How to Search Delaware Public Records

Delaware's court, criminal, vital, property, voter, and licensing records are maintained across state agencies and the 3 counties listed below. Use the tabs to filter by record type, or jump directly to any source.

  • Courts: The Delaware Supreme Court sits at the top of the system; trial-court business is handled by the Superior Court, Court of Common Pleas, Family Court, Justice of the Peace Court. Most courts publish dockets and case lookups online.
  • Criminal history: The state's criminal-history repository handles official background checks. Fees and procedures are set by the state agency — see the linked official source.
  • Vital records: Birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates are issued by the Delaware Division of Public Health (Office of Vital Statistics) and may also be available locally.
  • Property & recorded documents: Maintained at the county level by the Assessor, Recorder, or Clerk's office.
  • Business filings: The Secretary of State (or equivalent) operates the official business-entity search.
Population
1,051,917
Households
411,859
Median Income
$81,012
Median Home Value
$299,800

Vital Records Databases

4 official Delaware vital records sources.

Vital Records

Will Search - New Castle County, DE
Official Free
Search by any combination of Name, Will or Affidavit File Number, and Date of Death.
hp/faq_vs ~ FAQ for VS - Delaware Health and Social Services - State of Delaware
Official Free
Application for data request should be submitted to Delaware Health Statistics Center . ... Annual reports are available in the website of Delaware Health Statistics Center .
Guide To Vital Statistics Records - Delaware Public Archives - State of Delaware
Official Free
Delaware law indicates that once a birth record reaches 72 years of age, marriage records 50 years of age, and death records 40 years of age, they then become (open to the) public. The records, created by the Bureau of Vital Statistics, that are open for public use are now available on microfilm at the Delaware Public Archives ...
Office of Vital Statistics – Division of Public Health
Official Free
The Office of Vital Statistics encourages individuals to mail in requests for vital records certificates. Complete the appropriate form and mail it to the Office of Vital Statistics located in the Jesse S.

Delaware Counties

All 3 Delaware counties. Click any county for local court, sheriff, recorder and assessor links.

Frequently Asked Questions

Delaware's official criminal-history repository is operated by the state law-enforcement agency. Free public access to a complete criminal history is generally not available; an official background check typically requires fingerprints and a fee. County-level court records can be searched at no cost through individual court websites.

Delaware's court system is headed by the Delaware Supreme Court. Trial-court business is handled by the Superior Court, Court of Common Pleas, Family Court, Justice of the Peace Court. Many Delaware courts publish docket searches and case lookups online — see the Court Records tab above for direct links.

The Delaware Secretary of State (or equivalent agency) operates the official business-entity search. You can typically search corporations, LLCs, LPs, and other registered entities by name or registration number. See the Licenses or Business tab above.

The Assessor determines property values for tax purposes. The Recorder (or Clerk-Recorder) records deeds, mortgages, liens, and other property documents. Some county offices combine these roles, others keep them separate. Check the specific county page for details.

Delaware vital records (birth, death, marriage, divorce certificates) are issued by the Delaware Division of Public Health (Office of Vital Statistics) and, in many cases, by local county clerks. Fees and ID requirements are set by the issuing agency.

Most county-level property and recorded-document searches are free for basic information through the Assessor or Recorder website. Certified copies of deeds typically have a per-page fee. Direct links are in the Property Records tab above.

The Delaware sex offender registry is maintained by the state law-enforcement agency under the Sex Offender Registration and Community Notification Act. The registry is searchable by name, ZIP code, or address.

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