Search Dover Deed Records
Dover deed records are kept at the Kent County Recorder of Deeds at 555 Bay Road, right in Dover itself. Dover is the state capital and the seat of Kent County, so the recorder office is only a short drive from most addresses in the city. Online search goes back to January 30, 1874. Anyone can look up a Dover deed by name, book and page, or parcel ID. This page covers where to go, what fees to pay, and how to get a copy of a Dover deed record the same day.
Dover Overview
Where to File Dover Deed Records
Dover residents file deeds at the Kent County Recorder of Deeds. The office sits at 555 Bay Road in Dover. It is the main recorder office for the entire county, and Dover addresses go through the same system as the rest of Kent.
| Office | Kent County Recorder of Deeds |
|---|---|
| Address | 555 Bay Road Dover, DE 19901 |
| Phone | (302) 744-2314 |
| Recorder@kentcountyde.gov | |
| Office Hours | Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM |
| Recording Hours | Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM |
Visit the City of Dover main website for local city services that tie into property ownership. 
The city itself does not record deeds, but the Dover website links out to utilities, zoning, and city council calendars that matter for any property owner.
Search Dover Deed Records Online
Dover residents can search deed records online through the Kent County Real Property Search at i2g.uslandrecords.com. Type a name in the search box to pull up Dover deeds back to January 30, 1874. Research and watermarked viewing are free. Printing or downloading a clean copy costs $2 per page for casual use or $75 per month for an unlimited subscription.
City council meetings in Dover often reference deed books and pages tied to specific properties. 
The Dover City Council events page posts agendas and minutes that sometimes include the book and page for a specific parcel. For example, a recent annexation record cited a deed of Robert M. Sadusky, Sr. and Irene D. Sadusky from Flossie L. Deny, dated November 13, 1987, in Deed Book G, Volume 44, Page 169. Copy the book and page to the county search to pull the full document.
To search Dover deed records, you need:
- Full name of the grantor or grantee
- Parcel ID or street address
- Approximate date of the transaction
- Book and page for older records
Dover residents can also visit the Kent County office in person for a same-day search. The building has public terminals in the lobby. Staff will print pages for $1.00 each. The office does not conduct a title search for you, but the clerks will point you to the right index or terminal.
Dover Deed Record Types
The Kent County office takes every kind of paper tied to a Dover property. Warranty deeds and quitclaim deeds lead the volume. Mortgages come in right behind. Easements, liens, and satisfaction pieces round out the common list.
Common Dover filings at the Kent County office:
- Warranty deeds and quitclaim deeds
- Mortgage documents and satisfaction pieces
- Federal and state tax liens
- Easements and deed restrictions
- Assignments of mortgage
- Plot plans and subdivision maps
- Transfer on Death deeds
Properties annexed into the City of Dover have their deeds recorded in Kent County Deed Books. The city council may reference the annexation in a public meeting, but the recording itself happens at the county level. The same rule applies for any subdivision inside Dover. The plat gets filed with the Recorder of Deeds and indexed under the developer's name.
Dover is also starting to record Transfer on Death deeds under the new Delaware law. All three counties began accepting the new form on Dec. 5. The deed names a beneficiary who gets the property when the owner dies, without probate. The owner can revoke the deed any time before death. For most Dover homeowners, this is a low-cost estate planning tool.
Dover Recording Fees
Recording fees for Dover properties are the same as for anywhere in Kent County. A two-page deed is $56. A 20-page mortgage is $231. Each extra page on either document adds $10.
Copy costs for Dover deeds:
- Online printing: $2 per page
- Monthly unlimited subscription: $75
- Staff-printed copy at the office: $1 per page
- Certified copies: $3 at the counter
Transfer tax on a Dover home sale is 1.5% state and 1.5% county, split 50/50 between buyer and seller. First-time home buyers can get the county share waived if they meet the Delaware rules. The buyer cannot have owned a home in any state before, and the new property must be the main home within 90 days of settlement.
Tip: Dover residents often use the drop box outside the Kent County building for after-hours filings. The drop box is monitored, and papers go into the next business day's intake.
Historical Dover Deed Records
Dover has served as the Kent County seat since the 1680s. The first officially recorded land title in Delaware is dated 1646, and Kent County records go back into the late 1600s. Online records begin on January 30, 1874. Paper books cover the years before that date.
For research before 1874, the Kent County office keeps bound books on the shelves. The Delaware Public Archives in Dover also holds a large collection of old land records. Microfilm copies of Kent County deeds from 1680 to 1850 and indexes from 1680 to 1873 are available at the FamilySearch Library. For a deed that doesn't appear online, try both sources. Sometimes the same record is easier to read in one place than the other.
Dover Deed Records and Delaware Law
All Dover recordings follow the same Delaware statutes as the rest of the state. Under Delaware Code Title 9, Chapter 96, the county recorder must take in any deed, mortgage, or lease affecting real property. Title 25, Section 151 requires that each Dover deed be recorded in the Kent County office where the property sits. The recorder cannot accept a deed that lacks an affidavit of residence and gain or a prepared-by statement on the first page.
Dover is an attorney closing city. Only a Delaware-licensed attorney can conduct a Dover real estate closing and release the settlement funds. Buyer and seller each usually have an attorney who works together to make sure all legal requirements are met. After signing, the deed moves from the attorney to the Kent County office for recording. A standard closing on a Dover home typically takes 30 to 45 days from contract to recording.
Under the new Transfer on Death Act, Dover homeowners can now record a Transfer on Death deed at the Kent County office. The deed names a beneficiary who gets the property when the owner dies, with no probate step. The owner can revoke or replace the deed at any time before death. For most Dover families, this is a simple way to pass a home to an heir without setting up a trust.
Kent County Deed Records
Dover is in Kent County. For more on county-level search tools, recording fees, and office hours, see the full county page.
Nearby Cities
These Delaware cities are near Dover. Each files deeds through its own county recorder.