistics in Dover, Newark or Georgetown, by mail or online.
Pay Any Required Fees
A Delaware birth or death certificate costs $25 per copy, kept as a search fee if nothing is found; under FOIA the first 20 pages of copies are free and 10 cents a page after that.
Verify Identity if Required
Open records need no ID. A certified Delaware birth or death certificate requires a copy of your valid photo ID and proof that you are the person named, a qualifying family member or a legal representative.
Guide
What Records Are Available
- Court RecordsCivil, criminal, family court, probate, traffic cases
- Property RecordsDeeds, mortgages, tax assessments, liens, transfers
- Vital RecordsBirth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates
- Business RecordsBusiness licenses, DBAs, UCC filings, permits
- Voter RegistrationRegistered voters, party affiliation, districts
- Tax RecordsProperty tax assessments, payment history, exemptions
Guide
Select a County in Delaware
Back to Delaware Public Records
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Straight answers
Delaware County Public Records, questions
Are county records public information?
Yes. Delaware's Freedom of Information Act, Title 29, Chapter 100 of the Delaware Code, opens county and state records, and a public body must respond within 15 business days or explain the delay. Court dockets, deeds and assessments are open. Vital records become public only after 72 years for births, 40 years for deaths and 50 years for marriages, when they move to the Delaware Public Archives; newer ones go only to the person named, family members and legal representatives.
How much do certified copies cost?
A certified Delaware birth or death certificate costs $25 per copy from the Office of Vital Statistics, and the fee is kept as a search fee if no record is found. Older records at the Public Archives are ordered through the Archives. Each of the three county recorder of deeds offices sets its own copy fees, and under FOIA the first 20 pages of standard copies are free, with 10 cents a page after that.
Can I search county records online?
CourtConnect on courts.delaware.gov provides free online access to civil case information for the Superior Court, the Court of Common Pleas and the Justice of the Peace Court around the clock; criminal case records are obtained through the court clerk. New Castle, Kent and Sussex counties each run a recorder of deeds office with online land records, and parcel data is on each county's site. Birth and death certificates are ordered in person at the Vital Statistics offices in Dover, Newark and Georgetown, by mail or online, not searched.
What identification do I need?
Open records need no ID. A certified Delaware birth or death certificate requires a copy of your valid photo identification, such as a driver's license, state ID, work ID or passport, and proof that you are the person named, a parent, child or other qualifying family member, or a legal representative.
How long does it take to receive records?
Walk-in service at the three Vital Statistics offices is the fastest route for a Delaware birth or death certificate; mailed and online orders take longer and depend on volume. CourtConnect civil case information is available online around the clock, and recorder of deeds searches return results immediately.