How to Get Your Delaware Social Work License: Official 2026 Requirements
Looking to get a Delaware social work license and advance your career? You’ll need careful planning and a clear understanding of the requirements to navigate the licensure process.
Delaware requires a Master’s or Doctorate in Social Work from a CSWE-accredited program to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). You must complete 3,200 hours of post-graduate work experience within two years minimum. An LCSW needs to supervise half of those hours (1,600). Your Delaware social work license will expire on January 31st of odd-numbered years. The continuing education requirements differ based on your license type. LCSWs must complete 40 hours every two years.
This guide covers everything you need to know about getting and keeping your Delaware social work license in 2026. We’ll walk you through education prerequisites and application procedures step by step.
Education Requirements
Your Delaware social work license process starts with the right educational credentials. Education is the foundation of professional growth in social work practice. Each licensure level has its own requirements.
You need a degree from a Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) accredited program to get any Delaware social work license. This accreditation will give a guarantee that your education meets national social work practice standards. Your license level determines the specific degree you need:
Licensed Bachelor Social Worker (LBSW) candidates must complete a bachelor’s degree in Social Work from a CSWE-accredited program. Delaware has one CSWE-accredited BSW program. The program needs 122 credits and includes a 12-credit field practicum with at least 400 hours of supervised experience.
Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) candidates must earn a master’s degree in Social Work from a CSWE-accredited program. This credential lets you practice non-clinical social work at an advanced level.
Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) candidates also need a master’s degree in Social Work from a CSWE-accredited institution. Clinical licensure needs additional supervised experience beyond education, as mentioned earlier.
Delaware State University leads the state as the only institution offering a CSWE-accredited Master of Social Work program. The program got its original accreditation in 2004 and has grown into a vital educational resource in the region. Program highlights include:
- Advanced Generalist Practice focus that prepares graduates to work with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities
- A curriculum that includes five key elements: empowerment, strengths viewpoint, Black viewpoint, global viewpoint, and rural viewpoint
- Online and on-campus study options for flexibility
Delaware State University’s MSW program offers two paths based on your education:
- Regular Admission Track: Students with bachelor’s degrees in other fields need 60 credits. Full-time students finish in four semesters, while part-time students take six to eight semesters.
- Advanced Standing Track: Students with a BSW from a CSWE-accredited program need 30 credits. This fast-track option takes about 18 months with year-round classes.
Students with a BSW from a CSWE-accredited program might get up to 28 transfer credits toward their MSW if they meet regular status requirements. These advanced standing credits apply to undergraduate foundation courses with grades of “B” or better from the last five years. All the same, practice courses and field practicum don’t qualify for advanced standing credit.
Field education plays a vital role in social work training. MSW students complete two field practicums:
- First year: 400 hours over two semesters (about 14 hours weekly)
- Second year: 500 hours over two semesters (about 18 hours weekly)
Advanced standing students only need the 500-hour advanced year practicum. These experiences help students use theoretical knowledge in real settings while learning core program elements.
Students who want to upgrade from a lower to higher license level must meet all education, experience, and exam requirements for the higher level. To cite an instance, Bachelor’s social work license holders under grandfather provision who want a clinical social work license must complete all education, experience, and exam requirements for the clinical license.
Exam Requirements
Getting your Delaware social work license requires passing a crucial milestone – the exam process. You’ll need to pass the appropriate Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) exam to prove your professional skills after meeting educational requirements.
The Delaware Board of Social Work Examiners must approve you before you can register for any exam. Here’s what you need to do next:
- Create a DELPROS user account through the online portal
- Complete your application for licensure
- Register for the appropriate ASWB exam
- Schedule and take your test at a Pearson VUE testing center
ASWB offers different exam levels that match various license categories. Each level tests your knowledge and skills specific to your practice level. The fees vary:
- Associate, Bachelors, or Masters exam: $230
- Advanced Generalist or Clinical exam: $260
You’ll find several resources to help you prepare. The ASWB Exam Guidebook gives you great insights about:
- Steps for taking the exam
- What to expect on exam day
- Exam creation methodology
- Question structure and format
Clinical Social Worker applicants need to pass the ASWB Clinical Exam as their final step. You can take this exam before or after submitting your clinical licensure application. After passing, send your results directly to the Delaware Board using the Official Score Transfer Request Form.
Don’t feel discouraged if you don’t pass on your first try. You can retake the exam every 90 days. Each attempt needs a new ASWB registration and full exam fee payment.
The Delaware Board will email you once you pass the required exam. This email includes your license details and information about renewal requirements and continuing education.
Candidates with special needs can get accessibility accommodations. You might qualify for nonstandard testing arrangements if you have a disability, health condition, or if English isn’t your first language. Reach out to ASWB directly before scheduling your exam to request these accommodations.
The NASW-Delaware chapter offers prep courses regularly. Many companies also provide in-person and online exam prep programs to help you succeed.
Note that each license level needs its own ASWB exam. To name just one example, moving from LBSW to LCSW means you’ll need to pass all exam requirements for that higher license level.
Supervised Experience
Getting supervised experience is a significant step toward your Delaware social work license, particularly if you plan to practice clinically. You’ll need to accumulate supervised hours to show your practical competence after completing your education and starting exam prep.
The Delaware Board of Social Work Examiners requires LCSW applicants to complete 3,200 hours of post-degree supervised clinical social work experience. You must get this experience not less than 2 years and not more than 5 years. Professional supervision will guide your development through evaluation and direction.
Your 3,200 hours must include 1,600 hours of clinical experience under direct professional supervision. The requirements state that 100 hours must be one-to-one supervision with an approved supervisor. Supervisors can conduct these sessions face-to-face or through live video conferencing, and they may allow up to 100% via video. The board does not allow supervision by telephone or email.
Your supervised experience must show proficiency in these key practice skills:
- Providing adequate clinical diagnoses and biopsychosocial assessments
- Performing short-term and long-term interventions
- Establishing treatment plans with measurable goals
- Adapting interventions to maximize client responsiveness
- Demonstrating competence in clinical risk assessment
- Recognizing when personal issues affect clinical objectivity
- Operating within practice limitations and seeking consultation when needed
Supervisors must verify your experience using the “Supervisory Reference Form”. The Board can request copies of supervisory logs from applicants who don’t provide enough documentation.
You can receive supervision from a social worker with an MSW, a licensed psychologist, or a licensed psychiatrist if an LCSW supervisor isn’t available. This requires you to complete a “Documentation of Attempts to Secure LCSW Supervision” form.
Qualified supervisors need to have held their LCSW for at least 3 years and maintain their social work license in good standing with relevant continuing education. They can oversee up to 7 supervisees at once.
The board won’t count hours completed under supervision of someone who doesn’t meet these requirements toward your 3,200-hour requirement.
Application Process
The application submission represents your final step toward getting your Delaware social work license after completing education, exam, and supervised experience requirements. You’ll work with the Delaware Board of Social Work Examiners through their online portal system.
Your journey starts with creating an account on the Delaware Professional Regulation Online Services (DELPROS) portal. This digital world makes the application process easier with step-by-step guidance. Your e-License Dashboard becomes available after registration, and you can begin your application there.
You’ll need these key components for a complete application:
- Completed license application form submitted through DELPROS
- Official transcripts sent directly from your social work degree program
- Proof of supervised experience (for LCSW applicants) via the Supervisory Reference Form
- Background check and fingerprinting documentation
- Delaware Child Protection Registry Consent Form
- Application fee payment
LCSW applicants should expect to pay approximately $232 total – $163 for the non-refundable processing fee plus $69 for the criminal background check. The board won’t refund any fees required to process your application.
Here’s what you need to know about the application process:
- Your application must be completed within six months of starting
- You’ll need to start over if you miss the six-month deadline
- The Board office requires physical mail for documents with seals or notary verification
- The Board reviews applications only during scheduled meetings
New applicants should choose “My Information Not Found” when setting up their DELPROS account. Current or previous Delaware license holders need to enter their application or license number during registration.
DELPROS lets you monitor your application status through the “View Application Status” feature on your e-License dashboard. A complete application speeds up the process substantially, as missing documents often cause delays.
The Board will notify you once your license gets approved. You’ll receive details about renewal requirements and continuing education needed to maintain your professional status.
Continuing Education
Your Delaware social work license needs regular professional development through continuing education. This helps you stay current with evolving best practices and ethical standards as your career progresses.
Delaware structures continuing education (CE) requirements according to license type:
- Licensed Bachelor Social Worker (LBSW): 20 hours every two years
- Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW): 30 hours every two years[154]
- Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW): 40 hours every two years[154]
Social workers must complete at least 6 hours of ethics training and 1 hour of mandatory reporting training per renewal period[154], whatever their license type. Delaware allows you to complete all required hours through independent study, which gives you flexibility to fulfill these obligations.
License renewal happens every two years, and all social work licenses expire on January 31st of odd-numbered years. You must complete your continuing education within this two-year cycle. Extra credits cannot carry over to the next period.
Your first renewal has prorated CE requirements based on when you received your license:
For LBSWs:
- On/before June 30 of odd years: 18 hours required
- Between July 1 (odd years) and February 1 (even years): 12 hours
- Between February 1 and June 30 (even years): 6 hours
- Between July 1 (even years) and February 1 (odd years): 0 hours
LMSW and LCSW licenses follow like schedules with adjusted hour requirements. You’ll need to confirm completion of all required CE hours during renewal.
Delaware Board accepts continuing education courses from providers approved by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB). National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Delaware chapter offers CE programs that meet these requirements. Members often get discounted rates.
Keep documentation of all completed courses. Random audits by the Board check CE completion, so save your certificates for at least five years. Regular attention to your continuing education will give a smooth practice and professional growth in your social work career.
Additional Information
Your Delaware social work license needs attention beyond the original certification process. Let’s explore some practical management details that help you stay in good standing with the Delaware Board of Social Work Examiners.
The Delaware Board of Social Work Examiners protects the public from unsafe practices and upholds professional competence standards. The Board holds monthly meetings on the third Monday at 9:00 a.m., except during August and December. The Board meets on the first Monday when regular dates fall on holidays. These meetings happen in the Cannon Building in Dover and welcome public attendance.
You still have options if you miss your license renewal deadline. A late renewal application remains possible within one year of expiration, though you’ll need to pay both the standard renewal fee and a late fee. Your license terminates after this one-year grace period, and you’ll need to submit a new application.
Delaware offers an inactive license status for practitioners taking a break. You can request this status through your DELPROS account. This status lets you keep your credentials while not practicing. Your license reactivation happens through the same system when you decide to return.
The Delaware Professional Regulation Online Services (DELPROS) portal helps you manage your entire licensure journey. You can track applications, handle renewals, and update your information through this system. Keep your contact details updated because renewal notices come by email.
Delaware provides confidential support resources to social workers who face mental health or substance abuse challenges—you’ll find access details on the Board’s website.
Recent legislation has changed things for Licensed Masters Social Workers since June 30, 2024. Senate Bill 314 removed “supervision” from the LMSW scope of practice. These regulatory changes are crucial to understand current compliance standards.
The telehealth registration process requires a separate $50 fee application, which differs from standard license fees.