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ASWB Clinical Exam

The ASWB Clinical exam is the licensing exam most states use for clinical social work licensure. Your state board decides which exam you must take.

Study material in progress. Lesson outlines, flashcards, quizzes and practice tests are available now. Full lesson text is still being written. Nothing on this page is official exam content. Items were written for this site and checked against published sources. They have not yet been reviewed by a licensed clinical social worker.

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Exam at a glance

Items122
Scored and pretest110 scored, 12 unscored pretest
Sections2 sections of 61 items
Time4 hours (two 2-hour sections)
Item formatMultiple choice
DeliveryComputer-based, administered by Pearson at test centers

The 12 pretest items are mixed in with the scored items and do not count toward your score.

Source: ASWB Examination Guidebook (08/2026), Exam format, printed pages 3 to 4.

Domains and weights

IDDomainWeight
IValues and Ethics
  • IA. Ethical Principles and Responsibilities
  • IB. Ethical Service Delivery
  • IC. Diversity and Social Justice
36%
IIAssessment and Planning
  • IIA. Assessment Concepts
  • IIB. Assessment Methods and Techniques
  • IIC. Assessment Practices
32%
IIIIntervention and Practice
  • IIIA. Practice Concepts
  • IIIB. Intervention Methods and Techniques
  • IIIC. Practice Evaluation and Research
  • IIID. Supervision and Administration
32%

Source: 2026 Social Work Licensing Exam Guidebook (ASWB Examination Guidebook, 08/2026).

Outline last checked: October 30, 2026 against 2026 Social Work Licensing Exam Guidebook (ASWB Examination Guidebook, 08/2026). Outline version: 2026 content outline. In effect: August 3, 2026. Always confirm with ASWB at www.aswb.org.

Governing code for ethics content on this section: NASW Code of Ethics, published by National Association of Social Workers.