Retired police officers who served at least 20 years in a Delaware law-enforcement agency (or who are eligible for a duty-connected disability pension)...
Reviewed by Will Luker, Founder of CCW Hub. USCCA Training Counselor, USCCA Certified Instructor, NRA Certified Instructor, Law Enforcement.
Initial Application Fee: $65, paid to the Prothonotary (the county court clerk responsible for issuing licenses) at the time the application is filed, per 11 Del. C. § 1441(a)(4).
Renewal Fee: $65, paid to the Prothonotary upon renewal, per 11 Del. C. § 1441(a)(5).
Initial License Term: The license issued upon initial application is valid for 3 years, per 11 Del. C. § 1441(a)(5).
Renewal License Term: Renewal licenses are valid for 5 years, and subsequent renewals may be made every 5 years thereafter, per 11 Del. C. § 1441(a)(5).
Retired police officers who served at least 20 years in a Delaware law-enforcement agency (or who are eligible for a duty-connected disability pension) may obtain a concealed carry license under a streamlined process, per 11 Del. C. § 1441(h):
The Prothonotary is required to publish notice of every concealed carry application in a newspaper of general circulation in the county at least 10 days before the next term of Superior Court, per 11 Del. C. § 1441(b). The statute does not specify who bears the cost of publication or the amount of the publication fee. In practice, applicants should expect to pay the newspaper publication cost, which varies by county and newspaper. This cost is in addition to the $65 application fee.
The application process requires submission of information necessary for a criminal history background check, per 11 Del. C. § 1441(a)(1). The Delaware State Police charges the following fees for certified criminal history checks:
These fees are paid through the IdentoGO fingerprinting service. Applicants should confirm with the Prothonotary's office which level of background check is required for their application.
For initial applications only, applicants must file a notarized certificate showing completion of a qualifying firearms training course, per 11 Del. C. § 1441(a)(3). The statute specifies the minimum course content (including live fire with a minimum of 100 rounds of ammunition) but does not set or cap the cost of the training course. Training costs vary by provider and are an additional out-of-pocket expense for the applicant.
Note: No additional training is required for renewal. Per 11 Del. C. § 1441(a)(5), "No requirements in addition to those specified in this paragraph may be imposed for the renewal of a license."
The Attorney General has discretion to issue a temporary concealed carry license to non-residents who have a short-term, employment-related need to carry within Delaware, per 11 Del. C. § 1441(k). Key details:
| Fee Type | Amount | Statutory Authority |
|---|---|---|
| Initial application fee | $65 | 11 Del. C. § 1441(a)(4) |
| Renewal fee | $65 | 11 Del. C. § 1441(a)(5) |
| Retired officer application fee | $65 | 11 Del. C. § 1441(h)(1)–(2) |
| State criminal history check | $72.00 | Delaware State Police / IdentoGO |
| State & federal criminal history check | $85.00 | Delaware State Police / IdentoGO |
| Newspaper publication | Varies by county | 11 Del. C. § 1441(b) |
| Firearms training course | Varies by provider | 11 Del. C. § 1441(a)(3) |
| Temporary non-resident license | Not specified in statute | 11 Del. C. § 1441(k) |
Persons whose licenses expired in 2020 or 2021 were permitted to file for late renewal by satisfying all standard renewal conditions (including the $65 fee) no later than December 31, 2022, per 11 Del. C. § 1441(a)(5)(b). This provision has expired and is no longer available.
This page covers one part of our Delaware concealed carry guide.
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