New Castle County, Delaware • Land records and deed recording • Updated October 14, 2026
New Castle County Recorder of Deeds: Online Search, Office, Recording Fees & Property Records
The New Castle County Recorder of Deeds maintains official land transaction records for properties in New Castle County, Delaware.
Use the office to find recorded deeds, mortgages, mortgage releases, easements, restrictions, plats, liens and other documents.
The office is in Wilmington at 800 N. French Street, Fourth Floor. You can search records online or visit during its public office hours.
Use the Recorder for the actual recorded document. Use New Castle County’s Parcel Search when you only know the property address or parcel number.
New Castle County Recorder of Deeds Quick Facts
The Recorder handles land records, corporate filings and financing statements. The office also collects applicable realty transfer taxes.
As of October 2026, the county’s official directory still lists Michael E. Kozikowski, Sr. as Recorder.
Delaware’s September 2026 Democratic primary was won by David Tackett. The primary result does not itself change the serving Recorder before the new term.
Recording windows close at 3:45 PM Monday through Thursday and 12:45 PM on Friday. Plan to arrive earlier when submitting a document.
How to Search New Castle County Deeds and Land Records
New Castle County provides a DTS Public Access system for occasional land-record users.
You can search recorded documents and, when available, purchase document images.
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Open the official records portal
Start with the Recorder’s public document-search system.
Open New Castle County Recorded Document SearchAfter opening: Review the Public Access notice and choose the available name, document or archives search option. -
Search by a recorded party
Try the grantor, grantee, borrower, lender or another party named in the document.
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Narrow the results
Use the document type, recording date or recorded reference where available.
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Check the document details
Confirm the names, recording date, instrument reference and legal description before purchasing an image.
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View or obtain the document
Purchase an available online image or ask the Recorder about an office copy or certification.
What does online searching cost?
The county’s public portal lists document images at $1 per page. Search access and paid document-image access are different activities.
Confirm the selected document and page count before accepting a charge.
The county notes that many images for Deed Books C42–Z82 are available through Archives without an image charge. Select Archives and enter the book and page.
New Castle County Recorder of Deeds Address, Phone & Hours
Recorder of Deeds Office
Building: Louis L. Redding City/County Building
Address:
800 N. French Street, Fourth Floor
Wilmington, DE 19801
Main phone: 302-395-7700
Fax: 302-395-7732
Document search assistance: 302-395-7792
Monday–Thursday
Office: 8:00 AM–4:00 PM
Recording window closes: 3:45 PM
Friday
Office: 8:00 AM–1:00 PM
Recording window closes: 12:45 PM
Call ahead if you have a time-sensitive document, multiple instruments or a transaction involving several municipal transfer-tax payments.
Open the official Recorder staff directoryHow to Record a Deed in New Castle County
The Recorder accepts properly prepared documents for recording. It cannot determine the best deed type or guarantee clear title.
A deed transfer may also require state and county or municipal realty transfer-tax documentation before recording.
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Prepare the correct deed
Have the appropriate deed prepared with the correct grantor, grantee and legal property description.
Use a Delaware attorney or title professional if you are uncertain about the deed’s legal effect.
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Check execution and acknowledgment
Ensure required signatures, acknowledgments and notarization are complete.
Review the Recorder’s current Recording Specifications before submitting.
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Identify the parcel and jurisdiction
Confirm the property’s parcel number and whether it lies inside a municipality.
Municipal location affects the transfer-tax paperwork and payment process.
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Complete transfer-tax paperwork
Determine which state, county and municipal transfer declarations or exemptions apply.
Some municipalities require additional stamps or separate payments.
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Confirm current recording fees
Calculate document charges, applicable surcharges and transfer taxes using the newest county fee schedule.
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Submit and retain the record
Present the document through an accepted recording method. Keep the recording reference and return information.
Recording a quitclaim deed does not prove that the grantor owns the property or that the title has no liens. Check the county’s Quitclaim Notice and seek legal advice before relying on that document type.
New Castle County Recorder of Deeds Fees
Important 2026 update: New Castle County posted a Recorder fee-increase notice on September 21, 2026, referencing a revised fee schedule dated September 28, 2026.
Older fee lists may therefore be outdated. Use the current county schedule instead of estimating a recording payment from an older article.
Charges that may apply
Recording charge: Depends on the instrument and the number of pages.
Parcel description charge: Deeds may carry an additional charge for each parcel description.
State document fee: An additional state charge applies to covered recordings.
Technology fee: A separate technology charge may apply per document.
Certified copies: Certified-copy charges differ from online image-viewing charges.
Realty transfer tax: Calculated separately where a taxable transfer occurs.
For payment questions, call the Recorder at 302-395-7700. Ask how to make checks payable before mailing documents.
Realty Transfer Tax: County, State and Municipality
A deed recording fee and a realty transfer tax are separate charges.
Delaware’s state tax rate depends partly on whether the county or municipality imposes the full authorized local transfer tax.
The Delaware Code sets a 3% state rate in the general case, reduced to 2.5% when the specified full local tax applies. Local tax is additional.
A property in Wilmington, Newark, New Castle, Middletown or an unincorporated area may have different local requirements and payment instructions.
Before calculating the transfer tax
Confirm the municipality: Determine the exact taxing jurisdiction of the parcel.
Check for a statutory exemption: Some transfers are exempt from one or more taxes.
Review declarations: Determine which state and local transfer declarations must accompany the deed.
Confirm payment recipients: The required number of checks may differ by municipality.
How to Get a Copy of a Recorded Deed or Mortgage
For ordinary research, you may be able to obtain the document image through the Recorder’s online public-access system.
If a lender, court, title company or other institution requires certification, contact the Recorder for an officially certified copy.
Online document image
The public portal lists a $1-per-page charge for paid document-image access.
Check the number of pages before completing the purchase.
Certified recorded copy
Request certification directly through the Recorder’s Office.
Confirm the revised 2026 copy and certification charges before ordering.
Information to have ready
Recorded parties: Seller, buyer, borrower or lender name.
Document type: Deed, mortgage, release or another instrument.
Recording reference: Document number or book and page.
Approximate date: The year or period of recording.
Copy requirement: Regular copy or certified copy.
Recorder vs. Parcel Search vs. Property Tax Office
If your starting point is a street address rather than a recorded party’s name, New Castle County’s Parcel Search is often the easier first step.
Recorder of Deeds
Use for recorded deeds, mortgages, liens, easements, restrictions and document references.
Phone: 302-395-7700
County assessment and parcel records
Use for parcel identification, assessment information, property details and geographic location.
Assessment contact: 302-395-5520
County property-tax services
Use for property-tax bills, payment information, assessments and tax forms.
Tax payment is separate from recording a deed.
Register of Wills
Use for estate and probate administration issues. An inherited property’s title may require probate and recording steps.
Phone: 302-395-7800
Community Association Portal: HOA Covenants and Restrictions
New Castle County operates a Community Association Portal for homeowners, buyers and association representatives.
Unlike the regular paid image service, the portal provides free access to recorded community governing documents available through this service.
Documents you may find
Declarations of maintenance.
Community maps and plans.
Deed restrictions and covenants.
Association bylaws and amendments.
Other recorded community governing documents.
Review the recorded governing documents before closing. Also ask for current association rules and financial information, which may not all be available in county land records.
Free AlertMe Property Recording Notifications
AlertMe is the Recorder’s voluntary notification service. It can send an email when a recorded document contains a name you have registered for monitoring.
The service also checks certain corrections to previously recorded documents.
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Open AlertMe
Visit the official county notification page.
Open New Castle County AlertMe -
Register your account
Enter the required email and registration information. Complete any email-verification step.
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Add names to monitor
Enter the individual or business names you want to track.
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Review unexpected notices
Check the actual recorded instrument. Contact appropriate authorities if you identify suspicious activity.
A notification is not proof of fraudulent activity. The county does not guarantee the accuracy of information in third-party recorded documents.
For suspected fraud, the county points users to the Delaware Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Unit.
Consumer protection phone: 302-577-8600
Personal Information Redaction and Transfer-on-Death Deeds
Request redaction of sensitive information
The county provides a process for requesting removal of certain personal identifiers from previously recorded documents.
The published categories include government identification numbers, financial account information and other protected identifying details.
Open the official Identity Protection pageTransfer-on-death deed
Delaware has introduced a transfer-on-death deed option for qualifying property owners.
The Recorder provides an informational form. The deed must meet the applicable legal conditions and be recorded before the owner’s death to take effect.
Check the Recorder’s current transfer-on-death resourcesThe Recorder also provides Tangled Titles homeowner education. Recording a new document alone may not resolve probate, inheritance or competing ownership claims.
eRecording and Professional Document Submission
The Recorder publishes information for electronic recording, including a filer memorandum of understanding and an educational presentation.
eRecording can be useful for firms and other regular filers. It does not remove the need for correct documents, taxes or recording fees.
Open eRecording instructionsDeed Searches in Wilmington, Newark, Middletown and New Castle
The New Castle County Recorder maintains countywide records. A city address does not normally require a separate municipal deed-search system.
Wilmington: Use the county Recorder for land records and check city-specific transfer-tax requirements when filing.
Newark: Search county land records and verify local transfer-tax requirements for the parcel.
Middletown: The Recorder’s transfer-tax information lists municipal filing instructions.
New Castle: Use the county’s recorded-document portal for deeds and mortgages.
Odessa and Townsend: Certain transfer filings may require town stamps or separate local payments.
Unincorporated county: Verify parcel jurisdiction and county transfer-tax rules before submitting the deed.
A mailing address is not always enough to establish the property’s municipal taxing jurisdiction. Confirm the parcel location before calculating taxes.
Common New Castle County Deed Search and Recording Mistakes
Using an old fee schedule: The county posted a revised schedule in September 2026.
Arriving too late on Friday: Recording windows close at 12:45 PM.
Searching by address alone: Find the parcel and owner first when necessary.
Confusing image and certified-copy fees: A paid portal image is not automatically a certified copy.
Missing municipal paperwork: Some transfers require town-specific stamps or payments.
Relying on a quitclaim deed as a title guarantee: The instrument does not establish that title is clear.
Assuming a mortgage disappears at payoff: Look for the recorded release or satisfaction.
Assuming a name-match alert proves fraud: Review the actual instrument before acting.
New Castle County Recorder of Deeds FAQs
Where is the New Castle County Recorder of Deeds office?
The office is at 800 N. French Street, Fourth Floor, Wilmington, Delaware 19801, in the Louis L. Redding City/County Building.
Who is the New Castle County Recorder of Deeds in October 2026?
The county’s official directory lists Michael E. Kozikowski, Sr. as Recorder of Deeds as of October 2026.
How can I search New Castle County deeds online?
Use the county’s DTS Public Access system to search recorded documents by party information or available recording references.
Does it cost money to view recorded documents online?
The Public Access portal lists $1 per page for paid document images. Many historical deed-book images in the Archives area are available without an image charge.
What are the Recorder of Deeds office hours?
The office is open Monday through Thursday from 8 AM to 4 PM and Friday from 8 AM to 1 PM. Recording windows close 15 minutes earlier.
How much does it cost to record a deed in New Castle County?
The amount depends on the instrument, pages, parcel descriptions and applicable fees. New Castle County posted a revised recording fee schedule dated September 28, 2026.
Is Delaware realty transfer tax included in the recording fee?
No. Realty transfer tax is separate from the Recorder’s document charge. The applicable amount depends on state law, location and any exemption.
How do I get a certified copy of a deed?
Find the recorded document reference and contact the Recorder at 302-395-7700 to request an official certified copy.
Does New Castle County offer free property recording alerts?
Yes. The county offers AlertMe, a voluntary service that notifies subscribers of recorded documents containing monitored names.
Where can I find HOA covenants and deed restrictions?
Use the free Community Association Portal for available recorded association declarations, restrictions, bylaws and amendments.
Official New Castle County Recorder Links and Services
Use these county and state resources to verify current instructions and complete your next step.