Non-Resident permit · MT → DE
Is a Montana Non-Resident Permit Valid in Delaware?
The premise fails at the first step. Montana issues no non-resident carry permit (permit requires at least 6 months' Montana residency, US citizenship or lawful permanent residence, and Montana ID (MCA 45-8-321; MT DOJ). No non-resident permits are issued), so reciprocity with Delaware never comes into play for this permit type.
Why
- Montana does not issue carry permits to non-residents (permit requires at least 6 months' montana residency, us citizenship or lawful permanent residence, and montana id (mca 45-8-321; mt doj). no non-resident permits are issued).
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 (Montana)
- Permit
- Montana Concealed Weapon Permit
- Issued by
- County sheriff
- Issue policy
- Shall-issue
- Issued to non-residents?
- No — Permit requires at least 6 months' Montana residency, US citizenship or lawful permanent residence, and Montana ID (MCA 45-8-321; MT DOJ). No non-resident permits are issued.
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
Delaware's rules control while you're there. These are the ones travelers trip over most.
- 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
- 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)
- Federal facilities and any place where firearms are prohibited by federal law
Frequently asked questions
- Is a Montana non-resident permit valid in Delaware?
- The premise fails at the first step. Montana issues no non-resident carry permit (permit requires at least 6 months' Montana residency, US citizenship or lawful permanent residence, and Montana ID (MCA 45-8-321; MT DOJ). No non-resident permits are issued), so reciprocity with Delaware never comes into play for this permit type.
- Do I have to tell police in Delaware that I am carrying?
- 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)).
- Does Delaware limit magazine capacity?
- Delaware limits magazine capacity to 17 rounds — a limit that applies to visitors, and one of the easiest laws to break by accident.
- Does Montana issue non-resident carry permits?
- No. Montana issues carry permits to residents only (permit requires at least 6 months' Montana residency, US citizenship or lawful permanent residence, and Montana ID (MCA 45-8-321; MT DOJ). No non-resident permits are issued). 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
- 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
- Montana DOJ — Concealed Weapons (AG recognition list) — accessed 2026-08-08
- MCA 45-8-329 — Concealed weapon permit reciprocity (MCA 2025) — accessed 2026-08-08
- MCA 45-8-321 — Permit to carry concealed weapon (MCA 2025) — accessed 2026-08-08
- MCA 45-8-316 — Carrying concealed weapons (MCA 2025) — accessed 2026-08-08
- MCA 45-8-328 — Carrying concealed firearm in restricted government offices (MCA 2025) — accessed 2026-08-08