ASWB Clinical Registration, Fees, and Board Approval: What to Do in Order

Many candidates confuse the ASWB Clinical exam with the license itself. The exam is one requirement your jurisdiction uses to decide whether to grant a license, but the board sets the full set of requirements — education, supervised hours, background checks, fees, and continuing education. This page walks through the registration sequence, the current fees, and what to expect on exam day, with links to official sources so you can confirm the details for your jurisdiction.

Two separate processes: board approval and exam registration

Board approval and exam registration are not the same thing, and the order matters.

• Your board decides whether you may be licensed. Each U.S. state, territory, province, or Canadian jurisdiction sets its own education, experience, and application requirements. You apply to the board first.
• ASWB handles exam registration after approval. Your jurisdiction determines eligibility to test, sometimes through an ASWB preapproval service. Once the required approval is recorded, register and pay ASWB.
• Pearson VUE schedules the appointment. After ASWB registers you, you schedule a time and place through Pearson VUE, ASWB’s test-delivery partner.

Passing the exam sends your scores to the board, but the board still makes the final licensure decision. Do not assume that a passing score means you are licensed until your board says so.

The steps in order

ASWB lists the process in four steps. Follow them in order; trying to register before your board approves you will not work.

1. Apply to your state or provincial board. Submit the licensure application, required transcripts, supervised-hours documentation, fees, and any other items your board requests. Wait for the board to notify you that you are approved to take the exam.
2. Register with ASWB. Once approved, create or log in to your ASWBCentral account, select the Clinical exam, and pay the registration fee. You will receive an Authorization to Test (ATT) email.
3. Schedule with Pearson VUE. Use the link in your ATT email or sign in to ASWBCentral to choose a test center, date, and time. Keep your confirmation email.
4. Sit for the exam and receive results. Arrive at least 30 minutes early with the required IDs. Results appear after testing, and your unofficial report is available in ASWBCentral approximately 24 hours later.

ASWBCentral is the single account you use for registration, scheduling, purchasing the optional online practice test, viewing receipts, and sending scores to another jurisdiction. If your state uses ASWB for exam preapproval (Colorado, Maine, Texas, and Utah as of this writing) or for licensure applications (Massachusetts), those steps also happen inside ASWBCentral.

The fees

ASWB exam fees are set by exam level, not by state. The Clinical fee applies to the Clinical exam only.

Your board may charge a separate licensure application fee, and Pearson VUE does not add a separate scheduling fee for standard appointments. Budget for possible travel to a test center if you do not live near one.

Test-day checklist: Pearson VUE rules

These rules come from ASWB’s official exam-day guidance and the ASWB Examination Guidebook. Read the guidebook and the Candidate Rules Agreement before your appointment.

• Bring two valid IDs. ASWB says to bring two forms of identification. See the ASWB Examination Guidebook for the exact ID requirements.
• Arrive at least 30 minutes early. Late arrivals are treated as no-shows and the exam fee is forfeited.
• Keep your ATT and Pearson confirmation emails. Test center staff may need them.
• Leave most personal items at home. You may be asked to remove large jewelry, watches, and similar items.
• Dress in layers. Test center temperatures vary.
• Request earplugs if needed. Test centers can usually provide them.

Standard testing time is four hours in two two-hour sections. The guidebook says appointments are scheduled for 30 minutes more than the testing time for administrative steps. It also instructs candidates to arrive 30 minutes early; follow your confirmation and any approved accommodation schedule.

If you need to reschedule or retake

Rescheduling a standard appointment

For a standard appointment, the August 2026 guidebook requires cancellation or rescheduling at least 24 hours before the appointment. Follow your ATT for nonstandard arrangements; assistive-personnel appointments request two business days’ notice. The guidebook also says Monday or Tuesday appointments canceled by phone require a call before 7 p.m. Eastern on the preceding Friday. Complete all steps and retain the confirmation.

Excused absences

Submit the excused-absence request within 14 days of the missed appointment, waiting at least 24 hours after that appointment before completing the form. Provide the documentation ASWB requests, including your name and the date of the circumstance.

ASWB may approve the absence with no fee, approve it with a reduced $150 rescheduling fee, or deny it for insufficient documentation. ASWB grants no more than two excused absences for a single exam administration.

Retaking the exam

The standard retake wait is 90 days. A waiver may be available when the score is within 10 points of passing and the jurisdiction permits it. Wait at least 24 hours after testing before requesting a waiver, then follow ASWB’s and your board’s instructions for approval and re-registration.

Some jurisdictions add their own retake limits or requirements after multiple failed attempts, such as extra coursework or supervised hours. Confirm your jurisdiction’s rules with your board before you register again.