Is a North Carolina Non-Resident Permit Valid in Delaware?

Why

• North Carolina does not issue carry permits to non-residents (applicant must have been a north carolina resident for at least 30 days immediately preceding the application (g.s. 14-415.12(a)); no non-resident permits).

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.

Carry rules in Delaware

Carry law is state law. From the moment you enter Delaware, these rules replace the ones you know from North Carolina.

• 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)

See all 3 places you can't carry in Delaware →

North Carolina vs Delaware: what changes at the state line

Crossing from North Carolina into Delaware changes 3 rules: duty to inform police (Yes → No); magazine limit (None → 17 rounds); out-of-state permits honored (All states → 21 states).

Going the other way, a Delaware non-resident permit in North Carolina: 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 a North Carolina non-resident permit fares in the states bordering Delaware:

• Maryland — No such permit issued
• New Jersey — No such permit issued
• Pennsylvania — No such permit issued

Check a whole route with the Trip Checker →

Frequently asked questions

Does Delaware honor a North Carolina resident permit?

Recognized — carry with your permit. That differs from the non-resident permit on this page, because Delaware treats the two permit types differently.

Can a Delaware non-resident permit holder carry in North Carolina?

Delaware does not issue non-resident carry permits, so there is no such permit to carry in North Carolina.

Does North Carolina issue non-resident carry permits?

No. North Carolina issues carry permits to residents only (applicant must have been a North Carolina resident for at least 30 days immediately preceding the application (G.S. 14-415.12(a)); no non-resident permits). 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.