Search Milford Deed Records

Milford deed records are special because the city spans two Delaware counties. A property north of the city line sits in Kent County. A property south of the city line sits in Sussex County. Your Milford deed gets filed in the county where the land is, not where City Hall sits. This page covers how to search Milford deed records in both counties, where to go in person, and how to use the Milford assessor's own property database for local tax info.

Where to File Milford Deed Records

Milford is unique in Delaware because it sits in two counties at once. The city line runs along the old Kent and Sussex county border. Your Milford property record goes to the recorder in the county where the land sits.

If your Milford property is on the Kent County side, file at the Kent County Recorder of Deeds at 555 Bay Road in Dover. If your Milford property is on the Sussex County side, file at the Sussex County Recorder of Deeds at 2 The Circle in Georgetown. Not sure which side your property sits on? Check the tax parcel number or call the City of Milford planning office. The city can tell you which county you file in based on the street address.

Search Milford Deed Records Online

Two separate online tools cover Milford deeds. Each serves one county. Pick the tool that matches where the property sits.

For Milford properties in Kent County, use the Kent County Real Property Search. Search by grantor or grantee name, book and page, or date range. Records go back to January 30, 1874. Researching and viewing are free. Downloads cost $2 per page, and a monthly unlimited subscription is $75.

For Milford properties in Sussex County, use the Sussex County Landmark Web Records Search. The system covers deeds, mortgages, liens, and easements for Milford properties on the Sussex County side. Try every spelling variation of a proper name. The office notes that indexing styles have changed over the years, and a simple typo can hide a record.

Milford itself runs a city-level property and assessment database that covers both sides of the county line. The Milford Assessor's Database lets you search by owner name, property address, or parcel ID. Results show assessment and city tax info. For the deed itself, you still have to work through the right county office.

To search Milford deed records, you need:

• Full name of the grantor or grantee
• Milford street address or parcel ID
• County the property sits in (Kent or Sussex)
• Approximate date of the transfer

Milford Deed Record Types

Both counties handle the same basic list of records. The big difference is the fee schedule and the online search portal. For Milford homeowners, this means the same kinds of papers are on file in both Dover and Georgetown, just indexed through different systems.

Common Milford filings:

• Warranty deeds and quitclaim deeds
• Mortgages and satisfaction pieces
• Federal and state tax liens
• Easements and deed restrictions
• Assignments of mortgage
• Plot plans and subdivision maps
• Transfer on Death deeds

Milford property owners can also record a Transfer on Death deed at the correct county office. The deed names a beneficiary who gets the property when the owner dies, with no probate. Both Kent and Sussex County started accepting the new form on Dec. 5 under Delaware's Transfer on Death Act.

Milford Recording Fees

Recording fees differ slightly between the two counties. On the Kent County side, a two-page deed costs $56. On the Sussex County side, a two-page deed costs $49. Each extra page is $10 in Kent and $9 in Sussex.

Copy costs for Milford deeds:

• Kent County online download: $2 per page
• Kent County monthly subscription: $75
• Sussex County mail or email copy: $2 per page
• Certified copies at either office: $3 at the counter

Transfer tax is the same across Delaware: 1.5% state and 1.5% county, split 50/50. Milford is not on the list of towns that add a local transfer tax, so the total stays at 3%. First-time home buyers can get the county share waived if they meet the Delaware rules.

Historical Milford Deed Records

Milford has roots going back to the 1780s. Because the city spans two counties, old Milford deeds are scattered across both Kent and Sussex books. Some of the oldest Milford records sit in the Sussex County books in Georgetown, while other early Milford deeds are in Kent County in Dover. A full chain of title for an old Milford parcel often needs a trip to both offices.

The Delaware Public Archives in Dover is another good stop for Milford research. The archives keeps a deed roaster covering 1747 to 2009 that lists transfers in both counties. Staff can pull old bound books and microfilm for Milford parcels that no longer appear in the online system.

Milford Deed Records and Delaware Law

All Milford recordings follow Delaware Code Title 9, Chapter 96. Under Section 9605, the county recorder must accept every deed, mortgage, and lease that affects a Milford property. Title 25, Section 151 requires each Milford deed to be recorded in the county where the land sits. This is the rule that splits Milford records across Kent and Sussex.

Milford is an attorney closing city within an attorney closing state. Only a Delaware-licensed attorney can conduct a Milford closing and handle the settlement funds. Both buyer and seller typically have their own attorney. The attorneys confirm which county the property sits in, run the title search through the right office, and make sure the deed gets filed with the correct recorder.

Milford deed language follows the standard Delaware form. Most deeds use the phrase "grant, bargain and convey," which creates a special warranty of title. The seller warrants against title defects that came up during their own ownership. Buyers usually order title insurance to cover any gaps from earlier owners in the chain.

Milford Deed Research Tips

Milford research takes extra care because of the two-county setup. A simple step is to write down the tax parcel number first. The parcel number tells you which county to call.

A few specific notes for Milford:

• The city line follows the old Kent and Sussex boundary, which follows the Mispillion River in places
• Old Milford deeds may use hundred names like Murderkill or Cedar Creek
• Some Milford homes straddle the line with part of the lot in each county
• Call the city planning office to clarify unusual cases

Milford County Information

Milford sits in both Kent and Sussex County. Choose the right county page below for more detail on the office that serves your side of the city.

Nearby Cities

These Delaware cities are near Milford. Each files deeds through its own county recorder.