Delaware Voluntary Firearms Do-Not-Sell Registry
Delaware allows individuals to voluntarily place themselves on a confidential registry that prevents firearm dealers and other persons from selling or transferring firearms to them. Learn how enrollment, removal, confidentiality and firearm-transfer restrictions work.
Voluntary Program
Minimum before removal request: 30 days
Removal delay: At least another 30 days
Records: Confidential
A person can voluntarily prevent firearm sales to themselves
The registry allows an individual to voluntarily enroll for the purpose of preventing that individual from purchasing a firearm. Once enrolled, a firearm may not knowingly be sold or transferred to that person.
Voluntary Enrollment
The individual personally submits the required enrollment form to a Delaware law-enforcement agency.
Identity Verification
Law enforcement verifies that the person submitting the form is the individual named in the application.
Registry Entry
The law-enforcement agency must add the individual to the registry through DELJIS within 12 hours.
No Firearm Transfer
A person may not knowingly sell or transfer a firearm to someone currently enrolled in the registry.
Jump to a section
What does the Voluntary Firearms Do-Not-Sell Registry do?
The registry allows an individual to voluntarily place a temporary barrier between themselves and the purchase or receipt of a firearm.
Once the person is enrolled, Delaware law prohibits another person from knowingly selling or transferring a firearm to that individual.
This is a voluntary program
Chapter 98 does not authorize another private person to place someone on the registry. The applicant must personally request enrollment, and law enforcement must verify the applicant’s identity.
How does someone enroll?
The Delaware State Police Superintendent is responsible for creating the enrollment and removal process. Enrollment forms must request certain basic identifying information.
The form must be delivered in person
The applicant must personally deliver the completed enrollment form to a Delaware law-enforcement agency. The agency must verify the applicant’s identity and cannot accept an enrollment form from someone other than the person named on the form.
How quickly is the person added to the registry?
Within 12 hours
After receiving the application and verifying the applicant’s identity, the law-enforcement agency must add the individual’s name to the registry through DELJIS within 12 hours.
Can an enrolled person purchase a firearm?
A firearm may not knowingly be sold or transferred to a person enrolled in the registry.
The restriction applies while the person remains enrolled, even if the person would otherwise qualify to purchase or possess firearms.
Licensed firearm dealers are expressly prohibited by 24 Del. C. § 903A from knowingly selling or transferring a firearm to an enrolled individual.
Does the registry apply only to gun stores?
No.
Delaware law also prohibits an unlicensed person from knowingly selling or transferring a firearm to an individual enrolled in the registry.
When a licensed dealer facilitates a covered private firearm transaction under Delaware law, the dealer must check the registry as part of the process.
Does enrolling automatically make possession of existing firearms illegal?
Chapter 98 describes the registry as a mechanism for voluntarily preventing the individual from purchasing a firearm and prohibits other persons from selling or transferring firearms to an enrolled individual.
Enrollment should not be confused with every other firearm prohibition
The registry statute itself should not be treated as equivalent to a criminal conviction, PFA, LVPO or another independent prohibited-person determination. A separate law or court order may, however, independently prohibit possession.
Can someone change their mind and remove themselves?
Yes, but removal is intentionally delayed. Delaware law establishes two separate waiting periods.
30 days enrolled
An individual cannot request removal until the individual has been on the registry for at least 30 days.
At least 30 more days
After law enforcement receives the removal form, the person may not be removed from the registry sooner than 30 days after that request.
Removal also requires an in-person request
The individual must personally deliver the completed removal form to a Delaware law-enforcement agency, which must verify the individual’s identity.
The earliest possible removal is not immediate
Enrollment
Cannot request removal
Removal may be requested
Registry restriction remains
Is enrollment public?
Registry records are not public records under Delaware FOIA.
Chapter 98 gives registry forms and records the same confidentiality protections afforded to Firearm Transaction Approval Program information and expressly excludes the records from Delaware’s Freedom of Information Act.
Can someone be discriminated against for using the registry?
Section 9804 expressly prohibits discrimination based on whether a person is currently enrolled, is not enrolled, or was previously enrolled in the registry.
What happens if someone knowingly transfers a firearm to an enrolled person?
Class A misdemeanor
Knowingly selling or transferring a firearm in violation of Chapter 98 is a Class A misdemeanor.
Class G felony
A second or subsequent offense by an individual is elevated to a Class G felony.
False identity information is also a crime
Knowingly making a false statement or representation regarding one’s identity when requesting enrollment or removal is a Class A misdemeanor.
Is the registry the same as Delaware’s Handgun Qualified Purchaser Permit?
Blocks firearm transfers
An individual voluntarily enrolls to prevent firearm sales or transfers to themselves.
Authorizes qualifying handgun purchases
The Handgun Qualified Purchaser Permit is a separate Delaware eligibility system for purchasing or receiving handguns unless an exemption applies.
The registry is not a PFA or LVPO
The Voluntary Firearms Do-Not-Sell Registry should not be confused with court orders that may require firearm relinquishment or independently make a respondent prohibited from possessing firearms.
What does the registry mean for firearm dealers?
Firearm transfer compliance
Delaware law prohibits a licensed dealer from knowingly selling or transferring a firearm to an individual enrolled in the Voluntary Firearms Do-Not-Sell Registry.
Dealers facilitating covered transfers between unlicensed persons must also check the registry as part of the statutory transfer process.
The registry therefore functions alongside Delaware’s Firearm Transaction Approval Program, purchaser-permit requirements and other eligibility checks rather than replacing them.
Frequently asked questions
What is Delaware’s Voluntary Firearms Do-Not-Sell Registry?
It is a confidential Delaware registry that allows an individual to voluntarily enroll for the purpose of preventing firearm sales or transfers to that individual.
Can someone else put me on the registry?
Chapter 98 requires the applicant to personally deliver the enrollment form to law enforcement. The agency must verify the applicant’s identity and may not accept the form from another person.
How long does it take to be added?
After receiving the enrollment form and verifying identity, the law-enforcement agency must add the applicant to the registry through DELJIS within 12 hours.
Can I buy a firearm while enrolled?
Delaware law prohibits a person from knowingly selling or transferring a firearm to someone enrolled in the registry.
Does the registry apply to private firearm sales?
Yes. An unlicensed person may not knowingly sell or transfer a firearm to an individual enrolled in the registry. A dealer facilitating a covered private transfer must check the registry.
Does enrolling automatically require me to surrender firearms I already own?
Chapter 98 is written as a voluntary restriction on purchasing and receiving firearms. It should not be confused with a court-ordered firearm relinquishment process. Other laws may independently restrict possession in a particular case.
Can I remove myself immediately?
No. An individual must remain enrolled for at least 30 days before requesting removal. After the removal request is submitted, the person may not be removed sooner than another 30 days after law enforcement receives the request.
Can I remove myself online?
Chapter 98 requires the completed removal form to be delivered in person to a Delaware law-enforcement agency so the individual’s identity can be verified.
Is enrollment public information?
No. Registry forms and records are excluded from Delaware’s Freedom of Information Act and receive statutory confidentiality protection.
Can an employer or insurance company penalize me for enrolling?
Section 9804 prohibits discrimination in several areas—including employment and insurance—based on whether a person is enrolled, is not enrolled, or was previously enrolled.
Related Delaware firearm laws
Official sources
11 Del. C. Chapter 98
Delaware Voluntary Firearms Do-Not-Sell Registry Act.
11 Del. C. § 9802
Enrollment, removal, identity verification, waiting periods and confidentiality.
11 Del. C. § 9803
Criminal penalties involving prohibited transfers and false identity information.
11 Del. C. § 9804
Nondiscrimination protections for present, former and nonparticipants.
Legal information, not legal advice.
DelawareGunLaws.com is an independent educational resource and is not affiliated with the Delaware State Police, DELJIS or any government agency. The Voluntary Firearms Do-Not-Sell Registry is separate from prohibited-person laws, protective orders, firearm background checks and Delaware’s Handgun Qualified Purchaser Permit. Individuals should use current official forms and instructions supplied by Delaware law enforcement when enrolling or requesting removal.
Delaware Firearm Background Checks
Learn how Delaware’s Firearm Transaction Approval Program, private-transfer checks and handgun purchaser requirements interact with firearm eligibility.