DelawareSocial Worker License Requirements

Social work education must come from a program accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). The MSW is required for clinical licensure (LCSW). Field placement provides supervised clinical experience integral to social work training.

Exam Provider

Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB)

Available ASWB Exam Levels

Exam Details

Retake Policy

Candidates have 2 years from application date to pass the ASWB exam. May retake after a 90-day waiting period.

Supervisor Qualifications

Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), licensed psychologist, or licensed psychiatrist. New legislation (effective September 2024) prohibits master's-level social workers from supervising LCSW applicants, with grandfathering for those who began supervision before the effective date.

Supervision Ratio

1 hour of individual supervision per week of social work practice; at least 1,600 hours must occur under LCSW supervision

Clinical social work licensure (LCSW) requires post-master's supervised experience under a qualified clinical supervisor. Supervision must include both direct client contact hours and face-to-face supervision meetings.

Mandatory CE Topics

Regulatory Board

Social worker licenses must be renewed on schedule. Most states require continuing education covering topics such as ethics, cultural competency, suicide prevention, and clinical practice updates. Some states have specific mandatory CE topics that must be completed each renewal cycle.

Additional Requirements for Transfer

• •Submit application through DELPROS system
• •Verification of out-of-state license in good standing
• •Official ASWB score verification sent directly to the Board
• •State and federal criminal background check
• •Child Protection Registry Consent Form

The Social Work Licensure Compact allows eligible social workers to practice across member states. States not in the compact may offer license by endorsement for out-of-state applicants with equivalent credentials and experience.

Telehealth permitted within state. Delaware requires a $50 telehealth registration fee. As a Social Work Licensure Compact member, interstate telehealth practice will be facilitated once multistate licenses become available in 2026.

Licensed social workers in Delaware are mandatory reporters of suspected child abuse, neglect, and elder abuse. Delaware requires 1 hour of mandatory reporting training as part of CE requirements for license renewal. A Child Protection Registry Consent Form is required as part of the licensure application.

Social work scope of practice includes title protection, telehealth regulations, and mandatory reporting obligations. Clinical social workers (LCSWs) can independently diagnose and treat mental health conditions in most states.