Buying a Firearm in Delaware
A plain-English guide to buying handguns, rifles and shotguns in Delaware, including identification, background checks, the Handgun Qualified Purchaser Permit, online purchases, private transfers and nonresident transactions.
Dealer checks: 11 Del. C. § 1448A
Private transfers: 11 Del. C. § 1448B
Federal form: ATF Form 4473
Last reviewed: Sept. 22, 2026
What are you buying?
The process differs depending on the firearm and the transaction.
Pistol or Revolver
Delaware residents generally need a valid Handgun Qualified Purchaser Permit before a handgun transfer unless an exemption applies.
Rifle
A purchaser must satisfy applicable federal and Delaware eligibility, background-check and firearm-legality requirements.
Shotgun
Federal dealer-transfer rules still apply, together with Delaware eligibility and firearm-specific requirements.
The basic firearm-purchase process
A firearm purchase from a federally licensed firearms dealer involves more than payment. Before a firearm can be transferred, the dealer must verify the buyer’s identity, complete required federal paperwork, determine whether the buyer is legally eligible, and comply with applicable Delaware law.
The firearm and any included magazine must be lawful for the buyer to acquire and possess.
The dealer verifies the identity and residence of the person receiving the firearm.
The buyer completes the federal Firearms Transaction Record and required eligibility questions.
The dealer follows the Delaware and federal process applicable to the transaction.
For a handgun, this generally includes a valid Handgun Qualified Purchaser Permit unless an exemption applies.
The firearm may be delivered only when the transaction can lawfully proceed.
Paying for or ordering a firearm does not by itself mean the buyer may take possession. The actual transfer must satisfy the legal requirements in effect when the dealer delivers the firearm.
Buying a handgun in Delaware
Delaware’s Handgun Qualified Purchaser Permit requirement applies to handgun purchases and transfers. Delaware State Police states that a Delaware resident purchasing a handgun must have a valid permit unless the person falls within an applicable exemption.
See the training, fingerprinting, exemptions and Delaware State Police application process.
Buying a rifle or shotgun
The Handgun Qualified Purchaser Permit is a handgun-specific requirement. A rifle or shotgun purchase from a licensed dealer must still satisfy applicable federal transfer rules, buyer eligibility requirements and Delaware restrictions affecting particular firearms and configurations.
Check the configuration
Delaware separately regulates certain semiautomatic firearms and configurations.
State and federal rules can differ
A Delaware state-law exception does not necessarily remove an otherwise applicable federal dealer requirement.
How old must a buyer be?
Federal dealer rules generally require a buyer to be at least 21 to receive a handgun from an FFL and at least 18 to receive a rifle or shotgun. Delaware law adds its own under-21 possession and purchase restrictions.
A Handgun Qualified Purchaser Permit may not be issued to a person under 21, and federal dealer law generally sets 21 as the minimum age for handgun transfers by an FFL.
Federal dealer law generally sets 18 as the minimum age for a rifle or shotgun transfer. Delaware § 1448(a)(5) still applies its own under-21 restrictions, subject to statutory exceptions.
The Delaware Supreme Court’s September 8, 2026 decision in Department of Safety and Homeland Security v. Birney reversed the lower court and left Delaware’s under-21 statutory restrictions enforceable, subject to the exceptions written into § 1448.
For the detailed youth and young-adult exceptions—including shotgun, military, CCDW, hunting, instruction and sporting provisions—see the dedicated guide.
Background checks in Delaware
For covered dealer transactions, § 1448A requires the licensed importer, manufacturer or dealer to conduct a background check through the State Bureau of Identification’s Firearm Transaction Approval Program (FTAP). Delaware’s private-transfer statute also generally requires covered person-to-person transfers to be processed through a licensed firearms dealer, subject to statutory exceptions.
A Handgun Qualified Purchaser Permit does not authorize a transfer that is otherwise prohibited under state or federal law.
What identification is needed?
A federally licensed dealer must establish the identity and residence of the person receiving the firearm using documentation that satisfies federal requirements. Additional documentation may be needed depending on the transaction.
Can I buy a firearm online?
A firearm may be purchased online, but interstate sales to ordinary consumers generally involve shipment to a federally licensed dealer who completes the transfer to the buyer under applicable federal and state law.
Private firearm sales in Delaware
Delaware generally requires covered firearm transfers between unlicensed persons to be processed through a licensed firearms dealer for the required background-check procedure. For a private handgun transfer, § 1448B also generally requires the recipient to have a valid Handgun Qualified Purchaser Permit. Section 1448B contains exceptions—including specified family relationships—so the circumstances of the transfer matter.
Nonresident purchases
Federal law treats interstate handgun and long-gun transactions differently.
A nonresident may purchase a handgun from a Delaware seller, but the handgun generally must be shipped or transferred to an FFL in the buyer’s state of residence for delivery to the buyer. Delaware State Police states that nonresidents do not apply for the Delaware Handgun Qualified Purchaser Permit for this reason.
A Delaware FFL may make an over-the-counter transfer of a complete rifle or shotgun to a nonresident when the transaction complies with federal law and the applicable laws of both Delaware and the buyer’s state of residence.
Frames, receivers and other firearms that are not complete rifles or shotguns do not fall within the federal nonresident long-gun exception.
About the site sponsor
Coastal Firearms
DelawareGunLaws.com is supported by Coastal Firearms, a Delaware firearms business focused on lawful transfers, responsible ownership, education and compliance.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a permit to buy every firearm in Delaware?
The Handgun Qualified Purchaser Permit is a handgun-specific requirement. Other state and federal requirements still apply to rifles and shotguns.
Do I need the handgun permit if I have a Delaware CCDW?
Delaware State Police states that a person holding a valid Delaware CCDW issued under 11 Del. C. § 1441 is not required to obtain the separate handgun purchaser permit.
How old do I have to be to buy a firearm from a dealer?
Federal dealer rules generally require age 21 for a handgun and age 18 for a rifle or shotgun. Delaware also has under-21 firearm restrictions under § 1448, subject to statutory exceptions.
Can a nonresident buy a handgun in Delaware?
A nonresident may arrange the purchase through a Delaware seller, but federal law generally requires the handgun to be transferred through an FFL in the buyer’s state of residence. Delaware State Police therefore states that nonresidents do not apply for the Delaware Handgun Qualified Purchaser Permit.
Can I buy a firearm online?
Yes, but an interstate purchase generally must be transferred through a federally licensed dealer rather than shipped directly to an ordinary purchaser’s residence.
Official sources
11 Del. C. § 1448B — Unlicensed-person firearm transfers
11 Del. C. § 1448D — Handgun Qualified Purchaser Permit
Delaware State Police — Permit to Purchase
ATF — FFL Quick Reference Guide — Nonresident handgun and long-gun transfer rules
Delaware Supreme Court — Department of Safety and Homeland Security v. Birney — September 8, 2026 under-21 decision
ATF — Form 4473 information
DelawareGunLaws.com is an independent educational resource and is not affiliated with the State of Delaware or any government agency. Firearm laws, regulations, court decisions and agency procedures can change. Verify current primary sources before relying on this information.
Last legal review: September 22, 2026
Private Firearm Transfers in Delaware
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