Delaware has only three counties, and each one elects its own sheriff. That small map makes the system easy to learn once you know what these offices actually do. Delaware sheriffs focus mainly on court-related and civil work, not on highway patrol or 911 response. This page explains how the offices are organized, how the northern, central and southern counties differ, and how to reach the right one.

How Sheriff Services Are Organized in Delaware

Delaware does not have dozens of independent county sheriff departments. The state has three counties, New Castle, Kent and Sussex, and voters in each county elect one sheriff. Sheriffs are county row officers. That means they are separate from the county council or Levy Court and answer directly to voters. Their duties come from the Delaware Constitution, Title 10 of the Delaware Code and the rules of the state courts.

The result is a narrower job than the sheriff holds in many other states. A Delaware sheriff's office is best understood as an enforcement arm for the civil courts. Deputies serve legal papers, carry out certain court orders and run the public auctions known as sheriff's sales.

What a Delaware sheriff's office typically handles

Exact services vary by county, so call before you go. A deputy cannot give legal advice, and the office cannot tell you whether to file a case or how to defend one. For that, speak with an attorney, a legal aid organization or the Delaware Courts Self-Help Center.

Who handles policing and jails instead

Newcomers from other states are often surprised that the sheriff is not their main police contact. In Delaware, city departments such as the Wilmington Police Department and the Dover Police Department cover their own streets. New Castle County runs a county police department for unincorporated areas. In much of Kent and Sussex counties outside incorporated towns, the Delaware State Police provide the primary patrol and emergency response.

Jails work differently too. Delaware operates a unified correctional system through the state Department of Correction, so the sheriff does not run a county jail. If you are trying to locate an inmate, contact the state rather than a sheriff's office. In an emergency, dial 911 instead of any office number listed in a directory.

Comparing the Sheriff's Offices Across Delaware's Three Counties

The three offices share the same core job, but their surroundings differ a great deal. Population, land area and housing markets shape how busy each office is and how residents usually reach it.

New Castle County: the urban north

New Castle County holds Wilmington, Newark and the densest suburbs in the state. It has by far the largest population of the three counties. Our directory lists the New Castle County Sheriff's Office at 800 North French Street in Wilmington, phone 302-395-8450. That address is the Louis L. Redding City/County Building, within walking distance of downtown court buildings. Plan for building security, downtown parking or transit, and a little extra time at the door.

Our database also shows a Wilmington Fire Marshals Office at the same address, phone 302-576-3120. That is a fire-code and inspection office, not a sheriff function. Do not call it about civil papers or sheriff's sales.

Kent County: the capital county

Kent County is home to Dover, the state capital, and to Dover Air Force Base. Our database has two entries here: the Kent County Sheriff's Office at 555 South Bay Road and a Kent County Sheriffs Department listing at 38 The Green. Both are in Dover and both show 302-736-2161. The Green is the historic square where the Kent County Courthouse stands. Because the phone number is shared, the two entries appear to describe one sheriff operation, so ask on the phone which address handles your matter before you drive.

Sussex County: the rural and coastal south

Sussex County is the largest of the three by land area. It combines farmland and poultry country with beach towns such as Rehoboth Beach and Lewes. The Sussex County Sheriff's Office is listed in Georgetown, the county seat, at PO Box 589, phone 302-855-7830. A post office box is a mailing address, not a place to walk in. Confirm a street location by phone before visiting, and use the box only for mailed documents.

Metro versus rural: what changes for you

In the north, you are more likely to deal with a busy office, a large volume of property cases and many nearby law firms. In the south, distances are longer, and the population swells in summer in the resort areas. Many Sussex residents handle questions by phone or mail first and travel to Georgetown only when needed. In Kent County, the offices sit close to state government and the courts, which makes in-person visits simple for Dover residents.

Using a Delaware Sheriff's Office: Practical Steps

A few habits save time with any of the three offices.

Start with the paperwork. Have the case number, the court name and the names of the parties in front of you. Staff can usually look up a writ faster with those details. They will also want to know which court issued the document, such as Superior Court, the Court of Common Pleas, the Court of Chancery or a Justice of the Peace Court.

If you want to buy at a sheriff's sale, ask the office for its current sale terms. Sales are public auctions of property that a court has ordered sold. Payment rules, notice requirements and accepted forms of payment can change, so never rely on a figure from an old listing. Properties are usually sold as-is, so a title search and advice from a real estate attorney before bidding are wise.

If you are the homeowner, act early. A sheriff's notice does not mean the sale is tomorrow, but court deadlines are strict. Contact the court, an attorney or the Delaware State Housing Authority, and ask the court whether mediation or other foreclosure assistance is available in your case.

For background checks, records and permits, you will usually go elsewhere. Fingerprint-based record reviews go through the Delaware State Police State Bureau of Identification. Concealed-carry paperwork goes through the Superior Court rather than the sheriff. Calling the correct agency first avoids a wasted trip.

Sheriff offices in Delaware are independently elected county agencies responsible for law enforcement, jail operations, and civil process service. Each county in Delaware elects its own sheriff, who serves as the chief law enforcement officer for that county's unincorporated areas.

Sheriff locations are available in 3 cities across Delaware. They are spread across 3 counties.

Cities with the highest concentration of sheriff office listings include Wilmington, Dover, Georgetown, reflecting the population centers where multiple sub-offices or specialty divisions may be located.

Delaware residents should note that sheriff offices handle civil law enforcement functions — such as serving eviction notices and foreclosure papers — in addition to criminal law enforcement, so the sheriff office is often the correct point of contact for civil legal matters at the county level.

Sheriff by Counties

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If you are a Delaware resident looking to obtain a concealed carry permit, request a background check clearance letter, or serve legal documents through official channels, your county sheriff office is the starting point — contact them directly to confirm required documentation and current processing times.

Browse Sheriff by county across Delaware to find the nearest location.

Planning Your Contact With a Delaware Sheriff's Office

Delaware's small size works in your favor. The three county seats, Wilmington, Dover and Georgetown, line up roughly north to south along the state, so a trip to a neighboring county office is possible when you need it. Still, a short phone call usually saves the drive. Offices keep weekday business hours and close on state and federal holidays, and court-related schedules can shift on short notice.

When you call, say which court issued your paper and what you need: service of a document, the date of a sale or the status of a writ. Staff can then route you quickly. Keep a pen and your case number handy, and write down the name of the person you spoke with.

If you are not sure which county applies, look at where the property sits or where the person to be served lives. The county of the property or the person generally decides which sheriff acts. Residents of Kent County and Sussex County in particular should also check whether the matter belongs to a court officer outside the sheriff's office, since small towns often route paperwork in different ways.

Finally, keep records. Save letters, notices and receipts, and photograph anything handed to you. If a dispute arises later, a dated paper trail helps a judge or attorney understand what happened. The answers below cover the questions Delaware residents ask most often.

Delaware Sheriff FAQs

In Delaware, sheriffs are mainly court and civil officers, so patrol and emergency response come from other agencies. Wilmington and Dover have their own city police departments, New Castle County has a county police department for unincorporated areas, and the Delaware State Police cover much of Kent and Sussex counties outside incorporated towns. The sheriff's office numbers in our directory are business lines, not emergency lines. Call 911 for emergencies. For non-emergency police matters, contact the department that serves your town. If you are unsure which agency covers your address, ask the sheriff's office, and staff can usually point you in the right direction.

Delaware has three, one for each county. The Kent County Sheriff's Office in Dover is at 555 South Bay Road, phone 302-736-2161, and a second Kent listing sits at 38 The Green in Dover with the same number. The New Castle County Sheriff's Office is at 800 North French Street in Wilmington, phone 302-395-8450. The Sussex County Sheriff's Office is in Georgetown, with a mailing address of PO Box 589 and phone 302-855-7830. Because the Sussex address is a post office box, call ahead for a street location before visiting in person. You can also browse the New Castle County page for its listings.

A sheriff's sale is a public auction of property that a court has ordered sold to satisfy a judgment, most often an unpaid mortgage. The county sheriff advertises the sale in advance and conducts it under the court's order. Sales are generally open to the public, but bidders should be ready to pay under the stated terms. Call the county office for the current schedule, payment rules and accepted methods rather than trusting old figures. Before bidding, research the title, any liens and the condition of the property, and consider consulting a real estate attorney. Sales can be postponed or cancelled at the last minute, for example if the owner pays the debt or files for bankruptcy.

No. Our database lists a Wilmington Fire Marshals Office at 800 North French Street, the same building as the New Castle County Sheriff's Office, with phone 302-576-3120. It is a separate office that deals with fire codes, inspections and fire safety, not with civil papers or property sales. The shared address is the reason the two appear together. If your question is about a smoke alarm, a building inspection or a fire code issue, call the fire marshal's number. If it concerns a court writ or a sheriff's sale, call the sheriff's office at 302-395-8450 instead.

Usually not the sheriff. Concealed-carry permit applications in Delaware go through the Superior Court in your county, so contact the court for current forms and requirements. Fingerprint-based criminal history reviews are handled by the Delaware State Police State Bureau of Identification in Dover. Police reports come from the agency that responded, such as the Wilmington Police Department, Dover Police Department, New Castle County Police or the Delaware State Police. Rules and procedures change, so confirm current steps with the agency before you go. If you are not sure, a quick call to your county sheriff's office can help you find the right door.

The method depends on the court and the type of case. Many civil papers are served through the county sheriff's office where the person lives or works, and you generally give the office the documents, the correct address and any required fee. Other courts allow different methods, such as service by court officers or a private process server, under their own rules. Check the instructions from the court that issued your papers, or ask the Delaware Courts Self-Help Center. Then call the sheriff in the right county, for example the Kent County office at 302-736-2161, to confirm what it needs. Keep proof of service, since the court will ask for it.