The Delaware concealed carry class is a firearms training course required for a Concealed Carry Deadly Weapon (CCDW) permit. State law sets what the course must contain rather than how long it must run: ten subject areas spanning safe handling, shooting fundamentals, and legal knowledge, plus a live fire exercise of at least 100 rounds under instructor supervision. Most courses run about eight hours in a single day.
What the Class Must Cover
The curriculum comes from 11 Del. C. ยง 1441, which lists ten required elements.1Justia. Delaware Code Title 11 Section 1441 – License to Carry Concealed Deadly Weapons They fall into three groups.
Safe Handling and Storage
Instructors cover the safe handling of firearms and ammunition: 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 emphasis on keeping firearms and ammunition away from children and other people who are not legally allowed to possess them.
That storage block ties directly to Delaware criminal law. Unsafe firearm storage is a class B misdemeanor when someone who shouldn’t have access gets hold of the weapon, and rises to a class A misdemeanor if that person uses it to hurt or kill someone, commits a crime with it, or tries to transfer it to another unauthorized person.2Justia. Delaware Code Title 11 Section 1456 – Unsafe Storage of a Firearm The class walks through the statutory defenses, such as storing in a locked container or disabling with a trigger lock.
Shooting Fundamentals
Before anyone goes to the range, the course covers grip, stance, sight alignment, and trigger control. The statute also requires instruction on how to develop and maintain shooting skills after the class ends, which typically means guidance on regular practice and dry-fire drills.
Legal Knowledge
Three legal topics are required. The first is federal and state law governing 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 property owned or operated by any 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.
The second is Delaware’s law on the use of deadly force in self-defense. Delaware generally requires you to retreat before using deadly force if you can do so safely, with two 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
The third is techniques for avoiding a criminal attack and managing a violent confrontation, including conflict resolution. This part surprises some students. The state wants permit holders to understand de-escalation, not only when lethal force is legally justified.
The 100-Round Live Fire Exercise
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 time to observe how you load, fire, and clear the weapon safely across repeated use.
Instructors watch for safe muzzle direction, trigger discipline, and correct holstering. Flagging another shooter on the line or similar safety violations can get you dismissed. The statute does not set a qualifying score or a mandatory shooting distance, but the instructor must be satisfied that you can operate the firearm proficiently. Most courses run drills at roughly three to fifteen yards. Clearing common malfunctions like stovepipe jams and double feeds isn’t separately listed in the statute but is typically covered under safe handling and shooting fundamentals.
Who Can Teach the Class
Not every instructor is qualified to sign a Delaware training certificate. The statute requires the course to 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 The National Rifle Association is the most common certifying body in practice, 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. Whatever the path, verify credentials before you pay. A certificate from an instructor who doesn’t meet the statutory qualifications will be rejected by the court, and you’ll pay for a second course.
The Certificate You Take Home
At the end of the class, the instructor signs a notarized certificate confirming you completed the required curriculum and 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 require an original, notarized document.6Delaware State Courts. Instructions New Applications for a License to Carry a Concealed Deadly Weapon
Get the notarization done the day of the class if you can. Confirm the instructor’s name, credentials, and training date are filled in before the notary stamps. An incomplete or un-notarized certificate will delay your application.
When to Take the Class
You don’t have to finish the course before filing your CCDW application. The court’s instructions say 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, meaning you start the process over.6Delaware State Courts. Instructions New Applications for a License to Carry a Concealed Deadly Weapon Most applicants still take the class first so the certificate is ready to submit with everything else, but the flexibility is there if scheduling is tight.
Beyond the class itself, the full application involves a newspaper publication, fingerprinting through the State Bureau of Identification, five character references, a $65 filing fee, and a 30-day investigation by the Attorney General’s office. Delaware is a “may-issue” state, so the court can deny an application even if every technical requirement is met.7Delaware Courts. Concealed Deadly Weapons
You Don’t Retake the Class to Renew
An initial Delaware CCDW permit is valid for three years, and renewals extend the permit for five years. The renewal process requires a renewal affidavit, two new photographs, and the filing fee, submitted between January 1 and June 1 of the year the license expires.7Delaware Courts. Concealed Deadly Weapons The training course is not repeated at renewal. The class is a one-time requirement for the initial license.