DELAWARE · STUDENT GUIDE · CURRENT AS OF OCTOBER 7, 2026
How to Get a Delaware License to Carry a Concealed Deadly Weapon
Delaware residency is required. You must live in Delaware to apply; non-residents cannot get this license. Delaware residents apply to the Superior Court through the Prothonotary in their home county. The application is notarized and published in a newspaper, with fingerprints, five references, photos, and a $65 fee. The license lasts three years, then renews for five.
Overview
Delaware is the most paperwork-heavy of our states
Delaware calls it a CCDW. The Superior Court issues it, and the Attorney General's office reviews every application.
You must be a Delaware resident to apply. The court's own instructions are titled “Delaware residents only,” and you file in the county where you live. If you live in Virginia, Maryland, or anywhere outside Delaware, you cannot get a Delaware CCDW. Consider a Utah permit instead, which is open to non-residents. If you moved to Delaware less than five years ago, you also need a certified driving record from your previous state.
The court's instructions say the steps must be completed in order: newspaper notice first (at least 10 business days before filing), then fingerprints within 45 days before filing. Follow the sequence below so you don't have to redo anything.
- Be a Delaware resident (required; there is no non-resident option) and 21 or older
- Be legally able to possess a firearm under state and federal law, with no disqualifying convictions, protective orders, or commitments
- Be of good moral character and not have a record of conduct showing you are a danger to yourself or others
- Provide five references from county residents who have known you at least a year
- Complete an approved firearms course that includes live fire
Read the statute or ask the Prothonotary or an attorney if you are unsure about anything in your history. The court can deny an application for good cause.
Required Forms
What you need to download and file
These come directly from the Delaware Courts website. Print them, or open them on your device. Your instructor can answer questions in class.
| Document | Notes |
|---|---|
| Instructions: NEW License (Delaware residents only) | Read first. Official step-by-step list. |
| Application: NEW / RENEWAL License to Carry a CCDW | Notarized. Notaries are available free at each Prothonotary's office. |
| Reference Questionnaire | Five copies, one per reference. |
| Instructions: RENEWAL License | For existing license holders. |
| Application: Retired Delaware Police Officer | Only if you are a retired Delaware police officer. |
All of these are also collected on the Superior Court Concealed Deadly Weapons page. They are also on our Student Documents page.
The Process
Steps to apply (Delaware residents)
Confirm you live in Delaware, then publish your notice
Have your application published once in a newspaper of general circulation in your county, at least 10 business days before you file. Use your full name (no initials) and home address. Get the newspaper's affidavit and attach it to the application. The court's instructions list approved newspapers for each county, such as the Hockessin Community News, Middletown Transcript, Newark Post, Delaware State News, Cape Gazette, or the News Journal.
Get fingerprinted
Schedule at uenroll.identogo.com with the State Bureau of Identification service code for your county: New Castle 27S7Q4, Kent 27RV9F, Sussex 27S7RK. Do it within 45 days before you file, and bring proof of payment. If you've lived in Delaware under five years, also include a certified driving record from your previous state.
Collect five reference questionnaires
Five citizens of your county must complete the Reference Questionnaire. They can't be related to you or live at your address, and they must have known you at least one year.
Complete and notarize the application
Fill it out fully and have it notarized. Each Prothonotary's office offers notary service at no charge, so you can sign it there when you file.
Get passport photos
Two color passport photos, clear and in focus, taken within six months before filing. The instructions specify 2" × 2" on photo paper, and improper photos are rejected. Check the current size in the instructions, since the court's web pages are not consistent.
Make a duplicate set and file
Bring or mail the application with all attachments plus a duplicate copy of everything to the Prothonotary in your county of residence (addresses below), with the $65 fee. The Attorney General's office may contact you for a personal interview.
Complete the approved course
If you haven't already, take a course from an instructor on the Delaware Department of Justice's approved list and file the original notarized certification of completion within 90 days of approval. If you miss the deadline, you have to start over. Your instructor must be on the approved list.
Receive your license (or a denial)
If approved, you'll be notified and the license is issued after the training certification is on file. A denial is sent as written notice only.
Training
The Delaware course requirement
Under § 1441, the course must be taught by an instructor the Delaware Department of Justice has approved, and must cover:
- Safe handling and storage of firearms
- Delaware law on the use of deadly force and carrying concealed
- Live-fire shooting of at least 100 rounds
The approved-instructor list and current course rules are on the Delaware DOJ CCDW page. Any class you take must be taught by someone on that list.
Fees
Fees and where to file
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Court filing fee (payable to “PROTHONOTARY”) | $65 |
| Renewal (every 5 years) | $65 |
| Fingerprinting (IdentoGO) | Paid separately |
| Newspaper publication | Paid separately |
| Passport photos, training course | Paid separately |
In person you can pay with cash, money order, or personal check. By mail, only money order or personal check, no cash. For a receipt by mail or hand delivery, include a self-addressed stamped envelope.
| County | File with |
|---|---|
| New Castle | CCDW Permit, Prothonotary, 500 N. King Street, Suite 1500, Wilmington, DE 19801-3704 · (302) 255-0557 |
| Kent | CCDW Permit, Prothonotary, 38 The Green, Dover, DE 19901 · (302) 735-1901 |
| Sussex | CCDW Permit, Prothonotary, 1 The Circle, Suite 2, Georgetown, DE 19947 · (302) 856-5252 |
Renewal & Reciprocity
Keeping it current, and carrying elsewhere
Renewal
Renewals use a sworn affidavit, the same $65 fee, and run for five years. Under the court's rules, file after January 1 but no later than June 1 of the year your license expires. Use the renewal instructions linked above.
Reciprocity
Delaware publishes a list of other states' permits it recognizes; see the Delaware DOJ reciprocity information. As we read the current list, Utah is recognized but Virginia and Maryland permits are not. Check the list yourself before you travel, since it is updated periodically.
A Delaware CCDW is honored in some states but not others, and its status changes. See the USCCA reciprocity map and check the destination state's own agency.
Looking for Delaware training? Start with the course listings.
Sources
Where this guide comes from
This is a general guide, not legal advice. Delaware's process is set by statute and Superior Court rules, and both change. Confirm details with your county Prothonotary or an attorney.
- Delaware Superior Court: Concealed Deadly Weapons (forms and rules)
- Superior Court: Instructions for a NEW license
- Delaware Department of Justice: CCDW (approved instructors)
- Delaware Department of Justice: reciprocity
- 11 Del. C. § 1441: License to carry concealed deadly weapons
- IdentoGO: fingerprint scheduling
- USCCA: duty to inform
Not legal advice. This guide reflects Delaware's permitting process as currently known at the time of publishing and is a general summary — it is not guaranteed to be current. Before applying, verify current requirements directly with your county Prothonotary, the Delaware Department of Justice, or a licensed attorney in Delaware.
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