Short answers to the questions that come up most. For the full process, from board approval through retakes, see the ASWB exam FAQs. For what the day itself looks like, see what to expect on exam day.
The exam is a computer-based test of 122 multiple-choice questions, each with either three or four answer options. Of the 122, 110 are scored and 12 are unscored pretest items. The pretest items are mixed in with the scored ones and can't be identified. The questions are divided into two sections of 61.
Four hours: two hours for each section. The software tutorial at the start doesn't count against that time. Between sections, there's an optional scheduled break of up to 10 minutes, and the clock stops while you take it. Once a section is submitted, you can't return to it.
The passing score is set by ASWB, not by individual states, and a passing score is valid in every state and province for the same exam category. ASWB doesn't publish a fixed percentage. Exam forms vary slightly in difficulty, so the number of correct answers needed to pass is adjusted from form to form to keep the standard constant. Your score report shows the number you needed and the number you answered correctly.
No. Only your primary ID, preapproved items, and comfort aids are allowed in the testing room. Phones, bags, watches, and outerwear, including jackets, must be stored. Layered indoor clothing such as sweaters and sweatshirts is permitted. The test center provides an erasable note board and marker, and an on-screen scratch pad is available during the exam.
Year-round, by appointment, at Pearson VUE test centers in the U.S. and Canada. Most centers are open on weekdays during business hours, and many are open on Saturdays. You can test outside the jurisdiction where you're applying for licensure.
Yes, with board approval, after a 90-day waiting period. If your score was within 10 points of passing and your jurisdiction allows it, you can request a waiver of the wait. Some boards limit the number of attempts. A retake covers the entire exam.
The ASWB registration fee is $230 for the Associate, Bachelors, and Masters exams and $260 for the Advanced Generalist and Clinical exams, and it's nonrefundable. Your board charges its own application or licensing fees separately, and those vary by jurisdiction.
Yes. ASWB calls them nonstandard testing arrangements. They're available for disabilities and health conditions, for needs like additional breaks during pregnancy or a medical monitoring device, for lactation, and for test-takers whose primary language isn't English. Arrangements can include extra time, a reader, a scribe, or an ASL interpreter. They must be requested and approved before you register and pay for the exam, and they can't be added to an appointment that's already scheduled.
Your result appears on the testing computer right after the exam and a brief exit survey. An unofficial score report is available on your ASWBCentral dashboard about 24 hours later. Official results go to your board, which can take anywhere from two weeks to two months to process them. If you don't pass, the score report breaks down your performance by content area.
Start with the content outline in the ASWB's exam guidebook, then practice with realistic questions under timed conditions. Full-length practice tests build both the reasoning the exam rewards and a feel for the pace, and the explanations show why each answer option is right or wrong.
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