HB 399 (expired); HB 125 (active law)
The printer-hardware bill died with the session. An older law still stands.
Last reviewed 2026-08-01
Two things are going on in Delaware. House Bill 125, passed during the 151st General Assembly, is active law in the Delaware Code at 11 Del. C. section 1463. House Bill 399, which would have placed mandates on 3D printer hardware itself, was introduced on June 11, 2026 and never got out of committee.
HB 399 would have required every 3D printer sold or delivered in Delaware to ship with built-in blocking technology: a blueprint-detection algorithm checking CAD and STL files against a banned-file library maintained by the state, refusing any job matching a firearm or auto-sear. Manufacturers would have had to file sworn attestations with the Attorney General before shipping into the state. A working group would first have studied whether that was technically feasible at all.
The bill expired when the 2026 regular session adjourned on June 30, 2026. Delaware runs two-year terms and bills do not carry over, so the text would have to be reintroduced as a brand-new bill in the 154th General Assembly, which convenes January 12, 2027.
HB 125 (active law): felony for an unlicensed person to use a 3D printer or similar equipment to manufacture a firearm, receiver, frame or major component.
HB 125 (active law): outlaws distributing digital instructions such as CAD files or G-code to unlicensed individuals where those files can program a printer to make a firearm or component.
HB 399 (expired): would have required all 3D printers sold in Delaware to carry built-in blueprint-detection blocking technology.
HB 399 (expired): would have required manufacturers to submit sworn compliance attestations to the Attorney General before selling into the state.
HB 399 (expired): included a feasibility working group, with a six-month compliance window for manufacturers if blocking technology were found workable.
Delaware General Election
Question candidates on 3D printing regulations, hardware DRM, and open-source tech during town halls. Secure "No" commitments before legislators take office.
Bill Pre-filing Period
Contact sponsors and House leadership directly. Present technical data showing why blocking algorithms are unworkable to dissuade them from re-filing.
154th General Assembly Convenes
Monitor the legislative roll to check if a replacement bill is assigned a new House Bill number.
Committee Referral Window
Primary target window. Lobby members of the House Judiciary Committee to prevent the bill from being scheduled for a committee vote.
Session 1 Adjournment Deadline
If held in committee past this date, the bill remains frozen until 2028.