Edited November 17, 2025| 10:45 a.m.

The Delaware State Police, through the State Bureau of Identification (SBI), announces the launch of the Permit to Purchase Firearms Instructor Portal, which provides firearms instructors with resources to confirm their credentials and ensure that their course content meets the statutory requirements of the law. Instructors may seek pre-approval (optional) through the portal, but pre-approval is not required. SBI will confirm course compliance when an applicant submits a permit application. This process applies only to instructors who train individuals seeking a permit to purchase.

Process for Instructors (Pre-approval Optional)

To participate and appear on the public list of approved providers, instructors may complete the optional pre-approval step below, or proceed without pre-approval and have course compliance confirmed during applicant review:

1. Review the Permit to Purchase Training Course Guidelines
2. Complete the instructor application in the Firearms Instructor Portal
3. Submit all required documents with the application, including:
   • A valid firearms instructor certificate showing expiration date, issued by a nationally recognized organization or law enforcement agency that meets Delaware POST standards
   • Instructor identification card
   • Training course syllabus

Click Here for the Permit to Purchase Instructor Portal

Once instructors meet the statutory requirements, they will be included on the Permit to Purchase website’s public list of approved trainers.

Training Course Requirements

As required by Delaware law, courses must cover topics including safe handling and storage of firearms and ammunition, shooting fundamentals with live fire (minimum 100 rounds), applicable federal and state law (including Delaware law on the use of deadly force), conflict avoidance and management, and suicide prevention. The complete statutory list is available here: Delaware Code Online.

After successfully completing the firearms training safety course, instructors must provide a signed Firearms Training Course Certification Form. The applicant will submit this form with the permit to purchase application.

Contact Information for Instructors:

• Email: DSP_P2P_Instructor@delaware.gov
• Phone: (302) 741-2800

Effective November 16, 2025, hours will be Monday – Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., and Sunday, 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Exemptions to the firearms training requirement are outlined in Delaware law and can be found here: Delaware Code Online.

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