Updated for 2026

Delaware LMFT Continuing Education Requirements

Delaware marriage and family therapists must complete 40 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew their LMFT license, including 3 hours of ethics and 3 hours of cultural inclusion equity and diversity.

40hours every 2 years
Topic minimums, counted within the 40
3ethics
3cultural inclusion equity and diversity

Next deadline: September 30, 2028The renewal cycle is biennial, and CE is due by September 30 of even years.

What the board saysDelaware board rule
All licenses shall be renewable biennially1 on September 30 th of even-numbered years … 12.2.1 Licensees must complete at least 40 acceptable CE hours1, including 3 hours of continuing education in ethics2 and 3 hours in cultural inclusion, equity, and diversity3, during the previous licensure period in order to renew their license … 12.2.2.3 Teaching academic or CE courses, presentation of original papers, or the writing of a peer-reviewed article may account for up to 20 CE hours4.
What it means
  1. 40 hours every 2 years
  2. 3 hours of ethics
  3. 3 hours on cultural inclusion, equity, and diversity
  4. No more than 20 hours for teaching, presenting, or publishing
24 Del. Admin. Code 3000-12.2Last verified August 2026Ruleset 2026.4How we verify
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Requirements

Delaware LMFT requirements

Total

40 hoursYou need 40 hours every 2 years. The renewal cycle is biennial, and CE is due by September 30 of even years.

Topic minimums, counted within the 40

The remaining 34 hours are not tied to a topic minimum.
Ethics
3
You need 3 hours each cycle.
Cultural Inclusion Equity and Diversity
3
You need 3 hours each cycle.

Limits on how the hours are earned

Teaching presentation publication
max 20 hrs

Cycle and record rules

Renewal
The renewal cycle is biennial, and CE is due by September 30 of even years.
New licensees
If your first license was issued from April 1 through September 30 of an even-numbered renewal year, no CE is required for that initial period.
Approved providers
Qualifying CE may be offered or sponsored by national professional association, state professional association, regional professional association, governmental agency, and credentialing board.
Recordkeeping
Keep CE documentation for 1 year after each renewal.
Board audit
The board may audit licensees to verify CE compliance.

To keep your proof in order, see what to keep for a CE audit, which covers every state’s retention period and what the audit notice asks for.

Your hours

Check where you stand

Enter the hours you have completed this cycle to see what is left before September 30, 2028.

Your result appears here as you enter hours.

Open the full LMFT CE hours calculator

Also hold a Delaware LPC or LCSW license? Each board runs its own CE cycle. See the Delaware LPC and Delaware LCSW requirements.

Full board policy details
  • Self-study, online, webinars, and other distance-learning formats are fully acceptable. No minimum in-person or live-interactive requirement. No per-day or per-course hour cap stated.
  • Teaching academic or CE courses, presenting original papers, and authoring peer-reviewed articles may COLLECTIVELY count for up to 20 CE hours per biennial cycle. Repeating the same course earns no additional credit toward this 20-hour bucket. The cap is on the licensee-as-educator/author activity, NOT on the delivery format of consumed CE (self-study, online, and other distance-learning formats remain fully acceptable with no cap). Credits in any of these three activities share one 20-hour bucket; tag them with the combined activity category `teaching presentation publication` so the shared cap applies correctly.
  • Inactive status: licensee may request inactive status (approved by Board), held up to five years, with no CE required while inactive. Inactive license terminates at end of the five-year period if not returned to active status. Delaware does not have a separate retired/emeritus license status.
  • Reactivation from inactive: licensee must submit written request and provide proof of 40 hours of acceptable CE completed in the two years immediately preceding the request, including 3 hours ethics and 3 hours cultural inclusion/equity/diversity, plus payment of the renewal fee (no late fee).
  • Hardship extension: Board may grant a CE extension or exception for good cause (disability, serious illness, military service, extended absence from the jurisdiction, exceptional family responsibilities). Request must be made in writing before the end of the licensing period, accompanied by the renewal fee. No conditional/probationary renewal exists outside the hardship-extension pathway.
  • Courses approved by recognized national mental health or substance abuse organizations or their local affiliates (e.g., NBCC, AAMFT, IFTA, NAADAC, the Delaware Certification Board, NASW, ATCB, APA) are accepted regardless of course content and do not need separate Board approval. Other activities aimed at maintaining professional competence are also acceptable; courses whose relevance is not clear require Board approval (requested by the licensee, not the sponsor).
  • Telehealth competence: licensees providing services via telehealth must maintain competence with the information technologies used through continuing education, consultation, or other procedures. No fixed CE hour count is mandated for telehealth; relevant training can count toward the standard 40-hour requirement.
  • Delaware does not allow taking a licensing examination (NCE, NCMHCE, AMFTRB, etc.) in lieu of CE credits.
  • Supervisor training: An LPCMH who serves as a clinical supervisor for an associate must have completed at least 3 hours of CE in clinical supervision within the two years prior to the associate's application, OR have accumulated 12 hours of clinical supervision training over their lifetime. This is a precondition for supervising trainees, not a recurring renewal requirement for the supervisor's own license.

Delaware LMFT CE: frequently asked questions

How many CE hours do Delaware LMFT licensees need?

Delaware requires 40 continuing education hours every 2 years to renew a LMFT license. The renewal cycle is biennial, and CE is due by September 30 of even years.

How many ethics hours are required for Delaware LMFT licensees?

Of the total, 3 hours must be in ethics.

How often do Delaware LMFT licensees renew?

The renewal cycle is biennial, and CE is due by September 30 of even years.

Are there subject-specific CE requirements for Delaware LMFT licensees?

Yes. In addition to ethics, Delaware requires 3 hours of cultural inclusion equity and diversity.

Is the first renewal different for new Delaware LMFT licensees?

If your first license was issued from April 1 through September 30 of an even-numbered renewal year, no CE is required for that initial period.

Sources and verification

State source
Delaware board rule
Last verified
August 2026
Ruleset version
2026.4

We reviewed this page against the Delaware board source, and we refresh it from the compiled ruleset above. Methodology and disclaimer. Compliance data is for guidance only, not legal or board advice. Always confirm requirements with your licensing board before renewing. See something wrong? Report it

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Delaware guides & data

What to keep for a CE audit →Learn what boards ask for in a CE audit, how long each state says to keep certificates, and what the notice looks like, then use the printable checklist.Delaware mental health workforce data →4,511 active providers, or 425.6 per 100,000 residents, ranked 27 of 51. The page includes a county density map and free CSV downloads.

Other Delaware CE requirement pages

Delaware LPCDelaware LCSWDelaware PsychologistDelaware Addiction CounselorDelaware PMHNP

LMFT CE requirements in other states