Delaware prohibits the possession of loaded rifles or shotguns in, against or on any vehicle, piece of farm machinery, motorboat while under power or sailboat while under power. Delaware also prohibits having any ammunition in the magazine or chamber of a rifle or shotgun in these locations.¹

It is a misdemeanor to knowingly leave a firearm in an unattended vehicle, if the firearm is not stored in a locked box or container, a locked firearms rack on the vehicle, or locked in the trunk of the vehicle.² A “‘locked container’ means a secure container that is fully enclosed and locked by a padlock, keylock, combination lock, or similar locking device that when properly engaged to [sic] render the firearm inaccessible by any individual other than the owner or an authorized person.”³ It does not include the glove compartment of a vehicle “unless the glove compartment can be manually locked to render the firearm inaccessible by any individual other than the owner or an authorized person.⁴

Delaware’s “Safe School and Recreation Zone” law prohibits any juvenile from possessing a firearm in any motor vehicle owned, operated, leased or rented by any public or private school, college or university.⁵

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1. Del. Code Ann. tit. 7, § 708. Long guns may be transported in these vehicles if unloaded, however.[↩]
2. Del. Code Ann. tit. 11 § 1456(b).[↩]
3. Del. Code Ann. tit. 11 § 1456(a)(2)(c).[↩]
4. Id.[↩]
5. Del. Code Ann. tit. 11, § 1457(a), (b), (c)(2). A state administrative regulation also prohibits weapons of any kind on a school bus. 14-1100 Del. Code Regs. § 9.15.[↩]