Find Free New Castle County Public Records (Local Insights)

Find Free New Castle County Public Records (Local Insights)
Free New Castle County Public Records Search
Access New Castle County Records: marriage, divorce, warrants, arrests, probation, criminal, court, background checks, and all public records.
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Search free New Castle County public records in minutes using the clear, streamlined options throughout this resource.

These public records contain a wealth of information about the residents of the most populous county in Delaware. Researchers can search many types of records for free to find details of marriages, divorces, court cases, and property ownership. In addition, it’s possible to consult records kept by county agencies to find out about criminal cases and charges — including warrants, arrests, probation, and prisoner information.

With so many kinds of public records available, it can be tricky to know where to get started in the hunt for information. This resource includes details that will help you know where to start, including how to conduct a background check report and much more in New Castle County.

How To Track Down Arrest & Inmate Records in New Castle County Delaware

In New Castle County, there are several ways to obtain arrest and inmates information.

The county has its own detention facility (only for juvenile offenders), and the state’s Department of Corrections oversees correctional facilities that houses adult inmates from New Castle County. Additionally, local law enforcement agencies can provide valuable information related to arrests and criminal activity within their jurisdictions.

This section of the article to tracking down public records in New Castle County will cover the most efficient ways of finding out this information through the Delaware Department of Correction, the county sheriff’s office, and local law enforcement agencies.

Locate an Individual Arrested in New Castle County Delaware

The New Castle County Detention Center, operated by the Delaware Division of Youth Rehabilitative Services, houses juvenile offenders. To obtain information about individuals held in this facility, contact the Division of Youth Rehabilitative Services directly.

The Delaware Department of Correction does not have its own search tool that you can use to locate records about current inmates or find someone’s mugshot. However, it is possible to use the third-party VINELink system to gather some information about people who are currently housed in one of the department’s jails.

Researchers can also submit a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the Department of Correction to find out information about current and prior inmates.1 Requests for jail records should be made in writing using the Delaware FOIA form, which can be mailed or brought in person to this address:

Delaware Department of Correction
ATTN: Legal Services Administrator
245 McKee Rd.
Dover, DE 19904

Alternatively, it’s possible to email the request form to DOC_FOIA_Request@delaware.gov.

Source: State of Delaware2

For more information, you can call the Department of Correction at 302.739.5601.

It may also be worth directly contacting any of the four jails in the state to find out if someone is currently an inmate. Here’s the contact information for the correctional facilities someone may have been taken to:

Correctional Facility	Address	Phone Number
Baylor Women’s Correctional Institution	660 Baylor Blvd.
New Castle, DE 19720	302.577.3004
Howard R. Young Correctional Institution	1301 East 12th St.
Wilmington, DE 19802	302.429.7700
James T. Vaughn Correctional Center	1181 Paddock Rd.
Smyrna, DE 19977	302.653.9261
Sussex Correctional Institution	23203 DuPont Blvd.
Georgetown, DE 19947	302.856.5280

Alternatively, interested parties can contact the New Castle County Sheriff’s Office to request information about arrests.3 The office’s phone number is 302.395.8450, and the fax number is 302.395.8460. Or you can try visiting or writing to this address:

New Castle County Sheriff’s Office
800 North French Street, Fifth Fl.
Wilmington, DE 19801

View Arrest Details & Obtain Police Reports via Law Enforcement Agencies Throughout New Castle County

You can also request information about New Castle County bookings by contacting any of the local police departments located within the county’s borders.

Here’s a rundown of the municipal police departments in New Castle County, along with their contact information:

Police Department	Address	Phone
Wilmington Police Department	300 North Walnut St.
Wilmington, DE 19801	302.576.3940
302.576.3607 (records unit)
Newark Police Department	220 S. Main St.
Newark, DE 19711	302.366.7100 (use option 3 for records)
Newport Police Department	226 N. James St.
Newport, DE 19804	302.955.1411
Middletown Police Department	130 Hampden Rd.
Middletown, DE 19709	302.376.9950
Delaware City Police Department	407 Clinton St.
Delaware City, DE 19706	302.836.6344
City of New Castle Police Department	1 Municipal Blvd.
New Castle, DE 19720	302.322.9800
Townsend Police Department	661 South St.
Townsend, DE 19734	302.378.8082

The New Castle County Police have jurisdiction over all other locations in the county.4 You can call the department’s information line at 302.395.8171 to request information about a potential arrest made by the police. Or you can visit the office in person or submit a written request using this address:

New Castle County Police
3601 N. DuPont Hwy.
New Castle, DE 19720

How To Check Someone’s Criminal History in New Castle County Delaware

Of course, the search for New Castle County criminal records extends beyond arrest information. Information about court cases, warrants, and probation sentencing can also be found through a search of public records.

This section of the resource on locating public records in this Delaware county will cover the most efficient way of tracking down this information through the court system, as well as other agencies in the county and state.

Search for Prior Criminal Records in New Castle County via the Court System

When researching New Castle County court records it’s important to understand how the system works. In Delaware, there are several courts that have jurisdiction over different matters. Therefore, knowing which court to approach in the quest for records is crucial — especially because there’s no easy way to search all criminal case records online.

In Delaware, felony cases — as well as nearly all drug-related cases — are tried by the state’s Superior Court. Each of the state’s three counties has its own courthouse where these criminal cases are heard.

If you wish to locate records pertaining to criminal cases tried at the New Castle County courthouse, the Leonard L. Williams Justice Center, you must submit a written request either by email, mail, or in person using the Application for Access to Court Records (you can find this online by scrolling to the end of this document, which also includes a helpful summary of the court’s policy on public records access).5, 6

You must submit the record request to the Superior Court’s prothonotary by emailing Superior.NCC.Records@delaware.gov. Or you can mail it or hand deliver it to this address:

New Castle County Superior Court
Justice Center
500 N. King St.
Wilmington, DE 19801

Once your document is available for viewing, the prothonotary’s office will contact you and set up an appointment when you can come and view the document and/or request a copy. Unfortunately, the office will not email or mail you copies of records, unlike some other court records offices elsewhere in the country.

If you wish to order a certified copy of the criminal case record, the cost is $15 per document for up to three pages, plus an additional copy charge of up to $2 per page. Your request may also be subject to a retrieval fee of $25 per record. You can pay the total due with cash or a check. For more information, you can call the prothonotary’s office at 302.255.0777.

Alternatively, you may be able to locate New Castle County public records concerning certain criminal cases for free by searching through Superior Court judges’ opinions posted online.7 However, you may not be able to find information for all cases using this method.

Source: Delaware Courts Judicial Branch7

Court cases involving misdemeanors — criminal cases of a less serious nature than felonies — are tried by the Court of Common Pleas. This court is also responsible for holding preliminary hearings for felony cases. As with the Superior Court, cases in New Castle County are heard at the Leonard L. Williams Justice Center.

The most efficient way to request copies of records involving criminal misdemeanor cases tried by the Court of Common Pleas is to email the records office at ccp_nccrecordsrequest@delaware.gov. Researchers are advised to include as much information about the case as possible, including the defendant’s full name and date of birth. Once the office locates the requested records they will contact you with the total owed and options for delivery.

Or you can visit the courthouse at the address above to inquire about a records request.

For more information, you can contact the Court of Common Pleas customer service department at 302.255.0900.

Another Delaware court, the Justice of the Peace Court, is also responsible for some criminal cases (mostly involving traffic violations).

You can request access to public records maintained by this court by downloading the “Justice of the Peace Court Policy on Public Access to Court Records” found on the Delaware Courts’ judicial records access policy website.8

The request form can be found at the end of the PDF file. You can then email, mail, or bring the completed form to the appropriate Justice of the Peace court location. Here are the New Castle County Justice of the Peace Court locations responsible for criminal cases:

Once you have submitted your request, the court will contact you to make arrangements for receiving and paying for your documents.

Additionally, some criminal cases tried by the Justice of the Peace Court can be found online using the Delaware Court Connect Search Tool.9 These consist mainly of traffic violation cases. You can use the tool to look up cases by the defendant’s name.

Source: Delaware Courts Judicial Branch9

Once you’ve submitted your search criteria, you’ll see a public index of cases that match. By clicking on a hot-linked case number, you can find out details about the case, including any judgments and fines.

Finally, there are two Alderman’s Courts in New Castle County. These are the Delaware equivalent of a municipal court and have limited jurisdiction over parking violations, traffic violations, disorderly conduct violations, etc.

Here’s the contact information for both of these courts:

Alderman’s Court	Address	Phone
Newark	220 S. Main St.
Newark, DE 19711	302.366.7000
Newport	226 N. James St.
Newport, DE 19804	302.998.2707
View Active Warrant Information in New Castle County DE

The most straightforward way to find out if someone — or even you — has an open warrant is by using the Delaware Criminal Justice Information System’s Online Wanted Person Review.10 This tool allows users to look up open arrest warrants issued by state courts by entering someone’s name.

Source: Delaware Criminal Justice Information System10

Once you’ve entered your search criteria, you’ll be able to see an online directory of matches. By clicking on “Select,” you can see more information about the warrant, including:

The Offender’s Full Name
Their Birth Date
Their Race
Their Sex
Known Aliases
Charges Related to the Warrant
The Court That Issued the Warrant
Source: Delaware Criminal Justice Information System11

Another option for finding out information about New Castle County warrants is to contact the county sheriff’s office or any of the local police departments. You’ll find the contact information for these agencies in the section on finding arrest records in this article.

However, it’s crucial to note that if you have an open warrant in New Castle County and visit any of the local police departments, you will likely be arrested right then and there.

Finally, two of the cities in New Castle County feature their own “Most Wanted” lists online. You can use these lists to find out who is currency wanted by the New Castle Police Department and the Middletown Police Department.

Note: For a broader approach to finding open warrants across the state, follow the steps for searching all Delaware warrant details.

Conduct a Probation Record Check in New Castle County DE

In Delaware, the state’s Bureau of Community Corrections manages probation sentences for all three counties, including New Castle County.12 There are two bureau offices in New Castle County.

If you want to find out if someone in New Castle County has been granted the ability to serve time at home or in the community, rather than in a corrections facility, you can contact the bureau using the following information:

New Castle County Probation & Parole
29 Parkway Cir,
New Castle, Delaware 19720

Phone: 302.323.6050

Northern New Castle Probation & Parole
314 Cherry Ln.
New Castle, Delaware 19720

Phone: 302.577.3443

You can also use VINELink, a third-party system that partners with local law enforcement agencies, to look up offenders by name. If they have received a probation sentence, this information will be included in their file.

Note: For detailed information on individuals under supervision across the entire state, follow the instructions for searching Delaware probation details.

Perform a Background Check for Any Reason in New Castle County

Performing a background check involves searching through someone’s history to make sure that they are who they say they are and to find out if there are any negative events — such as arrests, convictions, etc. — in their past.

There are myriad reasons why someone may want to conduct a background check, from finding out more information about a potential love interest to screening someone for a job or a lease. The latter examples are what’s commonly known as professional background checks — that is, checks done typically for business-related reasons.

Thanks to the U.S. Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), there are federal regulations in place that protect people who are subject to professional background checks.13 For instance, it’s illegal to conduct one of these checks without first getting the written consent of the subject. There are also laws that regulate how information discovered during a professional background check can be used.

Anyone can conduct a personal background check for non-professional reasons without having to worry about violating FCRA. In fact, it’s possible to use the information included in this resource to conduct your own free criminal record check.

However, if a potential employer or landlord has requested that you undergo a professional background check, you can do so through the Delaware Bureau of Identification.14 The bureau — a department of the state police — offers Criminal History Reports based on Delaware public records for $72 apiece. Or, if the requester requires it, you can order a Criminal History Report that combines both Delaware and federal records for $85.

To order one of these professional reports, which use your fingerprints to search records, you must schedule an appointment through IdentoGO using the service code the requester supplied. Alternatively, you can use service code 27RVGT to order a personal background check of your own records for your own use.

Fingerprint appointments are conducted at nine locations throughout Delaware, including four sites in New Castle County. You can pay for the service online while registering with a credit card.

How To Access Criminal Records in Delaware via State & Federal Agencies

If you’re not finding the information you’re looking for by using New Castle County public records — or if you’d like to look up someone’s criminal record beyond the county’s borders — you may want to consult state and federal agencies.

Before exploring individual agencies, consult the tutorial on finding Delaware arrest records and criminal history information for a thorough overview of available resources.

Here’s a brief rundown of some of the most useful resources for finding out more information about someone’s potential criminal past.

Delaware Bureau of Identification:14 As discussed in the section on background check reports above, you can pay for a criminal history report compiled using your own Delaware and federal records. However, note that the cost is relatively steep ($72-85).
Delaware Department of Correction: You can use the third-party VINELink service to locate an inmate currently housed in state-run facilities for free.
Delaware Sex Offender Central Registry: This is an online service that allows members of the public to look up sex offenders living in the state by name, workplace, or location.
Delaware Criminal Justice Information System: The Online Wanted Person Review lets users look up information about open warrants by name. This tool was discussed in greater detail in the section of this guide on New Castle County warrants.
Federal Bureau of Prisons: You can use the online Inmate Locator Tool to find out if someone is currently incarcerated in a federally operated correction center.
National Sex Offender Registry: This federal website allows interested parties to look up information on potential sex offenders by name or location.
How To Retrieve Court Records & Case Details By Name in New Castle County

Delaware may be a small state, but its court system has many levels. To successfully track down New Castle County judicial records, researchers must understand how the court system is set up.

This section of the article to finding public records will briefly explain the different types of Delaware courts and how to efficiently track down the information you’re looking for.

At the highest level of the state’s court system is the Delaware Supreme Court. This court is an appellate court, which means that its main responsibility is considering appeals of decisions made by lower courts. In addition, the Supreme Court sets policies for the state’s entire court system.

Researchers who want to find out more information about a Supreme Court case can use the court’s website to search an index of opinions and orders for free. By selecting a case, you can view a copy of the official file related to the case.

Source: Delaware Courts Judicial Branch15

Below the Supreme Court is the Court of Chancery, which deals with probate matters such as wills, trusts, and estates, as well as real estate disputes, contract issues, and corporate matters.16 As with the Supreme Court, you can search Court of Chancery decisions on the court’s website.

On the next rung of the Delaware court ladder is the Superior Court, which is responsible for trying felony cases, as well as many cases involving civil disputes. Each of the state’s three counties has its own Superior Court division.

The section in this article on tracking down New Castle County criminal records includes details on how to locate and request copies of felony case records from the Superior Court.

However, if you’re trying to find records pertaining to civil cases tried by the court, the process is a lot more straightforward. That’s because you can use the state’s CourtConnect system to search civil cases.9

You can use this tool to search cases by a person’s name or the name of a company. When searching by someone’s name, the only required entry is their last name.

Upon entering your criteria and tapping the “Submit” button, you’ll be presented with a list of cases that match. This list will include the names of the potential search matches, along with their address, the styling for the case, the case number, the search subject’s role in the case, the filing date, and the case status.

By clicking on a hot-linked case number, you’ll be able to view a docket report with many more details about the case, including a court date schedule, judgments, and a list of any related cases. However, note that there’s no way to search cases for any one county, so there’s no way to run a specific New Castle County case search.

Source: Delaware Courts Judicial Branch17

If you wish to order certified copies of any Superior Court records, you can do so using the Application for Access to Court Records. You can print and complete this form and submit it to the Superior Court prothonotary by emailing Superior.NCC.Records@delaware.gov. Alternatively, you can mail it or hand deliver it to this address:

Leonard J. Williams Justice Center – Superior Court
500 N. King St.
Wilmington, DE 19801

Once your document is ready, the office will contact you to set up an appointment to pick it up. The cost is $15 per document for the first three pages. After that, there’s a cost of up to $2 for each additional page.

The office may also charge you a retrieval fee of $25 per record for the service. Fees are payable with cash or a check. The office will let you know how much you owe.

For more information, you can call the prothonotary’s office at 302.255.0777.

You can also do a quick search of Superior Court opinions by using the Opinions and Orders search on the court’s website. However, the results you receive will be more limited compared to what’s available using the CourtConnect system.

The Delaware Family Court is responsible for cases involving juvenile and family matters — including divorce, custody, and criminal cases. Due to the sensitive nature of some of these cases, there’s no way to search Family Court records online. However, you can direct inquiries about Family Court cases in New Castle County to 302.255.0300.

Next up, the Court of Common Pleas has jurisdiction over civil cases in which the amount disputed is less than $75,000, as well as all misdemeanors except for drug and traffic offenses. You can use the same CourtConnect system described above to access information about civil cases tried by this court. You can also order copies of Court of Common Pleas records by emailing the records office at ccp_nccrecordsrequest@elaware.gov.

Costs for record copies may vary; the office will contact you once you’ve made your request to let you know how much you owe and how you can pay.

Alternatively, you can visit the Court of Common Pleas at this address:

Leonard J. Williams Justice Center
500 N. King St.
Wilmington, DE 19801

For more information, you can call the court’s customer service line at 302.255.0900.

Lower down is the Justice of the Peace Court, which is responsible for some misdemeanor cases (typically involving traffic or drug offenses) as well as low-level civil cases. You can also use the CourtConnect system to look up information about cases handled by this court.

It is possible to request access to records kept by this court’s public records repository by downloading the “Justice of the Peace Court Policy on Public Access to Court Records” from the Delaware Courts’ judicial records access policy website.8

You can then email, mail, or take the completed form to the appropriate Justice of the Peace court division. Here’s a list of all of the Justice of the Peace Court locations in New Castle County:

Justice of the Peace Court	Case Type	Address & Contact Information
JP Court 9	Criminal and civil	757 N. Broad St.
Middletown, DE 19709
JPCourt09@delaware.gov
302.378.5221
JP Court 11	Criminal only	2 Penns Way, Ste. 100A
New Castle, DE 19720
JPCourt11@delaware.gov
302.323.4450
JP Court 13	Civil only	2 Penns Way, Ste. 203
New Castle, DE 19720
JPCourt13@delaware.gov
302.323.6070
JP Court 20	Criminal only	500 N. King St., Fl. 7
Wilmington, DE 19801
JPCourt20@delaware.gov
302.574.1500
JP Court Voluntary Assessment Center	Traffic only	480 Bank Ln.
Dover, DE 19904
JPCourt@delaware.gov
302.739.6911

Once the Justice of the Peace Court receives your request, someone will reach out to you to make arrangements for payment and document delivery.

Finally, New Castle County has two Alderman’s Courts. These are basically municipal courts whose jurisdiction is limited to ordinance violations, parking issues, etc.

Here’s the contact information for both of these courts:

Alderman’s Court	Address	Phone
Newark	220 S. Main St.
Newark, DE 19711	302.366.7000
Newport	226 N. James St.
Newport, DE 19804	302.998.2707
How To Access New Castle County Vital Records (Marriage, Divorce, Birth & Death)

Vital records are those that involve important life events such as births, marriages, and deaths. There are a number of reasons why you may want to consult vital records – for example, you’ll likely need a copy of your birth certificate to apply for a driver’s license or passport. You may also want to look up vital records to find out if someone is married before going out on a date with them.

However, due to their sensitive nature, in Delaware, not all of these record types may be available to the general public. This section of the resource to New Castle County public records will cover who can order what kinds of records, as well as the most efficient ways of doing so.

Request Marriage & Divorce Records or Certificates Through Official Channels

In Delaware, marriage records are not considered public until they are 40 years old. Until then, it’s impossible for just anyone to request a copy to check if someone is married. New Castle County marriage records are accessible only by the people listed on the document or their immediate family or legal representatives, as explained below.

There are several agencies in the state that maintain records on marriages.

If you were married in New Castle County and wish to order a certified copy of your marriage license, you can do so through the Clerk of the Peace Office. However, this record custodian will fulfill your record request only if you’re one of the parties named on the document. The cost is $25 per copy, payable with a check or money order.

You can order the copy in person by visiting the office at this address during normal business hours (weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.):

New Castle County Clerk of the Peace
800 North French Street, 2nd Fl.
Wilmington, DE 19801

When ordering a copy in person, you must bring along a valid government-issued ID.

You can also order a certified copy of a marriage license from the Clerk of the Peace by mail. To do so, you must submit a written request including:

The full names of both participants as they appear on the document
The date of the wedding or civil union ceremony
Your telephone number
Whether you’re requesting a marriage or civil union license

You must also send a money order or certified check payable to “Clerk of the Peace” and a self-addressed, stamped legal-size envelope. You can mail your request to the address above. For more information, you can call the Clerk of the Peace Office at 302.395.7780.

Alternatively, you can order a certified copy of a marriage certificate that is less than 50 years old from the State of Delaware’s Office of Vital Statistics by mail or in person. To do so, you can use the Application for a Certified Copy of a Delaware Marriage Certificate found online.18

Source: Delaware Health and Social Services, Division of Public Health18

Only the following persons may apply for a copy this way:

One of the parties named on the document
One of their children
One of their parents
Someone else in their immediate family (with proof)
Their legal guardian (with a court order)
Their authorized representative or attorney (with proof)
Someone doing serious genealogy study (with proof)

The cost is $25, payable by check or money order made out to “Office of Vital Statistics.”

The application form can be mailed or brought in person to this address in New Castle County:

Office of Vital Statistics
258 Chapman Road
Newark, DE 19702

Phone: 302.283.7130

You can also order copies of marriage records online by using the third-party services VitalChek and GoCertificates. These services accept credit or debit cards for payment.

Once a marriage record becomes 50 years old, it is kept by the Delaware Public Archives. You can inquire about obtaining a copy online by using the agency’s contact form (found at the link above). Or you can mail a written request to this address:

Delaware Public Archives
121 MLK Jr. Blvd. N.
Dover, DE 19901

Phone: 302.744.5000

On the other hand, if you wish to order a copy of your own final divorce or annulment decree and the document is dated 1978 to the present you can do so from the New Castle County’s Family Court.

The cost for a certified document is $4, while non-certified copies cost $1 each. Orders may be subject to a variable research fee if the records need to be retrieved from storage.

The court’s Records Department accepts payment in the form of cash, check, money order, or credit or debit card.

You can request copies of New Castle County divorce records by mailing or visiting this address:

Family Court – Records Department
500 North King Street, Ste. 110
Wilmington, DE 19801

Phone: 302.255.2222

Divorce documents dated prior to 1978 can be requested from the New Castle County Superior Court Prothonotary. For more information and instructions on how to do so, you can call this office at 302.255.0777.

Acquire Birth & Death Certificates in New Castle via the Office of Vital Statistics

In Delaware, authorized persons may order a copy of a birth certificate or death certificate newer than 72 years through the state’s Office of Vital Statistics.

These are the individuals who are eligible to request a certificate of birth:

The registrant
Their current spouse
Their children
Their parents
Someone else in their immediate family (with proof)
Their legal guardian (with a court order)
Their authorized representative or attorney (with proof)
Someone doing serious genealogy study (with proof)

Copies of birth certificates cost $25 — payable with a check or money order made out to “Office of Vital Statistics.” They can be ordered via mail or in person using the Application for a Certified Copy of a Delaware Birth Certificate found online. This form can be mailed or brought to this address in New Castle County:

Office of Vital Statistics
258 Chapman Road
Newark, DE 19702

Similarly, death certificates dated within the past 40 years can also be ordered by the Office of Vital Statistics by these authorized individuals:

The deceased’s current spouse
Their children
Their parents
Someone else in their immediate family (with proof)
Their legal guardian (with a court order)
Their authorized representative or attorney (with proof)
Someone doing serious genealogy study (with proof)

You can order a copy by using the Application for a Certified Copy of a Delaware Death Certificate found online.19 The cost for a certificate of death copy is also $25, payable by check or money order made out to “Office of Vital Statistics.” The application can be sent or brought to the New Castle County office listed above.

Source: Delaware Health and Social Services, Division of Public Health19

For more information, you can call the Office of Vital Statistics at 302.283.7130.

Alternatively, it’s also possible to order a copy of a birth or death record online using a credit or debit card through the third-party services GoCertificates and VitalChek.

Once a birth record becomes older than 72 years and a death certificate becomes older than 40 years, they are transferred to the state’s archives. Members of the general public can inquire about ordering copies of these vital records by using the Delaware Public Archives Contact Form or by sending a written request to:

Delaware Public Archives
121 MLK Jr. Blvd. N.
Dover, DE 19901

For more information, you can call the archives at 302.744.5000.

How To Look Up Property Records in New Castle County Delaware for Free

There are a number of ways to check public records to find out information about property ownership in New Castle County.

One way is by using the Explore New Castle County GIS (geographic information system) map tool.20 This is a service of the New Castle County government and allows users to enter a street address or scroll through a map of the county to find out who owns a particular property.

Source: New Castle County GIS Services20

By clicking on a property, researchers can find out information about it, including the owner’s name and address, as well as details about any structures located on the parcel, zoning, and tax assessment and bills.

You can also find out property ownership information by using the county’s Parcel Search Tool.21 You can use this service to look up records by parcel number or street address.

Source: New Castle County, Delaware21

For more information on these services, you can reach the New Castle County Department of Land Use at:

Department of Land Use
87 Reads Way
New Castle, DE 19720

Phone: 302.395.5555

Alternatively, you can find out tax information through the New Castle County Assessor’s Map Viewer tool. This is a similar GIS map service and allows you to pinpoint who owns a particular property, as well as to find out information on zoning and taxation.

However, it’s always important to keep in mind that property boundaries shown on GIS maps are not necessarily accurate and should not be used in place of a professional survey.

For more information about this GIS map, you can contact the Tax Assessor using the following information:

New Castle County Tax Assessor
87 Reads Way
New Castle, DE 19720

Phone: 302.395.5220

To find out what property a person owns, you can also use the Public Access site hosted by the New Castle County Recorder of Deeds.22 This search tool allows you to enter a person’s or organization’s name and find out which properties are associated with them.

It’s free to use the search tool, but if you wish to view any of the property documents associated with the record — such as a deed, mortgage document, etc. — the cost is $1 per record. This fee is payable online by using a credit or debit card.

Source: New Castle County Recorder of Deeds22

For more details, you can reach the Recorder of Deeds by using this contact information:

New Castle County Recorder’s Office
800 North French Street, 4th Fl.
Wilmington, DE 19801

Phone: 302.395.7700

Accessing New Castle County Public Records Responsibly & Knowing Your Rights

A free public records search using New Castle County and Delaware agencies can yield a lot of information about someone. You can find out about any potential criminal history they have, as well as information on civil court cases and property ownership.

Thanks to the U.S. Freedom of Information Act and the Delaware Freedom of Information Act, much of this information can be readily accessed by the general public.23, 24

However, there are responsibilities that researchers must keep in mind when accessing public records.

For example, the U.S. Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) regulates how this information can be used by businesses and other organizations. It’s also illegal to use someone’s personal information to commit any kind of crime — be it stalking, intimidation, or identity theft.

If you believe that someone has used your personal information to discriminate against you, there are two federal agencies, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) that can help.

In addition, if you’re a Delaware resident, you can also reach out to the state’s Division of Human & Civil Rights of the Department of Labor’s Office of Anti-Discrimination.

That said, you can use any of the methods included in this resource to conduct a search of New Castle County public records.

References

1Delaware Department of Correction. (n.d.). FOIA Request. Retrieved January 22, 2024, from <https://doc.delaware.gov/views/foia.blade.shtml>

2State of Delaware. (n.d.). FOIA Request Form – Request for Public Records. Retrieved January 22, 2024, from <https://delaware.gov/foia/?subj=GOV>

3New Castle County, Delaware. (n.d.). Staff Directory – Sheriff’s Office. Retrieved January 22, 2024, from <https://www.newcastlede.gov/Directory.aspx?did=9&__cf_chl_tk=hsBOZ4CzOiWsKOelkqGF4lgppNU9ytlP2P7OLl1vEKg-1705963088-0-gaNycGzNDjs>

4New Castle County Police Department. (n.d.). Police. Retrieved January 22, 2024, from <https://www.newcastlede.gov/2422/Police>

5Delaware Courts Judicial Branch. (n.d.). Leonard L. Williams Justice Center – Administrative Office of the Courts. Retrieved January 22, 2024, from <https://courts.delaware.gov/aoc/llwjc/>

6Delaware Courts Judicial Branch. (2000, April 3). Policy On Public Access To Superior Court Judicial Records. Retrieved January 22, 2024, from <https://courts.delaware.gov/superior/pdf/AdministrativeDirective2000-5.pdf>

7Delaware Courts Judicial Branch. (n.d.). Opinions and Orders. Retrieved January 22, 2024, from <https://courts.delaware.gov/opinions/>

8Delaware Courts Judicial Branch. (n.d.). Policy on Public Access to Judicial Records. Retrieved January 22, 2024, from <https://courts.delaware.gov/help/recordaccess.aspx>

9Delaware Courts Judicial Branch. (n.d.). Person/Case Type Search. CourtConnect. Retrieved January 22, 2024, from <https://courtconnect.courts.delaware.gov/cc/cconnect/ck_public_qry_cpty.cp_personcase_setup_idx>

10Delaware Criminal Justice Information System. (n.d.). Online Wanted Person Review. Retrieved January 22, 2024, from <https://pubsrv.deljis.delaware.gov/WantedPublic/Default.aspx>

11Delaware Criminal Justice Information System. (n.d.). Online Wanted Person Review Results. Retrieved January 22, 2024, from <https://pubsrv.deljis.delaware.gov/WantedPublic/searchResults.aspx>

12Delaware Department of Correction. (n.d.).  Bureau of Community Corrections. Retrieved January 22, 2024, from <https://doc.delaware.gov/views/comm_corrections.blade.shtml>

13Federal Trade Commission. (n.d.). Fair Credit Reporting Act. Retrieved January 22, 2024, from <https://www.ftc.gov/legal-library/browse/statutes/fair-credit-reporting-act>

14Delaware State Police. (n.d.). Obtaining a Certified Delaware Criminal History. Retrieved January 22, 2024, from <https://dsp.delaware.gov/obtaining-a-certified-criminal-history/>

15Delaware Courts Judicial Branch. (n.d.). Opinions – In The Supreme Court Of The State Of Delaware. Retrieved January 22, 2024, from <https://courts.delaware.gov/Opinions/Download.aspx?id=358590>

16Delaware Courts Judicial Branch. (n.d.). Court of Chancery. Retrieved January 22, 2024, from <https://courts.delaware.gov/chancery/>

17Delaware Courts Judicial Branch. (n.d.). Docket Report Results. CourtConnect. Retrieved January 22, 2024, from <https://courtconnect.courts.delaware.gov/cc/cconnect/ck_public_qry_doct.cp_dktrpt_frames?backto=P&case_id=J0504023213&begin_date=&end_date=>

18Delaware Health and Social Services, Division of Public Health. (2020, June). Application For A Certified Copy Of A Delaware Marriage Certificate. Retrieved January 22, 2024, from <https://dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/dph/ss/files/marriage.pdf>

19Delaware Health and Social Services, Division of Public Health. (2021, June). Application For A Certified Copy Of A Delaware Death Certificate. Retrieved January 22, 2024, from <https://www.dhss.delaware.gov/dhss/dph/ss/files/death.pdf>

20New Castle County GIS Services. (n.d.). Explore New Castle County. Retrieved January 22, 2024, from <https://nccde.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=9752e5144c5f46248a3fdb6044f810b9/>

21New Castle County, Delaware. (n.d.). Parcel Search. Retrieved January 22, 2024, from <https://www3.newcastlede.gov/parcel/search/>

22New Castle County Recorder of Deeds. (n.d.). Search – (DTS)Public Access. Retrieved January 22, 2024, from <https://deeds.nccde.org/Pax/views/search>

23Department of Justice, Office of Information Policy (OIP) U.S. (n.d.). Freedom of Information Act: Learn. FOIA.gov. Retrieved January 22, 2024, from <https://www.foia.gov/about.html>

24The Delaware Code Online. (n.d.). Title 29 – State Government – General Regulations for State Agencies – Chapter 100. Freedom of Information Act. Retrieved January 22, 2024, from <https://delcode.delaware.gov/title29/c100/>