Delaware Public Records

Unlock Delaware public records effortlessly – FOIA requests, court cases, archives, property deeds. Free official searches + convenient paid services like Spokeo Public Records Search.

Here’s a comprehensive list of public records resources for Delaware, organized by category and record type:

Statewide Public Records Portals

• Delaware Open Data Portal (data.delaware.gov) – Central hub for state datasets including budgets, contracts, environmental data, and more.[data.delaware][data.delaware]
• Delaware State Agency Databases (godort.libguides.com/delawaredbs) – Annotated directory of 50+ publicly searchable databases produced by Delaware state agencies, organized by subject area.[godort.libguides]
• ThePublicIndex Delaware (delaware.thepublicindex.org) – Aggregator linking to criminal, court, inmate, marriage, divorce, birth, and death records.[delaware.thepublicindex]
• BRB Publications Free Sites (brbpublications.com/free-sites/state/de) – Curated list of free state-level record searches including courts, business entities, tax liens, and more.[brbpublications]

Court & Legal Records

• Delaware Courts Connect (courtconnect.courts.delaware.gov) – Judicial case database for searching by person, business, or case type; includes judgments and docket reports.[searchsystems]
• Delaware Courts Opinions & Orders (courts.delaware.gov) – Official opinions and orders from all Delaware courts (Supreme, Chancery, Superior, etc.).[searchsystems]
• Justice of the Peace, Superior, and Court of Common Pleas – Civil and some criminal records available 24/7 online.[delaware.thepublicindex]
• Family Court – Divorce/annulment decrees from 1978 to present (contact the court where finalized).[delaware.thepublicindex]
• U.S. District Court of Delaware – Federal bankruptcy court records searchable by case number, party name, or filing date.[searchsystems]

Business & Corporate Records

• Delaware Division of Corporations – Business entity search, name availability, trade/fictitious names, and corporate filings.[brbpublications]
• Business License Search – Door-to-door salesperson and general business license verification.[brbpublications]
• UCC Records – Uniform Commercial Code filings.[brbpublications]
• Delinquent Taxpayers & State Tax Liens – Searchable databases.[brbpublications]

Vital Records (Birth, Death, Marriage, Divorce)

• Office of Vital Statistics (Division of Public Health) – Official source for certified copies of birth, death, marriage, and divorce records.[delaware.thepublicindex]
• Delaware Public Archives – Microfilm access to:
  • Birth records (public after 72 years)
  • Marriage records (public after 50 years)
  • Death records (public after 40 years)[delaware.thepublicindex]
• Probate Records 1680–1925 – Searchable by name, race, or date via Department of State database.[searchsystems]

Criminal & Law Enforcement Records

• Delaware Criminal Justice Information System (DELJIS) – Active warrant search by name.[delaware.thepublicindex]
• VINELink – Statewide inmate/offender custody status lookup.[delaware.thepublicindex][brbpublications]
• Sex Offender Registry – Search by name, address, or subdivision; includes email alerts.[delaware.thepublicindex][brbpublications]
• State Bureau of Identification (SBI) – Fingerprint-based background checks ($52 state; $65 state + federal).[delaware.thepublicindex]
• Incarceration Records – Department of Correction inmate searches.[brbpublications]

Property & Real Estate Records

• Recorder of Deeds (by county) – Deeds, mortgages, liens, and other recorded documents.[delcopa]
• FirstMap GIS – Enterprise geographic information system for property and land data.
• Unclaimed Property – Search and claim financial assets (not real estate or vehicles).[delaware.thepublicindex][brbpublications]

Government & Financial Transparency

• Open Checkbook – State spending and budgetary data.[data.delaware][data.delaware]
• Archived Contracts – Weekly-updated state contracts database.[data.delaware]
• Political Financial Disclosures & PACs – Campaign finance reporting system.[brbpublications]
• Lobbyist List – Registered lobbyists database.[brbpublications]
• Civil List – Elected officials in Delaware government.[archives.delaware]

Professional & Occupational Licenses

• Division of Professional Regulation – License verification for professions from accountancy to veterinary medicine.
• Licensed Child Care Providers – Searchable database.
• Workers Compensation Employer History – Coverage records.[brbpublications]

Education & Employment

• Delaware JobLink – Job-matching and labor market information system.
• Find an Educator – Search by name for certifications, degrees, and school assignments.
• Explore Delaware Schools – School assignments, choice options, and public reporting.
• GED/HiSET Records – Educational credential verification.[brbpublications]

Health & Safety

• DelVAX – Immunization records database.
• Background Check Center (BCC) – Employer screening for long-term care positions.
• Public Crash Data – Monthly-updated statewide traffic crash reports (DSHS).[searchsystems]
• Environmental Navigator (DEN) – Permitted facilities, enforcement actions, and monitoring data.

Archives & Historical Records

• Delaware Public Archives (archives.delaware.gov) – Over 2 million records including:
  • Governor appointments to boards/commissions
  • Coroner reports (all 3 counties)
  • Naturalization records (Superior Court, all counties)
  • Orphans Court case files
  • Probate records (~1680 onward)
  • State deeds, executive orders, enrolled bills (1776–1959)
  • Newspapers on microfilm, maps, audiovisual holdings[archives.delaware][archives.delaware][archives.delaware][archives.delaware][archives.delaware]
• CONTENTdm & Collection Gateway – Digital collections and finding aids (400,000+ records across 19 popular collections).[archives.delaware][archives.delaware][archives.delaware]
• Delaware Library Catalog –联合 catalog for books and publications across multiple Delaware libraries.[archives.delaware]

County-Specific Resources

Delaware has only three counties, each with Recorder of Deeds and court access:

• New Castle County – Recorder of Deeds, tax records, homestead status.[delcopa]
• Kent County – Court and property records via county portals.
• Sussex County – Court and property records via county portals.

FOIA & Request Process

• Delaware Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) – All public records open during business hours; FOIA request form available online for specific records.[delaware.thepublicindex]
• Exemptions – Medical files, student/personnel files, trade secrets, investigatory files, intelligence files, and labor negotiations are not public.[delaware.thepublicindex]

Key Agency Contacts

• Delaware Public Archives: 121 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. North, Dover, DE 19901 | (302) 744-5000 [archives.delaware]
• State Bureau of Identification – Background checks and sex offender registry[delaware.thepublicindex]
• Division of Motor Vehicles – Driving records ($25 for 3- or 5-year reports)[delaware.thepublicindex]
• Office of Unclaimed Property – Search and claim portal[delaware.thepublicindex]

This list covers the major official and free resources. For the most current links and additional niche databases, the GODORT LibGuides page (godort.libguides.com/delawaredbs) is regularly updated and verified.[godort.libguides]