Veterinarian License in Delaware

Delaware requires continuing education, a veterinary degree from an AVMA-accredited school, and passage of a third-party exam including the NAVLE. There are no criminal record prohibitions for veterinary licensure. Delaware offers temporary licenses for military members and their spouses, facilitating transitions for those stationed at Dover Air Force Base. The Delaware Board of Veterinary Medicine oversees the profession. Delaware has no in-state veterinary school; candidates typically attend the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, or other regional programs in the mid-Atlantic corridor. The state's small size belies its varied practice needs: the Delmarva Peninsula supports a significant poultry industry (with Perdue Farms headquartered in nearby Salisbury, MD and Mountaire Farms in Millsboro, DE), while New Castle County in the north has a dense suburban companion-animal market closely connected to the Wilmington and Philadelphia metro area. Delaware's equine industry, particularly thoroughbred breeding and training operations centered around Delaware Park racetrack and the countryside of Kent County, also supports equine veterinary practice throughout the state.