Delaware: Permit to Purchase Goes Into Effect

Last week, Permit to Purchase legislation went into effect in Delaware. The new law imposes a Maryland-style “handgun qualified purchase card” and a handgun transfer registry.

Citizens are now required to obtain a deceptively named “handgun qualified purchaser permit” to purchase or receive a handgun, with an exemption for carry permit holders. To obtain a permit, an applicant is required to, at their own expense, take an approved training course and submit fingerprints. The permits are to be renewed every two years, although the training course is valid for five years. The State Bureau of Identification has up to 30 days to issue a permit. Additionally, this legislation creates a registry of all lawful handgun transfers.

NRA’s state affiliate, the Delaware State Sportsmen’s Association, has filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Delaware’s new Permit-to-Purchase law. NRA will continue fighting for our rights and holding lawmakers in Dover accountable.

NRA-ILA will continue to monitor this issue and provide updates as they become available. Please stay tuned to www.nraila.org for further developments and to help protect your Second Amendment rights.