In short
ASWB policy requires you to wait 90 days between attempts. You may request a waiver to retest sooner if your last score was within 10 correct answers of passing and the board you're applying to allows waivers; ASWB allows no more than two waivers in twelve months for one exam category. ASWB itself states no limit on the number of attempts, but some boards limit them. To retake, you register with ASWB again and pay the fee again.
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On this page10 sections
At a glance
| Waiting period | 90 days between attempts. |
|---|---|
| Waiver | Possible if you were within 10 correct answers of passing and your board allows waivers. |
| Waivers per year | No more than two in twelve months for one exam category. |
| Registering again | Wait seven to ten days after the exam, then register and pay the fee again. |
| Limit on attempts | None stated by ASWB; some licensing boards limit them. |
| Partial retake | Not possible: you retake the whole exam. |
| What to study | Your score report's content-area breakdown. |
10 free questions · ASWB Masters and Clinical
1 of 10
A woman staying at a domestic violence shelter tells the social worker she has decided to return tonight to a partner who has been violent. What should the social worker do FIRST?
Pick an answer. No account needed for these 10.
How long do you have to wait to retake the ASWB exam?
“ASWB policy states that candidates must wait 90 days between exam attempts. This waiting period exists for exam security reasons.” Your new test date must be at least 90 days after your last attempt, unless you have a waiver (ASWB).
Can you get the 90-day wait waived?
- You may request a waiver if “Your most recent exam score was within 10 correct answers of the passing score” and “The state or provincial board where you are applying for a license allows waivers” (ASWB)
- “Candidates may not use more than two waivers in twelve months for any single examination category”
- Wait at least one day after your exam before you request it, in ASWBCentral; and don't register again until the waiver is granted or denied
- ASWB's waiver page doesn't say whether New York or New Jersey allows waivers; ask your board
How do you register to retake the ASWB exam?
- Contact ASWB's Candidate Services Center, which can tell you whether you need your board's approval again
- “Wait seven to ten days after your last exam before registering again”
- Register with ASWB and pay the fee again: $230 for the Masters, $260 for the Clinical
- You receive a new Authorization to Test email, then schedule with Pearson within its dates
How many times can you take the ASWB exam?
ASWB's pages state no limit of their own: “Some licensing boards limit the number of times an applicant may take the exam.” Retaking may need your board's approval: “With board approval, you may be able to retake the exam” (ASWB; Guidebook).
Can you retake only the part you failed?
No: “You need to obtain a passing score for the entire examination. There is no option to combine the content area scores earned on different exam attempts to obtain a passing score. Similarly, there is no option to retake only certain portions of the examination.” Expect a different version on your next attempt (Guidebook).
How should you prepare for a retake?
Start from your unofficial score report's content-area breakdown, which ASWB calls “a valuable resource for preparing to retake the exam.” Then practice the kind of questions the exam asks: what you would do first, next or best.
Sources
- ASWB: If you fail the exam (opens in a new tab)
- ASWB: Request a 90-day waiting period waiver (opens in a new tab)
- ASWB: Examination Guidebook (08/2026) (opens in a new tab)
- ASWB: Exam (opens in a new tab)
More on the ASWB exams
- The ASWB exam format since August 2026
- The ASWB passing score, and how results work
- ASWB Masters vs Clinical: which exam you take
Licensure Hours and the ASWB exams
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