NJ LSW requirements and the ASWB Masters exam

What the LSW needs

• The application and fee, and your consent to a criminal history background check (N.J.A.C. 13:44G-4.2(a))
• An official transcript, or a letter from the dean or registrar, showing a master's in social work from a program accredited, or in candidacy, by the Council on Social Work Education, or a doctorate in social work from an accredited school
• Proof that you passed the ASWB Masters exam

Can I take the Masters exam before I graduate?

Yes, near the end. The regulation: a student “enrolled in the last semester” of an accredited MSW program is eligible (4.2(a)5.i). The Board's LSW page puts it this way: “If you have completed at least 40 graduate-level credits of an MSW degree or you are in the last semester of an advanced standing MSW program, you may be made eligible for the ASWB Masters Examination.” It asks for a transcript from your school and a letter on letterhead from your dean or registrar naming you. Follow the Board's page, and ask the Board if your program doesn't fit either description.

How do I apply for the ASWB Masters exam in New Jersey?

• Through the LSW application: “Individuals applying to take the ASWB Master Exam must use the ‘Licensed Social Worker’ application”
• Your exam eligibility lasts one year from the date the Board approves it; to extend it, upload a request letter to your online profile (or email SWExam@dca.njoag.gov), and you may need to update your documents
• After you pass: if you tested in New Jersey, upload your unofficial passing score report to your online profile; if you tested in another state, ask ASWB to transfer your score

The exam

• ASWB's exams follow its 2026 blueprint: 122 questions (110 scored, 12 unscored), with three or four answer options, in 4 hours, at a Pearson test center. Older materials that say 170 questions describe the earlier exam
• The Masters exam fee is $230, paid to ASWB
• Results are pass or fail; the number of correct answers needed varies by version, and ASWB says it generally ranges from 66 to 78 of the 110 scored questions
• ASWB's policy is a 90-day wait between attempts. ASWB can waive it if your most recent score was within 10 correct answers of passing and the Board allows waivers; ASWB's page doesn't say whether New Jersey does

Practice questions for the ASWB Masters exam

How long does the application take?

The Board's estimate (its Phases and Timelines, March 2024):

• Phase I, about 3 to 4 weeks: the first review, a letter listing anything missing, and your background check instructions, with your exam approval if your documents for it are complete
• Phase II, about 4 to 6 weeks: after your background check and the remaining documents, including your score report
• Phase III, about 1 to 2 weeks: the final review; then an invoice for the license fee, and your card in 10 to 15 business days
• Background check results reach the Board about 1 to 3 weeks after your fingerprint appointment; if New Jersey's Division of Consumer Affairs has fingerprinted you before, the Board asks for an $18.75 re-scan fee

Fees

• Application fee: $75 (N.J.A.C. 13:44G-14.1). The Board's FAQ says you don't need to submit it if you completed the exam through the Board's pre-approval process; if that's you, check with the Board which fee is due
• Initial license fee: $120 if paid in the first year of the two-year renewal cycle, $60 in the second

Can I work as a social worker while I wait?

Not under a license: the Board's FAQ says “The Board cannot issue a temporary license to practice.”

What an LSW may do

An LSW may provide clinical social work services only under the supervision of an LCSW, and may not provide clinical supervision (N.J.A.C. 13:44G-3.2). The hours toward the LCSW are gained as an LSW under a qualified supervisor, or in a setting exempt from licensure under N.J.S.A. 45:15BB-5 (13:44G-4.1(b)6).

NJ LCSW requirements: from LSW to LCSW in New Jersey