Delaware Arrest Records
Delaware arrest records track a person's contact with state and local police. Every arrest in Delaware leaves a paper trail at the booking agency and in the state files. This guide shows how to search arrest records across Delaware, from statewide databases to local police records desks. You will find the right office for each kind of request. The Delaware State Bureau of Identification holds the master index. Courts, sheriffs, and city police units hold their own copies too. Learn how to pull recent arrests, check a warrant, find an inmate, or get a certified criminal history in Delaware.
Delaware Arrest Records Overview
Where Delaware Arrest Records Live
An arrest in Delaware creates records at several levels. The arresting officer writes a report. The booking facility logs prints, photos, and charges. The case then flows into the Delaware Criminal Justice Information System and the State Bureau of Identification. Each of these spots keeps part of the record, and each one has its own way to hand it out.
The Delaware State Police run the State Bureau of Identification, better known as SBI. SBI is the official home for criminal history reports and arrest data across Delaware. You can learn more about the process and forms at dsp.delaware.gov/obtaining-a-certified-criminal-history. The SBI keeps prints, mug shots, arrest entries, and court dispositions in one place. The unit sends results by mail or hands them over in person.
The image below is from the SBI page where you can start a request for a certified state criminal history.
As the page at dsp.delaware.gov shows, a Delaware-only certified report costs $72 and a combined state and federal report runs $85. You must show photo ID such as a driver's license or State ID from any state to get prints taken.
Note: Under 29 Del. C. § 10002(l)(4), a person may obtain their own arrest or criminal record upon proof of identity, even where third-party access is blocked.
Delaware Arrest Records at the SBI
The State Bureau of Identification schedules prints at nine sites across Delaware. These sites sit in Wilmington, Newark (two spots), Middletown, Dover (two spots), Milford, Georgetown, and Seaford. Many of the sites offer extended hours, and some open on weekends. The shift to digital prints began on September 11, 2023, and runs through IdentoGO.
To book a print slot in Delaware, head to uenroll.identogo.com and enter the service code your hiring agency gave you. If no code was given, call the agency first. The SBI takes credit cards, debit cards, certified checks, money orders, and cash in most counties. Cash is not taken in Sussex County. Juveniles must come with a parent, and a school ID works for their proof of identity.
The Delaware State Police Services page is the main hub for other record needs like Driving Privilege Card prints and Concealed Deadly Weapon permits. View the page at dsp.delaware.gov/services.
As shown on dsp.delaware.gov, the Driving Privilege Card print fee is $72 and runs through SBI. CCDW permits are handled through the Prothonotary's Office, not through the Bureau.
How to Search Delaware Arrest Records Online
You can reach Delaware arrest data through a few online tools. Each one shows a slice of the full record. Use more than one when you want a full picture of a case.
Delaware CourtConnect is the state's public case search tool. It covers the Superior Court, the Court of Common Pleas, and the Justice of the Peace Courts. You can look up civil cases, judgments, and some criminal actions by name, business, or case type. The system is free and runs any time, day or night. Start at courtconnect.courts.delaware.gov. CourtConnect blocks driver info, witness and victim details, mental commitment data, and medical records. Criminal files are not fully open on the site, and many must be read at the courthouse.
The CourtConnect landing page below shows the case search form and the types of records it covers.
The portal, hosted at courtconnect.courts.delaware.gov, is run by Avenu Insights & Analytics. You do not need an account for basic searches.
The Delaware Criminal Justice Information System, or DELJIS, hosts the Online Wanted Person Review. You can search for active warrants by first and last name. DELJIS runs the backbone of the state's arrest data with more than 10,700 users at 400 agencies. See deljis.delaware.gov for the wanted person tool and other links.
The DELJIS page at deljis.delaware.gov also hosts links to VINE, sex offender data, and the Law Enforcement Investigative Support Suite used in patrol cars.
Delaware State Police Arrest Archives
The Delaware State Police post press releases on fresh arrests in the newsroom. Each post lists the suspect name, the charges, the time and place, and the bail. Posts carry a release number for later use. Access the archive at dsp.delaware.gov/category/arrest. The page is free and needs no login.
The DSP arrest archive landing page is shown here.
At dsp.delaware.gov, you can scroll by date or use the search bar to pull arrests in any Delaware town. Tips go to Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIP-3333.
The archive lists felony and misdemeanor arrests from troop zones across the state. Detectives' contact info sits at the end of each story. The site updates day by day as new arrests come in.
Inmate Lookup and VINE Alerts
Once charged, a person may be held at a Delaware Department of Correction site. The DOC runs an inmate lookup on the VINE platform. You can search by name or offender ID to find where a person sits. VINE stands for Victim Information and Notification Everyday. Reach the lookup at doc.delaware.gov.
The VINE page below lists the search fields and sign-up steps for victim notice.
The DOC page at doc.delaware.gov covers four state prisons: Baylor Women's, Howard R. Young, James T. Vaughn, and Sussex Correctional. You can sign up for phone, email, text, or TTY alerts when a custody status changes.
VINE is run by Appriss Inc. and pulls live data from the DOC. The service is free to use, and you can set up alerts for more than one person at a time.
Sex Offender Registry in Delaware
Some Delaware arrest records end in a sex offense conviction. Those names go on the Sex Offender Central Registry run by SBI. The registry is free and open to the public. Search by name, workplace, or street at sexoffender.dsp.delaware.gov.
The registry landing page shows the map view and the alert sign-up form.
The DSP page at sexoffender.dsp.delaware.gov offers a free email alert for new names added in your zip code. The site follows federal Megan's Law and links out to the National Sex Offender Registry for broader checks.
State contractors who work near kids or vulnerable adults must check the registry before a job starts. Names listed there cannot take part in those contracts.
FOIA Rules for Delaware Arrest Records
Delaware's Freedom of Information Act sits in Title 29, Chapter 100 of the Delaware Code. Section 10001 sets the policy that citizens should have easy access to public records. The full text lives at delcode.delaware.gov/title29/c100.
An overview of the Title 29 FOIA chapter is shown here.
Section 10002(l)(4) of Title 29, at delcode.delaware.gov, speaks to criminal files. It says that release to a third party would invade privacy, but any person may get their own arrest or conviction record with proof of identity. Section 10002(l)(3) exempts active investigatory files from release.
Under § 10003, a public body must respond to a FOIA request within 15 business days. Fees may apply for copies, staff time, and review. Juvenile records fall under Title 10, Chapter 9 and stay sealed.
Tip: Send your FOIA request in writing, list the case number or date range, and keep a copy of the receipt to track the 15 business day clock.
Clean Slate Law and Expungement of Arrest Records
Delaware passed the Clean Slate law in 2021 through Senate Bill 111 and Senate Bill 112. The law sets up auto expungement for many juvenile and adult records after a crime-free period. The process rolled out on August 1, 2024. More than 290,000 people in Delaware may have records wiped through this law.
The ACLU of Delaware page explains who qualifies and how it works.
As the page at aclu-de.org/en/csde notes, DELJIS flags fit records and SBI reviews each one. Under 11 Del. Code § 4372, a person need not disclose an arrest or conviction that has been expunged. Once expunged, the record stays with law enforcement only and does not show up in public background checks.
To check if your record has been cleared, visit a court prothonotary, use the public access terminals, or order a certified criminal history from SBI for $72.
Criminal History Unit Background Checks
The Delaware Criminal History Unit, or CHU, sits inside DSCYF. CHU runs background checks for more than 3,400 employers, agencies, and homes that serve kids and vulnerable adults. Learn more at kids.delaware.gov/management-support-services/criminal-history-unit.
CHU work covers SBI and FBI print checks, out-of-state abuse and neglect files, and the sex offender registry. Follow-up runs through Delaware courts, police, social service offices, SBI, and the FBI. The Child Protection Registry portal is at childprotectionregistry.delaware.gov. The fee for a Child Protection Registry check is $14.
The CHU page shows the full list of programs that need a check.
The site at kids.delaware.gov lists checks for foster and respite parents, child placing agency staff, residential care staff, and youth camp staff.
Professional Licensing Background Checks
Many Delaware jobs need a print-based check before a license is granted. The DSP Professional Licensing Section handles these. Read the rules at dsp.delaware.gov/professional-licensing.
Since September 5, 2023, all prints run through IdentoGO/Idemia. The Criminal Background Check Authorization form is no longer used. You pick the right service code and pay at the site. IdentoGO takes credit cards from Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express, plus debit cards and agency checks. IdentoGO does not take personal checks from license applicants. Call (844) 321-2124 for help with a print slot.
The DSP Professional Licensing page is shown here.
Per the site at dsp.delaware.gov, federal law blocks the Division of Professional Regulation from sharing a copy of the check with the applicant, except to dispute a charge.
Crash Reports and Traffic Arrests
Many Delaware arrest records tie back to a traffic stop. The DSP Traffic Unit runs the statewide crash report desk. To get a copy of a crash report, mail a request to the Delaware State Police, Traffic Operations Section, P.O. Box 430, Dover, DE 19903. Include the collision info exchange form and payment. Standard reports cost $25 and fatal reports cost $60. Checks and money orders go to the Delaware State Police. The page is at dsp.delaware.gov/traffic-unit.
The DSP Traffic Unit page shows the mail form and scale house sites.
At dsp.delaware.gov, you can reach the Traffic Operations Section at (302) 739-5931 and the Voluntary Assessment Center at (302) 739-6911 for traffic tickets. Walk-in crash report requests are not taken.
The Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit runs scale houses at Blackbird on N. DuPont Hwy and in Middletown. Report an unsafe truck by calling (302) 378-5230.
Court Records and Case Alerts
Third-party legal data tools also track Delaware arrest and court records. Trellis Law indexes Superior Court filings and case dockets for New Castle County and much of Delaware. Users can set alerts, track a case, and pull docket text.
The Trellis coverage page for New Castle County is shown here.
The site at trellis.law/coverage/delaware/newcastle lists case types, filings by month, and party names. New Castle County has 538,479 residents and covers 494 square miles.
Most criminal court files in Delaware are not fully online. For a full file, visit the proper court in New Castle, Kent, or Sussex County during business hours. Court staff need the case number, party names, or filing date to pull records.
Browse Arrest Records by Delaware County
Delaware is split into three counties. Each one has its own sheriff, superior court, and public records portal. Pick a county below to find local arrest record tips, courthouse contacts, and records units for that area.
Delaware Arrest Records in Major Cities
Local police in each Delaware city make their own arrests and keep their own records units. Pick a city below to learn where to get reports, booking info, and recent arrests near you.