DELAWARE FIELD FILE

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can they search my cardo I have to show IDlandlord kept my depositcan I record the policewhat happens if I refuse a breathalyzer

Start with a situation

• Traffic stopsGetting pulled over, documents, searches, and what happens roadside.→
• Being stoppedOn foot, on the street, and what you owe an officer who stops you.→
• Marijuana and drugsWhat the state legalized, what it did not, and where state and federal law disagree.→
• Impaired drivingImpaired driving stops, field tests, breath and blood tests, and implied consent.→
• Court and moneyDebt, eviction, work, family and records. The side of the system with no officer in it.→
• Your homeRenting and the landlord, and when the police may come inside.→
• RecordingFilming police, recording calls, and whose consent the law requires.→
• Carrying a firearmCarry rules, the duty to disclose, where guns are barred, and self defense.→
• Charges and penaltiesHow offenses are graded, jail ranges, fines, and repeat offense steps.→
• How you carry yourselfSilence, counsel, complying now and contesting later.→

New in Delaware

• Walkthrough·Oct 8The Stop on Route OneA stop at night, a license left at home, a registration card in the glove box, and insurance shown on a phone.
• Walkthrough·Oct 8The First HandgunA purchaser permit, a training course in the last 5 years, 30 days to decide, and a hearing after a denial.
• Walkthrough·Oct 8The Seven Day LetterRent late, a written demand, 7 days to pay, mediation before trial, and paying to stay before the writ.
• Walkthrough·Oct 8The Bill From the Emergency RoomA hospital bill, no interest, a payment plan capped at 5% of income, an insurance appeal, and a clean credit report.

All 10 new in Delaware ↓

Someone asked

“How long does a landlord in Delaware have to return a deposit?”

Getting the Deposit Back

A landlord who fails to return the deposit, or the difference, within 20 days owes double the amount wrongfully withheld. The return goes to an address in the rental agreement or a forwarding address the tenant gave in writing, and a tenant who gives none relieves the landlord of the notice duty.

• 25 Del. C. § 5514StatuteSecurity depositOpens delcode.delaware.gov ↗

Read the whole section →

Legal information, not legal advice. Every block on this site carries the source it rests on.

Walk it through

55 situations taken one decision at a time, with what the law asks of each side written out at every step. Each opens on its own page.

Traffic stops9Being stopped3Marijuana and drugs2Impaired driving1Court and money20Your home13Carrying a firearm3Charges and penalties3How you carry yourself1

• The Stop on Route OneA stop at night, a license left at home, a registration card in the glove box, and insurance shown on a phone.3 steps →
• The Fender BenderA bumped car with no one in it, a driver who is hurt, a call to the police, and what leaving costs.3 steps →
• The Speeding TicketA posted limit, a fine that grows by the mile, the line where speed becomes reckless, and careless driving.3 steps →
• The School BusFlashing red lights from the other direction, a 4 lane road, and a suspension on top of the fine.3 steps →
• The RideA car passing a bicycle, 3 feet at least, a stop sign on a quiet road, a helmet for a child, and a crash.3 steps →
• The Learner's PermitA permit at 16, 6 months with a supervisor, 50 hours signed off, a curfew, one passenger, and no phone.3 steps →
• The Unpaid TicketA suspension for an unpaid fine, a drive to work anyway, a judge's finding, and what reinstating takes.3 steps →
• The Phone in the CupholderA text at a red light, a map on a mount, a call on the speaker, and a belt left off in the back.3 steps →
• The Flashing LightsAn ambulance coming up behind, a trooper stopped on the shoulder, a tow truck, and a fine that doubles.3 steps →

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About this guide — education built from the Delaware Code as the Legislative Council publishes it, not a law degree in a webpage. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Delaware attorney or a legal aid office. Current as of October 2026.

This guide covers common situations in real Delaware encounters. Not the whole legal code, not a replacement for a lawyer.