Landautomate keeps an operating calendar for independent landlords: what needs doing on a rental, when it is due, and why. This page is the Delaware content from our reviewed rule base. Every item below carries its sources and the date we last checked them.
This guide is the reading version of our Delaware rule base. In the app, the same rules become dated tasks on each of your Delaware properties, timed to your purchase date, lease dates, property age, and climate, with an email before each one is due. The free preview shows a sample of that schedule for Delaware in under a minute, no account needed.
Delaware landlords commonly track 4 state and local compliance obligations, each listed below with its schedule, its sources, and the date we last verified it. Among them: pay Delaware LLC annual franchise tax by June 1, pay county property and school taxes by September 30, and renew the Wilmington rental license by January 31 (City of Wilmington only).
If the property is held in an LLC, LP, or GP formed or registered in Delaware, the entity owes a $400 annual tax by June 1 (no annual report is filed), and a late payment adds a $200 penalty plus 1.5% monthly interest, ends its good standing, and after three unpaid years cancels a Delaware LLC's certificate of formation.
Delaware counties bill county and school property taxes together, normally due September 30 with penalties added each month after the due date, so check the date printed on your bill, since the General Assembly can move it (it moved New Castle County's 2025 and 2026 bills to December 31 during the county's reassessment).
If your property is inside the City of Wilmington, pay the annual Residential Property Rental License fee by January 31 for the January to December license year, because late payment adds penalties and interest, and renting without the license or without registering each unit can bring a $500 civil fine per unit.
Delaware law (25 Del. C. 5514) requires returning the security deposit, or giving the tenant an itemized list of damages with the estimated repair cost of each and paying the remaining balance, within 20 days after the rental agreement ends, and missing the deadline entitles the tenant to double the amount wrongfully withheld.
The free preview takes your state and property facts and shows the schedule Landautomate would run for you, no account needed. Every new account starts with a 30-day free Pro trial, no card required.
Landlords in Delaware plan upkeep around a temperate climate: this guide lists 8 seasonal maintenance items for Delaware in calendar order, each with its timing and the date we last verified it. Among them: smoke and CO detector seasonal test, complete spring exterior and drainage inspection, and HVAC seasonal service.
An annual full test of smoke and CO detectors (beyond battery swaps) confirms every alarm actually sounds.
Delaware winters bring frequent freeze-thaw cycles and nor'easters that peak in March, so an April walk around the roof, siding and trim paint, foundation and masonry, grading, and downspouts, plus a check for flood and erosion damage at shore and tidal properties, catches cracks, peeling paint, and loose pieces early and fixes drainage before the wetter summer months.
A shoulder-season HVAC service keeps heating and cooling efficient before temperature swings.
Tropical storms bring damaging winds and flooding across Delaware, worst at the beaches and back bays but also along inland creeks, so checking roofs, drainage, sump pumps, flood barriers, and insurance documents by June 1 limits damage when a storm arrives.
Nor'easters hit Delaware from fall through spring, and fall storms in 2009 and 2025 pushed the tide at Lewes about 3 feet above the normal high tide into moderate flood stage, so an early September check that gutters, storm drains, sump pumps, and backflow check valves work, plus a look at flood barriers and shoreline or dune erosion at shore and tidal waterfront properties, limits flood damage before the first storm.
A September or early October tune-up finds heating faults before the late-October cold arrives, avoiding emergency no-heat repairs.
Draining hose bibs and irrigation lines and insulating pipes in unheated spaces by mid-October, ahead of first freezes that typically arrive from late October inland to mid-November near the coast, prevents burst-pipe damage.
Delaware's leaves turn and drop from October into December, so an early December cleanout of gutters and downspouts, with downspouts discharging well away from the foundation, plus a look at shingles, flashing, and eaves keeps winter rain and snowmelt from overflowing at the roofline and soaking the foundation.
Every rental needs the same baseline care regardless of state: this guide tracks 16 recurring upkeep items, each with its schedule and the date we last verified it. Among them: CPA tax document preparation, gutter inspection, and HVAC filter replacement.
Organized records make tax filing accurate and deductions defensible.
Clear gutters prevent water intrusion, foundation, and roof damage.
Clean filters protect HVAC equipment and keep energy costs down.
Confirms coverage limits and premiums still match the property risk.
Keeps the ownership entity in good standing with state filings.
Planning renewals ahead of time reduces vacancy and turnover costs.
Keeps small maintenance issues from turning into expensive repairs.
Verifies owner cash distributions reconcile with rent and expenses.
Early pest detection prevents structural damage and habitability complaints.
Reviewing assessments can surface appeal opportunities and budget changes.
Confirms rent was received on time and surfaces collection issues early.
Keeps rent aligned with market rates and local rent regulations.
Working smoke and CO detectors are a life-safety and legal requirement.
Confirms vacant-property utilities stay at minimal service so pipes, alarms, and sump pumps keep working.
Catches billing errors and unexpected usage spikes on property utilities.
Regular walkthroughs of a vacant property deter break-ins, squatting, and unnoticed damage.
Our reviewed rule base currently lists 4 state and local compliance obligations that Delaware landlords commonly track. Among them: pay Delaware LLC annual franchise tax by June 1, pay county property and school taxes by September 30, and renew the Wilmington rental license by January 31 (City of Wilmington only). Each obligation shows its schedule, the sources it was checked against, and the date we last verified it. This guide is general information for planning reminders, not legal advice.
The Delaware guide lists 8 seasonal maintenance items timed to a temperate climate, in calendar order. Among them: smoke and CO detector seasonal test, complete spring exterior and drainage inspection, and HVAC seasonal service. Landautomate turns each item into a dated reminder on your property calendar so the work is planned before the season arrives.
Alongside state specific work, the Delaware guide tracks 16 baseline upkeep items that apply to nearly every rental. Among them: CPA tax document preparation, gutter inspection, and HVAC filter replacement. These recur on a regular schedule, and Landautomate schedules each one automatically for every property you add.
Every rule in the Delaware guide goes through human review before it is published, and each rule shows the date we last verified it. Each compliance obligation links the primary sources it was checked against. Laws and deadlines change, so if you believe something here is outdated or incorrect, contact us at support@landautomate.com and we will review it promptly.
The same reviewed calendar, for other states.
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The free preview takes your state and property facts and shows the schedule Landautomate would run for you, no account needed. Every new account starts with a 30-day free Pro trial, no card required.