Search Kent County Background Check

Kent County is the home of Delaware's state capital and the only walk-in fingerprint site in the state. A Kent County background check draws on court files from the Dover courthouse, local police records, and state fingerprint data from the SBI site on South Bay Road. Troop 3 covers patrol across the county. This page shows how to search Kent County background check records, where to go in Dover, how to find an inmate, and which office in the county handles each record type.

Kent County Superior Court Records

The Kent County Courthouse is at 414 Federal Street, Dover, DE 19901. The main phone line is (302) 735-1900. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The courthouse holds Superior Court, Court of Common Pleas, and Family Court. All three sit under one roof in Dover. Security screening is required for anyone entering.

The Superior Court hears felony criminal cases. It hears civil cases over $75,000. It hears appeals from lower courts. The Prothonotary's Office handles civil records and can be reached at (302) 735-1910. Court Clerk staff handle criminal records. Case files are open to the public in the courthouse records room. Plain copies are 50 cents per page. Certified copies cost $25 per document. Cash, check, and money order are accepted.

The Court of Common Pleas hears misdemeanors, traffic cases, and civil cases up to $75,000. Small claims up to $15,000 go to this court. Public access terminals at the courthouse let visitors search case files on site. Daily court calendars are posted outside the courtrooms. For most Kent County background check work, online tools are a fine first stop. See the Kent County Superior Court page for the full contact list and forms.

Online access is free through CourtConnect. The portal holds civil dockets, judgments, and basic case info. Criminal files on the portal are thin. For a full criminal case file, visit the clerk in person.

Kent County SBI Fingerprint Site

The State Bureau of Identification fingerprint site in Dover is the only full walk-in site in Delaware. The address is 600 South Bay Road, Suite 1B, Dover, DE 19901. No appointment is needed. Hours are Monday, 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Tuesday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. For info or directions, call (302) 739-5871. Law enforcement prints for some out-of-state concealed carry rules must be done at this site.

Bring a valid photo ID. A Delaware driver's license works. A state ID from any state works. A passport works. You do not need a birth certificate. You do not need a social security card. You do need a service code from the agency asking for the check. The code tells IdentoGO which kind of report to pull. A wrong code means you have to pay and start over.

Common service codes used at the Dover site:

• 27RVGT for a personal certified criminal history
• 27S8N2 for a handgun qualified purchaser permit
• 27S23V for an expungement application
• 27S47F for a Delaware Volunteer Fire Company
• 27RX6F for Emergency Medical Technician
• 27S424 for a Driver Privilege Card

The SBI runs under Title 11, Chapter 85 of the Delaware Code. The agency keeps the central file of criminal history in Delaware. It runs fingerprint-based checks. It holds the Delaware Sex Offender Registry. It runs firearm transaction checks. All of this rolls into a Kent County background check when the subject lives in the county. More is on the SBI page.

Delaware State Police Troop 3

Troop 3 is the main state police post for Kent County. The address is 3859 Bay Road, Camden, DE 19934. Phone is (302) 697-4454. The Troop patrols central Delaware. That includes Dover, Camden, and Wyoming. The jurisdiction wraps around the state capital. Troop 3 also covers long stretches of Route 1, Route 13, and Route 113.

The Troop's Criminal Investigations Unit handles felony cases in the county. The Traffic Section handles crashes. Troop 3 runs a 24/7 dispatch center. The Troop works with Dover PD, Smyrna PD, Harrington PD, and Milford PD. Special units include K-9, tactical, and aviation support. For FOIA requests, contact the DSP FOIA Coordinator. More info is on the Troop 3 page.

A Kent County background check often leans on SBI data, but Troop records add context when the incident happened on a state road or in an unincorporated area. The Troop keeps incident logs, accident reports, and arrest records for its turf.

Kent County Sheriff's Office

The Kent County Sheriff's Office covers court security, civil process, and prisoner transport. The office does not patrol streets. County and city police handle that. The Sheriff works with Dover PD, Smyrna PD, Harrington PD, and Milford PD on warrant service.

The Sheriff runs sheriff sales for foreclosure and tax sale properties. Notice of sales is posted at the courthouse and printed in local papers. Records of process service and sale results are kept on file. The office also manages a fingerprinting service for concealed carry permit applicants. Requests for arrest records go to the Delaware State Police or the city police department that made the arrest.

See the Kent County government site for the Sheriff's office contact info and forms.

Kent County Inmate Records

The James T. Vaughn Correctional Center in Smyrna is the main detention site for Kent County. People arrested in the county are processed here. The facility holds adult male inmates awaiting trial or serving a sentence. Booking includes a medical screen, fingerprinting, and a classification check. The Department of Correction maintains custody records from intake through release.

To look up an inmate, use the Delaware DOC Inmate Locator. Searches work by name, ID, or facility. The page shows current location, custody status, projected release date, and sentence data. A mugshot may be shown when on file. VINELink alerts work on every case. Notice by phone, email, text, or TTY is free.

Programs at Vaughn cover school, job training, and substance abuse help. Medical and mental health services are on site. Visits are by pre-approved schedule only. Photo ID is required. Release plans include links to state agencies and local services.

For older custody records, a written request goes to the DOC Records Unit. Old files are not always on the public site. The DOC may hold an inmate past the posted release date if a hold is in place.

Kent County Recorder of Deeds

The Kent County Recorder of Deeds is in the same building as the courthouse. The address is 414 Federal Street, Dover, DE 19901. Phone is (302) 744-2711. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Records go back to the 1700s. Land titles, mortgages, liens, and UCC filings are kept here.

Plain copies are $2 per page. Certified copies are $5 per document. The office also records plat maps and subdivision plans. Military discharge records (DD-214) are filed with the Recorder of Deeds. Notary service is on site. Record searches can be run by name, address, or document type. The office also collects realty transfer tax on property sales.

When doing a Kent County background check, this office can turn up liens or judgments that did not show up in a court search. It is a quiet but useful stop. More is on the Kent County government site.

How to Search Kent County Records

Start with the free tools. Open CourtConnect and run a name search. Then hit the inmate locator. Both are free. Both are open all day, every day.

For a certified personal criminal history, go to the Dover SBI site at 600 South Bay Road. The fee is $72. Use service code 27RVGT. The report is only for the person who was fingerprinted. It is not valid for any agency. If a job, license, or court requires a check, use the profession-specific code they give you. A wrong code means you have to pay and redo the visit. Book or register at uenroll.identogo.com.

A full Kent County background check often pulls from a few sources. The table below sums up the main stops:

• CourtConnect for civil cases and judgments
• Kent County Courthouse clerk for full criminal case files
• Dover SBI site for a personal criminal history
• DOC inmate locator for current custody status
• Recorder of Deeds for liens and property filings

For a sex offender search, the SBI keeps the state registry. The registry is public. It is part of every thorough Kent County background check.

Fire, EMT, and Permit Prints

Fire and EMT service members in Kent County get their prints done at the Dover SBI site. Under Title 16, Section 6712, EMT applicants must pass a background check. Under Title 16, Chapter 66, § 6647, any member or applicant of a Delaware Volunteer Fire Company must pass a state and federal check. Volunteer fire members are not charged a fee. EMT applicants pay.

Handgun permit prints in Kent County also go through the Dover SBI site. Use service code 27S8N2. The Driver Privilege Card for undocumented immigrants uses service code 27S424. Expungement applications use 27S23V. Each code is tied to a specific background check product. Again, a wrong code means the applicant pays twice.

Call (302) 739-5871 for info. The State Fire Commission also keeps rules, forms, and an affidavit on its own background check page.

Public Records in Kent County

Delaware FOIA sits at 29 Del. C. §§ 10001-10007. Agencies have 15 business days to respond. Each agency has a FOIA coordinator. Written requests are best. Name the records, dates, parties, and subject. A vague request slows the whole process.

For state agencies, use the portal at sos.delaware.gov. The electronic submission site is at alpha.delaware.gov/foia. For Kent County offices, most departments accept a written request at the office holding the record. Police incident reports are not released under Delaware FOIA. A victim or a party to the case can still ask the department for a copy.

Cities in Kent County

Dover is the largest city in Kent County. It is also the state capital. The Dover Police Department has its own records unit. Smyrna, Harrington, and parts of Milford also sit in Kent County. Milford crosses into Sussex County, too, so records can sit in either county depending on where the incident happened.

A Kent County background check should touch the city-level police records when the subject lived or worked in one of these towns. City police files do not show up in a county-only search. The city records unit is the direct stop. For Dover, the PD runs its records program through the city page. For the smaller cities, a phone call or a short written request works.

Other Delaware Counties

Delaware has three counties. New Castle sits to the north and Sussex sits to the south. Pick a county below for its local background check resources.

View All Delaware Counties