Licensure Project

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) has contracted with the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) to develop the exams for both the Child Care Administrator License and the Child Placing Agency Administrator License.

To register for your exam, complete the following steps:

Step 1

All test takers must have completed an application and received approval from HHSC prior to registering for an exam time. You can find more information on eligibility here.  After you have applied to HHSC and received approval to move forward, you may proceed to Step 2 below.

Note: Reasonable Modification Request - A disability is a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. If you have a disability and need a reasonable modification, we will make every effort to accommodate your needs. Please fill out a Reasonable Modification Request form, gather proper documentation that describes the nature of your disability and modifications you request, and submit both with your application. If you have already completed an application and need to make us aware of your need for accommodations prior to testing, please e-mail your completed forms to [email protected].

Step 2

Once you have applied for and obtained approval from HHSC, please return to this page and register for either the Licensed Child Care Administrator (LCCA) Exam or Licensed Child Placing Agency Administrator (LCPA) Exam via the School of Social Work's Marketplace page and pay the nonrefundable exam fee.

• You will receive an automatic email receipt confirming your purchase.
• Within approximately 5-10 business days, you will receive an email confirmation from our office ([email protected]) verifying your eligibility and instructions on how to register at one of our partner testing locations.
• You MUST have received this email confirmation prior to scheduling a testing date/time.
• Once you receive the confirmation email, you may proceed to Step 3 below.
  • You will need to bring a copy of the confirmation email (including your registration receipt), along with a government issued ID, to the testing site on the day of your exam.
  • You must take the exam on or before your HHSC registration expires (this is contained in the approval sent by HHSC).

Note: To improve your performance and success, please follow the instructions and read each exam question carefully. The first section of the exam contains various required demographic questions. The demographic (background) questions that appear in the first section of the exam are used to improve the test and ensure its fairness for all test-takers. Your individual background information will not be reported to the Child Care Regulation Department of HHSC.

Following the demographic section, each test question calls for a single answer to a multiple-choice question. Please answer each question to the best of your ability. If you are not sure of the answer, it is a good idea to pick the one you think is most likely correct. To ensure you do not miss responding to one by accident, you will get a reminder if you fail to answer all questions. There are currently 70 questions on the exam. Your final score is a summation of all correct answers. You must get at least 70% correct; which is a score of no less than 49. Each correct answer counts as '1'.

In addition to the 70 questions that 'count', there are also questions that are included but do not currently 'count'. It is typical in all types of standardized tests for questions to undergo periodic revision. As part of the process, certain questions on the exam are being validated for future use and they will not be counted for your exam.

There is a 3-hour time limit for each test. You may not consult any materials or other people while taking the test. Please follow the instructions of the test monitor carefully. If there is any problem with the testing situation, such as lighting or noise, please bring it to the attention of the test monitor. If there is any difficulty with the WEB link, the test monitor will be able to help you or request assistance from UTA. Good luck!

Note: The UTA SSW LCCA/LCPA Project does not create, sell or endorse any LCCA or LCPA exam study guide. The exams are 100% based on the following:

• LCCA - Texas Administrative Code, TITLE 26. HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, PART 1. HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION, CHAPTER 748. MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR GENERAL RESIDENTIAL OPERATIONS
• LCPA - Texas Administrative Code, TITLE 26. HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, PART 1. HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION, CHAPTER 749. MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR CHILD-PLACING AGENCIES
  
   

Note: If you need to retake an exam, please follow the same registration link as above, pay the fee again and select the appropriate attempt number from the drop-down menu.
Note: If an applicant attempts to retake the test without going through the LCCA/LCPA Project testing registration/payment process again, their test score will not be valid (even if they sit for and pass the exam).

Step 3

Schedule a time to take your exam at one of the following testing locations:

Step 4

Once you have completed Step 3 and scheduled your exam with the testing center, arrive at the testing center the day of your scheduled exam with a copy of your email confirmation/registration receipt from Step 2 and your government issued ID (driver’s license, passport, etc. You will have three hours to complete the online exam.

You will get your score immediately upon completion of the exam. To pass, you must get no less than 70% of the questions correct. If you earn a passing score, you will receive your license from Austin in approximately 2-3 weeks. If you did not pass, you will have to register/pay to retake the exam when you are ready (see Step 2 above). A copy of your score will also be emailed to you (you will submit your preferred email address when taking the test). Your score will also be emailed to the Texas Health & Human Services Commission's Administrator Licensure Office and the UT-Arlington School of Social Work's LCCA/LCPA Project Office.  Good luck!