State rules
Delaware
Delaware splits asbestos work across environmental and health agencies rather than a single licensing board. The Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Division of Air Quality runs the Asbestos Management Program and says it works with the Division of Waste and Hazardous Substances and with the Office of Management and Budget’s facilities staff. Notices before activity that may disturb asbestos go to DNREC. The Division of Public Health hosts a separate asbestos page under healthy-homes licenses. EPA’s contact list names one person for enforcement and another for licenses. Delaware is not on EPA’s list of twelve AHERA waiver states.
Checked against official sources on October 11, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.
- Who runs the asbestos program
- Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, Division of Air Quality, with licensing ties to the Division of Public Health
- Who must be licensed or accredited
- DNREC tells owners to use a Delaware-licensed asbestos inspector and, for most removal, a licensed asbestos abatement contractor. Public health lists asbestos inside its healthy-homes licensing pages.
- Official program page
- Official page →
DNREC says many homes contain asbestos materials and that a Delaware-licensed asbestos inspector should identify them. Material in good condition that will not be disturbed should be left alone. If it will be disturbed, the page says homeowners should consider a licensed abatement contractor for most removal projects. Homeowners in single-family, owner-occupied homes may do the work themselves if they package and dispose of the waste properly, but DNREC says they should use extreme caution. That sentence is a narrow exception on the state page, not a set of removal steps, and it does not apply to commercial buildings.
Before removal during renovation or demolition of a structure that contains asbestos, owners are advised, and may be required, to have an inspection by a Delaware-licensed inspector. Owners or operators must notify DNREC at least ten working days before activity that may disturb asbestos-containing materials. Facility owners and fire companies that demolish buildings for fire training must meet the notification and approval rules in the Delaware open-burning program. Waste haulers that may transport asbestos are permitted by the Division of Waste and Hazardous Substances, and DNREC says to call 302-739-9403 for that hauler list.
The public-health asbestos page sits under licenses and permits, which is why a Delaware contractor credential is not issued by the air division alone. EPA lists Colin Gomes for enforcement and Robert Purnell for licenses. Use the enforcement contact for a notice or inspection dispute and the license contact for whether a card is valid. Because Delaware is not an AHERA waiver state, school management plans follow the federal school rule in addition to any DNREC notice that applies when a school building is renovated or demolished.
Official resources in Delaware
Ten-working-day notice, licensed inspector advice, and the homeowner caution.
Health-department asbestos page under licenses and permits.
Separate Delaware contacts for enforcement and for licenses.
Federal demolition and renovation standard.
Key facts for Delaware
- DNREC says owners or operators must notify the department at least ten working days before activity that may disturb asbestos-containing materials.
- Inspections should be done by a Delaware-licensed asbestos inspector.
- Owner-occupants of single-family homes may do their own work only if they package and dispose of waste properly, and DNREC urges caution.
- Fire-training demolitions must meet the Delaware open-burning notification and approval requirements.
- DNREC’s waste division maintains permitted asbestos haulers and lists 302-739-9403 for that list.
- EPA lists separate Delaware contacts for enforcement and for licenses.
- Delaware is not on EPA’s list of twelve AHERA waiver states.
What to do next
- Hire a Delaware-licensed inspector before renovation or demolition of a building that may contain asbestos.
- File the DNREC notice at least ten working days before the disturbance.
- Call 302-739-9403 for the permitted hauler list rather than assuming any dumpster company can take the waste.
- Check the license contact on EPA’s list if you need to confirm a Delaware credential.
Looking for your city or county in Delaware?
We haven't found official program-level pages for Delaware we can verify yet, so we don't show local numbers here rather than guess. Here's what to use instead, in order:
- General Start with the statewide information above. It applies across Delaware, but cities and counties can add their own steps, fees or deadlines.
- Call to confirm Ask the official office. They have the current local rule, fee and form.Delaware DNREC Division of Air Quality
Website →Phone: (302) 739-5644 (as listed on that page, checked Oct 4, 2026)Your city or county office: Local governments →Not sure who handles it locally? USAGov's free help line, 1-844-872-4681, or the Delaware page on USA.gov can point you to the right office. - Know the current info? Tell us and include a link to the official page. We check every tip before it goes up.
Helpful guides
- What an asbestos inspection is
- NESHAP notification before demolition
- Asbestos rules for schools
- OSHA rules that protect asbestos workers