Resident permit · IN → DE
Is an Indiana Resident Permit Valid in Delaware?
Not legal. Indiana resident permits are outside Delaware's recognition rules, and Delaware still requires a license to carry. Unloaded, locked transport under federal law is the lawful fallback.
Why
- Indiana 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 (Indiana)
- Permit
- Indiana License to Carry a Handgun (LTCH)
- Issued by
- Indiana State Police
- Issue policy
- Shall-issue
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
Crossing into Delaware swaps the rulebook. Here is what changes for a visiting carrier.
- 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)
Indiana vs Delaware: what changes at the state line
Crossing from Indiana into Delaware changes 3 rules: permitless carry (Yes (18+) → No); magazine limit (None → 17 rounds); out-of-state permits honored (All states → 21 states).
| Rule | Indiana | Delaware |
|---|---|---|
| Permitless carry | Yes (18+) | No |
| Duty to inform police | No | No |
| Magazine limit | None | 17 rounds |
| Out-of-state permits honored | All states | 21 states |
| Open carry | Yes, no permit | Yes, no permit |
Going the other way, a Delaware resident permit in Indiana: recognized — and permitless carry applies.
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 Indiana resident permit fares in the states bordering Delaware:
- Maryland — Not recognized
- New Jersey — Not recognized
- Pennsylvania — Recognized — carry with your permit
Frequently asked questions
- Does Delaware honor an Indiana non-resident permit?
- Not recognized. The answer is the same as for the resident permit on this page.
- Can a Delaware resident permit holder carry in Indiana?
- Recognized — and permitless carry applies. Reciprocity is decided by the destination state, so the answer in this direction depends on Indiana's law, not Delaware's.
- 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
- IN.gov FAQ - Does Indiana honor handgun licenses from other states? (IC 35-47-2-21(b)) — accessed 2026-08-08
- IN.gov FAQ - Places where carry is illegal even with a valid license — accessed 2026-08-08
- IN.gov FAQ - Handgun carry at Indiana State Parks — accessed 2026-08-08
- IN.gov FAQ - How do I apply for a handgun license? (ISP issues; online portal) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Georgia General Assembly policy brief (supporting: lists Indiana among the 25 permitless-carry states as of 2022) — accessed 2026-08-08
- Indiana State Police - Permitless Carry website messaging (PDF) — accessed 2026-09-27
- Indiana State Police - Firearms Handgun Licensing Application Fees — accessed 2026-09-27
- Indiana State Police - Apply for a New License to Carry — accessed 2026-09-27