25 Del. C. ch. 51 § 5116

Fair housing provisions [For application of this section, see 84 Del. Laws, c. 358, § 4]

In Force
Verified 10/21/2026 · Next check 10/28/2026
→ 12/31/2028DelawareProtected Classes (State/Local)

Operative Text

25 Del. C. ch. 51 § 5116
(a) No person, being an owner or agent of any real estate, house, apartment or other premises, may refuse or decline to rent, subrent, sublease, assign, or cancel any existing rental agreement to or of any tenant or any person by reason of race, creed, religion, marital status, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, source of income, occupation, military status, housing status, familial status, or any other basis protected under Chapter 46 of Title 6.

(b) No person may demand or receive a greater sum as rent for the use and occupancy of any premises because the person renting or desiring to rent the premises is of a particular race, creed, religion, marital status, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, source of income, occupation, military status, housing status, familial status, or any other basis protected under Chapter 46 of Title 6.

(c) In the event of discrimination under this section, the tenant may recover damages sustained as a result of the landlord’s action, including reasonable expenditures necessary to obtain adequate substitute housing.

(d) (1) Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this section relating to age discrimination, and consistent with the federal Fair Housing Act [42 U.S.C. § 3601 et seq.] and the Delaware Fair Housing Act, Chapter 46 of Title 6, a landlord may make rental units available exclusively for rental by senior citizens.

(2) A senior citizen rental unit under paragraph (d)(1) of this section must otherwise be available for rent solely to senior citizens, without regard to race, creed, religion, marital status, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, source of income, occupation, military status, housing status, familial status, or any other basis protected under Chapter 46 of Title 6.

(e) (1) The public housing authorities must implement the standardized sequence of processing a request for tenancy approval recommended by the third-party consultant in the May 2024 report, “Alignment of Delaware Housing Choice Voucher Programs to Create Efficiencies and Increase Landlord Engagement,” prepared for the Delaware State Housing Authority.

(2) If a public housing authority fails to comply with the standardized sequence of processing a request for tenancy approval under paragraph (e)(1) of this section, a landlord may deny a rental application to ensure the reliable and timely supply of housing units.

(3) The denial of a rental application under paragraph (e)(2) of this section may not serve as the basis for any administrative or judicial proceeding under this chapter.

(f) The prohibitions in this section against discrimination based on source of income shall not limit the ability of a landlord participating in any government sponsored rental assistance program, voucher, or certificate system from reserving rental units for tenants who qualify for such governmental program.

(g) The prohibitions in this chapter against discrimination based on source of income shall not limit the ability of any landlord or prospective landlord to consider the sufficiency or sustainability of income of, or the credit rating of, a tenant or prospective tenant, so long as sufficiency or sustainability of income, and the credit requirements, are applied in a commercially reasonable manner and without regard to source of income.

(h) A distinction or differential treatment on the basis of military status that is allowed by Delaware law or regulation, federal law or regulation, or government contract is not a violation of this section.
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

Section 5116 of Title 25 of the Delaware Code prohibits anyone who owns or manages rental property from refusing to rent, charging higher rent, or canceling a lease based on a wide range of protected characteristics — including race, sex, disability, source of income, familial status, and others listed in the provision. Tenants who experience such discrimination may seek damages, including the reasonable costs of finding replacement housing. The section also carves out limited exceptions: senior-only housing communities may restrict occupancy to older residents consistent with federal and state fair housing law, and landlords participating in government rental assistance programs may reserve units for qualifying participants without violating the source-of-income protections.

Written by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6 · Reviewed on October 22, 2026

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Under § 5116, operators of rental properties in Delaware are expected to apply consistent, non-discriminatory criteria when screening applicants, setting rents, and managing existing tenancies across all protected classes. Landlords who participate in government-assisted housing programs may lawfully reserve units for program-eligible tenants, and those operating senior housing communities may restrict occupancy to senior citizens, provided all other protected characteristics are still respected within that community. The provision also clarifies that income sufficiency and creditworthiness may be evaluated in a commercially reasonable, source-neutral manner, and that public housing authority processing failures under subsection (e) may, in defined circumstances, permit a landlord to deny an application without triggering a proceeding under this chapter.

General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.

For Tenants

Section 5116 gives Delaware tenants the right not to be refused housing, charged higher rent, or have their lease canceled because of characteristics such as race, disability, source of income, gender identity, or any other basis protected under Chapter 46 of Title 6. If a landlord's conduct appears to violate this provision, the section expressly allows a tenant to pursue damages — including costs incurred to secure comparable substitute housing — through legal channels. Tenants who believe their rights under § 5116 have been violated may consider contacting a tenant-rights organization, filing a complaint with a fair housing agency, or consulting an attorney to understand the options available to them.

General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.

Generated October 22, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.

Effective Timeline

Future
Dec 31, 2028
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References Out

Rules and statutes cited by this regulation

42 U.S.C. § 3601
Not yet ingested

References In

Rules and statutes that cite this regulation

25 Del. C. § 5141
25 Del. C. § 5141
25 Del. C. § 5141
25 Del. C. § 5141
25 Del. C. ch. 51
25 Del. C. § 5106
25 Del. C. § 5105
25 Del. C. § 5116
25 Del. C. § 5116
25 Del. C. § 5116

Related Rules

§ 1
Definitions
§ 3
Functions, powers and duties of commission
§ 4
Unlawful practices

Source Information

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