Find out how the New Castle CountyReassessment Impacted You
Understanding Delaware's first property reassessment in 41 years and its profound impact on New Castle County residents
Not Affiliated with the State of Delaware
Explore Your Property Tax Impact
Use our interactive map to find your property and see how the 2025 reassessment affected your taxes
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Breaking: New Relief Laws Passed!
NEWThree new House Bills provide immediate property tax relief for New Castle County residents
House Bill 240
Guaranteed refunds for successful appeals
House Bill 241
Penalty-free payment plans available
House Bill 242
Dual tax rates to balance burden
The Impact
Residential properties saw 477% average increases vs. 233% for commercial properties, creating an unprecedented shift in tax burden distribution.
The Legal Battle
A 2018 lawsuit led to court-ordered reassessment, ending 41 years of outdated property valuations that no longer reflected reality.
Community Response
Over 5,200 formal appeals filed with legislative action underway to provide relief and payment options for affected residents.
The Journey to Reassessment
From legal challenge to community impact - the timeline that led to Delaware's historic property reassessment
The Spark
Delawareans for Educational Opportunity and NAACP Delaware State Conference filed suit, with Wilmington joining as plaintiff, challenging decades of outdated assessments.
The Decision
Delaware Court of Chancery ruled the existing system unconstitutional due to decades-old assessments no longer reflecting property values.
The Agreement
New Castle County agreed to comprehensive reassessment of 215,000 properties using Tyler Technologies at $15 million cost.
The Reality
Reassessment completed with massive impacts on residents, triggering 5,200+ appeals and emergency legislative session for relief measures.
Critical information about where things stand as of August 2025
Legislative Response
Special session on August 12, 2025, considering comprehensive relief measures including payment plans and structural tax reforms.
Appeals in Progress
Over 5,200 formal appeals pending with Board of Assessment Review. County invested $1.3M in additional staff to handle the unprecedented volume.
Payment Deadline
September 30, 2025 deadline approaches. Emergency 3-payment installment plan available with waived penalties for qualifying taxpayers.
Options for property owners facing increases
Emergency three-payment installment plan available with waived penalties for qualifying taxpayers who make payments on time.
Delaware Senior School Property Tax Credit provides 50% credit on school taxes up to $500 annually for qualifying residents 65+ with no income limits.
Learn more about senior relief programsIssues that emerged during implementation
Accuracy Questions
Successful appeals of dramatic overvaluations, including one case that reduced assessment by $70,000, raised concerns about systematic evaluation errors.
Methodology Concerns
Property owners questioned valuation approaches for commercial properties, citing significant variation in assessment impacts across business types.
Commercial Property Winners
While residential properties faced dramatic increases, these commercial properties saw the largest tax reductions
What's Next for New Castle County?
The path forward involves immediate relief, long-term reform, and lessons learned for future reassessments
Immediate (Aug-Sep 2025)
- • Ongoing legislative session
- • September 30 payment deadline
- • Continued appeals processing
Medium-term (2025-2026)
- • Complete appeals process
- • Implementation of relief measures
- • System improvements
Long-term Vision
- • Enhanced quality controls
- • Fairer assessment processes
- • Community-focused solutions
Take Action Today
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