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Delaware Public Records

Under the Delaware Code Title 29, a public record is defined as any information relating to public business “regardless of the physical form or characteristic by which such information is stored, recorded or reproduced.”

How to Find Delaware Public Records

Under the Delaware Public Records Act, all public records are open for inspection and reproduction during regular business hours. You may find or request a public record in Delaware online, through email, U.S. mail, or fax. However, private sources can also provide access when the records are available.  

Are Delaware Public Records Available Online?

According to the Delaware Freedom of Information Act, public records are available online using the FOIA request form. Requesters must be as specific as possible to describe the type of records, subject matter, dates, and the parties to the correspondence. 

What Records are Not Available in Delaware?

All records involving public business in Delaware are open to the public except for the following:

  • Medical files
  • Student or personnel files
  • Trade secrets
  • Investigatory files
  • Criminal files and criminal records
  • Intelligence files
  • Labor negotiations

Types of Public Records Available in Delaware

 The following public records are available in the state of Delaware: 

Delaware Public Criminal Records

Criminal records are not open for public scrutiny in Delaware. However, you may request your own criminal records in the state. You may also perform an online search through the judicial case database of the State of Delaware Courts to search for criminal records and use search filters by judgment, person, or case type, and docket reports.

Police Departments and Sheriffe Office in Delaware :

Sussex County Sheriff's Office22215 Dupont Blvd, Georgetown, DE
Kent County Sheriff's Office555 Bay Rd, Dover, DE
New Castle County Sheriff's Office800 N. French St., Wilmington, DE

Arrest Records and Warrants

The Delaware Criminal Justice Information System is an online database where you can search for active warrants by simply typing in a first and last name. 

You may also find arrest records and warrant by contacting the Delaware State Police Troops. 

Inmate and Jail Records

The Delaware Department of Correction uses the VINELink to search for inmates and get jail records. Requesters are encouraged to use the said online tool to locate inmates or use the Pennsylvania inmate locator for Delaware inmates affected by the agreement between the two states to transfer inmates to the Pennsylvania Department of Correction.

Jails and Prisons in Delaware :

Sussex Correctional Institution23203 Dupont Blvd, Georgetown, DE
Sussex Community Corrections Center23207 Dupont Blvd., Georgetown, DE
Wyoming JailOne North Railroad Avenue, Camden Wyoming, De
Smyrna Jail325 West Glenwood Avenue, Smyrna, De
Milford Jail400 Northeast Front Street, Milford, De
Kent County Jail555 Bay Road, Dover, De
Dover Jail400 South Queen Street, Dover, De
Delaware Capitol Police Detention150 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd South, Po Box 1401, Dover, De
Clayton Jail414 Main Street, Clayton, De
Morris Community Corrections Center300 Water Street, Dover, DE

Delaware Background Checks

Criminal history background checks are available in Delaware through fingerprint verification. With this, requesters must provide a valid identification like a state ID or a driver’s license. 

The Delaware State Police State Bureau of Identification (SBI) is the government body responsible for background checks in Delaware. 

Note that a $52.00 fee applies for a state background check. If you need both state and federal criminal background checks, a fee of $65.00 will apply. 

How to Find Sex Offenders in Delaware

The Delaware State Police State Bureau of Identification has a sex offender registry that you can use to search for sex offenders online. The site also has a free email subscription service where you can get the latest information and get notified when new sex offenders are added to the registry. 

Delaware Public Vital Records 

Public vital records like birth, death, adoption, and marriage records are available at the Division of Public Health Office of Vital Statistics or the state archives.

The fastest way to request public vital records is to do it online.

The following vital records are also available in microfilm at the Delaware Public Archives:

  • Birth records - public after 72 years
  • Marriage records - public after 50 years
  • Death records - public after 40 years

Photocopies of microfilm vital records are available for reproduction at $0.50 per page. Certified copies are available for $25.00 per page. 

For divorce or annulment decrees from 1978 up to the present, requesters should contact the family court where the decree was finalized. 

Note that in-person and mail requests require a fee. 

For in-person requests, certified copies of divorce or annulment decrees are available for $4.00 per page and $1.00 for non-certified copies. The same fees apply for mail requests with the addition of a written request, including the requester’s notarized signature. 

Delaware Court Records 

Court records involving civil cases and some criminal records in Delaware are available online with information from the Justice of the Peace Court, Superior Court, and the Court of Common Pleas available 24/7. 

Sealed records like juvenile and personal records can only be accessed via in person requests at court.

State Court System in Delaware

The Delaware state court system is composed of the following:

Courts in Delaware :

Delaware Court of Chancery34 The Circle, Georgetown, DE
Georgetown Superior Court1 The Circle, Suite 2, Georgetown, DE
Rehoboth Justice of the Peace Court35252 Hudson Way, Unit #1, Rehoboth Beach, DE
Georgetown Justice of the Peace Court23730 Shortly Road, Georgetown, DE
Seaford Justice of the Peace Court408 E. Stein Highway, Seaford, DE
Delaware Supreme Court55 The Green / South State Street, Dover, DE
Dover Superior Court414 Federal Street, Dover, DE
Harrington Justice of the Peace Court35 Cams Fortune Way, Harrington, DE
Dover Justice of the Peace Court480 Bank Lane, Dover, DE
Smyrna Justice of the Peace Court100 Monrovia Avenue, Smyrna, DE

Driving Records

The fastest way to request driving records in Delaware is by logging into your DMV account, and ordering online. A fee of $25.00 applies for driving records requests, whether it is for a 3-year or 5-year record. 

You may also send a request to the Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles in person or by mail by completing the release form. Requesters must have the request form notarized with a self-addressed envelope to expedite processing time and include the fee required for the record request. 

Civil Driving Infractions

Drivers who commit civil driving infractions in Delaware are usually given a voluntary assessment ticket where they pay the fine, or they go to court to plead not guilty to the violation. 

Aside from the traffic ticket, there are other fees to consider, including:

  • Court costs
  • Victims’ compensation fund
  • DELJIS fund
  • Videophone fund
  • Transportation trust fund assessment
  • Court security fund
  • Ambulance fund
  • Fund to combat violent crimes

 The fines vary according to the civil driving infraction committed and may be suspended in whole or in part, depending on the judge’s discretion of the case. 

Delaware License Plate Lookup

You can look up license plates in Delaware using third-party sites like InfoTracer.

Delaware Unclaimed Property and Assets

The Delaware Office of Unclaimed Property allows you to search for and claim properties online. Property records are managed by the registry of deed offices which are also organized on a county level.  

Under the state’s Money Match Program, unclaimed properties consist of financial instruments like savings, checking accounts, uncashed stocks, wags, payroll, credit balances, money orders, refund checks, mineral proceeds, death benefit checks, gift cards, virtual currency, court deposits, and life insurance benefits. 

Real estate and vehicles do not constitute an unclaimed property in Delaware. 

Important Government Agencies in Delaware

The following government agencies are a repository of public records available in Delaware: 

  1. Governor’s Office
  2. Legislative Office
  3. State Police Troops
  4. Department of Correction
  5. Criminal Justice Information System
  6. State Bureau of Identification
  7. Division of Public Health 
  8. Office of Vital Statistics
  9. Public Archives
  10. Supreme Court 
  11. Superior Court 
  12. Family Court
  13. Justice of the Peace Court
  14. Court of Common Pleas
  15. Division of Motor Vehicles
  16. Office of Unclaimed Property

Counties in Delaware

Other Records in Delaware

List of Content

  1. How to Find Delaware Public Records
    1. Are Delaware Public Records Available Online?
  2. What Records are Not Available in Delaware?
    1. Types of Public Records Available in Delaware
      1. Delaware Public Criminal Records
      2. Arrest Records and Warrants
      3. Inmate and Jail Records
      4. Delaware Background Checks
      5. Delaware Public Vital Records 
      6. Delaware Court Records 
      7. State Court System in Delaware
      8. Driving Records
      9. Civil Driving Infractions
      10. Delaware License Plate Lookup
    2. Important Government Agencies in Delaware
      1. Other Records