New Castle County, DE Code Violation Reporting: Common Violations (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- IPMC § 107.9 as amended
- Citation trigger
- 10 days after violation notice
- First citation penalty
- $50.00
- Repeat citation penalty
- Up to $75-$100
- Late payment penalty
- Doubles after 30 days unpaid
- Review deadline
- 10 days to request review
- Exempt entities
- Common-area maintenance corporations
Summary
New Castle County's code official issues civil-penalty citations for a fixed list of Property Maintenance Code violations once a violation notice has gone uncorrected for 10 days. The citation list covers sanitation, weeds, junk vehicles, illegal parking, outside storage, sidewalk encroachment, pools, and rubbish, the complaints residents most often phone in.
107.9 Violations subject to the citation process. The code official is authorized to assess a civil penalty for any violation of the following subsections of this code that remain uncorrected after 10 days following the issuance of a violation notice: 302.1 Sanitation. 302.4 Prohibited growth of grass and weeds. 302.7 Accessory Structures. 302.8.3 Inoperable or unregistered vehicles. 302.8.4 Oversized vehicle parking. 302.8.6 Parking of vehicles. 302.10 Outside storage of household items. 302.11 Outside storage of debris. 302.12 Encroachment on sidewalk. 302.16 Portable temporary storage units. 303.1 Swimming pools. 308.1 Accumulation. 308.2 Disposal of rubbish.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 5).
Full Breakdown
Under Sec. 7.01.002 of the county code, which amends the 2024 International Property Maintenance Code as adopted in New Castle County, Section 107.9 names thirteen specific IPMC subsections as "Violations subject to the citation process." These are the violations the code official may hit with a civil penalty, rather than only an administrative correction order, once 10 days have passed after a violation notice: Sanitation (302.1), prohibited growth of grass and weeds (302.4), accessory structures (302.7), inoperable or unregistered vehicles (302.8.3), oversized vehicle parking (302.8.4), parking of vehicles (302.8.6), outside storage of household items (302.10), outside storage of debris (302.11), encroachment on sidewalk (302.12), portable temporary storage units (302.16), swimming pools (303.1), accumulation (308.1), and disposal of rubbish (308.2).
These are the categories that generate the bulk of code-enforcement complaints countywide, since a violation notice must first be served on the responsible person describing the problem and giving a correction deadline (15 days by default if none is stated) before the citation clock can run. Maintenance corporations that maintain private open space and common facilities in residential subdivisions are exempt from citations under 107.9.3, but individual property owners are not. A property owner who disputes a violation notice can request an administrative review in writing within 10 days for citation-track violations, or by the stated compliance date for other violations, under 107.8.
Reinspections to confirm correction can also trigger a separate reinspection fee under 107.6.1, except where the violation is already on the citation track and a civil penalty has been assessed, in which case no reinspection fee applies.
Violations & Fines
Civil penalties escalate with repeat citations for the same uncorrected violation: $50 for the first citation, up to $75 for a second citation issued within one year, and up to $100 for each subsequent citation within that year. Any amount unpaid within 30 calendar days automatically doubles. A new 10-day citation can issue for each continuing period the violation remains, and the code official is not required to re-serve a violation notice for a continuing violation unless the property changes ownership. Disputed civil penalties go to a hearing officer, whose written decision is due within 20 days of the request.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most common code violations cited in New Castle County?
How long do I have to fix a violation before getting fined?
How much is the fine for an uncorrected violation in New Castle County?
Can I appeal a violation notice or citation?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in New Castle County
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