DOVER, Del.- The sale of assault weapons were banned in the state of Delaware on June 30th, 2022. However if you owned the gun prior to that date, the Department of Safety and Homeland Security is offering voluntary proof of ownership certificates.
Delaware residents have two upcoming opportunities to obtain one of these certificates. The first is Saturday June 3rd from 9AM to 5PM at Delaware State Police Troop 7 in Lewes. The second is Saturday June 10th from 9AM to 5PM at the DSP State Bureau of Identification in Dover.
According to a Delaware Department of Safety and Home Land Security news release, gun owners seeking one of these certificates must meet the following criteria:
- A valid DE driver’s license, DE identification card, or US passport.
- A dated bill of sale, receipt of purchase, or record of transfer from a licensed firearms dealer for weapons that were purchased that reflect a completed sale or possession prior to June 30, 2022.
- For inherited weapons, a will or other documentation substantiating that the weapon was received through inheritance.
- DSHS will not maintain any record of the issuance of the certificate, as required by the Act.
- Residents must bring the weapons for which the certificate of possession is sought, but all weapons must be unloaded and left secured in their vehicles. Residents must enter the buildings unarmed.
The assault weapons ban, House Bill 450, was one of a slew of gun control measures passed by state lawmakers in 2022. A number of exceptions to the assault weapons sale ban are in place, per state code.