Sussex County to post property deeds online

Sussex County is about to take the centuries-old practice of recording property deeds into the digital age.

Sussex County Council, at its Tuesday, Aug. 11 meeting, approved a plan to make deeds available online.

With the service, the public will be able to view, for free, digital copies of property deeds recorded in Sussex County. Users even will be able to print a copy of any deed available, for a fee.

“This service is all about providing convenience to the public,” said Recorder of Deeds John F. Brady. “It’s our hope that by making deeds available online, it will save the public, as well as title searchers working for law firms, the time and expense associated with coming all the way to Georgetown to view or copy a property record.”

The Recorder of Deeds Office, so far, has digitally scanned property records dating back approximately 12 years, to 1997, and will continue to scan deeds from previous years.

Brady said the goal is to eventually have all deeds in his office’s possession, dating back to the early 1800s, available online.

Council approved a contract with vendor Affiliated Computer Services of Dallas, Texas, to provide the service, which will be offered through the county’s website at sussexcountyde.gov. The county will not pay for the service.

Instead, those who print copies will pay a $1 per-page fee, or a $50 monthly subscription for a reduced per-page fee, to use the service.