21 NCAC 63 .0209             EXAM ELIGIBILITY

(a)  The Board shall review each application submitted pursuant to 21 NCAC 63 .0202 and .0207 to determine whether an applicant possesses the educational, supervision, and examination qualifications for eligibility for a particular level of certification or licensure, pursuant to G.S. 90B-7. To be considered eligible to take the Clinical examination, an applicant must have two years of experience in a clinical social work setting documented with the Board and a MSW. To be considered eligible to take the Advanced Generalist examination, an applicant must have two years of experience in an administrative social work setting.

(b)  An applicant shall be notified in writing if found to be ineligible for the requested level of certification. If an applicant is found ineligible for the particular level of certification or licensure for which the applicant has applied, the applicant may request in writing to the Board that the applicant be considered for eligibility for another level of certification or licensure for which the applicant possesses the minimum education, supervision, and examination qualifications. Such request must be made no later than 30 days following the date on which the applicant received written notification of ineligibility, as set forth in Paragraph (a) of this Rule. If an applicant is found to be ineligible for any level of certification or licensure, the applicant shall not be allowed to sit for any examination.

(c)  If an applicant is found eligible for the particular level of certification or licensure for which the applicant has applied, the Board shall issue the applicant notification of exam candidacy approval. Upon receipt, the applicant shall submit to the Board an Exam Request Form or Clinical Exam Request Form, as described in Paragraph (e) and (f) of this Rule, and the fee set forth in 21 NCAC 63 .0306 to initiate the exam process.

(d)  Upon receipt of the applicant's Exam Request Form and the fee set forth in 21 NCAC 63 .0306, the Board shall forward to the applicant instructions for registering to sit for the examination and the deadline by which the exam eligibility shall expire, which is determined in accordance with the ASWB Examination Candidate Handbook that is available at http://aswb.org. If the applicant fails to take the examination before the deadline by which the exam eligibility shall expire, the applicant must submit another Exam Request Form and the fee set forth in 21 NCAC 63 .0306 in order to take the examination. If the applicant takes but fails the examination, the applicant must submit another Exam Request Form and the fee set forth in 21 NCAC 63 .0303 in order to re-take the examination, even if the expiration date has not yet occurred. An applicant must wait at least 90 days from the date on which the applicant took the examination before re-taking the examination.

(e)  An applicant desiring to take an examination other than the ASWB Clinical level examination shall submit to the Board an Exam Request Form, which is available on the Board's website at https://www.ncswboard.org, that shall contain the following:

(1)           the applicant's name and address;

(2)           the applicant's social security number; and

(3)           the type of examination for which the applicant is approved to sit.

(f)  An applicant desiring to take the ASWB Clinical level examination shall submit to the Board a Clinical Exam Request Form, which is available on the Board's website at https://www.ncswboard.org, only after completing two years of clinical practice. The Clinical Exam Request Form shall contain the following:

(1)           the name and license number of the applicant;

(2)           the contact information, date of birth, and signature of the applicant;

(3)           the name, license number, and signature of the applicant's clinical supervisor; and

(4)           the attestation of the applicant's clinical supervisor that the applicant has completed two years of clinical practice and is qualified to take the ASWB Clinical level examination.

History Note:        Authority G.S. 90B-6; 90B-6.2;

Eff. August 1, 1987;

Temporary Amendment Eff. October 1, 1999;

Amended Eff. July 1, 2000;

Pursuant to G.S. 150B-21.3A, rule is necessary without substantive public interest Eff. September 19, 2015;

Amended Eff. October 1, 2021.