Find Lewes Property Records
Lewes property records cover deeds, mortgages, plats, and other documents filed with the Sussex County Recorder of Deeds. Whether you need to confirm ownership, trace a chain of title, or review historic land transfers in Delaware's first town, this page explains where to search and what to expect when you request records.
Sussex County Recorder of Deeds
The Sussex County Recorder of Deeds is the primary office for Lewes property records. All deeds, mortgages, plats, powers of attorney, and other documents that affect real property in Lewes must be recorded here. The office is located in Georgetown, which serves as the county seat.
Alexandra Reed Baker serves as the Recorder. The office is at 2 The Circle, P.O. Box 827, Georgetown, DE 19947. You can reach them by phone at (302) 855-7785 or by email at deeds@sussexcountyde.gov. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. The recording window closes at 4:00 PM, so plan accordingly if you need to submit documents in person.
When you visit, bring a copy of any relevant prior deeds or parcel identifiers to help staff locate the record you need. Staff can assist with index searches, but they do not provide legal advice. If your search is complex or involves a title dispute, a licensed title attorney can help. The Recorder's office is part of Sussex County government, and all recorded documents are indexed by grantor, grantee, document type, and date.
Note: The recording window closes at 4:00 PM, one half hour before the office closes at 4:30 PM on weekdays.
Search Lewes Property Records Online
Sussex County provides free online index access through the US Land Records portal. You can search Lewes property records at i2g.uslandrecords.com. The index is free to use. Actual document images cost $2.00 per page, or you can subscribe for $75 per month for unlimited access.
The search tool lets you look up records by grantor or grantee name, document type, date range, book and page number, or instrument number. Results show the basic index data including parties, recording date, and document type. Once you find what you need, you can purchase the image directly through the portal. Most users searching for a deed to confirm ownership will find what they need with just a name search. If you are doing a full title search, you will want to search both grantor and grantee indexes back through multiple ownership periods.
Note: Free index access does not include document images; image fees apply separately and vary based on page count.
The Sussex County Recorder of Deeds page provides links and instructions for online access. You can also call the office directly to ask about search options before visiting in person.
The screenshot below shows the Sussex County official website, which serves as a starting point for accessing recorder services and other county records.
The Sussex County official website provides access to recorder services, assessment data, and other property-related information for Lewes residents and researchers.
Sussex County maintains property records for all cities and unincorporated areas within the county, including Lewes.
City of Lewes Municipal Records
The City of Lewes maintains its own set of records separate from those at the county recorder. These include building permits, certificates of occupancy, zoning decisions, and historic preservation approvals. If you need to know what work was done on a property, whether a structure is legal, or how a parcel is zoned, city records are the place to start.
Building permits are required for new construction, additions, and most renovations. The city keeps records of every permit issued and every inspection conducted. Certificates of occupancy are part of this record set. These documents can matter when you are evaluating a property because unpermitted work can create problems. City staff can help you search permit history for a specific address.
The Planning and Zoning Department keeps records of subdivision plats, zoning variances, and conditional use approvals. Lewes has its own zoning code that governs what can be built and how land can be used within city limits. Properties in the historic district face additional review from the Historic Preservation Architectural Review Commission. The commission reviews any exterior changes to structures in the historic district before permits are issued. Records of commission decisions are kept by the city.
Note: City permit records are separate from county recorder documents and must be requested directly from Lewes city offices.
The City of Lewes official website is shown below, where you can find contact information for planning and building departments.
The City of Lewes official website provides information on building permits, planning, zoning, and historic preservation for properties within city limits.
Lewes city offices are the point of contact for permit histories, zoning records, and historic district approvals that do not appear in the county recorder's index.
Property Assessment in Lewes
Sussex County handles property assessment for Lewes. The Sussex County Assessment office assigns assessed values used to calculate property taxes. Owners can search assessment records online and file appeals if they believe a value is wrong.
Sussex County is currently conducting a Property Reassessment Project. This project will update assessed values across the county, including properties in Lewes. When the reassessment is complete, new values will take effect. Property owners who disagree with their assessed value have the right to appeal. The Assessment office can explain the appeal process and deadlines. Assessment records show the parcel number, property address, owner name, assessed value, and sometimes a brief property description. These records are public and can help confirm basic ownership and value information even before you pull the full deed from the recorder.
Historic Property Records for Lewes
Lewes was founded in 1631, making it Delaware's first European settlement. Land records here go back further than in most American cities. For properties with deep historical roots, the Sussex County Recorder's index only covers so many years. Older land records are held at the Delaware Public Archives.
The Delaware Public Archives holds Sussex County historical land records going back to before statehood. These include early deed books, survey records, and colonial land grants. The Archives are located at 121 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard North in Dover. Researchers studying historic Lewes properties, especially those in the historic district, often find that the Archives hold critical records that predate the county recorder's index. Staff can help you locate records by date range, grantor, or property description.
The image below shows the Delaware Public Archives, which holds the oldest land records for Sussex County and Lewes.
The Delaware Public Archives preserves historical land records from Sussex County, including early deeds and colonial-era land documents relevant to Lewes properties.
For properties in Lewes dating to the 18th or early 19th century, the Public Archives in Dover may be the only place to find original land transfer records.
Delaware law governs the chain of title rules for all recorded property. Delaware Code Title 25, Chapter 1 sets out the deed rules and chain of title requirements that apply to Lewes property transactions.
Delaware Property Laws That Apply to Lewes
Several Delaware statutes govern how property records are created, recorded, and accessed in Lewes. Delaware Code Title 9, Chapter 96 sets out the recording requirements that apply statewide. Every deed or mortgage must meet these requirements before the Recorder accepts it for filing. Documents that do not comply can be rejected at the recording window.
The transfer tax rules are found in Delaware Code Title 30, Chapter 54. Delaware imposes a 3% transfer tax on real estate sales, split between state and local governments. The City of Lewes receives a 0.59% allocation of its distributed share of realty transfer tax receipts. This funding helps support local services. Transfer tax is typically split between buyer and seller at closing, though the parties can negotiate the split.
Delaware also has a Transfer on Death Deed law, found in Delaware Code Title 25, Chapter 2, which took effect in 2025. This allows property owners to name a beneficiary who will receive the property at death without going through probate. The deed must be recorded before the owner dies to be valid. This is a newer tool that some Lewes property owners may use to plan their estates.
Older deeds sometimes contain discriminatory covenants that are no longer legal. Delaware Code Title 6, Chapter 46 covers fair housing rules and provides a process to have those covenants redacted from the public record. This applies to some older properties in Lewes's historic district where such language may appear in deeds recorded decades ago.
Note: Delaware statutes on recording, title, and transfer tax apply to all Lewes property transactions and can be reviewed at the Delaware Code website.
Sussex County Superior Court and Property Disputes
When property disputes reach the courts, records are filed at the Delaware Superior Court in Sussex County. The court is located at 1 The Circle, Suite 2, Georgetown, and can be reached at (302) 855-7055. Cases involving title disputes, boundary disagreements, foreclosures, and other real property matters are handled here.
Court records are separate from recorder records but can affect a property's title. A lis pendens filed in a court case, for example, must also be recorded with the Recorder of Deeds to put future buyers on notice of pending litigation. If you are researching a Lewes property and find a gap or inconsistency in the title, checking Superior Court records may explain it. Foreclosure judgments, partition actions, and quiet title suits all generate court records that can be relevant to property history.
The Superior Court clerk can help you locate case records by party name or case number. Many recent filings are also accessible through the Delaware Courts online case search system.
Sussex County Property Records
All Lewes property records are maintained at the county level. Visit the Sussex County page for full details on the recorder's office, online access, fees, and other resources that cover all of Sussex County including Lewes.
Nearby Cities
Other Delaware cities with property records pages: