BY STATE · DELAWARE · 49 CFR §40.281

How to Become a DOT SAP in Delaware

Becoming a DOT Substance Abuse Professional is one uniform federal pathway, set in 49 CFR §40.281 and applied the same way in every state. What is specific to Delaware is the underlying clinical credential — the license or certification you earn through the boards below to satisfy the §40.281(a) requirement before you complete SAP qualification training and pass the national exam.

TRACK A

Addiction-counselor certification (the DOT counselor path)

This is the path that satisfies the §40.281(a) “drug and alcohol counselor” category, which DOT accepts only through a NAADAC-, IC&RC-, or NBCC-affiliated board. In Delaware that credential is:

CADC (Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor)

IC&RC-affiliated: Yes

Issuing board: Delaware Certification Board (DCB)
Education requirement: 300 hours of ADC-domain education including 6 hours in SUD ethics; minimum associate's degree in a relevant field (confirm at decertboard.org).
Supervised hours: ~4,000 hours (2 years full-time) of relevant work experience with 200 hours under direct supervision; ~5,000 hours part-time alternative (confirm at the DCB CADC page).
Required exam: IC&RC ADC examination (150-item, computer-based)
Also accepted: DCB is the state IC&RC member board. (Delaware also has a separate state Licensed Chemical Dependency Professional (LCDP) license under the Board of Mental Health & Chemical Dependency Professionals — verify current status.)

TRACK B

State clinical license

Delaware also issues a clinical license that qualifies on its own under §40.281(a).

LCDP (Licensed Chemical Dependency Professional) — state license; verify current requirements

Issuing board: Delaware Board of Mental Health and Chemical Dependency Professionals (Division of Professional Regulation)

OTHER PATHS

Other SAP-eligible boards in Delaware

You do not have to be an addiction counselor. Any one of these Delaware boards licenses a profession that satisfies one of the other five §40.281(a) SAP credential categories — physician, social worker, psychologist, employee assistance professional, or marriage and family therapist.

Social worker Delaware Board of Social Work Examiners (DPR)

Psychologist Delaware Board of Examiners of Psychologists (DPR)

Marriage & family therapist Delaware Board of Mental Health & Chemical Dependency Professionals — LPCMH and LMFT (DPR)

Physician Delaware Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline (DPR)

THE FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS

The federal steps are the same in every state

Once you hold a qualifying Delaware credential above, the rest of the SAP pathway is set by federal rule and does not change by state. See the full federal requirements →

1 What credential do you need to become a DOT SAP?
2 What knowledge does a SAP need?
3 What qualification training and exam are required?
4 What continuing education must a SAP maintain?
5 What documentation must a SAP keep?
6 What does a DOT SAP actually do?

Sources

Last reviewed: 2026-07-07

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