LSA Practice Test

This page is for candidates preparing for the Associate-level social work licensing exam from the Association of Social Work Boards. It gives you free practice sets by topic, a map of the official content areas, worked example questions with explanations, a study plan and answers to common questions. Our questions are written with AI tools and are not real exam items.

LSA Exam at a Glance

What changed for LSA in 2026

• Oct 27, 2026: Other (update 2026-08-03) changed to ASWB published an updated Examination Guidebook effective August 3, 2026, covering all Social Work Licensing Exams and incorporating changes to test center security procedures. (previously ASWB released an updated Examination Guidebook covering all Social Work Licensing Exams given from August 3, 2026, including changes to test center security procedures; the exams follow the 2026 blueprint.).^[3]
• Oct 27, 2026: Time limit changed to 4 hours (240 minutes) (previously 4 hours (4.5-hour appointment including check-in)).^[1]
• Oct 27, 2026: Passing score changed to Generally 66 to 78 correct answers out of 110 scored questions (previously Generally 66–78 correct out of 110 scored questions (varies by form)).^[2]
• Oct 27, 2026: Retake policy changed to 90-day waiting period between attempts (waiver possible if within 10 points) (previously 90-day wait between attempts (waiver possible if within 10 correct answers of passing)).^[3]
• Oct 27, 2026: Score release changed to On-screen immediately upon completion; unofficial score report in ASWBCentral in ~24 hours (previously Results on screen at the test center; unofficial report in ASWBCentral in about 24 hours).^[3]
• Oct 27, 2026: Validity changed to Authorization to Test valid up to 1 year (previously Authorization to Test valid up to 1 year (one 6-month extension max)).^[3]
• Aug 3, 2026: ASWB published an updated Examination Guidebook effective August 3, 2026, covering all Social Work Licensing Exams and incorporating changes to test center security procedures.^[3]
• Jul 20, 2026: ASWB announced the suspension of its remote online proctoring pilot program effective July 31, 2026, maintaining in-person Pearson test center administration.^[5]

What the LSA is and how it works

According to Association of Social Work Boards, “Include a total of 122 questions (110 scored, 12 unscored)”^[1]

The Licensed Social Worker Associate exam is a licensing exam run by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB). It is taken on a computer at a Pearson test center. Testing is continuous through the year by appointment, so there are no fixed exam dates. You choose an available time and location with Pearson.

The exam has 122 questions, of which 110 are scored and 12 are unscored. You get a 4-hour time limit. The passing score generally ranges from 66 to 78 correct answers out of 110 scored questions, so the exact number you need can vary. You see your result on the testing computer when you finish, and an unofficial score report appears in your ASWBCentral dashboard about 24 hours later.

Before you can register, you must apply for your license and receive approval from your state or provincial regulatory board. Associate requirements vary by jurisdiction, so check with your board first. The exam fee for the Associate exam is US$230 per registration. Your Authorization to Test may be valid for up to 1 year, and your board may set an earlier expiration date.

If you do not pass, you must wait at least 90 days before a retake. A waiver of that waiting period may be possible if your score was within 10 points of passing and your jurisdiction allows waivers. Confirm every detail on the ASWB website, because it is the official source.

LSA content outline and where to practise each area

The content areas below are copied from the official LSA content outline published by Association of Social Work Boards, with the share of the exam each area carries. The right-hand column shows which of our practice sets covers it.

Worked examples: how to reason through LSA questions

These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.

Example 1

Question: What is the dual relationship issue in social work?

1. Building multiple professional roles with clients.
2. Maintaining clear professional boundaries
3. Providing personal support.
4. Making decisions based on friendships.

Answer: B. Maintaining clear professional boundaries

Explanation:

The correct answer is maintaining clear professional boundaries. A dual relationship exists when a social worker has a professional role with a client and also another role, such as friend, business partner or relative. The ethical concern is that the second role can cloud judgment, create conflicts of interest and open the door to exploitation.

Building multiple professional roles with clients describes the problem itself, not the way to handle it. Providing personal support is vague and does not address role conflict. Making decisions based on friendships is a symptom of a boundary failure, so it is the opposite of good practice.

Rule to remember: when a question asks how to handle a dual relationship, choose the option that protects the client and keeps the professional role clear.

Example 2

Question: What does advocacy mean in case management?

1. Recommending clients to leave services.
2. Supporting clients’ needs and rights
3. Reprimanding clients for their actions.
4. Providing counseling services.

Answer: B. Supporting clients’ needs and rights

Explanation:

The correct answer is supporting clients' needs and rights. In case management, advocacy means speaking up for a client, helping them reach services and resources, and backing their ability to speak for themselves.

Recommending clients to leave services is wrong because advocacy tries to secure access, not remove it. Reprimanding clients for their actions is wrong because it punishes instead of supporting, and it damages trust. Providing counseling services is a different function. A case manager may refer a client to counseling, but delivering therapy is not what the word advocacy describes.

Rule to remember: advocacy is directed at the client's rights and access to fair treatment, and it favors client self-determination over the worker's preferences.

Example 3

Question: A social worker in a hospital is called to the emergency room to meet with a family whose loved one was just in a serious car accident. The family is visibly distressed and asking multiple questions at once. What is the social worker's FIRST priority in this crisis intervention situation?

1. Gathering a detailed psychosocial history from the family.
2. Developing a long-term treatment plan.
3. Providing emotional support and ensuring immediate safety.
4. Referring the family to a long-term grief counselor.

Answer: C. Providing emotional support and ensuring immediate safety.

Explanation:

The correct answer is providing emotional support and ensuring immediate safety. In a crisis, the social worker's job is to stabilize the situation before anything else. A family that is distressed and asking many questions at once needs calm, clear information and a sense that someone is helping.

Gathering a detailed psychosocial history is useful, but it comes after the acute distress has eased, and pressing for history now could add to the family's stress. Developing a long-term treatment plan is premature because the immediate event is still unfolding. Referring the family to a long-term grief counselor may be appropriate later, but it does not meet the needs in front of the worker.

Rule to remember: in crisis intervention, safety and stabilization come before assessment, planning and referral.

How to use these practice tests

Start with the official material. Read the ASWB content outline and the exam guidebook so you know what the exam covers and how it is run. Then take a practice set from each content area and note which topics you miss most.

Use the area-based sets to spend your time where you are weakest. For each missed question, read the explanation and write one sentence in your own words that states the rule behind the correct answer. Pay attention to the wording of the question stem, such as which step comes first or what is most appropriate, because many wrong options are reasonable actions taken at the wrong time.

Give extra attention to ethics, boundaries and confidentiality, since this area is the largest in the official list. Mix topics in later sessions so you practise switching between assessment, intervention and ethics, as the real exam does.

Once your scores are steady, sit a full practice test in one sitting with the 4-hour time limit in mind. Review it the next day, then go back to the weak topics. Our questions are written by us and are not real exam questions, so use them to build reasoning and not to predict what you will see.

Sources & last verified

1. Association of Social Work Boards — number of questions, time limit, exam fee (official source). “Include a total of 122 questions (110 scored, 12 unscored)” Verified Oct 27, 2026 · source checked Oct 18, 2026.
2. Association of Social Work Boards — passing score (official source). “The passing score generally ranges from 66 to 78 correct answers out of 110 scored questions.” Verified Oct 27, 2026 · source checked Oct 18, 2026.
3. Association of Social Work Boards — retake policy, validity, eligibility, other (official source). “You must wait at least 90 days to retake any Social Work Licensing Examination. You may request a waiver of the waiting period if your…” Verified Oct 28, 2026.
4. Association of Social Work Boards — delivery (official source). “Pearson administers the social work licensing exams at test centers worldwide. Standard appointments are four hours and 30 minutes: 30 minutes to check in and…” Verified Oct 27, 2026 · source checked Oct 18, 2026.
5. Association of Social Work Boards — other (official source). “After four months, the Association of Social Work Boards will suspend the pilot program for online proctoring of the Social Work Licensing Exams as of…” Verified Oct 27, 2026 · source checked Oct 18, 2026.

How we verify: editorial & fact-checking policy. Report an error: contact us.