The Delaware concealed carry class is a firearms training course required for a Concealed Carry Deadly Weapon (CCDW) permit, covering ten topics set by 11 Del. C. ยง 1441 and including a live fire exercise of at least 100 rounds. Most courses run about eight hours in a single day, though the statute sets content requirements rather than a minimum clock time. When you finish, the instructor signs a notarized certificate that you file with your Superior Court application.
What the Class Covers
The curriculum is spelled out in the statute and runs well beyond marksmanship. The ten required elements fall into three groups: safe handling and storage, shooting skills, and legal knowledge.1Justia. Delaware Code Title 11 Section 1441 – License to Carry Concealed Deadly Weapons
Safe Handling and Storage
Instructors cover the safe handling of both firearms and ammunition, including how different handgun actions work, how to verify a weapon is unloaded, and proper procedures for transport and cleaning. A separate block addresses safe storage, with particular emphasis on keeping firearms and ammunition away from children and other people who are not legally allowed to possess them.
That storage focus has teeth behind it. Delaware treats unsafe firearm storage as a class B misdemeanor when someone who shouldn’t have access gets hold of the weapon, and raises the charge to a class A misdemeanor if that person then uses it to hurt or kill someone, commits a crime with it, or tries to transfer it.2Justia. Delaware Code Title 11 Section 1456 – Unsafe Storage of a Firearm The class walks through the defenses the statute recognizes, like a locked container or a trigger lock.
Shooting Fundamentals
Before you step onto the range, the course covers grip, stance, sight alignment, and trigger control. The statute also requires instruction on how to develop and maintain your shooting skills after the class ends, which usually means a discussion of regular practice schedules and dry-fire drills.
Legal Knowledge
Three legal topics are required. First, federal and state laws on the purchase, ownership, transportation, use, and possession of firearms, including places where carrying is restricted regardless of permit status. Delaware makes it a class E felony to possess a firearm in a Safe School Zone, which covers any property owned or operated by a public or private school from kindergarten through vocational-technical programs.3Justia. Delaware Code Title 11 Section 1457A – Possession of a Firearm in a Safe School Zone Federal law adds its own restricted locations, including courthouses and federal buildings.
Second, Delaware’s rules on the use of deadly force in self-defense. The state generally requires you to retreat before using deadly force if you can do so safely, with two important exceptions: no duty to retreat in your own home, and no duty to retreat in your workplace unless you were the initial aggressor.4Delaware Code Online. Delaware Code Title 11 Chapter 4 – Defenses to Criminal Liability Knowing exactly where that line falls is one of the most practically important parts of the day.
Third, techniques for avoiding a criminal attack and managing a violent confrontation, including conflict resolution.1Justia. Delaware Code Title 11 Section 1441 – License to Carry Concealed Deadly Weapons Many students don’t expect this piece. The state wants permit holders to understand de-escalation, not just when lethal force is legally justified.
The Live Fire Requirement
The practical portion requires you to fire at least 100 rounds on a range under instructor supervision.1Justia. Delaware Code Title 11 Section 1441 – License to Carry Concealed Deadly Weapons That round count gives the instructor enough observation time to assess your ability to load, fire, and clear the weapon safely under repeated use.
During the session, instructors watch for safe muzzle direction, proper trigger discipline, and correct holstering. Common safety violations like flagging another shooter on the line can get you dismissed on the spot. The statute does not define a qualifying score or set mandatory shooting distances, but the instructor must be satisfied you can operate the firearm proficiently. Most courses run drills at distances from roughly three to fifteen yards.
Instructors also typically cover clearing common malfunctions like stovepipe jams and double feeds. That isn’t separately enumerated in the statute, but it falls under safe handling and shooting fundamentals. If you can’t safely clear a malfunction, you can’t safely carry.
Who Can Teach the Class
Not just anyone can sign your certificate. The statute requires that the course be sponsored by a law enforcement agency, a college, a nationally recognized organization that customarily offers firearms training, or a training school whose instructors hold certification from such an organization.1Justia. Delaware Code Title 11 Section 1441 – License to Carry Concealed Deadly Weapons In practice, the National Rifle Association is the most common certifying body, and the Delaware State Police firearms instructor page references NRA certification as part of the approval process.5Delaware State Police. Firearms Instructor Information Some instructors qualify through law enforcement or military backgrounds instead.
Verify credentials before you pay. If your training certificate comes from someone who doesn’t meet the statutory qualifications, the court will reject it and you’ll pay for a second course.
The Training Certificate
When you finish, the instructor signs a notarized certificate confirming you completed the required curriculum and the live fire exercise. The statute calls this a “notarized certificate signed by an instructor or authorized representative” of the sponsoring organization.1Justia. Delaware Code Title 11 Section 1441 – License to Carry Concealed Deadly Weapons The court’s application instructions specify that the certificate must be an original and must be notarized.6Delaware State Courts. Instructions New Applications for a License to Carry a Concealed Deadly Weapon
Get the notarization handled on the day of the class if you can. An unsigned or un-notarized certificate will delay your application. Confirm that the instructor’s name, certification credentials, and the date of training are filled in completely before the notary stamps it.
When to Take the Class
You don’t necessarily need to finish the class before filing your CCDW application. The court’s instructions indicate that if your application is approved and you haven’t already submitted a training certificate, you have 90 calendar days from approval to file one. Miss that window and the court treats the permit as abandoned, and you start over.6Delaware State Courts. Instructions New Applications for a License to Carry a Concealed Deadly Weapon
Most applicants take the class first anyway so the certificate is ready to attach. The rest of the application involves newspaper publication, fingerprinting through the State Bureau of Identification, five character references, two passport-style photographs, a $65 filing fee, and review by the Attorney General’s office.7Delaware Courts. Concealed Deadly Weapons Delaware is a may-issue state, so meeting every technical requirement does not guarantee approval.
Do You Have to Retake the Class to Renew?
No. An initial permit runs three years and renewals extend it for five, and the renewal process does not require you to retake the firearms training course. You file a renewal affidavit (Form 2) with two new photographs and the filing fee between January 1 and June 1 of the year the license expires.7Delaware Courts. Concealed Deadly Weapons The class is a one-time cost for the life of the permit, assuming you renew on time.