Non-Resident permit · DE → RI
Is a Delaware Non-Resident Permit Valid in Rhode Island?
There is nothing to recognize: Delaware issues permits to its own residents only (no standard non-resident license. The Attorney General may issue a temporary 30-day license to a non-resident with a short-term, employment-related need to carry (11 Del. C. 1441(k); maximum 3 such licenses)). If you don't live in Delaware, look at states that do sell non-resident permits and check which of those Rhode Island honors.
Why
- Delaware does not issue carry permits to non-residents (no standard non-resident license. the attorney general may issue a temporary 30-day license to a non-resident with a short-term, employment-related need to carry (11 del. c. 1441(k); maximum 3 such licenses)).
No reciprocity for carrying within the state. Sole exception (§ 11-47-8(a)): a holder of a valid carry license from another state may transport a handgun through Rhode Island in a vehicle only while merely passing through, with no intent to stop or remain in the state.
The permit (Delaware)
- Permit
- License to Carry a Concealed Deadly Weapon (CCDW)
- Issued by
- Superior Court of the applicant's county of residence (application filed with the Prothonotary; Delaware DOJ reviews)
- Issue policy
- May-issue
- Issued to non-residents?
- No — No standard non-resident license. The Attorney General may issue a temporary 30-day license to a non-resident with a short-term, employment-related need to carry (11 Del. C. 1441(k); maximum 3 such licenses).
The destination (Rhode Island)
- Recognition policy
- Honors no out-of-state permits
- Permitless carry
- No
- Duty to inform
- No (present permit on demand)
- Magazine limit
- 10 rounds
Carry rules in Rhode Island
Crossing into Rhode Island swaps the rulebook. Here is what changes for a visiting carrier.
- No Rhode Island statute imposes a duty to proactively inform police that you are carrying; licenses must be carried and produced on demand.
- Rhode Island limits magazine capacity to 10 rounds — a limit that applies to visitors, and one of the easiest laws to break by accident.
- Rhode Island is not a permitless-carry state: concealed carry there requires a permit Rhode Island recognizes.
- Carrying a loaded handgun in a vehicle requires a Rhode Island carry license; an out-of-state permit holder may only transport through the state without stopping (§ 11-47-8(a)).
Off-limits places in Rhode Island
Rhode Island bans carry in 2 kinds of places. The first on the list:
- Elementary and secondary school premises (R.I.G.L. § 11-47-60)
- Courthouses (barred by judicial administrative order rather than statute)
Delaware vs Rhode Island: what changes at the state line
Crossing from Delaware into Rhode Island changes 2 rules: magazine limit (17 rounds → 10 rounds); out-of-state permits honored (21 states → None).
| Rule | Delaware | Rhode Island |
|---|---|---|
| Permitless carry | No | No |
| Duty to inform police | No | No |
| Magazine limit | 17 rounds | 10 rounds |
| Out-of-state permits honored | 21 states | None |
Going the other way, a Rhode Island non-resident permit in Delaware: not recognized.
Driving on from Rhode Island
How a Delaware non-resident permit fares in the states bordering Rhode Island:
- Connecticut — No such permit issued
- Massachusetts — No such permit issued
Frequently asked questions
- Does Rhode Island honor a Delaware resident permit?
- Not recognized. That differs from the non-resident permit on this page, because Rhode Island treats the two permit types differently.
- Can a Rhode Island non-resident permit holder carry in Delaware?
- Not recognized. Reciprocity is decided by the destination state, so the answer in this direction depends on Delaware's law, not Rhode Island's.
- Does Delaware issue non-resident carry permits?
- No. Delaware issues carry permits to residents only (no standard non-resident license. The Attorney General may issue a temporary 30-day license to a non-resident with a short-term, employment-related need to carry (11 Del. C. 1441(k); maximum 3 such licenses)). Non-residents who want multi-state coverage usually obtain a non-resident permit from a state that offers one, such as those listed in our non-resident permit guide.
Official sources
- RI Attorney General — Pistol Permits (BCI) — accessed 2026-08-08
- R.I.G.L. § 11-47-8 — Carrying of weapons (out-of-state pass-through exception) — accessed 2026-08-08
- R.I.G.L. § 11-47-11 — License or permit to carry concealed (municipal shall-issue, non-resident eligibility) — accessed 2026-08-08
- R.I.G.L. § 11-47.1-3 — Large capacity feeding devices prohibited (10-round limit, eff. 2022-06-20) — accessed 2026-08-08
- RI Attorney General — Concealed-Carry Permit Guidance (AG 2022-01, post-Bruen) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Town of Middletown, RI — Concealed Carry Permits — accessed 2026-09-27
- City of East Providence — Weapons Carry and Permit Package (rev. 04/2019) — accessed 2026-09-27
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 11-47-12 (license fee; term) — accessed 2026-09-27
- Delaware DOJ (Attorney General) - Concealed Carry Deadly Weapons (CCDW) and reciprocity list — accessed 2026-08-08
- 11 Del. C. c.5 subch. VII - 1441 (license), 1442 (carrying concealed), 1457/1457A (safe zones), 1468-1469 (large-capacity magazines) — accessed 2026-08-08
- 1 Del. C. 701 - Age of majority (definition of 'full age' = 18) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Delaware Superior Court — Weapons (CCDW) application rules and instructions — accessed 2026-09-27
- Delaware Supreme Court docket — Brooks v. State, Appellant's Opening Brief (open-carry discussion, cites Doe v. Wilmington Hous. Auth. and Griffin v. State) — accessed 2026-09-27