Wilmington Traffic Ticket Records
Wilmington traffic ticket records come from two separate systems depending on where and how the citation was issued. Traffic violations within city limits are often handled by Wilmington's Alderman's Court or by Justice of the Peace Court 20 at the Leonard L. Williams Justice Center. Citations on state highways go through the New Castle County court network. Whether you need to pay a fine, contest a ticket, request court documents, or look up your violation history, this page covers the courts, contacts, and procedures specific to Wilmington traffic ticket records.
Wilmington Traffic Court Overview
Wilmington Traffic Ticket Courts
Justice of the Peace Court 20 handles criminal traffic cases for Wilmington. It is located at 500 North King Street, Floor 7, Wilmington, DE 19801, phone (302) 574-1500, email jpcourt@delaware.gov. This court handles criminal cases only. Most traffic violations in Wilmington will route through this court or through the city's Alderman's Court depending on the nature of the citation. The Court of Common Pleas Traffic Court is also in the same building at the Leonard L. Williams Justice Center. It handles appeals from JP Court and has its Records Custodian on site.
The Superior Court of Delaware, New Castle County, is also located at 500 North King Street, phone (302) 255-0800, for more serious criminal matters and major civil cases arising from incidents in Wilmington. The Court of Common Pleas at 500 North King Street, phone (302) 255-0900, handles misdemeanor traffic cases and civil disputes. It combines arraignment and trial into one appearance for most motor vehicle cases in New Castle County, which speeds up the process for drivers who contest a citation.
The Wilmington Alderman's Court handles violations of municipal ordinances occurring within city limits. This includes traffic tickets, parking violations, and local code violations. Alderman's Court judges are appointed by the city's governing body. The court operates independently of the Delaware Judiciary and has its own records, payment process, and procedures. Appeals from the Alderman's Court go to the Court of Common Pleas within 15 days of trial, heard de novo as if the first proceeding never happened.
The Alderman's Court reference page explains how Delaware's Alderman's Courts are structured, what jurisdiction they hold, and how the appeals process works.
Wilmington's Alderman's Court handles traffic violations within city limits, with appeals available to the Court of Common Pleas within 15 days of trial.
Wilmington Parking Ticket Records and Appeals
Wilmington Police officers have authority to issue parking tickets at any time, primarily for illegal parking in travel lanes. Outside of normal Parking Regulation Enforcement Officer hours, police officers handle enforcement. The City Adjudication Officer handles appeals for parking violations. Instructions for appealing appear on the back of every ticket and on the city's website. Violators must appeal in writing within 21 days. The City Adjudication Officer rules on initial appeals. If you disagree with that decision, you have the right to appeal further to court.
If your vehicle is immobilized (booted) or towed for unpaid parking or red-light tickets, you have the right to an administrative hearing within 45 days of the vehicle being towed. A hearing is available within 7 days of the tow. If the hearing takes place more than 7 days after towing, towing and storage fees won't be waived unless the hearing officer determines the vehicle was towed in error or extraordinary circumstances apply. This administrative hearing is only about whether the tow was lawful. To challenge the underlying ticket itself, you must file an appeal with the Justice of the Peace Court through the normal traffic violation process.
Downtown Wilmington has public parking managed by Colonial Parking (24 lots and 12 garages) and the Wilmington Parking Authority (6 garages and 2 surface lots). Parking violations in these facilities may be handled differently than on-street citations. Check your ticket for the issuing authority and payment instructions.
Note: The administrative hearing for a towed vehicle is not the same as contesting the underlying parking ticket. To fight the original citation, you need to appeal separately to the JP Court on the timeline noted on your ticket.
Search Wilmington Traffic Ticket Records
Civil traffic cases from Wilmington courts can be searched using CourtConnect, the Delaware Judiciary's public portal. You can search by party name and pull docket reports for specific cases. CourtConnect covers civil proceedings from the Court of Common Pleas and the Justice of the Peace Court. Some criminal JP Court traffic cases are also searchable by defendant name. Once you find a case and click the linked case number, you can see details including judgments, fines, and disposition.
For records from Wilmington's Alderman's Court, contact the court clerk directly at the municipal building. Alderman's Court records are maintained separately from the state court system and are not available through CourtConnect. For criminal traffic records from JP Court 20 or the Court of Common Pleas, you need to contact those courts in person or by written request. Public access terminals are available at the Leonard L. Williams Justice Center for free in-person searching. Copies require payment of per-page fees.
To request copies from the Court of Common Pleas, email the records office with the defendant's full name and date of birth. Staff will contact you with the copy costs and delivery options. The Court of Common Pleas customer service line is (302) 255-0900. For Superior Court records, contact the Prothonotary's Office at 500 N. King Street, Wilmington, DE 19801, phone (302) 255-0777.
The Court of Common Pleas Traffic Court page covers procedures for records related to Wilmington traffic cases that have been appealed from JP Court.
Paying Wilmington Traffic Ticket Fines
For traffic tickets issued by state or county courts in Wilmington, payment goes through the Voluntary Assessment Center. Online payment is through the DELJIS ePayment portal. Phone payments go to (302) 739-6911, Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Fax payments use (302) 739-7590. Mail payments go to: State of Delaware, Voluntary Assessment Center, P.O. Box 7039, Dover, DE 19903. In-person payment is available at JP Criminal Court locations including JP Court 20 at 500 North King Street in Wilmington.
For traffic tickets issued directly by Wilmington's Alderman's Court, payment procedures are set by the court. Your ticket will name the court and provide payment instructions. Moving violation fines from the Alderman's Court may be handled through the court's own payment system rather than the state portal. Parking ticket payments within Wilmington may have their own online or in-person options. Check your citation for the specific payment method required.
A payment plan for eligible state-issued citations can be set up within 30 days of the ticket issue date through courtpay.delaware.gov. Select "Deferred Amount" to request six equal monthly payments. The option only appears for citations that qualify.
The Delaware Courts website provides contact information and procedures for all courts serving Wilmington and the rest of New Castle County.
Wilmington Driving Records and DMV Services
Wilmington residents can access their Delaware driving record through the MyDMV portal at dmv.de.gov. The record costs $25.00 for any of three formats: 3-year, 5-year, or full history. Create an account using your Delaware driver's license number, date of birth, and the last four digits of your Social Security number. Records come in PDF format and are available to reopen for up to 90 days after purchase.
Mail requests for a driving record use the Personal Information Release Form MV703, which must be notarized. Send the completed form and a $25.00 check or money order to: Division of Motor Vehicles, ATTN: Driver License Administration, P.O. Box 698, Dover, DE 19903. In-person requests are accepted at DMV offices throughout the state. For help, call the DMV at 1-877-477-7117.
Wilmington is served by the New Castle County court system for most traffic violations on county and state roads. For violations on city streets, Alderman's Court records are maintained by the city. If you received a citation in Wilmington and want to confirm how it was recorded on your driving record, your DMV driving history is the most direct source. Points from city Alderman's Court convictions flow into the same Delaware DMV point system that covers all traffic convictions statewide.
Nearby Cities in New Castle County
These cities are also in New Castle County and use the same county court system for state-issued traffic violations.
New Castle County Court Information
Wilmington is the county seat of New Castle County. County-level court resources, JP Court addresses, and broader New Castle County traffic ticket procedures are on the county page.