Delaware People Search

A Delaware people search pulls public data on a person through the state's open record tools. You can look up a name in court dockets, check the state sex offender list, run an inmate lookup, verify a pro license, or find a voter record. Most of these tools are free. Each one is run by a state office or a county clerk. Delaware has three counties and a shared court system, so a person search here is more central than in bigger states. The pages below cover state tools and local offices for every county and major city.

Court Records for a Delaware People Search

Most people searches in Delaware start with court records. The state runs a central case system called Delaware Court Connect. It covers civil cases from the Superior Court, Court of Common Pleas, and Justice of the Peace Courts in all three counties. You can search by person name or business name. You can also look up case type, and you can see if any judgments exist against a person. The system builds a full docket report for each case. Guest users get basic case info at no cost. Some detailed documents may cost a small fee to pull.

The Delaware state courts website at courts.delaware.gov is the main hub for every court in the state. It links to the Supreme Court, Superior Court, Court of Common Pleas, Family Court, Justice of the Peace Court, and the Court of Chancery. The Court of Chancery is the top business court in the country. Each court has its own records office. You can view hearing schedules, find a judge, download forms, and get contact numbers for each courthouse. A quick look at the Delaware Courts site shows the e-Services links that most people need before they file or pull a record.

The screenshot below shows the Delaware Courts homepage, pulled from courts.delaware.gov.

From this page you can jump into CourtConnect, find a courthouse, or read court rules for a case you plan to file or review.

Case search is done through the Court Connect portal at courtconnect.courts.delaware.gov. You can search by last name and first name, by business, or by case type. The search returns the case number, party list, case status, hearing dates, docket entries, and any judgment amount tied to the case. Court Connect also covers Court of Chancery disputes. Family Court records have limited access due to privacy rules on minors and domestic matters, and most criminal case files need an in-person visit to the courthouse for full detail.

Court Connect is the first stop for a Delaware civil case lookup. The image below is from courtconnect.courts.delaware.gov.

Use this tool to confirm if a person has an open case, a prior judgment, or a pending civil matter in any Delaware court.

Delaware People Search: Sex Offender Registry

The Delaware Sex Offender Registry lets the public look up registered offenders in the state. The registry is run by the State Bureau of Identification under Title 11, Sections 4120 and 4121 of the Delaware Code. Only Tier II (moderate risk) and Tier III (high risk) offenders show up on the public site. Tier I (low risk) offenders are not shown. You can search by last name, first name, or zip code. Each profile shows a photo, a physical description, address info, the offense, and the risk tier.

The registry site also has a free email alert tool. You sign up with your zip code and get a note when an offender lives, works, or goes to school near you. The registry is updated daily. The image below is from sexoffender.dsp.delaware.gov.

Tier I offenders register for 15 years, Tier II for 25 years, and Tier III for life. SBI in Dover is the contact point at (302) 739-5882.

The State Bureau of Identification also holds the central Delaware criminal history file. SBI is a unit of the Delaware State Police and does more than just run the registry. SBI handles certified background checks, keeps the statewide criminal history repository, and screens people for many jobs in the state. You can reach SBI at PO Box 430, Dover, DE 19903.

The screenshot below is from the State Bureau of Identification site.

From the SBI page you can get to background check info, fingerprint steps, and registry support for the general public.

Inmate Lookup in a Delaware People Search

The Delaware Department of Correction runs an online inmate locator. It uses VINELink, the national victim notification network. You can search by last name, first name, or DOC number. Results show the person's full legal name, DOC number, the facility they are held at, custody status, current charges, and any release date on file. Pre-trial bail amounts also show up in many cases. The DOC page also lets crime victims sign up for VINE alerts by phone, email, text, or TTY.

The DOC runs several prisons in the state. Howard R. Young Correctional Institution in Wilmington handles New Castle County arrests. James T. Vaughn Correctional Center in Smyrna is the main Kent County facility. Sussex Correctional Institution in Georgetown serves Sussex County.

Below is the DOC inmate locator page, from doc.delaware.gov.

This tool is the fastest way to confirm if a person is in state custody and where they are being held.

License Lookup for a Delaware People Search

A pro license lookup is a simple way to vet someone in a trade or field. Delaware uses DELPROS, the online system run by the Division of Professional Regulation. It covers over 50 professions. You can check doctors, nurses, dentists, lawyers, real estate agents, cosmetologists, counselors, teachers, and contractors. Search by last name, first name, license number, city, state, or county. You can also search for facilities by business name.

Each license record shows the license number, license type, status, issue date, expiration date, and any past discipline. Discipline records include final board orders, consent deals, revocations, fines, and probation terms. Online license lookups count as primary source verification for The Joint Commission and NCQA.

The image below shows DELPROS, from delpros.delaware.gov.

You can use this tool to confirm that a person holds an active license and to check for any open board action in their file.

The Division of Professional Regulation site also has general info on each board, fees, and how to file a complaint. The contact email for the Division is customerservice.dpr@delaware.gov.

From dpr.delaware.gov you can reach each board page and get forms for any license question.

Delaware People Search: Criminal Background Checks

Title 11, Chapter 85 of the Delaware Code lets the State Bureau of Identification hold criminal history records and release them under set rules. A certified criminal history check is done by fingerprint. You must have a photo ID, such as a driver's license or state ID. All prints are now taken at IdentoGO. You sign up online at uenroll.identogo.com, pick a service code, book a slot near you, and pay the fee. The state check fee is about $52. You can also add the FBI check for more cost.

Most results go straight to the agency or employer that asked for the check. You do not get a copy for yourself under federal law. The one exception is a dispute, when you think the record has a mistake. In that case the Division may give you a copy to fix the file.

The screenshot below is from dsp.delaware.gov.

You can find full steps here, plus a phone line at (844) 321-2124 for IdentoGO help.

Fingerprinting sites are open in Dover, near Wilmington, and at spots in each county. Results take 3 to 5 business days in most cases. State-only checks cover Delaware arrests, Delaware court rulings, Delaware sentences, and any in-state warrants. Out-of-state matters and federal charges need the FBI part of the check.

Vital Records in a Delaware People Search

Vital records are key papers for any deep Delaware people search. The Office of Vital Statistics holds birth, death, and marriage records. The state office has births from 1942 to now, deaths from 1974 to now, and marriages from 1974 to now. Older records are at the Delaware Public Archives. The state office has three local sites. The New Castle County office is at 258 Chapman Road in Newark. The Kent County central office is at 417 Federal St., Dover. The Sussex County office is at 546 S. Bedford St., Georgetown. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Fees are $25 for the first copy of any certificate and $10 for each extra copy of the same record in the same order. You can also order online through GoCertificates and VitalChek, which charge an extra service fee. Not just anyone can request a birth record. The person on the record, a parent, a legal guardian, a legal rep, or a state agency can ask for one. Death records open up to more people, such as next of kin, estate reps, funeral homes, and some insurance firms.

The page below is from dhss.delaware.gov.

You can mail in a request, walk in for same-day service, or use VitalChek for faster online orders with tracking.

Older vital records go to the Public Archives once they pass certain dates. The Archives has births 72 years or older, deaths older than 40 years, and marriages older than 50 years. That means births up through 1952, deaths through 1985, and marriages through 1974. The Archives are at 121 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard North in Dover.

You can email archives@delaware.gov or call (302) 744-5000 to get help with older records. The Archives site is at archives.delaware.gov.

The Archives hold more than vital records. They keep naturalization files from 1796 to 1933, military files from the Revolutionary War on, court books from the colonial era, and town records for most Delaware cities. A people search for an older case or family line often runs through this office.

Voter Records in a Delaware People Search

The Delaware Voter Portal lets you look up your own record or check a voter status. You search by name and date of birth, plus the last four of your Social Security number or your driver's license number. The system is for self-lookup in most cases. Once in, you can see your party, polling place, district, and absentee ballot status. You can also update your address or name from the portal.

Automatic Voter Registration went live in June 2023. Any eligible person who gets a driver's license or state ID at the DMV is signed up to vote unless they opt out. The deadline to register for an election is the fourth Saturday before the vote.

The image below is from ivote.de.gov.

Polling place data shows up once the county has set each site. An alt map is at gis.elections.delaware.gov.

The Delaware Department of Elections runs three county offices, one in each county. The main site at elections.delaware.gov links to campaign finance data, results by precinct, and voting rules. PAC reports and candidate filings are all public. The Department also publishes voter lists with some limits on use.

County offices are in Wilmington, Dover, and Georgetown. These offices handle voter registration, absentee ballots, and poll worker training.

Delaware People Search: FOIA and Code

Delaware has a strong public records law. The Freedom of Information Act at 29 Del. Code Chapter 100 says that citizens have a right to see public records. All state and local agencies must respond to a FOIA request within 15 business days. Requests must be in writing. You can use U.S. mail, email, fax, an agency online portal, or deliver it in person.

The first 20 black-and-white pages are free. More pages cost $0.10 each. Larger sheets cost more. Labor time can be billed at the rate of the lowest-paid worker who can do the task. Agencies must give a cost estimate first for big jobs. If an agency denies your request, you can file an appeal with the Delaware Attorney General within 60 days. The AG must rule within 20 days.

The main portal is at delaware.gov/freedom-of-information-act.

You can pick any state agency from the page and file online or print the PDF form. Each agency has a named FOIA coordinator.

The full state law is on Delaware Code Online. That site is the open text of Title 1 through Title 31. You can look up the rules for sex offender files, vital records, pro licenses, and court access from there. The Code is at delcode.delaware.gov.

Title 11 covers criminal law. Title 13 covers family law and marriage. Title 24 covers pro boards. Title 29 covers FOIA itself.

Child Protection Registry for Delaware People Search

The Delaware Child Protection Registry is a check system for jobs that work with kids. Schools, child care sites, foster care groups, adoption agencies, and youth sports teams must run this check on staff and some volunteers. It looks for any found case of child abuse or neglect in state files. The results come back through a secure web portal within 15 days.

Only set, proven findings go into the registry. The Division of Family Services decides which cases meet that bar. The check is apart from a fingerprint criminal background check. An agency often runs both.

The screenshot below is from childprotectionregistry.delaware.gov.

Only approved agencies can submit a request. Results show a name match, the finding type, and the date. Full case notes are not shared with employers.

Delaware is an NFF (Non-Fingerprint Forum) state for some interstate checks. That means a check can cross state lines in some cases without new prints. People with a name in the registry can file an appeal with the Division.

Browse Delaware People Search by County

Each of Delaware's three counties has its own offices for court records, deeds, marriage licenses, and local law enforcement. Pick a county below to find the main office and tools for a people search in that area.

View All Delaware Counties

People Search in Major Delaware Cities

A city-level search brings in police records, municipal court files, and local FOIA rules. Pick a city below to see what records are kept where, plus phone numbers and addresses for the city clerk and police.

View Major Delaware Cities