LMSW Exam Day: Pearson Test Center Rules, ID, Breaks, and Online Testing

No online option: plan for a test center

ASWB ran an online-proctoring pilot for the Social Work Licensing Exams starting March 23, 2026. Eligibility was narrow: candidates living over 100 miles from the nearest Pearson center, plus some candidates with approved nonstandard testing arrangements. On July 20, 2026, ASWB announced the pilot's suspension, effective July 31, 2026, after a cheating attempt was caught. ASWB said it will keep exploring ways to make testing more accessible, but it has not named a replacement.

So the Masters exam is a Pearson test center appointment. An article that describes at-home testing was written while the pilot was running. Accommodations still exist at the test center. Accommodations and ESL arrangements explains how to request them, and they must be approved before you register.

The week before

• Find the building. ASWB suggests locating the center a few days ahead and allowing for traffic, construction, and weather. A late arrival is treated as a no-show.
• Check the names. The first and last names on both IDs must match your Authorization to Test (ATT). The center does not check middle names, middle initials, or punctuation such as hyphens and apostrophes.
• Sort out a name change early. Your board has to update your name before ASWB can change the ATT. On the day, bring the original marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order along with your primary ID. Copies are not accepted.
• Keep two emails. The ATT from ASWB and the appointment confirmation from Pearson.
• Know the change deadline. You can cancel or reschedule at least 24 hours ahead. For a Monday or Tuesday appointment, call before 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the Friday before. How to register has the full scheduling rules.

Arrival and check-in

Arrive 30 minutes before your appointment time. If you are late, you will not be seated and you forfeit the exam fee. To test again you would have to register with ASWB and pay again.

Bring two original forms of ID, one from the guidebook's primary list and one from its secondary list. Check the current ASWB guidebook and Pearson's ID policy for which documents qualify. Without acceptable ID you cannot test, and you lose the fee. Keep your photo ID with you for the whole session, including breaks.

Check-in includes:

1. A photo.
2. A palm scan.
3. Infrared and metal-detection wands over your torso and above.
4. An electronic signature on the Candidate Rules Agreement.

Refusing the photo, the wand scan, or the agreement can mean you are not allowed to test. If a medical reason prevents scanning, the guidebook says to request a waiver from ASWB at specialists@aswb.org, so raise it well before test day. After you store your belongings, staff may ask you to pull up your sleeves and pant legs, turn out your pockets, remove bulky layers, hand over your glasses for inspection, and have your ears checked for devices.

What goes into the testing room

Staff give you an erasable note board and marker. You may not write on it before the exam starts, and you must hand it back at the end. ASWB says a score is invalidated if the board and marker are not returned. The software also has an electronic scratch pad, which is not saved or scored. Most centers have earplugs or noise-reducing headsets if you ask. There is no eating, drinking, or gum in the room, and the room is under continuous video surveillance.

The clock, briefly

The tutorial comes first and does not count toward your four hours. Then you work through two 61-question sections, each with its own two-hour limit. Once you submit section 1, or its time runs out, you cannot go back to it. Between the two sections comes an optional break of up to 10 minutes, during which the exam clock stops. Unscheduled breaks are allowed at any time, but the clock keeps running.

Breaks are for the nearest restroom and your stored drink or snack only. Leaving the building is not allowed, and ASWB warns that it can end your exam or cancel your score. Questions and time turns these rules into a pacing plan.

If something goes wrong

At the center. Report a frozen screen, a power cut, or another problem to Pearson staff when it happens. Staff must be allowed at least 30 minutes to fix it. After 30 minutes of delay you may stop and have the appointment rescheduled.

Afterward. Report the incident to ASWB through ASWBCentral within two business days. The guidebook says that if staff were not told at the time, or ASWB was not told within that window, you have no recourse.

Bad weather. If a storm or emergency closes the center, Pearson emails and calls, and you can reschedule at no cost. If the center is open and you stay home, you may lose the fee. ASWB tells test-takers to put their safety first and then apply for an excused absence.

Missed appointment. Wait 24 hours after the missed appointment time, then submit an excused-absence request within 14 days. Processing typically takes about two weeks and may involve a fee. Do not register for another exam until you receive the decision.

After the last question

You take a short exit survey, and then your pass/fail result appears on the testing computer. The unofficial score report reaches your ASWBCentral dashboard about 24 hours later. It shows the number of correct answers you needed and the number you had, and a failing report also breaks your results down by content area. Your board receives the official result, and ASWB says board processing can take two weeks to two months. The passing score guide explains the report.

One rule continues after you leave. You agreed to ASWB's Confidentiality Statement, so you may not share exam questions or answers in any form, including study groups, email, and social media.