New Castle Deed Records
The City of New Castle sits in New Castle County and was once the capital of Delaware. Its deed records are among the oldest in the state. All New Castle deeds, mortgages, and liens are filed at the New Castle County Recorder of Deeds at 800 N. French Street in Wilmington. Online search is free through the PAXWorld system. This page covers how to search New Castle deed records, where to file, the fees you pay, and how to work with the very old records that cover the city's colonial past.
New Castle Overview
Where to File New Castle Deed Records
The City of New Castle is located in New Castle County. Every New Castle deed, mortgage, and lien goes to the New Castle County Recorder of Deeds at 800 N. French Street in Wilmington. The recorder also collects transfer tax for the City of New Castle on top of the state and county shares.
| Office | New Castle County Recorder of Deeds |
|---|---|
| Address | 800 N. French Street, 4th Floor Wilmington, DE 19801 |
| Phone | (302) 395-7700 |
| Hours | Monday-Thursday: 8:00 AM to 3:45 PM Friday: 8:00 AM to 12:45 PM |
New Castle County property records, including those for the City of New Castle, are official documents that record ownership, transfers, and encumbrances on real property. Pursuant to Delaware Code Title 9, Chapter 96, Section 9605, every instrument affecting real property must be recorded at the county office. The county recorder indexes each filing by grantor and grantee, then posts it to the public search system.
Search New Castle Deed Records
Run a New Castle deed search through the New Castle County Document Search. Search by grantor or grantee name, document type, or date. Watermarked viewing is free. A clean copy is $1 per page. For pros who run searches daily, a $100 monthly subscription removes per-page fees.
The New Castle County Parcel Search lets City of New Castle residents look up property records by parcel number, street, city, deed book, subdivision, or lot number. Click into any result to see tax details, deed history, building info, and the full property address. This is the fastest way to confirm current ownership for a New Castle city parcel.
To search New Castle deed records, you need:
- Full name of the grantor or grantee
- New Castle street address or parcel ID
- Approximate date of the transfer
- Book and page for older records
For historical New Castle City research, the Delaware Public Archives chain of title research guide is a strong starting point. The archives notes that the place to go for New Castle area deeds is the Recorder of Deeds in Wilmington. Deeds are kept in books on shelves lining one side of the room, older deeds are on microfilm, and indices sit on tables in the middle of the room. Early deed records from the 1660s to about 1850 are also on microfilm at the University of Delaware.
New Castle Deed Record Types
The recorder takes every kind of paper that affects a City of New Castle property. The office indexes each one by grantor and grantee, then assigns a book and page. The result is a searchable history of every New Castle parcel.
Common New Castle City filings:
- Warranty deeds and quitclaim deeds
- Deed restrictions and easements
- Mortgages and assignments of mortgage
- Satisfaction of mortgages and partial releases
- Federal tax liens
- Plot plans and subdivision maps
- Transfer on Death deeds
The New Castle County office also records power of attorney forms, military discharges, and UCC statements that tie into New Castle City property. The same eRecording system used for the rest of New Castle County accepts New Castle City filings, which speeds up closings for local title companies and attorneys.
New Castle Recording Fees
A two-page deed for a New Castle City property costs $56. A 20-page mortgage runs $251. Each extra page adds $11.
Copy costs for New Castle City deeds:
- Self-service copy card: $0.50 per page
- Staff-printed copy: $1 per page
- Mail, fax, or email copy: $2 per page
- Certified copies: $3 at the counter or $6 by mail
New Castle City has a local transfer tax on top of the state and county shares. The state share drops to 2.5% and New Castle City adds its own local tax. This matches the setup used in Wilmington, Newark, Middletown, and Delaware City. Buyer and seller typically split the total 50/50 unless the contract says otherwise. First-time home buyers may get the county share waived if they meet the Delaware test, but the local city share is not waived.
Note: Always confirm the current New Castle City transfer tax rate with the city finance office or your closing attorney before signing a sale contract.
Historical New Castle Deed Records
The City of New Castle has one of the oldest recorded histories in Delaware. The Duke of York served as proprietor from 1674 to 1682 and recognized all previous Dutch and Swedish titles in the New Castle area. Records of early grants were kept by the clerk of the Court of Sessions. The first officially recorded land title in Delaware is dated 1646. Some early records for New Castle were destroyed when the British captured the city during the Revolutionary War, leaving gaps in the chain of title for the late 1770s.
For any old New Castle City property, three locations hold useful records. The county office in Wilmington has the main bound books. The Delaware Public Archives in Dover has the state-level deed roaster and microfilm. The University of Delaware holds early microfilm for the 1660s to 1850 period. A full chain of title for an old New Castle house often needs a stop at all three.
In 1682, under William Penn's Statue of Enrollment, all land transactions had to be recorded within two months of the original deal or become void. New Castle was one of the first counties to set up a public enrollment office under this rule. That early office evolved into today's Recorder of Deeds. The 1897 shift to an elected recorder remains the basic structure in use today.
New Castle Deed Records and Delaware Law
All New Castle City recordings follow Delaware Code Title 9, Chapter 96. Under Section 9605, the county recorder must accept every deed, mortgage, and lease tied to a New Castle City property. Title 25, Section 151 requires each New Castle City deed to be recorded in New Castle County. The recorder cannot accept a deed that lacks an affidavit of residence and gain, the tax parcel number, and a "prepared by" line on the first page.
New Castle City is an attorney closing city within an attorney closing state. Only a Delaware-licensed attorney can conduct a closing in the city and release the settlement funds. Both buyer and seller typically have their own attorney. The attorneys run the title search, confirm the chain of title, and handle the closing before the deed heads to the county office for recording.
New Castle County Deed Records
The City of New Castle is in New Castle County. For more on the county office, search tools, and fees, see the county page.
Nearby Cities
These Delaware cities are near New Castle. Each files deeds through its own county recorder.