Delaware Free Public Records Directory

With an area just shy of 2,000 square miles, Delaware is the second smallest state; only Rhode Island is smaller. Despite its rank as the 45th most populous state, it is small enough that it is also the 6th most densely populated state. It only has three counties – the fewest of any state – and has the lowest mean elevation of any state. Delaware may be small, but it ranks first in several lists: It was the first state to ratify the United States Constitution in 1787, earning its nickname as “The First State.” Thanks to its business-friendly banking and corporate laws, Delaware is home to more than half of the publicly traded companies in the U.S., and 63% of Fortune 500 companies. With more than a million registered corporations, Delaware has more corporations than people. Its government has the highest credit rating score of all states. While not #1, it rates highly in low tax burden (#4), business environment (#6), and opportunity (#7)

Delaware takes its name from the Delaware River and Delaware Bay, which serve as its boundary with New Jersey to the east. Also to the east is the Atlantic Ocean; other bordering states are Maryland on the south and west and Pennsylvania on the north. Delaware has a humid subtropical climate, moderated by its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean. The average annual temperature is 55 degrees; average monthly temperatures vary from 32 to 74 degrees. Newcastle County, the state’s northernmost and most populated county, is home to the both the capital city of Dover and the largest city, Wilmington. The beach towns of Sussex County, on the Atlantic Ocean, are a tourist mecca; Rehoboth Beach calls itself “The Nation’s Summer Capital.”

Originally settled by Dutch traders in 1631, Delaware was conquered by the British in 1664. The Duke of York leased the land known as the “Lower Counties on the Delaware” to William Penn, who also owned Pennsylvania. Penn established representative governments in both colonies. During the Revolutionary War, Delaware declared its independence from both England and Pennsylvania. Delaware’s early economy was based largely on tobacco farming, which was in turn based on slave labor. As agricultural practices turned to mixed farming, the slave population declined; by the time of the Civil War, most slaves in Delaware had been freed. Delaware remained in the Union, although many residents fought for the Confederacy. Today, Delaware’s diverse economy includes corporate and banking headquarters, higher education, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and farming.

Delaware’s counties have their own legislative bodies, but law enforcement and court functions are centralized at the state level. Delaware public records may be found by visiting our directory below of all types, including court records, arrest records, and public documents.

Abbreviation	DE
Capital	Dover
Population	952,065 (2016 est.)
Area size	1,982 sq. mi
Demonym	Delawarean
Primary languages spoken	English
Governor	John Carney
Lieutenant Governor	Bethany Hall-Long
U.S. Senators	Tom Carper, Chris Coons
U.S. House Delegation	1 Democrat
Time Zone	Eastern: UTC -5/-4

*The map and data in the table are from Wikipedia.

Browse by Public Record Category

There are two types of public records: 1) personal public records that document major life milestones such as birth certificates, death certificates, divorce records, and marriage records, etc.; and 2) government records that are made public such as property tax records, recorded land records, voter records, crime data, jail inmate records, and court records. The Freedom of Information Act is a national law that releases government agency public records and makes it possible to view most public records. Since there are a multitude of records available, it can be difficult to know how or where to access them.

Delaware’s first public records law was passed in 1977. It defined public records broadly, permits any citizen to make a request without providing a reason, and imposes a 15-day response time on government agencies. The state government provides a directory of state agencies and a downloadable request form.

When you are ready to start your search, you’ll find our Public Records Directory website easy to use since all of the records can be searched by federal, state, county, city, town, or type of record. The links provided will connect you to the best website for the record search, provide details about the record, or provide contact information for those records without search capabilities.