New Castle County, DE Code Violation Reporting: How to Report (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- County Code § 19.03.003
- Step 1
- Written complaint to landlord first
- Delivery methods
- Hand-delivery, certified mail, or email
- Step 2 if unresolved
- Contact Dept. of Land Use, (302) 395-5555
- County enforcement
- Notice of violation under § 19.04.002
- Appeal
- Board of License, Inspection and Review, $250 fee
Summary
Before New Castle County code enforcement gets involved, the Tenants' Rights Guide at County Code § 19.03.003 requires tenants to first file a written complaint with the landlord using the county's Tenant Complaint Form for any non-emergency rental problem, delivered by hand, certified mail, certificate of mailing, or email.
If you are experiencing a problem with your rental unit that is NOT an emergency, you must first file a written complaint with your landlord. You may use this form complaint to report non-emergency problems with your rental unit. A complaint form is linked hereto - fill it out with your information. After you have input your information, forward this form to your landlord by hand-delivery, certified mail, or certificate of mailing. In addition, you may forward the written complaint to your landlord by way of electronic mail (email). Be sure to keep a copy of this form for your records!
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
The Guide's "Tenant Complaint Form" instructions apply to any non-emergency problem with a rental unit, from plumbing to pest issues to a broken lock. A tenant must fill in the form with their information and then forward it to the landlord by hand-delivery, certified mail, or certificate of mailing, or, alternatively, by email, and is told to keep a copy for their own records. Only after that written notice has gone unanswered does the Guide direct tenants to the County: throughout the same Guide, the Department of Land Use, reachable at (302) 395-5555, is listed as the agency to contact if the landlord's response is unsatisfactory.
002: a Code Official or Code Enforcement Officer can serve a written notice of violation on the property owner, authorized agent, or landlord identifying the address, the section violated, and a compliance deadline. If the problem is not corrected in time, the Code Official schedules a show-cause hearing and must issue a written decision within twenty days. A landlord found in violation can be assessed administrative penalties, and either side may appeal to the Board of License, Inspection and Review within twenty days of a written decision, for a $250 filing fee that is refunded if the appellant is found not to have violated the Chapter.
Violations & Fines
A tenant who reports a non-emergency problem without first using the written complaint process has not triggered the County's enforcement track; the Guide channels reports through the landlord first. Once the County is involved and a landlord ignores a notice of violation, penalties run from $200 flat fees for registration failures up to $500-$1,000 per unit for emergency-condition failures under Section 19.04.002(C)(3).
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I report a problem with my rental in New Castle County?
What if my landlord doesn't respond to my written complaint?
Can I email my complaint instead of mailing it?
Is there an appeal if the County's enforcement decision goes against a landlord?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in New Castle County
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