Liquefied Petroleum Gas Containers

Del. Code tit. 16, ch. 72

in effect

Del. Code tit. 16, § 7201 Definitions.

(a) The term “liquefied petroleum gas” as used in this chapter means any material which is composed predominately of any of the following hydrocarbons or mixtures of the same: Propane, propylene, butanes (normal butane and isobutane) and butylenes. (b) The term “owner” as used in this chapter means any person who holds a written bill of sale under which title or ownership to a container was transferred to such person or any manufacturer of a container who has not sold or transferred ownership thereof by written bill of sale. (c) The term “person” as used in this chapter means any person, firm or corporation.

Del. Code tit. 16, § 7202 Unlawful use, filling or refilling of containers.

(a) No person except the owner thereof or person authorized in writing by the owner shall fill or refill with liquefied petroleum gas, or any other gas or compound, a liquefied petroleum gas container, or buy, sell, offer for sale, give, take, loan, deliver or permit to be delivered or otherwise use, dispose of or traffic in a liquefied petroleum gas container or containers if the container bears upon the surface thereof in plainly legible characters the name, initials, mark or other device of the owner, nor shall any person other than the owner of a liquefied petroleum gas container or a person authorized in writing by the owner deface, erase, obliterate, cover up or otherwise remove or conceal any name, mark, initial or device thereon. (b) It shall be unlawful for any person to fill a liquefied petroleum gas container in excess of the amount permitted in the National Fire Protection Association Standard 58, The Liquefied Petroleum Gas Code; or to fill a liquefied petroleum gas container on the property of any person that is not equipped with a fill tube or gauge; provided that a liquefied petroleum gas container may be filled by weight if the liquefied petroleum gas container is weighed before and after filling.

Del. Code tit. 16, § 7203 Presumptive evidence of unlawful use.

The use of a liquefied petroleum gas container or containers by any person other than the person whose name, mark, initial or device is on the liquefied petroleum gas container or containers without written consent, or purchase of the marked and distinguished liquefied petroleum gas container for the sale of liquefied petroleum gas or filling or refilling with liquefied petroleum gas, or possession of the liquefied petroleum gas containers by any person other than the person having the person’s name, mark, initial or other device thereon, without the written consent of such owner, shall be presumptive evidence of the unlawful use, filling or refilling or trafficking in of such liquefied petroleum gas containers.

Del. Code tit. 16, § 7204 Arrest for violation [Repealed].

Del. Code tit. 16, § 7205 Penalty and jurisdiction.

(a) Any person who violates § 7202 of this title shall be imprisoned not more than 90 days or fined not more than $300, or both, for each separate offense. (b) Justices of the peace shall have original jurisdiction over this offense.

Del. Code tit. 16, § 7206 Disposition of fines and costs.

The costs incurred in the enforcement of this chapter shall be assessed and collected in the same manner as in other criminal cases, and all fines collected by virtue of this chapter shall be turned over in the same manner and for the same purposes as criminal and misdemeanor fines are disposed of by law.

Del. Code tit. 16, § 7207 Nonapplicability to small containers.

Nothing in this chapter shall apply to or shall be construed to affect a liquefied petroleum gas container having a total capacity of 30 pounds or less.

Del. Code tit. 16, § 7208 Ownership of liquefied petroleum gas containers.

Any liquefied petroleum gas containers placed upon land, whether aboveground or underground, by a person other than the owner of the land, pursuant to a lease or bailment agreement between the owner of the land and the person placing such containers on the land, shall remain movable property during the term of such lease or bailment, and the ownership thereof shall not be affected by the sale, either private or judicial, through foreclosure, execution process or otherwise, of the land upon which they are placed, nor shall the ownership of such containers by the person placing them upon the land be subordinate to the rights of any purchaser of the land at any such sale. The owner of any liquefied petroleum gas container removed from any property under this section shall be responsible for filling in the hole resulting from the removal of such container.

Source: DE Code (Official Site)URL: https://delcode.delaware.gov/title16/c072/index.htmlFetched: 6/28/2026