DELAWARE - Delaware lawmakers have introduced legislation aimed at updating the state’s ghost gun law and creating a path for people who legally own them.
An unserialized gun or a "ghost gun" is a gun that does not have a serial number. That number is what makes the gun traceable by law enforcement. House Bill 418, sponsored by Rep. K. Johnson and Sen. Sturgeon, was released on Tuesday in the Delaware General Assembly.
The bill would amend Delaware law to allow people who legally possessed an unfinished gun frame, receiver or unserialized gun before the law’s enactment to either have the gun serialized by a federally licensed gun dealer or manufacturer, or render it permanently inoperable within six months.
The legislation also creates a legal definition for “permanently inoperable,” stating the gun must be altered in a way that cannot be reversed using ordinary tools or commonly available equipment. The bill outlines several qualifying methods, including welding the barrel closed or destroying the frame in line with federal gun destruction standards.
Under the proposal, federally licensed gun dealers and manufacturers could imprint serial numbers onto qualifying guns and unfinished frames or receivers. Any gun returned after serialization would require a background check under existing Delaware law. If the transfer is denied, the gun would have to be surrendered to law enforcement.
Lawmakers said the legislation also aligns Delaware law with federal serialization standards while maintaining the prohibition on untraceable guns. If approved, the law would take effect immediately upon enactment.
