deedplatBeta Request access

State guides / Delaware

Delaware property data

Delaware keeps its land records county by county, all 3 of them, each with its own systems. Here's what's public, what's hard to get, and what Deedplat puts on one map.

  • 3Counties
  • PublicSale prices
Pick a county

What you can get in Delaware

Delaware makes most property records public, including what each property sold for. The catch is that every county keeps them differently.

Public everywhere

Every county has these, and Deedplat loads them all.

  • Owners and mailing addressesFrom the county assessment office in New Castle, Kent and Sussex counties
  • Sale pricesThe realty transfer tax return filed with each deed reports the sale price, and the tax itself is a percentage of that price.
  • Deeds and mortgagesRecorder of Deeds in each county
  • Assessed valuesA 2023 law requires each county to reassess at least every five years, after the first statewide reassessment in decades.
  • Tax salesRun county by county
  • Foreclosure filings and salesFiled in court, so they're public early
  • Lot linesCounty parcel maps

Depends on the town

Towns and cities such as Wilmington and Dover keep their own permits, code violations and rental licenses, and the Delaware Freedom of Information Act covers them.

  • Code violations and condemnations
  • Building permits
  • Rental registration and inspections
  • Zoning maps and ordinances
  • Water and sewer liens

Not public

What no office will hand over, so you know where the line is.

  • Owner phone numbers and emails
  • Rents and leases
  • Active listingsThose live in the MLS
  • Mortgage balancesThe original loan amount is recorded; what's left is not

How property changes hands here

Distressed property reaches the market through a few channels, and they differ by county.

Redeemable deeds

Delinquent property is sold at a sheriff's sale through a court process called a monition. The owner has 60 days after the court confirms the sale to redeem; in Kent County the buyer then gets the bid back plus a 15% premium. If no one redeems, the buyer records a deed and pays the transfer tax.

Foreclosure goes through the courts

Lenders foreclose by suing in Superior Court, and owner-occupied homes go through automatic mediation before judgment. The county sheriff then sells the property at public sale, and the borrower can redeem only until the court confirms the sale.

Land banks

The Delaware Neighborhood Conservation and Land Banking Act lets counties and towns create land banks; Wilmington's Neighborhood Conservancy Land Bank is the main example.

Transfer tax

The state realty transfer tax is 2.5% where a county or town adds its own 1.5% (4% total) and 3% where there is no local tax; buyer and seller split it by default, and first-time buyers get a 0.5% break.

Worth knowing

Before the court-ordered reassessment, Sussex values dated to 1974, New Castle to 1983 and Kent to 1987; new values took effect in 2024 and 2025, and some tax bills rose sharply.

Worth knowing

Delaware has one of the highest transfer taxes in the country, about 4% in most places.

Every county in Delaware

Choose any county to get started.

Questions

Are property sale prices public in Delaware?

Yes. The transfer tax return filed with each deed reports the sale price, and county records show what properties sold for.

How do tax sales work in Delaware?

Unpaid taxes lead to a sheriff's sale through a court process called a monition. The owner has 60 days after the court confirms the sale to redeem; in Kent County the buyer then gets the bid back plus 15%. Otherwise the buyer records a deed.

Where are deeds and mortgages recorded in Delaware?

Deeds and mortgages are recorded with the Recorder of Deeds in New Castle, Kent or Sussex County.

How often are Delaware properties reassessed?

At least every five years under a 2023 law. The first new values in decades took effect in 2024 and 2025.

Is foreclosure judicial in Delaware?

Yes. Delaware lenders must sue in Superior Court, and the county sheriff sells the property after judgment.

Can I get records Deedplat doesn't have?

State, county and town records can be requested under the Delaware Freedom of Information Act. We file those requests for you, clean up the results and add them to your map.

Sources for this guide

Laws and fees change. We checked these sources in October 2026; confirm with the county before you act.

Every parcel, on one map

Deedplat is in beta. Pick any Delaware county to get started.

Request accessSee pricing