Delaware CCDW License
A practical guide to Delaware’s License to Carry a Concealed Deadly Weapon: eligibility, publication, fingerprints, references, training, filing, renewals and reciprocity.
Who can apply for a Delaware CCDW?
Section 1441 permits a person of full age and good moral character to seek a license to carry a concealed deadly weapon for personal protection, protection of property, or both, when the statutory requirements are strictly satisfied. This guide addresses the Delaware resident application process.
Delaware resident applications are initiated through Superior Court and filed with the Prothonotary in the county where the applicant resides. The Delaware Department of Justice reviews submitted applications and returns them to the Court.
It is not a general firearm-ownership license. Separate laws govern firearm possession, prohibited persons, purchasing, locations and particular weapons.
New Delaware CCDW application process
The current Superior Court instructions require a new resident applicant to arrange publication once in a qualifying newspaper of general circulation before filing; follow the Court’s current county- and ZIP-specific instructions for timing and newspaper eligibility.
Fingerprints must be taken through the State Bureau of Identification within 45 days before filing. Use the county-specific IdentoGO service code published by Superior Court.
The five references must be citizens of the county where you reside, cannot be related to you or live at your address, and must have known you for at least one year.
Prepare the application and required duplicate with attachments. Superior Court notes that notary service is available at each Prothonotary’s Office.
Include two recent color passport-style photographs and the $65 statutory filing fee.
New applications may be filed at any time. The Court and Attorney General’s Office then review the application.
The statute requires the training certificate before initial issuance. Court instructions allow an applicant to submit the qualifying certificate after approval, subject to the Court’s deadline.
Superior Court remains the controlling source for application forms, fingerprint service codes, publication instructions, filing locations and renewal procedures. Administrative details should be checked again immediately before filing.
New applicants must publish notice
Superior Court’s current instructions require a new applicant to arrange publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the applicant’s county. The newspaper must meet the Court’s circulation requirement for the applicant’s ZIP code.
The Court instructions require the publication to occur before filing and require the newspaper’s affidavit/proof of publication to accompany the application. Because the Court’s administrative instructions can change, verify the current timing requirement immediately before filing.
Fingerprinting must be completed close to filing
Superior Court requires fingerprints through the State Bureau of Identification within 45 days before the application is filed. Applicants schedule through IdentoGO using the service code for their filing county.
Verify the service code on the current Superior Court page immediately before scheduling, because administrative instructions can change.
Five county references are required
Section 1441 requires a certificate from five respectable citizens of the county where the applicant resides. Current Court instructions further state that a reference cannot be related to the applicant or reside at the same address and must have known the applicant for at least one year.
What must Delaware CCDW training include?
Before the initial license is issued, the applicant must file a notarized training certificate showing completion of a qualifying course through an instructor or sponsoring organization that satisfies § 1441. The statutory curriculum includes:
The statute expressly requires live-fire shooting exercises on a range with a minimum expenditure of 100 rounds of ammunition.
Coastal Training Group provides Delaware firearm training. Confirm the current course and scheduling details before registering.
Where is the application filed?
The application is filed with the Prothonotary’s Office in the applicant’s county of residence. New applications may be filed at any time.
Wilmington, DE 19801-3704
(302) 255-0557
Dover, DE 19901
(302) 735-1901
Georgetown, DE 19947
(302) 856-5252
Verify office addresses and filing instructions on the current Superior Court website before mailing or hand-delivering an application.
How long is a Delaware CCDW valid?
The current statute provides that the initial license is valid for 3 years. A qualifying renewal extends the license for 5 years, and subsequent renewals may likewise be made for 5-year periods.
Superior Court states that renewal affidavits may be filed after January 1 and no later than June 1 of the year the license expires. Follow the current Court instructions for exact filing timing and documents.
Section 1441 provides that no requirements in addition to those specified in the renewal paragraph may be imposed for renewal. Follow the current Superior Court renewal instructions rather than repeating the initial-application checklist.
Does a Delaware CCDW replace the Handgun Qualified Purchaser Permit?
A person holding a valid Delaware CCDW under § 1441 is exempt from obtaining the separate Handgun Qualified Purchaser Permit. The CCDW exemption does not eliminate otherwise applicable dealer-transfer, background-check, prohibited-person or firearm-legality requirements.
See the full handgun purchaser-permit guide for the distinction between a permit exemption and a training exemption.
Where is a Delaware CCDW recognized?
Reciprocity can change. Delaware DOJ publishes the State’s official recognition information for out-of-state concealed-carry licenses and guidance for Delaware license holders traveling elsewhere. Delaware residents who wish to carry concealed in Delaware must have a current Delaware CCDW; reciprocity is principally relevant to qualifying nonresidents carrying under a recognized out-of-state license.
A Delaware CCDW does not make Delaware carry rules portable to another state. The traveler must comply with the destination and transit states’ current laws, including location restrictions, vehicle rules and any duty to inform law enforcement.
As of this September 22, 2026 review, the DOJ page is live but still labels its displayed recognition period as January 15, 2025 through January 15, 2026. For that reason, this page does not reproduce a state-by-state reciprocity list. Confirm current recognition directly with Delaware DOJ and the destination state’s official source immediately before carrying.
Frequently asked questions
How many references do I need?
Five. Current Court instructions require them to be citizens of your county, unrelated to you, living at a different address, and to have known you for at least one year.
Do I have to publish my application in a newspaper?
For a new Delaware resident application, yes. Follow the Superior Court’s current county- and ZIP-specific newspaper instructions and timing requirement.
How many rounds are required in the CCDW course?
The statutory training curriculum requires live-fire exercises on a range with a minimum expenditure of 100 rounds.
How long does the initial license last?
Under the current statute, the initial license is valid for 3 years. Renewals are for 5 years.
Do I repeat the initial training course to renew?
Section 1441 treats renewal separately from the initial application and states that no requirements beyond those specified in the renewal paragraph may be imposed. Follow the current Superior Court renewal instructions for the documents required in your renewal year.
Does my CCDW exempt me from Delaware’s handgun purchaser permit?
Yes. A valid Delaware CCDW holder is exempt from obtaining the separate Handgun Qualified Purchaser Permit.
Can I rely on an old reciprocity chart?
No. Reciprocity changes. Check the current Delaware DOJ page and the official law of every state where you intend to carry.
Official Delaware resources
11 Del. C. § 1441 — License to carry concealed deadly weapons
Delaware Superior Court — CCDW instructions, forms and procedural rules
Delaware Department of Justice — CCDW information, instructors and reciprocity
Delaware Courts — Licenses & Registrations — Current CCDW forms and instructions
DelawareGunLaws.com is an independent educational resource and is not affiliated with the State of Delaware or any government agency. Filing procedures, forms, service codes, reciprocity information and firearm laws can change. Verify current Superior Court, Delaware DOJ and Delaware Code sources before relying on this information.
Last legal review: September 22, 2026
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