Delaware CCW Reciprocity Map
States that Honor Delaware's CCW Permit:
Alaska,
Arizona,
Arkansas,
Colorado,
Delaware,
Florida,
Idaho,
Indiana,
Kentucky,
Michigan,
Missouri,
New Mexico,
North Carolina,
North Dakota,
Ohio,
Oklahoma,
Tennessee,
Texas,
Utah
State CCW Permits that Delaware Honors:
Alaska,
Arizona,
Arkansas,
Colorado,
Delaware,
Florida,
Kentucky,
Michigan,
Missouri,
North Carolina,
North Dakota,
Ohio,
Oklahoma,
Tennessee,
Texas,
Utah,
Frequently Asked CCW Questions:
What are the laws regarding handguns?
A person of full age and good moral character desiring to be licensed
to carry a concealed deadly weapon for personal protection or the
protection of the person's property may be licensed to do so when the
following conditions have been strictly complied with:
(1) The person shall make application therefor in writing and file the
same with the Prothonotary of the proper county, at least 15 days
before the then next term of the Superior Court, clearly stating that
the person is of full age and that the person is desirous of being
licensed to carry a concealed deadly weapon for personal protection or
protection of the person's property, or both, and also stating the
person's residence and occupation. The person shall submit together
with such application all information necessary to conduct a criminal
history background check. The Superior Court may conduct a criminal
history background check pursuant to the procedures set forth in
Chapter 85 of Title 11 for the purposes of licensing any person
pursuant to this section.
(2) At the same time the person shall file, with the Prothonotary, a
certificate of 5 respectable citizens of the county in which the
applicant resides at the time of filing the application. The
certificate shall clearly state that the applicant is a person of full
age, sobriety and good moral character, that the applicant bears a good
reputation for peace and good order in the community in which the
applicant resides, and that the carrying of a concealed deadly weapon
by the applicant is necessary for the protection of the applicant or
the applicant's property, or both. The certificate shall be signed with
the proper signatures and in the proper handwriting of each such
respectable citizen.
(3) Every such applicant shall file in the office of the Prothonotary
of the proper county the application verified by oath or affirmation in
writing taken before an officer authorized by the laws of this State to
administer the same, and shall under such verification state that the
applicant's certificate and recommendation were read to or by the
signers thereof and that the signatures thereto are in the proper and
genuine handwriting of each. Prior to the issuance of an initial
license the person shall also file with the Prothonotary a notarized
certificate signed by an instructor or authorized representative of a
sponsoring agency, school, organization or institution certifying that
the applicant (1) has completed a firearms training course which
contains at least the below described minimum elements, and (2) is
sponsored by a federal, state, county or municipal law enforcement
agency, a college, a nationally recognized organization that
customarily offers firearms training, or a firearms training school
with instructors certified by a nationally recognized organization that
customarily offers firearms training. The firearms training, course
shall include the following elements:
a. Instruction regarding knowledge and safe handling of firearms;
b. Instruction regarding safe storage of firearms and child safety;
c. Instruction regarding knowledge and safe handling of ammunition;
d. Instruction regarding safe storage of ammunition and child safety;
e. Instruction regarding safe firearms shooting fundamentals;
f. Live fire shooting exercises conducted on a range, including the
expenditure of a minimum of 100 rounds of ammunition;
g. Identification of ways to develop and maintain firearm shooting
skills;
h. Instruction regarding federal and state laws pertaining to the
lawful purchase, ownership, transportation, use and possession of
firearms;
i. Instruction regarding the laws of this State pertaining to the use
of deadly force for self defense; and
j. Instruction regarding techniques for avoiding a criminal attack and
how to manage a violent confrontation, including conflict resolution.
(4) At the time the application is filed, the applicant shall pay a fee
of $34.50 to the Prothonotary issuing the same.
(5) The license issued upon initial application shall be valid for 2
years. On or before the date of expiration of such
initial license, the licensee, without further application, may renew
the same for the further period of 3 years upon payment to the
Prothonotary of a fee of $34.50, and upon filing with said Prothonotary
an affidavit setting forth that the carrying of a concealed deadly
weapon by the licensee is necessary for personal protection or
protection of the person's property, or both, and that the person
possesses all the requirements for the issuance of a license and may
make like renewal every 3 years thereafter; provided, however, that the
Superior Court, upon good cause presented to it, may inquire into the
renewal request and deny the same for good cause shown. No requirements
in addition to those specified in this paragraph may be imposed for the
renewal of a license.
(b) The Prothonotary of the county in which any applicant for a license
files the same shall cause notice of every such application to be
published once, at least 10 days before the next term of the Superior
Court. The publication shall be made in a newspaper of general
circulation published in the county. In making such publication it
shall be sufficient for the Prothonotary to do the same as a list in
alphabetical form stating therein simply the name and residence of each
applicant respectively.
(c) The Prothonotary of the county in which the application for license
is made shall lay before the Superior Court, at its then next term, all
applications for licenses, together with the certificate and
recommendation accompanying the same, filed in the Prothonotary's
office, on the 1st day of such application.
(d) The Court may or may not, in its discretion, approve any
application, and in order to satisfy the Judges thereof fully in regard
to the propriety of approving the same, may receive remonstrances and
hear evidence and arguments for and against the same, and establish
general rules for that purpose.
(e) If any application is approved, as provided in this section, the
Court shall endorse the word "approved" thereon and sign the same with
the date of approval. If not approved, the Court shall endorse the
words "not approved" and sign the same. The Prothonotary, immediately
after any such application has been so approved, shall notify the
applicant of such approval, and following receipt of the notarized
certification of satisfactory completion of the firearms training
course requirement as set forth in subdivision (a)(3) above shall issue
a proper license, signed as other state licenses are, to the applicant
for the purposes provided in this section and for a term to expire on
June 1 next succeeding the date of such approval.
(f) The Secretary of State shall prepare blank forms of license to
carry out the purposes of this section, and shall issue the same as
required to the several Prothonotaries of the counties in this State.
The Prothonotaries of all the counties shall affix to the license,
before lamination, a photographic representation of the licensee.
(g) The provisions of this section do not apply to the carrying of the
usual weapon by the police or other peace officers.
(h) Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary, anyone retired as a
police officer, as "police officer" is defined by § 1911 of this title,
who is retired after having served at least 20 years in any law
enforcement agency within this State, or who is retired and remains
currently eligible for a duty-connected disability pension, may be
licensed to carry a concealed deadly weapon for the protection of his
or her person or property after his or her retirement, if the following
conditions are strictly complied with:
(1) If he or she applies for the license within 90 days of the date of
his or her retirement, he or she shall pay a fee of $34.50 to the
Prothonotary in the county where he or she resides and present to the
Prothonotary both:
a. A certification from the Attorney General's office, in a form
prescribed by the Attorney General's office, verifying that the retired
officer is in good standing with the law enforcement agency from which
he or she is retired; and
b. A letter from the chief of the retired officer's agency verifying
that the retired officer is in good standing with the law enforcement
agency from which he or she is retired; or
(2) If he or she applies for the license more than 90 days, but within
20 years, of the date of his or her retirement, he or she shall pay a
fee of $34.50 to the Prothonotary in the county where he or she resides
and present to the Prothonotary certification forms from the Attorney
General's office, or in a form prescribed by the Attorney General's
office, that:
a. The retired officer is in good standing with the law enforcement
agency from which he or she is retired;
b. The retired officer's criminal record has been reviewed and that he
or she has not been convicted of any crime greater than a violation
since the date of his or her retirement; and
c. The retired officer has not been committed to a psychiatric facility
since the date of his or her retirement.
(i) Notwithstanding anything contained in this section to the contrary,
an adult person who, as a successful petitioner seeking relief pursuant
to Part D, subchapter III of Chapter 9 of Title 10, has caused a
protection from abuse order containing a firearms prohibition
authorized by § 1045(a)(8) of Title 10 or a firearms prohibition
pursuant to § 1448(a)(6) of this title to be entered against a person
for alleged acts of domestic violence as defined in § 1041 of Title 10,
shall be deemed to have shown the necessity for a license to carry a
deadly weapon concealed for protection of themselves pursuant to § 1441
of this title. In such cases, all other requirements of subsection (a)
of this section must still be satisfied.
(j) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Code to the contrary,
the State of Delaware shall give full faith and credit and shall
otherwise honor and give full force and effect to all licenses/permits
issued to the citizens of other states where those issuing states also
give full faith and credit and otherwise honor the licenses issued by
the State of Delaware pursuant to this section and where those
licenses/permits are issued by authority pursuant to state law and
which afford a reasonably similar degree of protection as is provided
by licensure in Delaware. For the purpose of this subsection
"reasonably similar" does not preclude alternative or differing
provisions nor a different source and process by which eligibility is
determined. Notwithstanding the forgoing, if there is evidence of a
pattern of issuing licenses/permits to convicted felons in another
state, the Attorney General shall not include that state under the
exception contained in this subsection even if the law of that state is
determined to be "reasonably similar." The Attorney General shall
communicate the provisions of this section to the Attorneys General of
the several states and shall determine those states whose
licensing/permit systems qualify for recognition under this section.
The Attorney General shall publish on January 15th of each year a list
of all States which have qualified for reciprocity under this
subsection. Such list shall be valid for one year and any removal of a
State from the list shall not occur without 1 year's notice of such
impending removal. Such list shall be made readily available to all
State and local law enforcement agencies within the State as well as to
all then-current holders of licenses issued by the State of Delaware
pursuant to this Section.
(k) The Attorney General shall have the discretion to issue, on a
limited basis, a temporary license to carry concealed a deadly weapon
to any individual who is not a resident of this State and whom the
Attorney General determines has a short-term need to carry such a
weapon within this State in conjunction with that individual's
employment for the protection of person or property. Said temporary
license shall automatically expire 30 days from the date of issuance
and shall not be subject to renewal, and must be carried at all times
while within the State. However, nothing contained herein shall
prohibit the issuance of a 2nd or
subsequent temporary license. The Attorney General shall have the
authority to promulgate and enforce such regulations as may be
necessary for the administration of such temporary licenses. No
individual shall be issued more than 3 temporary licenses.
(l) All applications for a temporary license to carry a concealed
deadly weapon made pursuant to subsection (k) of this section shall be
in writing and shall bear a notice stating that false statements
therein are punishable by law. (11 Del. C. 1953, § 1441; 58 Del. Laws,
c. 497, § 1; 60 Del. Laws, c. 419, §§ 1-3; 67 Del. Laws, c. 41, § 1; 67
Del. Laws, c. 260, § 1; 68 Del. Laws, c. 9, §§ 1, 2; 68 Del. Laws, c.
410, §§ 1-3; 69 Del. Laws, c. 299, § 1; 70 Del. Laws, c. 186, § 1; 70
Del. Laws, c. 343, § 1; 71 Del. Laws, c. 246, § 1; 71 Del. Laws, c.
252, § 1; 72 Del. Laws, c. 61, § 6; 73 Del. Laws, c. 7, § 1; 73 Del.
Laws, c. 252, § 7; 74 Del. Laws, c. 140, §§ 1-3.)
§ 1442. Carrying a concealed deadly weapon; class G felony; class E
felony.
A person is guilty of carrying a concealed deadly weapon when the
person carries concealed a deadly weapon upon or about the person
without a license to do so as provided by § 1441 of this title.
Carrying a concealed deadly weapon is a class G felony, unless the
accused has been convicted within the previous 5 years of the same
offense, in which case it is a class E felony. (11 Del. C. 1953, §
1442; 58 Del. Laws, c. 497, § 1; 59 Del. Laws, c. 547, § 13; 67 Del.
Laws, c. 130, § 8; 70 Del. Laws, c. 186, § 1.)
§ 1443. Carrying a concealed dangerous instrument; class A misdemeanor.
(a) A person is guilty of carrying a concealed dangerous instrument
when the person carries concealed a dangerous instrument upon or about
the person.
(b) It shall be a defense that the defendant was carrying the concealed
dangerous instrument for a specific lawful purpose and that the
defendant had no intention of causing any physical injury or
threatening the same.
(c) For the purposes of this section, disabling chemical spray, as
defined in § 222 of this title, shall not be considered to be a
dangerous instrument.
(d) Carrying a concealed dangerous instrument is a class A misdemeanor.
(11 Del. C. 1953, § 1443; 58 Del. Laws, c. 497, § 1; 59 Del. Laws, c.
547, § 14; 67 Del. Laws, c. 130, § 8; 70 Del. Laws, c. 186, § 1; 71
Del. Laws, c. 374, § 6.)
§ 1444. Possessing a destructive weapon; class E felony.
(a) A person is guilty of possessing a destructive weapon when the
person sells, transfers, buys, receives or has possession of a bomb,
bombshell, firearm silencer, sawed-off shotgun, machine gun or any
other firearm or weapon which is adaptable for use as a machine gun.
(b) Possessing a destructive weapon is a class E felony. This section
does not apply to members of the military forces or to members of a
police force in this State duly authorized to carry a weapon of the
type described; nor shall the provisions contained herein apply to
persons possessing machine guns for scientific or experimental research
and development purposes, which machine guns have been duly registered
under the National Firearms Act of 1968 (26 U.S.C. § 5801 et seq.).
(c) The term "shotgun" as used in this section means a weapon designed
or redesigned, made or remade, and intended to be fired from the
shoulder and designed or redesigned and made or remade to use the
energy of the explosive in a fixed shotgun shell to fire through a
smooth bore either a number of projectiles (ball shot) or a single
projectile for each pull of the trigger. The term "sawed-off shotgun"
as used in this section means a shotgun having 1 or more barrels less
than 18 inches in length or any weapon made from a shotgun (whether by
alteration, modification or otherwise) if such weapon as modified has
an overall length of less than 26 inches. (11 Del. C. 1953, § 1444; 58
Del. Laws, c. 497, § 1; 59 Del. Laws, c. 547, § 12; 67 Del. Laws, c.
130, § 8; 70 Del. Laws, c. 186, § 1.)
§ 1445. Unlawfully dealing with a dangerous weapon; unclassified
misdemeanor.
A person is guilty of unlawfully dealing with a dangerous weapon when:
(1) The person possesses, sells or in any manner has control of:
a. A weapon which by compressed air or by spring discharges or projects
a pellet, slug or bullet, except a B.B. or air gun which does not
discharge or project a pellet or slug larger than a B.B. shot; or
b. A pellet, slug or bullet, intending that it be used in any weapon
prohibited by paragraph a. of this subdivision; or
(2) The person sells, gives or otherwise transfers to a child under 16
years of age a B.B. or air gun or spear gun or B.B. shot, unless the
person is that child's parent or guardian, or unless the person first
receives the permission of said parent or guardian; or
(3) Being a parent, the person permits the person's child under 16
years of age to have possession of a firearm or a B.B. or air gun or
spear gun unless under the direct supervision of an adult; or
(4) The person sells, gives or otherwise transfers to a child under 18
years of age a firearm or ammunition for a firearm, unless the person
is that child's parent or guardian, or unless the person first receives
the permission of said parent or guardian; or
(5) The person sells, gives or otherwise transfers a firearm to any
person knowing that said person intends to commit any felony, class A
misdemeanor or drug related criminal offense while in possession of
said firearm.
Unlawfully dealing with a firearm or dangerous weapon is an
unclassified misdemeanor, unless the person is convicted under
subdivision (4) of this section, in which case it is a class G felony,
or unless the person is convicted under subdivision (5) of this
section, in which case it is a class E felony. (11 Del. C. 1953, §
1445; 58 Del. Laws, c. 497, § 1; 64 Del. Laws, c. 44, § 1; 67 Del.
Laws, c. 130, § 8; 69 Del. Laws, c. 312, §§ 1-3; 70 Del. Laws, c. 186,
§ 1.)
§ 1446. Unlawfully dealing with a switchblade knife; unclassified
misdemeanor.
A person is guilty of unlawfully dealing with a switchblade knife when
the person sells, offers for sale or has in possession a knife, the
blade of which is released by a spring mechanism or by gravity.
Unlawfully dealing with a switchblade knife is an unclassified
misdemeanor. (11 Del. C. 1953, § 1446; 58 Del. Laws, c. 497, § 1; 67
Del. Laws, c. 130, § 8; 70 Del. Laws, c. 186, § 1.)