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LicenseReciprocity

Social Work License from South Dakota to Delaware: Does It Transfer? (2026)

Last verified: 2026-09-27 · source: Delaware Board of Social Work Examiners (Division of Professional Regulation) ↗

Both South Dakota and Delaware have enacted the Social Work Licensure Compact, but multistate licenses are not yet being issued (as of 2026-09-27). Until the compact activates, transfer your social work license the standard way: apply for licensure by endorsement.

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Verdict

Compact enacted — endorsement for now

Interim path until the compact activates: licensure by endorsement.

South Dakota and Delaware have both enacted the Social Work Licensure Compact, but it was not issuing multistate licenses as of 2026-09-27. Shared enactment changes nothing about this move today: you apply to the Delaware Board of Social Work Examiners (Division of Professional Regulation) through its standard out-of-state process below, and your ASWB score is transferred, not retaken.

What changes, South Dakota → Delaware

Side-by-side: South Dakota vs Delaware (Social Work (LCSW / LICSW)), verified 2026-09-27
South Dakota (current)Delaware (destination)
SW Compact statusSW Compact enacted — not yet issuingSW Compact enacted — not yet issuing
Application fee$210 (Application fee for Certified Social Worker-Private Independent Practice per the Board's fee schedule (non-refundable). Biennial renewal is $105.)$205 (LCSW license application fee per the Division of Professional Regulation fee schedule; non-refundable, payable only by card through DELPROS. Background check fees are extra. Renewal fees are announced at renewal.)
Processing timeNo processing time is published. A Board review officer approves applications.The Board publishes no processing time for reciprocity applications.
Licensing authoritySouth Dakota Board of Social Work ExaminersDelaware Board of Social Work Examiners (Division of Professional Regulation)

The destination column is what you must satisfy — Delaware sets the rules for this move.

Step by step

  1. Confirm Delaware's current requirements on the Delaware Board of Social Work Examiners (Division of Professional Regulation) website (linked below) — rules change.
  2. Submit the endorsement application to the Delaware Board of Social Work Examiners (Division of Professional Regulation) (application linked below).
  3. Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
  4. Hold a current clinical social work license in another state, US territory or DC.
  5. If your state's standards are not substantially similar to Delaware's, show at least five years of practice in the past seven.
  6. Complete a State of Delaware and FBI criminal background check through the Division's process.
  7. Have every jurisdiction where you hold or have held a social work license send verification directly to the Board.
  8. Submit the Child Protection Registry Consent Form.
  9. Apply online through DELPROS within six months of starting the application.
  10. Pay the fees ($205 (LCSW license application fee per the Division of Professional Regulation fee schedule; non-refundable, payable only by card through DELPROS. Background check fees are extra. Renewal fees are announced at renewal.)) and allow The Board publishes no processing time for reciprocity applications..

Official links

Delaware Board of Social Work Examiners (Division of Professional Regulation) ↗Delaware application ↗License verification ↗Social Work Licensure Compact ↗

Related guides

Reverse: Delaware → South DakotaSocial Work in South DakotaSocial Work in DelawareAll social work statesThe SW Compact explained

Frequently asked questions

Does Delaware accept a South Dakota social work license?

Both South Dakota and Delaware have enacted the Social Work Licensure Compact, but multistate licenses are not yet being issued (as of 2026-09-27). Until the compact activates, transfer your social work license the standard way: apply for licensure by endorsement.

Do I retake the ASWB exam moving from South Dakota to Delaware?

The ASWB exam is not retaken, but you must already have passed the national ASWB licensing exam and have ASWB send an official score verification directly to the Board through ASWB Score Transfer. No Delaware jurisprudence exam is required. ASWB sends the score for $40 per transfer, requested in ASWBCentral, and delivery takes 7-10 business days.

What does the South Dakota-to-Delaware move cost and how long does it take?

$205 (LCSW license application fee per the Division of Professional Regulation fee schedule; non-refundable, payable only by card through DELPROS. Background check fees are extra. Renewal fees are announced at renewal.) Processing: The Board publishes no processing time for reciprocity applications.

South Dakota and Delaware are both compact states. Can I practice in Delaware on my South Dakota license?

No. The Social Work Licensure Compact was not issuing multistate licenses as of 2026-09-27, so it authorizes no practice in Delaware. You need a Delaware license from the Delaware Board of Social Work Examiners (Division of Professional Regulation).

Will Delaware accept the supervised hours I completed in South Dakota?

Most boards credit supervised experience completed under another state's rules, but some compare it with their own requirement. Delaware's rule, where the Delaware Board of Social Work Examiners (Division of Professional Regulation) publishes one, is in the requirements on this page; confirm with the board if your hours were logged under a different structure.

Sources

Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-09-27.

Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-09-27

How we verify · All sources · spot an error? [email protected]