Buying a gun in Delaware: the Wilmington guide
Buying a gun in Delaware takes two things: the right age, and for a handgun, a purchase permit from the State Bureau of Identification. Rifles and shotguns need no permit at all, only the background check your dealer runs at the counter. This guide covers the whole path for a buyer in Wilmington and New Castle County, from the permit to the moment the dealer hands the gun over.
Do you need a permit to buy a gun in Delaware?
For a handgun, yes. A Delaware resident needs a handgun qualified purchaser permit before a dealer can transfer a pistol or revolver. For a rifle or a shotgun, no permit is required.
There is one shortcut. If you already hold a Delaware licence to carry a concealed deadly weapon, you do not need the purchase permit at all. The carry licence covers it. That route takes longer up front but it is worth knowing about before you start, and it is laid out on our Delaware pistol permit page.
How do you get the Delaware handgun permit?
Three steps, in this order.
A certified training course. It covers safe handling and storage and the fundamentals of shooting, and it includes a live-fire component of at least 100 rounds. Keep the certificate, because the application asks for it.
Fingerprints and a photograph. These are taken through the state's fingerprint vendor by appointment.
The online application. You submit it with the training certificate and photo identification. The State Bureau of Identification issues a decision within 30 days of a complete application.
The permit runs two years from the day it is issued, so one course buys you a two-year window rather than one gun. Several groups are excused from the training step but still apply for the permit, including military members, certified instructors and holders of a current Delaware hunter education card.
How old do you have to be to buy a gun in Delaware?
Twenty-one for handguns and most rifles. Shotguns, shotgun ammunition and muzzle-loading rifles stay open to buyers aged 18 to 20. Federal law separately holds dealer handgun sales at 21 and over everywhere, so that floor does not move.
Is there a waiting period in Delaware?
Not at the counter. Once the background check clears, your dealer can release the gun the same day. The waiting in this state sits earlier in the process, in the permit. That is the single most useful thing a first-time Delaware buyer can understand: start the permit now and shop while it runs, because the permit is the long pole and the counter is the short one.
What do you bring to the dealer?
A Delaware driver's licence or state identification card showing your current address. If the address is out of date, bring a supporting document your dealer will accept alongside it. For a handgun, bring your purchase permit or your carry licence. You fill in ATF Form 4473 at the counter, the dealer submits the check, and in most cases the answer comes back while you wait.
What about buying a used gun privately?
It goes through a dealer, both ways. An unlicensed seller cannot hand a firearm straight to an unlicensed buyer in Delaware; the transfer runs through a licensed dealer who submits it to the State Bureau of Identification. Buying a used pistol from a neighbour in Newark is the same paperwork as buying a new one from a shop, and the handgun permit requirement still applies to you as the buyer.
What can be shipped to a Delaware address?
Two state rules shape what we list for Delaware buyers. Magazines are capped at 17 rounds, so every magazine we send into the state holds 17 or fewer. And Delaware restricts the sale of a long list of named semi-automatic rifles and shotguns, so some models cannot be sent here at all, whichever dealer receives them. Rather than let you order something your dealer could not release, we hold the Delaware catalogue inside those lines. The plain-English version is on our Delaware gun laws page.
How does an online gun order work in Delaware?
Every firearm ships to a licensed dealer, never to your door. Here is the sequence.
Start in the catalogue and check the live price and stock on what you want. At checkout, choose the Delaware dealer who will receive it; most buyers pick a shop near home or on the commute. We send that dealer a copy of the order and collect their licence if we do not already hold it. The gun ships to them.
When it arrives, the dealer calls you. Bring your identification and, for a handgun, your permit or carry licence. You sign the 4473, the dealer runs the check and collects their transfer fee, which is theirs rather than ours, and the gun is yours. Ammunition, optics, lights, holsters and most parts skip the whole process and ship straight to your door.
Where do Wilmington buyers pick up?
New Castle County holds most of the dealers in the state, so a Wilmington buyer usually has a counter within fifteen minutes in any direction, and the same is true across the Route 40 corridor. Our town pages for Wilmington, New Castle and Bear cover what to expect locally, and the full list is on the Delaware town index.
Common questions
How long does the Delaware gun permit take? Up to 30 days for a decision once the application is complete, plus however long it takes you to get a course date and a fingerprint appointment. Six to eight weeks end to end is realistic.
Does the permit cover more than one handgun? Yes. It is a two-year permit, not a per-gun permit.
Can I buy a rifle the same day? Usually. With no purchase permit required for long guns, it comes down to the background check clearing at the counter.
Do I need the permit if I have a carry licence? No. A current Delaware carry licence takes the place of the purchase permit.
Can you ship a gun to my house in Delaware? No. Firearms go to your chosen licensed dealer. Ammunition and accessories ship to your door.
What if I am moving here from another state? Start with the Delaware gun laws guide for new residents, which covers what comes with you and what does not.
General information, not legal advice. Current as of September 2026. Laws change; check the official source before you act.
