Non-Resident permit · IL → DE
Is an Illinois Non-Resident Permit Valid in Delaware?
Delaware does not accept Illinois non-resident permits. There is no visitor permitless option. Carrying anyway risks a criminal charge, so plan transport under federal peaceable-journey rules instead.
Why
- Illinois is not on Delaware's official reciprocity list.
For listed states the AG page states Delaware 'will recognize both resident and a non-resident licenses.' Permit-type limits apply - Idaho Enhanced only, North Dakota Class 1 only, South Dakota Enhanced only. Delaware's prohibited-person rules (felonies, certain misdemeanors, drug crimes, PFA orders, mental-health commitments) still bar some visiting permit holders.
The permit (Illinois)
- Permit
- Illinois Concealed Carry License (CCL)
- Issued by
- Illinois State Police
- Issue policy
- Shall-issue
- Issued to non-residents?
- Yes — Non-residents may apply only if their state is 'substantially similar' - currently Arkansas, Idaho, Mississippi, Nevada, Texas and Virginia (per ISP). Fee $300 (residents $150). Illinois residents also need a FOID card; non-residents are not eligible for a FOID card and are not required to have one.
The destination (Delaware)
- Recognition policy
- Honors a named list of 21 states
- Permitless carry
- No
- Duty to inform
- No (present permit on demand)
- Magazine limit
- 17 rounds
Carry rules in Delaware
Whatever your permit status, Delaware law governs how you carry inside the state. The rules below matter most on a short trip.
- No statutory duty to proactively inform an officer; Title 11's deadly-weapons subchapter contains no notification requirement. AG-issued temporary licenses must be carried at all times while in the state (11 Del. C. 1441(k)).
- Delaware limits magazine capacity to 17 rounds — a limit that applies to visitors, and one of the easiest laws to break by accident.
- Delaware is not a permitless-carry state: concealed carry there requires a permit Delaware recognizes.
- A concealed handgun in a vehicle requires a Delaware CCDW or a recognized out-of-state license (11 Del. C. 1442). A licensee may keep a firearm in a motor vehicle even within a Safe School Zone (11 Del. C. 1457A(c)(4)).
Off-limits places in Delaware
Delaware bans carry in 3 kinds of places. The first on the list:
- Safe School Zones - K-12 school buildings, grounds, athletic fields and school vehicles (licensees excepted only while the firearm stays in a motor vehicle) (11 Del. C. 1457A)
- Safe Recreation Zones - government or private recreation centers, athletic fields and sports stadiums, as to the listed weapons offenses including unlicensed concealed carry (11 Del. C. 1457)
Illinois vs Delaware: what changes at the state line
Crossing from Illinois into Delaware changes 3 rules: magazine limit (15 rounds → 17 rounds); out-of-state permits honored (None → 21 states); open carry (No → Yes, no permit).
| Rule | Illinois | Delaware |
|---|---|---|
| Permitless carry | No | No |
| Duty to inform police | No | No |
| Magazine limit | 15 rounds | 17 rounds |
| Out-of-state permits honored | None | 21 states |
| Open carry | No | Yes, no permit |
Going the other way, a Delaware non-resident permit in Illinois: no such permit issued.
Permits that do work in Delaware
These non-resident permits are honored in Delaware, ranked by how many states honor each one. They are issued to people who live outside the issuing state, subject to its eligibility rules.
- North Dakota non-resident permit · honored in 33 states
- Ohio non-resident permit · honored in 33 states
- Idaho non-resident permit · honored in 32 states
- Texas non-resident permit · honored in 32 states
- Florida non-resident permit · honored in 32 states
- Arizona non-resident permit · honored in 31 states
Driving on from Delaware
How an Illinois non-resident permit fares in the states bordering Delaware:
- Maryland — Not recognized
- New Jersey — Not recognized
- Pennsylvania — Not recognized
Frequently asked questions
- Does Delaware honor an Illinois resident permit?
- Not recognized. The answer is the same as for the non-resident permit on this page.
- Can a Delaware non-resident permit holder carry in Illinois?
- Delaware does not issue non-resident carry permits, so there is no such permit to carry in Illinois.
- Where does Delaware publish its official reciprocity list?
- Delaware publishes its recognition policy on an official state page, linked in the sources on this page. That page is the authority — check it shortly before travel, because recognition lists change without much notice.
Official sources
- 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
- Illinois State Police - Concealed Carry License — accessed 2026-08-08
- Illinois State Police - Transport Your Firearm Legally (ISP 1-154, 7/25) - out-of-state recognition, vehicle exception, officer disclosure — accessed 2026-08-08
- Illinois State Police - Assault Weapons / Protect Illinois Communities Act (magazine limits) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Illinois State Police Firearms Services Bureau - FAQ — accessed 2026-08-08