Free Delaware Warrant Search (Statewide Lookup)

Free Delaware Warrant Search
Find out if you or someone else has a warrant out for their arrest in Delaware, free of charge.

Conduct a free Delaware warrant search on anyone throughout the state. Warrants are judicial orders executed by law enforcement and, in Delaware, are public records that citizens can look up and learn the details about almost any case.

This resource takes concerned citizens through the tools available to learn everything there is to know about a warrant — including the reason for it, incident dates, types of charges, and the status of those orders. All types of warrants can be found in Delaware, including arrest warrants, capias, and more.

Who Is Authorized To Access & View Warrants Issued in Delaware?

Information about active warrants is readily available for any interested citizen in Delaware.

Title 11 is the statute in the Delaware Code that establishes how crimes in general must be handled by law enforcement and the courts.1 Anyone who’s concerned about themselves or someone they know can find relevant information in Delaware and make the necessary decisions to handle their warrant situation.

The state encourages citizens to be on top of their wanted situation and makes it very convenient for anyone to perform a Delaware warrant check. There are free online tools, as well as local agencies, to provide help and support to citizens in person.

For those who believe they’re the target of an active warrant, keep in mind that contacting law enforcement agencies for information may lead to their arrest. Usually, it’s advisable to retain an attorney who can speak on their behalf and have them seek out information. An attorney can also provide counsel on how to handle a warrant, should one come up.

For those who have information about the whereabouts of a wanted individual, it’s important to report that information to law enforcement. Citizens should always put their safety first and never try to arrest someone with an open warrant.

Those offenders may be dangerous and armed. Citizens should call law enforcement and let them handle the warrant execution.

A Synopsis of Vital Information To Locate Warrants in Delaware

The process of performing a Delaware warrant search is very streamlined because the state encourages citizens to access information and makes it readily available to them.

The only thing that’s needed is the first and last name of the person who will be searched – and in some cases, even having just the last name will suffice.

The most effective way to start a search is using the state tools that will provide information about wanted individuals throughout the state. After that, interested citizens can narrow the search to the county or city where the incident happened.

Delaware has only three counties: New Castle, Kent, and Sussex. Contacting the local law enforcement agencies is the second step in an effective search – be it because the state tools failed to yield information or because a concerned citizen wishes to know more and will try to work with the local agency responsible for executing the warrant.

A screenshot of Sussex County, Delaware, showing its district map, namely District 5, pointed out by an arrow.
Source: Sussex County Delaware2

It’s common sense that seeking legal counsel is pivotal when dealing with an active warrant. In Delaware, some warrants can be managed without being arrested.

Sometimes, just paying the amount due or scheduling an appearance in front of a judge will resolve it. Citizens should take advantage of the fact that warrant information is accessible to all and make sure that they get ahead of it by handling any warrants as quickly as possible.

How To Search for Active Arrest Warrants for Free: Delaware Warrant Search

There are different resources citizens can use to search for a warrant in Delaware. The Delaware Criminal Justice Information System provides information regarding active warrants in the state and encourages citizens to check for warrants or their status.3

This way, if a warrant is active, they can voluntarily take action to resolve it, even if it’s a simple misdemeanor warrant.

The Online Wanted Person Review system allows individuals to perform name searches for free and learn about the status of any active warrant in the state of Delaware. It’s possible to search only by last name (first names aren’t mandatory), and the result will present details such as the reason for the warrant, such as when it was issued, possible aliases the individual may use to try to avoid being caught, and more.

A screenshot of search result from the criminal justice information system of Delaware which shows the personal information of the fugitive together with the other names used, it also display the warrant number, DUC number, the court, and other comments regarding the arrest warrant.
Source: State of Delaware4

Also, the results will show current active warrants or capias. Capias are usually given when someone fails to appear in front of a judge and are a way of making sure that law enforcement will bring that person to appear as they should have already done.

Delaware also allows individuals to look up a list of offenders who escaped while on the work release program. Those escapees are wanted, too.

A screenshot of escaped fugitives indicating their names, their last known address, the facility where they escaped from and their mugshot.
Source: Delaware Department of Correction5

This isn’t a search system but a list in alphabetical order. It includes details about the offender and their crimes, as well as a mugshot to facilitate their recognition.

If more information is needed, concerned citizens can contact the agencies that handle outstanding warrants in Delaware. The Delaware State Police is responsible for executing warrants while the Criminal Justice Department issues them.6 This is how people can contact those agencies:

Delaware State Police
1441 North DuPont Hwy
P.O. Box 430
Dover, DE 19903

Phone: 302.739.5901

Delaware Criminal Justice Department
Information System Division

800 Silver Lake Blvd. – Suite 101
Dover, DE 19904

Phone: (302)739.4856
Fax: (302)739.6285

Look Up Warrants in Delaware at the County Level

Sometimes, a Delaware warrant search isn’t successful at the state level; when the information that’s being sought isn’t available online or when someone needs more support when dealing with a warrant, working with county agencies can be a good alternative.

Anyone who’s facing the possibility of having an active warrant against themselves must consider that contacting the courts or law enforcement directly may lead to their arrest. In general, law enforcement is responsible for executing warrants. Therefore, if an individual with an active judicial order comes across them, law enforcement will fulfill their duty and arrest that person.

If someone believes there may be an open warrant for their arrest, perhaps a good course of action would be to hire an attorney who can speak on their behalf and provide sound advice on how to face this circumstance. If contacting the local agencies is what the concerned citizen wishes to do, this is what is available for them in Delaware.

Delaware has only three counties. For searchers in New Castle County, they don’t offer an online tool to look up names – in fact, they refer people to the state database. However, they offer an online tool for people who want to provide law enforcement with tips about a crime or an offender at large.

The New Castle Crime Stoppers system offers rewards of up to $1,000 depending on the case and can be contacted by phone using the number +1.800.847.3333.7 It’s also possible to provide the information online using the online tip form, which includes an option for wanted and fugitive individuals.8

Concerned citizens can also reach out to the New Castle Police Department directly using the following information:9

New Castle Police Department
Public Safety Building
3601 N DuPont Hwy
New Castle, DE 19720

Phone: (302)573-2800

Kent County doesn’t provide a lot of information online, but the sheriff’s office is available to assist and support any citizen in need, as follows:

Kent County Sheriff’s Office
555 Bay Rd
Dover, Delaware, 19901

Phone: (302)736.2161
Email: sheriff@kentcountyde.gov

The same happens in Sussex County; although limited information is available online, people can contact the sheriff’s office at their convenience when looking for information about a warrant search.10 This is their contact information:

Sussex County Sheriff’s Office
22215 South DuPont Blvd.
P.O. Box 948
Georgetown, DE 19947

Phone: 302.855.7830
Fax: 302.855.7832

Access Warrant Information via Municipal Agencies & Courts

When running a warrant search in Delaware, people may find it useful to contact municipal law enforcement agencies while performing their searches – especially when the incident related to the warrant happened under their jurisdiction.

Again, the online sources to check for active warrants are the tools provided by the state. However, for in-person support, those are the largest police departments in the state. Citizens should always feel comfortable reaching out to them whenever they need:

Wilmington Police Department
William T. McLaughlin Public Safety Building
300 N. Walnut St.
Wilmington, DE 19801

Phone: 302.576.3940

Dover Police Department
400 South Queen St
Dover, DE 19904

Phone: 302.736.7111

Newark Police Department
220 S Main St.
Newark, DE 19711

Phone: 302.366.7111

A screenshot of the map showing the boundary of Delaware, particularly emphasizing the Wilmington city, which is the largest city of Delaware, pointed by an arrow.
Source: Delaware Department of Transportation11

Locate Federal Warrants Issued in DE or Elsewhere in the U.S.

In some cases, warrants are issued for individuals involved in federal cases. Those are uncommon, but should the concern arise, citizens should know there are tools out there they can rely on and utilize to try and find out information about federal warrants.

When searching online using the Delaware Online Wanted Person Review isn’t sufficient, some other helpful search tools include:

A screenshot showing the list corresponding the search result from the information system of Delaware Criminal Justice department, obtained from searching the last name of the fugitive.
Source: Delaware Criminal Justice Information System12

Another useful tool, albeit not free, is the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) system.13 It provides individuals with information about federal arrest and search warrants by searching the person’s name. They provide an online fee schedule and charge citizens by page when searching for these records.14

In order to use PACER, searchers have to create an account with a payment method. After that, they can search and access records. PACER isn’t limited to the top most wanted individuals, like the lists mentioned above, and will show more detailed information about federal warrants.

Primary Types of Warrants in Delaware & the Reason for Each

There are different types of warrants that can be issued against individuals. How difficult they are to handle depends on the incident or fact they’re connected with. Knowing the different kinds of warrants can be helpful when someone needs to resolve a judicial order.

Those are some of the most common types of warrant issued in Delaware:

  • Arrest Warrants — are issued by the courts when someone who committed a crime is a danger to society and needs to be arrested.15 Considering that law enforcement can arrest individuals on the spot when needed (without a warrant), arrest warrants are usually issued when a crime is committed outside of the view of law enforcement. Those warrants are executed by law enforcement.
  • Capias — warrants are issued directing law enforcement to bring an individual before the court. Usually, a capias is issued when someone fails to appear in a hearing or fails to pay a fine as directed by the court. Usually, someone who has an open capias will be released after appearing in court and being processed.
  • Probation or Parole Warrants — probationers and parolees are living in liberty under a set of conditions that vary from case to case. When those individuals fail to meet those conditions or blatantly violate them, a warrant may be issued against them. They can be arrested, and their probation or parole statuses may be reevaluated.
  • Child Support Warrants — in Delaware, anyone who’s 30 days behind on their child support payments may have their Driver’s License suspended.16 Also, a judge may issue a warrant against that person, so they’re arrested and compelled to pay what’s due. That can happen to both men and women and is assessed by the judge on a case-by-case basis.

One thing to keep in mind is that an open (or active or outstanding) warrant isn’t a type of warrant. Those terms merely indicate that the warrant hasn’t yet been executed and that the target of it must deal with the situation. All types of warrants can be open, active, or outstanding.

Addressing Warrants & Reporting Persons of Interest in Delaware

After you find out if you have a warrant, it’s important to deal with it in the best way possible.

Although an open warrant is never a comfortable situation, knowing how to go about it will help any good citizen achieve the best possible resolution under the circumstances they’re facing.

For those who think there may be an active warrant issued by a Delaware court, it’s important to keep a few things in mind. First, they should be aware that contacting law enforcement may lead to their immediate arrest. To avoid that, communicating with a trusted family member or friend may help.

However, hiring an attorney is more advisable since they’re able to search for warrants on the citizen’s behalf and provide reasonable counsel on handling them. Those are some tips on how to deal, in Delaware, with an active warrant if someone ever finds themselves having to deal with an open warrant. This is what is recommended they do:

  • Some warrants can be resolved by paying a fine or appearing in court in front of a judge. In some cases, it’s even possible to avoid being arrested and booked. If that’s the case, individuals should take the necessary steps to handle the warrant as soon as possible.
  • Some warrants are more complicated and may involve an arrest, posting bail, and other things. In those cases, people should never try to handle the warrant alone. The best thing to do is seek legal advice from an attorney and let them offer their advice and guidance. Citizens should trust their attorneys and do as they say.
  • In some cases, the only way to deal with a warrant is by turning themselves in. Anyone who’s the target of an active warrant should never run away. First, they should communicate with their family about the situation and let them know what’s going on. Second, make sure they’re supported by a lawyer. Third, contact a bail bondsman and make arrangements before turning themselves in so a plan is in place to get them out of jail as soon as possible.

It may also happen that a concerned citizen comes to know information about an offender with a warrant against them. It’s important to let law enforcement know if information about an individual at large is available.

The citizen with the information should contact their local law enforcement tip line and share everything they know with them. At the same time, they should never try to execute the warrant themselves. It’s also important to put their family and own safety first and wait for law enforcement to act.

Anyone can uncover information about warrants in Delaware using the online tool available or by contacting law enforcement. Citizens can perform a free Delaware warrant search and learn information about themselves or someone they care about so they can take action and handle judicial orders as quickly and seamlessly as possible.

For additional record types, check out either the tutorial for accessing all criminal and arrest records in DE or the instructions for obtaining free Delaware public information — including documentation of marriages, divorces, births, deaths, court proceedings, and far more.


References

1Delaware Code Revisors. (2023, October 18). Delaware Code Online. Delaware Code Online. Retrieved November 28, 2023, from <https://delcode.delaware.gov/title11/index.html>

2Sussex County Delaware. (2022, March). Sussex County District Map. Sussex County. Retrieved November 29, 2023, from <https://sussexcountyde.gov/sussex-county-district-map>

3Jaffe, M. (2019, January 4). Check Your Wanted Status in Delaware – Delaware State Police – State of Delaware. Delaware State Police. Retrieved November 29, 2023, from <https://dsp.delaware.gov/2019/01/04/check-wanted-status-delaware/>

4State of Delaware. (n.d.). Delaware Criminal Justice Information System. Crime Stoppers. Retrieved November 29, 2023, from <https://pubsrv.deljis.delaware.gov/WantedPublic/searchResults.aspx>

5Department of Correction. (n.d.). Department of Correction – State of Delaware. Department of Correction – State of Delaware. Retrieved November 29, 2023, from <https://doc.delaware.gov/views/walkaways.blade.shtml>

6State of Delaware. (2022, September 30). Delaware Criminal Justice Information System. Delaware Criminal Justice Information System. Retrieved November 29, 2023, from <https://deljis.delaware.gov/contact.shtml>

7New Castle County Delaware. (n.d.). Crime Tips. New Castle County. Retrieved November 29, 2023, from <https://www.newcastlede.gov/1315/Crime-Tips>

8Delaware Crime Stoppers. (2023, June 16). Tip Form. Delaware Crime Stoppers. Retrieved November 29, 2023, from <https://www.p3tips.com/tipform.aspx?ID=346&CX=040404>

9New Castle County Delaware. (n.d.). Contact Information. New Castle County. Retrieved November 29, 2023, from <https://www.newcastlede.gov/315/Contact-Information>

10Lee, R. (n.d.). Sheriff’s Office. Sussex County. Retrieved November 29, 2023, from <https://sussexcountyde.gov/sheriffs-office>

11Delaware Department of Transportation. (n.d.). DelDOT Interactive Maps. Delaware Department of Transportation. Retrieved November 29, 2023, from <https://deldot.gov/map/>

12State of Delaware. (n.d.). Online Wanted Person Review Search Result. Delaware Criminal Justice Information System. Retrieved November 29, 2023, from <https://pubsrv.deljis.delaware.gov/WantedPublic/searchResults.aspx>

13Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. (n.d.). PACER: Login. PACER: Login. Retrieved November 29, 2023, from <https://pacer.login.uscourts.gov/csologin/login.jsf?appurl=https://pcl.uscourts.gov/pcl/loginCompletion>

14Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. (n.d.). PACER Pricing: How fees work | PACER: Federal Court Records. PACER. Retrieved November 29, 2023, from <https://pacer.uscourts.gov/pacer-pricing-how-fees-work>

15State of Delaware. (2022, September 30). Delaware Criminal Justice Information System. Delaware Criminal Justice Information System. Retrieved November 29, 2023, from <https://deljis.delaware.gov/whatwedo.shtml>

16Delaware Health and Social Services. (n.d.). DCSE Services: Enforcement – Delaware Health and Social Services – State of Delaware. Delaware Health and Social Services. Retrieved November 29, 2023, from <https://dhss.delaware.gov/dcss/enforce.html>