Delaware delinquent tax lists by county
Short answer: Delaware is a deed state, so a winning bidder gets the deed itself, so a winning bid transfers ownership of the property. County sheriff tax sales; a short statutory redemption window applies in some counties, so verify locally. Each county publishes its own delinquent roll through the County Finance Office. Below is every Delaware county we cover, with the live count of distressed owners in each.
Counties covered
3
Every one has its own ranked list and county-level rules page.
Flagged owners statewide
755
Carrying at least one distress signal in public records, refreshed daily.
Sale type
Deed
None once the court confirms the sheriff sale.
Every Delaware county we cover
Sorted largest first. Each county page carries the official list source, the sale rules and the live ranked list of owners under pressure right now.
| County | County seat | Population | Flagged owners |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Castle County | Wilmington | 575,000 | 139 |
| Sussex County | Georgetown | 250,000 | 159 |
| Kent County | Dover | 182,000 | 457 |
Delaware tax sale rules
| Tax sale system | Delaware is a deed state. A winning bidder gets the deed itself, so a winning bid transfers ownership of the property. |
|---|---|
| Rate and cadence | County sheriff tax sales; a short statutory redemption window applies in some counties, so verify locally. |
| Owner redemption | None once the court confirms the sheriff sale. |
| Who publishes the list | The County Finance Office in each county. |
| Foreclosure path | Judicial, typically 6 to 9 months from filing to sale. |
| Deficiency after sale | Allowed. |
| Local note | Foreclosures proceed by scire facias, a writ-based process older than the state itself. |
The Delaware delinquency clock
Delaware delinquent tax list FAQ
Is Delaware a tax lien or tax deed state?
Delaware is a deed state. A winning bidder gets the deed itself, so a winning bid transfers ownership of the property. County sheriff tax sales; a short statutory redemption window applies in some counties, so verify locally.
Where do I find the Delaware delinquent tax list?
Each county publishes its own list through the County Finance Office, usually as a PDF before a scheduled sale. Pick your county below for the official source plus the year-round ranked list of distressed owners in that area.
How long does an owner have to redeem in Delaware?
None once the court confirms the sheriff sale. That window is the single biggest thing separating a good tax-sale trade from a bad one, because it decides how long your money sits before you can act.
How many tax-delinquent properties are there in Delaware?
Across the 3 Delaware counties we track, roughly 755 properties currently carry at least one distress signal in public records, including tax delinquency, foreclosure filings, vacancy and long-distance ownership. The counts refresh daily.
Can I buy Delaware tax-delinquent property before the auction?
Yes. The delinquency appears in the public record months before any sale is scheduled, and during that window the owner can still sell normally. That is the whole opportunity: no bidding war, an inspection is possible, and an owner with equity walks away with money instead of nothing.