A method for initializing a delay locked loop having a delay circuit includes a plurality of serially connected delay elements and a counter circuit for selecting an output of one of the delay elements as an output clock signal. The method includes resetting an initial delay control circuit, generating, with the initial delay control circuit, a pulse based on a period of an input clock signal, determining, with the initial delay control circuit, a number of delay elements required to produce a delay time at least substantially equivalent to a pulse width for a preset signal, initializing the counter circuit based on the preset signal and adjusting the counter circuit in response to phases of the input and output clock signals.