Why is BBS taking so long to process my ASW number?

If you are Googling this, you are probably in the most annoying part of the California licensure process: you graduated, mailed the application, maybe started a job, and now you are waiting for the Board of Behavioral Sciences to issue your associate number.

The short answer is usually not that BBS lost your application or is ignoring you. It is usually that your application has not reached the front of the review queue yet, or it reached review and something in the packet needs to be cleared.

Why is BBS taking so long?

BBS processes associate applications in the order they are received. Their own associate application tips say standard processing is 30 business days, but it can take longer during graduation seasons.

That last part matters. May, June, and late summer can create a huge wave of ASW, AMFT, and APCC applications.

The queue also does not move exactly like a package-tracking page. When you are waiting, these can all feel like the same event:

• The date your envelope was delivered.
• The date your BreEZe payment posted.
• The date your transcript or degree certification arrived.
• The date an evaluator actually opens the file.

They are not always the same date, which is why the weekly BBS processing update is usually more useful than refreshing BreEZe.

How to read the BBS processing update

The weekly social post is the thing you want. Look for your application type - ASW, AMFT, APCC, LCSW, LMFT, or LPCC - and the received date BBS says it has processed through.

Then compare that date to the date BBS received your application, not just the day you mailed it and not necessarily the day your payment appeared in BreEZe. If your application arrived after the date listed in the update, it is probably still pending review.

If the update says BBS has processed applications received before or on your date, check these places before you panic:

• Your email inbox and spam folder.
• Your physical mail.
• Your BreEZe account.
• The DCA License Search for a newly issued associate number.

Common reasons an ASW number gets delayed

Most delays are boring paperwork delays. That does not make them less stressful, but it does mean there are a few predictable places to check.

Can I count hours while I am waiting for my ASW number?

Sometimes, but only if the 90-day rule applies. BBS says applicants cannot accrue California post-degree supervised experience before registering with the Board, except under the 90-day rule.

In plain English: you may be able to count supervised experience earned between your degree award date and your associate registration issue date if BBS receives your associate application within 90 days of the degree award date and you have the required employer Live Scan documentation before earning those post-degree hours.

When should you contact BBS?

If your received date is still after the date in the latest BBS processing update, a status request probably will not produce much. Your application has not reached the front of the queue yet.

If BBS says it has already processed applications received before or on your date, and you still have no email, no mail, no BreEZe update, and no number in DCA License Search, then it is reasonable to message the Board.

BBS's contact page says callers may hit significant wait times, and voicemail responses can take up to 7 business days. Their page recommends using the online messaging options when possible.

What to do while you are waiting

You cannot make the queue move by refreshing BreEZe. You can make sure that, when your number arrives, your records are already in order.

• Save your mailing receipt and delivery confirmation for the application.
• Keep a copy of the full application packet you sent, including the check or payment details.
• Save the employer Live Scan form if you are relying on the 90-day rule.
• Keep weekly logs contemporaneously instead of reconstructing them later.
• Watch your email and spam folder for deficiency notices.
• Tell your supervisor exactly when your associate number appears so your records, title, and supervision paperwork can be updated.

What not to do

Do not submit duplicate applications unless BBS specifically tells you to. Do not assume every hour counts just because you worked it. Do not throw away the employer Live Scan form. And do not wait until application season to start organizing your weekly records.

The waiting period is irritating, but it is also a good time to set up the habit that will save you pain later: one week, one record, signed and clean enough that future-you does not have to become a forensic accountant for your own clinical life.

Official resources

• BBS Facebook page for processing updates.
• BBS Top Tips for a Smooth Associate Application Process.
• BBS 90-day rule FAQ.
• BBS LCSW / ASW applicant page.
• DCA License Search.
• BBS contact page.