What Are the Assault Weapon Laws in Delaware?
Woody's answers are based on published federal and state law. Not legal advice. Consult a licensed attorney for your specific situation.
Delaware has no state-level assault weapon ban. The state follows federal regulations for semi-automatic rifles, which means standard AR-15s and similar platforms are legal to own and build.
What This Means for You
Delaware takes a relatively permissive approach to semi-automatic rifles compared to neighboring states like Maryland and New Jersey. This makes Delaware attractive for builders who want to construct standard AR-15 configurations without navigating complex state-specific feature restrictions. However, you still need to comply with federal regulations and Delaware's other firearms laws.
The Detail
Delaware does not maintain its own assault weapon ban or feature-based restrictions on semi-automatic rifles. This means you can legally own and build AR-15s with standard features like collapsible stocks, pistol grips, flash hiders, and bayonet lugs without running afoul of state law. The state relies on existing federal regulations to govern these firearms.
Your builds still need to comply with federal requirements, including proper barrel length minimums for rifles and overall length requirements. If you're building a pistol configuration, you need to ensure it meets federal pistol criteria and avoid creating an unregistered short-barreled rifle. Delaware requires background checks for all firearms transfers, including private sales, so any lower receivers you purchase will go through the standard process.
Delaware does have a permit system for concealed carry, but this doesn't affect your ability to own or build rifles at home. The state also prohibits certain individuals from owning firearms based on criminal history, mental health adjudications, and other disqualifying factors that mirror federal prohibited person categories.
One area where Delaware differs from some states is magazine capacity. The state does not impose magazine capacity restrictions, so standard capacity magazines are legal to own and use. This gives you more flexibility in your build choices compared to states with 10-round limits.
Build Impact
You can build standard AR-15 configurations in Delaware without worrying about feature restrictions that complicate builds in other states. Just ensure your completed rifle meets federal length requirements and that any receivers were transferred through proper channels with background checks.