The City of Wilmington provides property buyers and sellers with information pertaining to delinquent accounts owed to the City of Wilmington. According to Sections 4-120 and 11-2 of the City Code, liens are placed on properties for outstanding property taxes, utility charges, fines and fees. If not released at the time of the sale of a property, the lien will carry to subsequent owners.

Attorneys, agents and individuals may request information on outstanding delinquencies owed to the City by filling out the Transfer of Ownership Form and mailing it to Property Transfer Settlements, Department of Finance, 800 N. French Street, 5th Floor, Wilmington, Delaware 19801, or emailing it to settlements@wilmingtonde.gov.

It is not necessary to request information through the Freedom of Information Act submission form. Instead, it is preferred that inquiries are made through the Settlements Office with the City of Wilmington to ensure that all outstanding fees, fines, charges, and taxes are accounted for prior to a sale of a property.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is needed?
  The Transfer of Ownership Form, completed entirely, along with a picture of the property’s water meter reading are needed.
  
  
• How do I know if the property is serviced by the City of Wilmington?
  Each property that receives property tax bills or utility bills is subject to verification of its delinquencies prior to a sale. These delinquencies are associated with a property parcel number, which is available through the New Castle County Parcel record. For properties subject to property taxes, parcel numbers for the City properties typically begin with the number 260. For water and sewer utilities, this parcel number is attached to the utility bill provided by the City of Wilmington. Keep in mind that a number of our utility customers reside outside of the city limits. If you are unsure of the property location, please call the City of Wilmington's 311 Call Center for verification.
  
  
• What happens if a picture of the meter is not provided?
  Upon submission of the transfer of ownership form, the City of Wilmington will come out to the property and read the meter for a cost of $50.00.
  
  
• What if I do not request this information from the City and do not submit a form?
  If information is not provided when the form is submitted, you will need to escrow $10,000 at time of settlement, and the account will be billed accordingly.
  
  
• How long does it take for a settlement form to be reviewed and verified?
  The settlement process of review takes place with the Finance Department and the Licenses and Inspections Department. Information from both agencies is required to be obtained for a proper settlement. DO NOT CALL the City of Wilmington's 311 Call Center or use the Citizens Self-Service Portal to obtain payoff information. Please use the Transfer of Ownership Form and Settlement Office to process your request. The average time to provide this information is five (5) business days. However, you are encouraged to request this information two weeks prior to the settlement of the property.
  
  
• What outstanding balances are quoted on the Transfer of Ownership Form?
  All utilities (water, sewer, stormwater), property taxes, L&I fees (instant tickets, vacant properties, property maintenance), meter fees, water turn on/turn off, Sheriff sales costs and legal fees, and all other related water service fees are quoted on the form.
  
  Should a property go to foreclosure by the mortgage company, any uncollected debt associated with the property will be quoted at settlement and will remain as collectible debt.
  
  
• What about other liens?
  Please be advised that the charges noted may not be the total sum of obligations owed to the City or other entities, such as the New Castle County and other lienholders. Buyers should perform a title search to determine any judgments, recorded liens, or bankruptcies to determine potential liabilities that may be occurred upon sale.
  
  
• What is the cost of a lost or stolen meter?
  Typically, the cost is $168.00. However, the cost could vary based on the size of the meter.
  
  
• What is the cost for water turn on/turn off?
  The cost is $40.00 for turn on and $40.00 for turn off.
  
  
• When should the Transfer of Ownership Forms be sent to the City of Wilmington?
  Typically forms should be sent two weeks prior to the settlement date. Please be advised that if the form is sent too early any unbilled consumption will be the buyer’s responsibility. Also, if the form is sent in too late (within 24 to 48 hours of settlement), information will be available to be included in the settlement.
  
  
• Who should I contact should I have any questions regarding settlements?
  Please contact the City of Wilmington's 311 Call Center or send an email to settlements@wilmingtonde.gov.