State guide
Advance Directive Forms in Delaware
By Jason Su · Sources last confirmed September 15
We link to official sources only. We are not a law firm and we never write legal documents. The form you sign must come from an official or authorised source in your state.
What this document does
An advance directive is where you write down the healthcare treatment you would and would not want if you could not speak for yourself. In most states it also names a healthcare agent — the person who speaks for you when you cannot.
Where to get the Delaware form
Delaware Department of Health and Social Services publishes the current form here: https://dhss.delaware.gov/dsaapd/division-of-services-for-aging-and-adults-with-physical-disabilities/advance-directives/
Delaware uses a combined directive with living will and POA.
Delaware files its directive under aging and disability services
Delaware uses a single combined Advance Health-Care Directive covering both jobs — naming your agent and recording your wishes — published by the Division of Services for Aging and Adults with Physical Disabilities.
The agency name is worth reading closely, because it tells you who Delaware thinks this paperwork is for. It is filed under aging and disability services rather than medical regulation, which is why you will not find it on a health department forms page.
One document means one signature, one copy to hand out, and no risk of completing half the job. Delaware's combined structure is among the simpler arrangements in the country.
It is free, and there is no filing requirement.
Delaware's directive is published under aging and disability services, not the health department. Searching health agency pages will not find it, and commercial template sites will happily fill the gap.
National resources
- USA.gov — Official U.S. government portal.
- Medicare.gov — Official Medicare information.
After you sign it
- Sign it the way Delaware requires. Many states need witnesses or a notary. The form itself says which — follow the form, not a blog.
- Give copies to your healthcare agent and your doctor. A form nobody can find is a form that does not work.
- Keep the original somewhere reachable — not locked in a safe deposit box that needs a bank visit during an emergency.
- Add it to your checklist so your trusted contact knows it exists and where it lives.
Frequently asked
Is the Delaware advance directive form free?
Yes. Delaware Department of Health and Social Services publishes the current form free of charge, and we link to the official source only.
Do I need a lawyer to complete the Delaware form?
No. You can complete the form yourself. It must be signed the way Delaware law requires — usually with witnesses or a notary — so follow the instructions printed on the form itself.
Where should I keep my signed Delaware advance directive?
Give copies to your healthcare agent and your doctor, and keep the original somewhere reachable at home — not locked in a safe deposit box that needs a bank visit during an emergency.
Next: build your checklist and record where this form is kept.