Sussex County Recorder of Deeds: Search & Office

Sussex County provides separate tools for recorded documents, property assessment records and parcel maps.

Choosing the right system first can save you from searching the wrong database.

Sussex County uses Landmark Web for online access to recorded land documents.

The official system has several search methods. You do not need to know the recording number before beginning.

Which search method should you use?

Searching by name: a practical example

Suppose you know a home was sold by a person named Robert Smith, but you do not know its instrument number.

Start with the name search, review possible matches and compare the document dates, parties and parcel descriptions.

If you receive too many matches, narrow the search using additional information that appears in the portal.

What information should you save?

A public deed record is evidence of a recorded instrument. It is not a complete title search or a guarantee that ownership is free of liens or disputes.

An address search and a deed search answer different questions.

The Assessment Division provides parcel and assessment information. The Recorder provides the recorded documents connected with property transactions.

Use the county GIS parcel map

Sussex County also provides a GIS map with parcel-search controls, layers and map-printing options.

During verification, the county property-search website displayed a maintenance notice. If the assessment search is temporarily unavailable, use the GIS map or contact the Assessment Division at 302-855-7824.

For documents sent by mail, use the Recorder’s P.O. Box rather than assuming the street address is the appropriate mailing destination.

Recording a deed involves checking document requirements and paying the applicable recording charges.

A deed transferring real estate may also be subject to Delaware state, county or municipal realty transfer taxes.

1. Prepare the correct legal instrument

   Check the grantor, grantee, property description, consideration, signatures and acknowledgment.

   Use an attorney or qualified settlement professional if the correct deed type is uncertain.

2. Include the property identification

   Confirm the Sussex County tax map and parcel number.

   Make sure the deed contains the grantee address required under Delaware law.

3. Check realty transfer tax obligations

   Determine whether Delaware state and county or municipal transfer taxes apply.

   Review exemptions and required declarations before calculating the amount due.

4. Check the recording fee

   Count the document’s record pages and applicable attachments.

   Confirm the current charge and accepted payment method with the Recorder.

5. Submit and retain the recorded reference

   Deliver the instrument using the filing method accepted by the office.

   Keep the receipt and recording number after acceptance.

Sussex County Code Chapter 62, Article VI contains the Recorder of Deeds fee schedule.

The current code lists a $9-per-record-page charge for deeds, mortgages, releases, assignments and several other recordable instruments.

The county defines a record page using its code’s line-counting rules, so the recording charge may not match a simple count of printed sheets.

Transfer taxes and other statutory charges can also apply. Do not use the $9 recording charge as the total cost of transferring real estate.

A real-estate transfer can involve two very different charges: the Recorder’s document fee and the taxes associated with the transaction.

Sussex County’s published transfer-tax instructions describe a 2.5% state portion and a 1.5% county or municipal portion for applicable transactions.

Together, those percentages produce a 4% illustration before considering exemptions, first-time buyer benefits, transaction-specific rules or later legal changes.

This is not a quote for your closing. The actual amount depends on the transaction date, applicable law, local jurisdiction, tax base and exemptions.

The county also maintains separate guidance for municipal transfer-tax payments.

For most searches, the easiest starting point is Landmark Web.

Find the deed, record its instrument number or book and page, and check the document retrieval options.

Sussex County offers a Recording Activity Notification service.

It sends an email when a newly recorded land-record document matches a personal or business name you registered.

The county specifically states that alerts are not generated using a parcel number or property address.

If an alert looks suspicious, retrieve the recorded document first. Contact the Recorder and a qualified attorney if you believe the instrument affects your property improperly.

Some older recorded instruments contain discriminatory restrictions that are unlawful under current Delaware law.

Sussex County publishes a specific request form for owners seeking redaction of qualifying unlawful restrictive covenants.

The form asks for property identification, document type, book and page, and the language claimed to violate Delaware law.

This procedure concerns a particular statutory redaction request. It is not a general method for removing a valid lien, changing ownership or rewriting a deed.

All three services may be relevant during a property purchase, but each answers a different question.

For example, if a deed is recorded but the assessment account still shows the previous owner, check the recorded document first and then ask the Assessment Division about the parcel record.