New Castle County Recorder of Deeds: Search & Office

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.

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.

1. Open the official records portal

   Start with the Recorder’s public document-search system.

   Open New Castle County Recorded Document Search
   After opening: Review the Public Access notice and choose the available name, document or archives search option.

2. Search by a recorded party

   Try the grantor, grantee, borrower, lender or another party named in the document.

3. Narrow the results

   Use the document type, recording date or recorded reference where available.

4. Check the document details

   Confirm the names, recording date, instrument reference and legal description before purchasing an image.

5. 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.

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

Call ahead if you have a time-sensitive document, multiple instruments or a transaction involving several municipal transfer-tax payments.

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.

1. 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.

2. Check execution and acknowledgment

   Ensure required signatures, acknowledgments and notarization are complete.

   Review the Recorder’s current Recording Specifications before submitting.

3. 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.

4. Complete transfer-tax paperwork

   Determine which state, county and municipal transfer declarations or exemptions apply.

   Some municipalities require additional stamps or separate payments.

5. Confirm current recording fees

   Calculate document charges, applicable surcharges and transfer taxes using the newest county fee schedule.

6. Submit and retain the record

   Present the document through an accepted recording method. Keep the recording reference and return information.

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

For payment questions, call the Recorder at 302-395-7700. Ask how to make checks payable before mailing documents.

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.

Before calculating the transfer tax

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.

Information to have ready

The Recorder maintains more than ownership deeds. Several record types can affect the use or financing of a property.

What if a paid-off mortgage still appears?

Search for a recorded satisfaction or release associated with the original mortgage.

If you cannot find one, contact the lender or closing attorney with the recording reference.

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.

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

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.

1. Open AlertMe

   Visit the official county notification page.

   Open New Castle County AlertMe

2. Register your account

   Enter the required email and registration information. Complete any email-verification step.

3. Add names to monitor

   Enter the individual or business names you want to track.

4. Review unexpected notices

   Check the actual recorded instrument. Contact appropriate authorities if you identify suspicious activity.

For suspected fraud, the county points users to the Delaware Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Unit.

Consumer protection phone: 302-577-8600

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.

Transfer-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.

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.

The New Castle County Recorder maintains countywide records. A city address does not normally require a separate municipal deed-search system.

Use these county and state resources to verify current instructions and complete your next step.