Sussex County Background Check Lookup
A Sussex County background check covers court files from the Georgetown courthouse, state police records from Troop 4, and custody data from the Sussex Correctional Institution. The county is the largest in Delaware by land area, but all main record offices sit in Georgetown. Fingerprinting happens every other Wednesday at the Thurman Adams State Service Center. This page walks you through how to search Sussex County background check records, where to go in Georgetown, and which office in the county holds what.
Sussex County Overview
Sussex County Courthouse Records
The Sussex County Courthouse is at 1 The Circle, Suite 2, Georgetown, DE 19947. The main line is (302) 855-7055. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Public access starts at 8:30 a.m. The courthouse has a strict cell phone rule. Cell phones, iWatches, and other personal devices are not allowed inside. Leave them in the car before you walk in.
The courthouse holds Superior Court, Court of Common Pleas, and Family Court. Superior Court hears felony criminal cases from Sussex County. Civil cases over $75,000 land here, too. The Prothonotary's Office runs civil records. The phone is (302) 854-6959. Case files can be viewed in the public records room. Plain copies cost 50 cents per page. Certified copies run $25 per document.
The Court of Common Pleas hears misdemeanors, traffic cases, and civil cases up to $75,000. Public access terminals let you search cases on site. Daily court calendars are posted outside the courtrooms. Security screening is required at the door.
For a Sussex County background check, start with CourtConnect. The free portal covers civil dockets, judgments, and basic case info. Criminal files on the portal are thin. Full criminal case review needs a visit to the clerk. Learn more on the Sussex Superior Court page.
Note: Cell phones are not allowed inside the Sussex County Courthouse; plan to leave yours in the car or at home.
Delaware State Police Troop 4
Troop 4 is the state police post for Sussex County. The address is 23652 Shortly Road, Georgetown, DE 19947. Phone is (302) 856-5850. The Troop covers southern Delaware. That includes Georgetown, Lewes, and Rehoboth Beach. It also covers farm country inland and the main coastal routes. Troop 4 runs heavy during the summer tourist season.
The Criminal Investigations Unit at Troop 4 handles felony cases in the county. The Traffic Section covers Route 1, Route 113, and Route 404. The Troop works with Milford PD, Seaford PD, and Lewes PD on joint cases. A marine patrol unit handles coastal waterways. Aviation support is on call for search and rescue. The Troop takes part in multi-agency drug task forces, too.
Fingerprinting in Sussex County is not done at Troop 4. It is done at a nearby state service center. That site is covered in the next section. Records requests for Troop 4 go through the DSP FOIA Coordinator. More info is on the Troop 4 page.
Sussex County Fingerprinting
Fingerprinting for a Sussex County background check is done at the Thurman Adams State Service Center. The address is 546 S. Bedford Street, Room 202, Georgetown, DE. The schedule is unusual. The site is open every other Wednesday, from noon to 6:30 p.m. An appointment is required. No cash is taken at this location. Bring a credit or debit card, or a money order.
Call (302) 739-2528 for info and to book. The session runs by appointment through IdentoGO. You can also register at uenroll.identogo.com. Bring a valid photo ID. You need a service code from the group asking for the check. A wrong code means you have to pay and start over. The SBI program runs under Title 11, Chapter 85 of the Delaware Code.
Common service codes used at the Sussex 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
The Seaford partner site also runs fingerprinting under the SBI program. Most Sussex residents who can not make the Georgetown window go to Seaford. The SBI page has the full list and hours at dsp.delaware.gov.
Note: The Sussex fingerprint site does not take cash; bring a card, check, or money order when you go.
Sussex County Sheriff's Office
The Sussex County Sheriff's Office is at 22215 DuPont Boulevard, Georgetown, DE 19947. Phone is (302) 855-7830. The Sheriff covers court security, civil process, and prisoner transport. The office does not patrol streets. That job goes to county police, Troop 4, and city police departments. The Sheriff runs sheriff sales for foreclosure and tax sale properties. Notice of a sale is posted at the courthouse and in local papers.
The Sheriff serves warrants, subpoenas, and protective orders. Process records are kept on file. The office runs 24-hour service for emergency civil process. The office also works with Troop 4 and city police on warrant work. For info on a recent arrest, contact the police department that made the arrest, or the DSP FOIA Coordinator.
Sheriff sale records are public and can be reviewed at the office. The Sussex County Sheriff page has the full contact list and service hours.
Sussex Correctional Institution
Sussex Correctional Institution in Georgetown is the main detention facility for Sussex County. People arrested in the county are booked here. The facility holds adult male inmates awaiting trial or serving a sentence. Booking includes a medical screen, a classification check, and a security review.
To find 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. VINELink sends alerts when custody status changes. Alerts can come by phone, email, text, or TTY. Service is free.
SCI offers school, job training, and substance abuse programs. Medical and mental health services are on site. Dental care is available, too. Visits are on a set schedule. Visitors must be pre-approved and must bring photo ID. Some housing units have stricter access. Protective custody and administrative segregation units exist for special cases.
Older custody records may not be on the public locator. A written request to the DOC Records Unit handles the historical files. These kinds of records help round out a Sussex County background check when a subject has a past custody history.
Sussex County Recorder of Deeds
The Sussex County Recorder of Deeds is at 2 The Circle, Georgetown, DE 19947. Phone is (302) 855-7785. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The office keeps deeds, mortgages, liens, and UCC filings. Records go back to the earliest land transactions in the county.
Plain copies run $2 per page. Certified copies cost $5 per document. The office records plat maps and subdivision plans. Military discharge records (DD-214) are kept here, too. Notary service is on site. Record searches work by name, address, or document type. The office collects realty transfer tax on property sales.
This office is a quiet stop in a full Sussex County background check. A lien or a judgment not in the court file may show up here. The Sussex Recorder of Deeds page has the full contact list and online search links.
How to Search Sussex County Records
Start with the free tools. Open CourtConnect and run a name search. Then try the Delaware courts civil case search. Both pull from the same case data. The free portal covers Superior Court, Court of Common Pleas, and Justice of the Peace Court on the civil side.
For a certified personal criminal history, set a visit for the Georgetown fingerprint site or head to the Dover walk-in site. The fee is $72 for a state-only check. The combined state and federal check runs $85. The Dover site does not need an appointment. The Georgetown site does. Use service code 27RVGT for a personal copy. Use a different profession-specific code if a job, license, or agency requires the check.
A Sussex County background check does not end with the court. Check the SBI sex offender registry. Pull files from the Recorder of Deeds for liens. Use the DOC locator for current custody status. Add the city police records unit if the person lived in Seaford, Lewes, Milford, or another city in the county.
Milford sits on the county line. The Kent side and the Sussex side of Milford handle their own records. Double check which side of the line the event happened on before you send a request. A wrong county means a wrong office and a delay.
Fire and EMT Background Checks
Fire and EMT service in Sussex County is a big part of the county's public safety. Under Title 16, Section 6712, EMT applicants must pass a criminal background check. Under Title 16, Chapter 66, § 6647, members and applicants of Delaware Volunteer Fire Companies must pass a state and federal check. Service codes are 27S47F for fire and 27RX6F for EMT.
Volunteer fire members do not pay a fee. EMT applicants pay. The State Fire Commission reviews the result and decides on certification. Certain convictions block certification. These include felony sexual misconduct, child abuse, elderly abuse, and crimes against a patient. Some crimes block certification for five years from conviction or release. Full rules are on the State Fire Commission background check page.
Public Records in Sussex County
Delaware FOIA sits at 29 Del. C. §§ 10001-10007. Agencies have 15 business days to respond. Each agency has a FOIA coordinator. The state portal is at sos.delaware.gov.
Most Sussex County offices accept a written FOIA request sent to the department holding the record. The Sussex County government site gives contact info for each office. Write a clear request. Name the records. Name the dates. Name the parties. Name the subject. A clear request gets a faster reply.
Delaware police reports are not released under FOIA. A victim or a party to the case can still ask the police department for a copy of an incident report. Denials can be appealed to the Delaware Attorney General within 60 days.
Cities in Sussex County
Seaford is the largest city in Sussex County. Lewes is a coastal town with a busy summer season. Milford sits on the Kent/Sussex county line. Georgetown is the county seat. Rehoboth Beach and Dewey Beach round out the busy coastal area.
Each city has its own police records unit. A Sussex County background check should touch the city-level records when the subject lived or worked in one of these towns. City police files do not show up in a county-only court search. The Sussex County Sheriff does not hold city arrest records either. A direct request to the city police is the fastest path.
Other Delaware Counties
Delaware has three counties. Kent sits to the north of Sussex, and New Castle sits above Kent. Pick a county below for its local background check resources.