Public records in Delaware are big. Never mind that the state is so small. Because the state is considered by many to be the nation’s financial capital—it’s home to one of the country’s largest concentrations of banking operations, thanks to companies such as Bank of America, JP Morgan Chase, Citigroup and Discover Bank, all of which have headquarters there—in Delaware public records are of paramount importance. After all, with so many banks and bankers setting up shop there, a culture of transparency is key.

That culture doesn’t stop with the businesses based in Delaware, either. It permeates throughout the so-called “First State” to the benefit of people living there, who can access—often for free—Delaware public records of all sorts, including everything from public birth records and public death records to public property records and even Delaware public court records.

As long as the information they’re looking for is a matter of public record, Delaware residents can find it. It doesn't matter if they live in Kent County, Delaware, or New Castle County, Delaware; public records are kept so that you, the citizen, can read them. To do exactly that, start your search with the following state and county government Web sites, many of which maintain free Delaware public records that you can access online:

• Delaware.gov - Cities & Municipalities: To find public records, Delaware residents should consider contacting their city and county governments, which often keep local public records that can't be found in national databases. For a list of such governments in Delaware, consult Delaware.gov, the State of Delaware’s official Web site.

• Delaware Department of Correction - Inmate Locator: For its inmate locator, the Delaware Department of Correction uses VINELink—the online version of VINE (Victim Information and Notification Everyday), which it says “allows crime victims to obtain timely and reliable information about criminal cases and the custody status of offenders 24 hours a day.” VINELink is therefore the No. 1 resource for searching Delaware public criminal records for information about inmates currently jailed in Delaware prisons.

• Delaware Department of Finance - Unclaimed Property Search: Maintained by the Delaware Department of Revenue’s Division of Revenue, the State of Delaware’s State Database of Unclaimed Property allows you to electronically search Delaware public records in order to find and claim missing property, including money from uncashed paychecks, inactive bank accounts and more.

• Delaware Department of State - Division of Corporations: For information about Delaware-based businesses, including their names, addresses and owners, visit the Delaware Department of State's Web site, where you can search free Delaware public records for information about businesses and corporations.

• Delaware Department of State - Division of Professional Regulation: If you want to verify a professional's occupational credentials, search public records in Delaware for licensing information. The Delaware Division of Professional Regulation keeps licensing records on everyone from accountants and architects to dentists and doctors so that you can make sure your service providers are licensed to practice in the State of Delaware.

• Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles: For driving records, vehicle records and other such public records, Delaware residents should turn to the Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles, which outlines on its Web site the procedures for requesting and obtaining copies of your own driving record; if you’re looking for someone else’s driving record, you’ll need written permission from that person to obtain it.

• Delaware Health and Social Services - Office of Vital Statistics: The Delaware Office of Vital Statistics maintains a variety of Delaware public records, including birth records, death records and marriage records.

• Delaware State Archives: Because it maintains an archive of historic Delaware public records, the Delaware State Archives is always a good resource for finding public records in Delaware—especially for genealogy purposes. Records include Delaware public court records, probate records, vital records and more.

• Delaware State Courts: To learn how to access Delaware public court records, including Delaware public criminal records, consult the Delaware State Courts Web site, which includes information for getting public court records from Delaware’s Supreme Court, Court of Chancery, Superior Court, Family Court, Court of Common Pleas and Justice of the Peace Court.

• Delaware State Police - Sex Offender Central Registry: You can find registered sex offenders in Delaware by searching Delaware public criminal records via the Delaware Department of Police’s Sex Offender Central Registry. Accessible via the department’s Web site, records include the names, addresses, ages and photographs of registered sex offenders in the State of Delaware.

• U.S. District Court of Delaware: The U.S. District Court of Delaware hears federal civil and criminal cases, for which it keeps Delaware public court records and Delaware public criminal records. To access those public records, Delaware residents should contact the Clerk’s Office, which is charged with maintaining public records in Delaware and connecting citizens with them.

• United States Bankruptcy Court - District of Delaware: The United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware keeps Delaware public court records about individuals and businesses that have filed bankruptcy in Delaware. Bankruptcy records are available online by registering for PACER, the federal government's electronic court records system, or in person by visiting the Clerk's Office.

• Kent County - Directory: If they're looking for public records, Delaware residents in Kent County should consider looking up the appropriate local government contact to help them navigate available resources. To find that contact, turn to the official Kent County Web site.

• Kent County Clerk of Peace - Marriage Records: In Kent County, Delaware, public records available from the Clerk of Peace—which locally oversees marriages—include marriage certificates.

• Kent County P.R.I.D.E. - Property Records: For property tax records, Kent County, Delaware, residents should turn to P.R.I.D.E., Kent County’s electronic database of property records, which is searchable by name and address.

• New Castle County: If they're looking for public records, Delaware residents in New Castle County should consider looking up the appropriate local government contact to help them navigate available resources. To find that contact, turn to the official New Castle County Web site.

• New Castle County - Property Records: For property tax records, New Castle County, Delaware, residents should turn to New Castle County’s electronic database of property records, which is searchable by parcel number, name or address.

• New Castle County - Will Search: For Delaware public court records of the probate variety, consider using New Castle County’s Will Search tool, which enables you to search for wills and related documents by name, will number or date of death.

• New Castle County Clerk of Peace - Marriage Records: In New Castle County, Delaware, public records available from the Clerk of Peace—which locally oversees marriages—include marriage certificates.

• Sussex County - Department Listing: If they're looking for public records, Delaware residents in Sussex County should consider looking up the appropriate local government contact to help them navigate available resources. To find that contact, turn to the official Sussex County Web site.

• Sussex County - Property Records: For public property records, Sussex County, Delaware, residents should turn to Sussex County’s electronic database of property records, which is searchable by parcel number, name, map or address.

• Sussex County Clerk of the Peace - Marriage Records: In Sussex County, Delaware, public records available from the Clerk of Peace—which locally oversees marriages—include marriage certificates.

• Delaware State Bar Association - Lawyer Referral Service: If you need to find a Delaware lawyer, consult the Delaware State Bar Association, which offers a lawyer referral member service.

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