Reflection Paper

Imagine you have just received your certification and are taking on your first trainee within your organization who is working towards certification. Based on the BACB® guidelines and the Ethics code, and this week’s lecture, create a task analysis that you will follow to set up the supervisory relationship prior to your first supervision meeting with this trainee. What things must be in place before you begin? Are there any conditions under which will you not proceed with the supervisory relationship?

Remember to review the Reflection Paper rubric and instructions for reviewing a peer’s submission in the Important Course Information module.

Additionally, please include LINKS or DOIs to any articles or books referenced outside of the assigned readings as part of your APA citation (

as is required when using web-based referencesLinks to an external site.

). Failing to do so will result in point deductions.

Reflection Paper Rubric (25 points)
Reflection papers consist of brief responses to a prompt related to the information shared in each week’s module. Using
both the assigned materials and external references, the student should thoughtfully and thoroughly respond to the
prompt. During the following week, students will be required to provide feedback on a peer’s reflection paper, and will be
required to paste the text of their completed peer review into their own submission comments in Canvas, which will allow
for the instructor to grade more easily. Reflection paper assignments will be graded as follows:

Category 5 points 3 points 0 points
Reflection Length*
*(excludes reference section
and direct quotes from
references that are longer
than 5 words)

Reflection paper content
was greater than 150
words.

Reflection paper content
was between 100-149
words.

Reflection paper content
was less than 99 words.

Grammar, Usage,
and Spelling

Reflection paper contained
less than 2 grammar,
usage, or spelling errors.

Reflection paper contained
3-4 grammar, usage, or
spelling errors.

Reflection paper contained
more than 5 grammar,
usage, or spelling errors
and proofreading was not
apparent.

References and
Utilization of
Outside
Resources

The author used
references from peer-
reviewed behavioral
sources in APA format and
cited one or more
original behavioral
references, outside of the
assigned readings.
Hyperlinks to the cited
external references are
provided.

The author used
references in APA format
of assigned readings but
did not include an
additional peer-reviewed
behavioral reference or did
not include a hyperlink to
the externally-cited
reference.

The author neither utilized
APA format for referenced
material used nor cited an
outside peer-reviewed
behavioral reference.

Addressing the
Prompt

The author’s reflection
paper clearly responds to
the assignment prompt,
develops ideas cogently,
organizes them logically,
and supports them through
empirical writing.

The author’s reflection
paper does not correspond
with the assignment
prompt, mainly discusses
personal opinions,
irrelevant information, or
information is presented
with limited logic and lack
of development and
organization of ideas.

Application The author’s post clearly
demonstrates application
and relationship to the
week’s assigned
reading/topic.

The author’s post refers to
the assigned topic/reading
tangentially but does not
demonstrate application.

The author’s post does not
demonstrate application of
the week’s assigned
topic/reading.

Peer Review –
Your peer review text
must be copied and
pasted into the comments
of your own reflection
paper submission to
receive credit.

Completes peer-review of
colleague’s reflection paper
and provides well-thought-
out, thorough feedback.

Completes peer-review of
colleague’s reflection
paper, but provides only
vague, non-specific
feedback or input.

Does not complete peer-
review of a colleague’s
reflection paper or does not
copy the text into the
comments section of their
own submission to allow for
grading.

Late reflection papers will adhere to the general submission policy found on the Virtual Course
Schedule.

BCBA®

BOARD CERTIFIED BEHAVIOR ANALYST® HANDBOOK

ABOUT THIS HANDBOOK

This handbook describes the requirements for obtaining and maintaining BCBA certification, including the eligibility
requirements that went into effect on January 1, 2022. Applicants and certificants must comply with the requirements
outlined in this handbook. Failure to do so may result in the BACB taking summary action (e.g., suspension,
revocation, invalidation) against your eligibility or certification and/or submitting a Notice of Alleged Violation to the
BACB Ethics Department.

This handbook contains clickable images that link directly to BACB documents and web pages. To help with
navigation, this handbook also includes PDF bookmarks and a clickable Table of Contents icon ( ) on the corner
of each page. New versions of the BCBA Handbook will be published quarterly as needed. Applicants completing
requirements in a future year should make note of upcoming implementation dates for revised requirements, as they
must meet the requirements in place at the time they apply and take the version of the examination in effect when
they schedule their examination appointment. Please refer to the BACB Newsletter and the Upcoming Changes web
page for the most updated information on future certification requirements.

The BACB does not discriminate against any individual because of race, ethnicity, gender, age, creed, disability,
religion, marital status, sexual orientation, or national origin. Allegations of discrimination can be reported via our
Administrative Appeal Request Form.

For a complete list of updates included in this version of the BCBA Handbook, please see page 69.

The BACB reserves the right to amend the procedures outlined in this handbook.

Copyright © 2025 by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board®, Inc. (“BACB®”), all rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction,
copying, or transmission in any medium is strictly prohibited.

®The trademarks “Behavior Analyst Certification Board®, Inc.,” “BACB®,” “Board Certified Behavior Analyst®,” “BCBA®,” “Board
Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst®,” “BCaBA®,” and “RBT®,” are owned by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board®.
Unauthorized use or misrepresentation is strictly prohibited.

This document should be referenced as:
Behavior Analyst Certification Board. (2025). Board certified behavior analyst handbook.

Retrieved on Month, Day, Year, from https://www.bacb.com/bcba-handbook

https://www.bacb.com/newsletter/

Recent & Upcoming Changes to BACB Requirements

ADMINISTRATIVE APPEALS

https://www.bacb.com/bcba-handbook

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Contents
Overview …………………………………………………………………………………………………. 1

About the Behavior Analyst Certification Board ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 1
What Is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst? …………………………………………………………………………………………………… 1
Overview of Becoming and Maintaining BCBA Certification ……………………………………………………………………….. 2
Reasons for Becoming a BCBA ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 2
Accreditation ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 2

Eligibility Requirements …………………………………………………………………………….. 6
Eligibility Pathways ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..6
Supervised Fieldwork Requirements ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………15

Applying for BCBA Certification ……………………………………………………………….. 27
Submit Your Application …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..27
Schedule Your Examination Appointment ……………………………………………………………………………………………………. 29
Fees ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 29

Examination …………………………………………………………………………………………… 30
Examination Development ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………30
Preparation ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..30
Examination Outline ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….30
Scheduling …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………32
Pearson VUE Examination Fees ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..32
Examination Accommodations ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..33
What to Expect on Examination Day ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………33
General Rules for Taking the Examination …………………………………………………………………………………………………….34
Examination Terms and Conditions ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..35
Examination Security ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..36
Examination Appeals ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..37
Examination Results ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….37
Examination Retakes ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..37
Scoring Methodology ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….37

What to Expect After Passing the Examination…………………………………………… 38

Certification Maintenance Requirements …………………………………………………… 40
Continuing Education ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….40
Ethics and Self-Reporting …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………42
Recertification ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………46
Inactive Policy ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………48

Supervision, Assessment, Training, and Oversight ……………………………………… 50
Attesting, Assessing, Training, and Supervising RBTs …………………………………………………………………………………..51
Supervising BCBA and BCaBA Trainees ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….53
Supervising BCaBAs …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………53

Board Certified Behavior Analyst-Doctoral (BCBA-D) ………………………………….. 54
BCBA-D Eligibility Requirements …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….54
Applying for the BCBA-D Designation ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 56
Maintaining the BCBA-D Designation …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….57

Click this icon to return to the Table of Contents.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Other Relevant Policies …………………………………………………………………………… 58
Administrative Appeals …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 58
Name Change Policy ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 59
Acceptable Signatures Policy ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 59
Documentation Policy …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 59
Submission of False, Forged, or Untrue Information to the BACB ……………………………………………………………. 60
Timely Responding to the BACB …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 60

Documents and Resources ……………………………………………………………………… 61
Eligibility and Applying for Certification …………………………………………………………………………………………………………..61
Coursework ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..61
Supervised Fieldwork ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….61
Examination ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..61
Continuing Education ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..61
Ethics and Self-Reporting ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….61
Voluntary Inactive Status …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..61
Supervising, Training, and Assessing ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 62
Administrative Appeals …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 62

Glossary ……………………………………………………………………………………………….. 63

Appendix ………………………………………………………………………………………………. 67
Application Processing Agreement ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..67

Version History and Updates ……………………………………………………………………. 69
Version 11/1/2023 Updates ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 69
Version 12/29/2023 Updates …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 69
Version 5/1/2024 Updates ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 69
Version 9/27/2024 Updates ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 69
Version 1/2/2025 Updates ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 69

OvErvIEw

Overview
About the Behavior Analyst Certification Board

The Behavior Analyst Certification Board, Inc.® (BACB®) has been the leader in behavior analyst certification for over two
decades. The BACB is a nonprofit corporation that was established in 1998 to meet professional certification needs identified
by behavior analysts, governments, and consumers of behavior-analytic services. The BACB’s mission is to protect consumers
of behavior-analytic services by systematically establishing, promoting, and disseminating professional standards of practice.

In the profession of applied behavior analysis, the BACB’s primary role is to operate certification programs, which involves
responsibilities similar to regulatory boards. In this role, the BACB establishes practice standards, administers examinations, and
provides ethics requirements and a disciplinary system for each of its certification programs. To learn more about our role and
limitations, read our blog post, The BACB: What it is, What it Does, and Why, and listen to Episode 11 of our podcast, Inside the BACB.

Jurisdiction

The BACB currently accepts certification applications from individuals who reside in the following countries:

Country Upcoming Changes
United States (US) None
Canada Ontario residents can no longer apply for RBT or BCaBA certification. Those holding RBT and BCaBA

certification in Ontario have had their certification placed on voluntary inactive status. RBTs and
BCaBAs who relocate to Ontario should contact the BACB to be placed on voluntary inactive status.
Ontario residents will no longer be able to apply for BCBA/BCBA-D certification as of June 30, 2026.
Those holding BCBA/BCBA-D certification in Ontario will be able to maintain their certification.

United Kingdom
(UK)

Residents of the UK will no longer be able to apply for BACB certification as of January 1, 2026.
Those holding BACB certifications in the UK will be able to maintain their certification.

Australia Residents of Australia will no longer be able to apply for BACB certification as of January 1, 2027.
Those holding BACB certifications in Australia will be able to maintain their certification.

What Is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst?

The Board Certified Behavior Analyst® (BCBA®) is a graduate-level certification in behavior analysis. Professionals
certified at the BCBA level are independent practitioners who provide behavior-analytic services.

BCBA certificants may supervise the work of Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst® (BCaBA®) certificants,
Registered Behavior Technician® (RBT®) certificants, and other professionals who implement behavior-analytic
services. They may also function in the role of a BCaBA or RBT. As of January 1, 2025, certificants may hold only
one BACB certification at a time. Once a higher-level certification has been obtained, the lower-level certification will
expire either in 90 days or at the expiration date of the lower-level certification, whichever occurs first.

Note: In the interest of consumer protection and to ensure that the BACB certification mark is only used to accurately represent
certification status, the BACB may seek legal and other remedies to address any misrepresentation of BACB certification (and/
or any misuse of other BACB trademarks and logos) that constitutes trademark infringement. For more information about the
use of BACB certification marks, see the September 2008, October 2013, and July 2021 BACB Newsletters.

Board Certified Behavior Analyst—Doctoral

BCBAs with doctoral training in behavior analysis may receive the designation of Board Certified Behavior Analyst-
Doctoral® (BCBA-D®). The BCBA-D is not a separate certification, and it does not grant any privileges above or
beyond BCBA certification. BCBA-Ds function in the same capacity as BCBAs (i.e., as independent practitioners who
provide behavior-analytic services) and are required to meet all BCBA maintenance requirements.

The BACB: What It Is, What It Does, and Why

Inside the BACB Podcast

SUPERVISION, ASSESSMENT, TRAINING, AND OVERSIGHT

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/Sep2008_Newsletter/

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/Oct2013_Newsletter/

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/Jul2021_Newsletter/

OvErvIEw

Overview of Becoming and Maintaining BCBA Certification

Reasons for Becoming a BCBA

There are many benefits to obtaining BCBA certification, including:
• BCBA certification is the leading behavior analyst credential and is required by many funders and licensure

boards. BCBA certification is offered by the first certifying entity in behavior analysis, the BACB, which has
been certifying behavior analysts for over 20 years.

• BCBA certification shows that you have met certain requirements that are critical in providing and overseeing
behavior-analytic services.

• BCBA certification provides increased consumer protection since you must meet certain eligibility and
maintenance requirements to obtain and maintain certification.

• BCBA certification makes it easier for employers, funders, and consumers, among others, to verify that you
have certain knowledge, skills, and abilities and are not under disciplinary sanctions.

Accreditation

The BCBA, BCaBA, and RBT certification programs are accredited by the National Commission for Certifying
Agencies (NCCA), the accreditation body of the Institute for Credentialing Excellence (ICE). NCCA’s
Standards for the Accreditation of Certification Programs were the first standards developed for professional
certification programs to help ensure the health, welfare, and safety of the public. NCCA standards articulate
the essential elements of a high-quality certification program. Consistent with these standards, the BACB’s
certification requirements, examination content, and procedures undergo regular review by subject matter

experts in the discipline. To learn more about accreditation, see ICE’s video, Value of Accreditation: Why it Matters.

MEET ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS* APPLY TAKE & PASS BCBA EXAM MAINTAIN

MEET CONTINUING
EDUCATION
REQUIREMENTS

ADHERE TO ETHICS
REQUIREMENTS

RECERTIFY EVERY
TWO YEARSPATHWAY 4: POSTDOCTORAL EXPERIENCE

PATHWAY 3: FACULTY TEACHING AND RESEARCH

PATHWAY 2: BEHAVIOR-ANALYTIC COURSEWORK

PATHWAY 1: ABAI- OR APBA-ACCREDITED DEGREE

http://www.credentialingexcellence.org/

https://www.credentialingexcellence.org/page/ncca

OvErvIEw

You Want to Pursue Certification… Now What?*

So, you are interested in pursuing BCBA certification. What should you do now? Although the BACB cannot
instruct you on how to meet our requirements, the content in this section is intended to provide some guidance
that might be helpful as you start this journey.

A Few Tips Before Getting Started

First. carefully review both the eligibility and maintenance requirements that are detailed in this handbook. Then,
determine which eligibility pathway you plan to pursue. The majority of BCBA certificants apply under Pathway 1
or Pathway 2, so this section focuses primarily on those pathways. Once you have selected a pathway, determine
when you might apply, as it may take a few years to meet all of the requirements, and the eligibility requirements
may change.

Third, you will want to create a BACB account using these tips:
• Enter your full legal name exactly as it appears on your government-issued identification. If it does not

match exactly, you will not be able to take the examination. Name changes require review by BACB staff,
so a name change could delay your ability to take the examination.

• Use a personal email address and not a work or school email address. Important notifications and
reminders are sent to this address, so if you change employers or lose access to your school email
address, you will not receive reminders, correspondence, or password resets.

• Set up the profile yourself and do not share your account information with anyone else, including your
employer. This is your certification—no one else should be managing it for you. The contact information
you provide must include your current address and phone number. It is very important that you list your
current address, as your residence must be under the BACB’s jurisdiction.

• Update your information in your BACB account as soon as changes occur (e.g., name change, address
change, email address change).

• Do not create more than one account. If you are having trouble getting into your account, please use
the Contact Us Form for assistance.

Creating a BACB account will give you a BACB account ID number, which you will need to add to documents as
you work toward certification. Having a BACB account also means that you will receive important updates from
the BACB.

Considerations When Exploring Training Options

You only receive your initial training once. If possible, don’t pick your training out of convenience, expense,
or geography. We recommend thoroughly researching the trainings before committing to one. While we can’t
provide guidance on where to receive your behavior-analytic coursework, here are some things to consider.

Ideally, you should obtain your education in behavior analysis from a behavior-analytic degree program. There are
many benefits to this option. For instance, in most cases, you can meet all BCBA eligibility requirements in one place
while also having engaging, non-classroom interactions with behavior-analytic faculty and students that will greatly
enhance your education and begin to develop your behavior-analytic social networks. Even if you don’t receive all of
your supervised fieldwork through the degree-granting program, your faculty will likely help you identify where you
can accrue your hours in an immersive behavior-analytic environment. If completing your education in a behavior-
analytic degree program is a possibility for you, here are a few things to consider as you research programs.

First, research the faculty members and determine whether the program’s interest(s) align with yours (see the ABA
Subspecialty Resources on the About Behavior Analysis web page for some of the areas in which behavior analysis
has been applied). Second, identify the program’s structure to determine how much time you will have with your faculty
and fellow students. Third, confirm that the program has a pathway to meet the BACB’s coursework requirements.

* This is not a comprehensive resource for all activities you will need to or should complete as you prepare for certification.

https://gateway.bacb.com/Account/Login.aspx

CONTACT US

ABOUT BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS

OvErvIEw

You may obtain your behavior-analytic coursework in one of the following ways:
• APBA-Accredited or ABAI-Accredited or Recognized Behavior Analysis Degree Program (Pathway 1):

Master’s degree (or higher) behavior analysis programs that have been accredited by APBA or
accredited or recognized by ABAI (under ABAI Tiers 1, 2a, or 2b) have met quality standards for their
curriculum, faculty, and supports, among others. If you receive a master’s degree or higher from one
of these programs, both the coursework and degree eligibility requirements will be met. Accredited or
recognized programs may be found on the APBA and ABAI websites.

• Verified Course Sequence (Pathway 2): The other option for completing behavior-analytic coursework
is through a Verified Course Sequence. A Verified Course Sequence is a set of courses that have
been verified by ABAI as having met the BACB’s behavior-analytic coursework requirements. Although
some Verified Course Sequences are embedded in an ABAI-accredited graduate program, many are
not. Verified Course Sequence status merely indicates that the content-hour requirements for certain
behavior-analytic courses have been reviewed. Verified Course Sequences may be located using ABAI’s
Verified Course Sequence Directory.

Finally, when determining where to obtain your coursework, you might also want to consider:
• Program Focus: Do you have any existing areas of interest? If so, does the program align with your

professional goals? Is the program led by faculty with similar interests? Will the program help facilitate
experience in areas that are meaningful to you?

• Program Size: Find out the size of each cohort and determine if the size is a good fit for you as a learner.
This information can usually be found on the program’s website. Our university pass rate documents also
give an idea of program size by looking at the number of candidates who took the examination from an
institution each year (see the Sort by Volume section of the document).

• Program Structure: Courses are usually taught on campus, online, or in a combination of online and
on-campus experiences (again, this information should be available on the program’s website). Consider
what structure is the best fit for you as a learner. You might want to consider what has worked for you in
the past. Were you successful in online courses? Did you need or value in-person experiences? In what
setting did you learn the most and feel the most engaged?

• Number of Faculty: Determine how many part- and full-time faculty are on staff, especially in relation to
the program size, to understand the student-to-faculty ratio.

• University Pass Rates: The BACB annually publishes examination pass rate data for universities with
Verified Course Sequences. Passing the BCBA examination is not the most important part of your
training, but, at a minimum, your training should prepare you to pass the examination.

Once you have identified where you will get your behavior-analytic coursework, your faculty mentor/advisor,
program chair, and/or Verified Course Sequence Coordinator will be your resource(s) to help you meet the
BACB’s requirements along the way.

Considerations When Identifying Practical Fieldwork Opportunities

Hold on! Remember that qualifying behavior-analytic coursework needs to begin before fieldwork, so make sure
you get your coursework situation figured out beforehand. Once you have started your coursework, determine
where you want to accrue your structured fieldwork hours and whether it will give you the applied experience
that will prepare you to practice independently after you are certified. For instance, consider the population(s)
and setting(s) where you want to ultimately provide behavior-analytic services. The BACB cannot provide this
guidance, so you should reach out to your Verified Course Sequence Coordinator, advisor, or employer for
guidance about where to accrue fieldwork in your chosen area.

https://www.apbahome.net

https://www.abainternational.org/welcome.aspx

https://www.abainternational.org/vcs/directory.aspx

https://www.bacb.com/university-pass-rates/

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/BCBA-Pass-Rates-Combined

OvErvIEw

When identifying supervisor(s) to oversee your fieldwork hours, ensure that they are qualified to be your supervisor
(see the Fieldwork Requirements section). In addition, you should focus on finding supervisors who have a
successful track record of BACB supervision. You could do this in a number of ways, but here are a few ideas:

• Check on their certification status in the Certificant Registry to ensure that they are qualified to supervise
and to see if they have any disciplinary sanctions.

• Look at how long they have been certified. We recommend identifying supervisors who have been
certified for at least a year, if not longer. Note: BCBAs in their first year of certification who are supervising
fieldwork must have a consulting supervisor.

• Gather information from the supervisor and past supervisees about the supervisor’s style to make sure
they are a good fit for you.

• Ask about their time and document-management systems. Caution: If you can’t produce all of the
necessary documents to support your fieldwork in the event of an audit, you might lose fieldwork hours,
so you will want a very organized supervisor!

• Determine whether they are familiar with the BACB’s requirements.
• Consider whether they could customize the fieldwork to your interests (while still meeting their ethical

obligations as a BCBA to stay within their area of competence).
Once you have identified fieldwork site(s) and supervisor(s), complete the Fieldwork Checklist and Tip Sheet
before you get started with each fieldwork site/supervisor. The BACB is not able to provide guidance beyond
what is in our fieldwork requirements, as each situation is unique (e.g., whether a specific activity will qualify
toward your fieldwork hours). Work together with your supervisor(s) to ensure that you are meeting the fieldwork
requirements while also meeting your professional goals.

A Few Final Tips
• Keep this handbook close by. We will update the handbook quarterly as needed, so always make sure

that you are reviewing the most current handbook to see what has changed since the last version. It is
also important that you become familiar with all applicable licensure requirements in your area.

• Frequently check the BACB website for new resources, including videos, blogs, and podcasts. For
example, the Tips for New Certificants blog shares valuable information for newly certified individuals,
and The Professional Infrastructure of Applied Behavior Analysis video describes the various
organizations within the ABA profession.

• Get involved and engaged with your behavior-analytic community! This might include joining or
volunteering with your local, regional, or national professional associations and groups focused in your
area(s) of interest. You will likely learn a lot and have an opportunity to contribute to behavior analysis
and its consumers. Having professional support is helpful at every stage of your career, so create
opportunities to identify trusted colleague(s), mentors, and/or groups now.

• As you pursue certification, ensure that you do not represent yourself as a BCBA trainee or applicant to
prevent consumers from being confused about your qualifications. For more information about use of the
BCBA certification mark, see the September 2008, October 2013, and July 2021 BACB Newsletters.

https://www.bacb.com/services/o.php?page=101135

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/Supervised-Fieldwork-Checklist-and-Tip-Sheet-2022

U.S. LICENSURE OF BEHAVIOR ANALYSTS

BACB

Tips for New Certificants

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/Sep2008_Newsletter/

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/Oct2013_Newsletter/

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/Jul2021_Newsletter/

ELIgIBILITy rEqUIrEmENTS

Eligibility Requirements
Eligibility Pathways

You may apply for BCBA certification through one of the following pathways. Each pathway requires a
degree, behavior-analytic content, supervised fieldwork, and passing the BCBA certification examination.

Overview of Eligibility Pathways
Pathway 1:

Degree From
APBA-Accredited

Program or
ABAI-Accredited
or Recognized

Program (ABAI Tier
1, 2a, or 2b)

Pathway 2:
Behavior-Analytic

Coursework

Pathway 3: Faculty
Teaching and

Research

Pathway 4:
Postdoctoral
Experience

Degree Master’s degree
or higher from an
APBA-accredited
program or an
ABAI-accredited
or recognized
behavior analysis
degree program
(ABAI Tier 1, 2a,
or 2b)

Master’s degree
or higher

Master’s degree
or higher Doctoral degree

Behavior-analytic
content

Behavior-analytic
coursework

Faculty teaching
and research

Postdoctoral
experience in
applied behavior
analysis

Fieldwork
Practical fieldwork
in applied behavior
analysis

Practical fieldwork
in applied behavior
analysis

The following pages provide further details for each eligibility pathway.

https://www.abainternational.org/higher-education/tiered-model-of-education.aspx

ELIgIBILITy rEqUIrEmENTS

Pathway 1: Degree From Association of Professional Behavior Analysts (APBA) Accredited Program
or Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI) Accredited or Recognized Program

To apply for BCBA certification via this pathway, you must have a degree from an APBA-
accredited program or an ABAI-accredited or recognized behavior analysis master’s or
doctoral degree program (ABAI Tier 1, 2a, or 2b) and have completed supervised fieldwork.

Degree

You must have obtained:
• a master’s degree while the program was accredited by APBA OR
• a master’s or doctoral degree in 2015 or later, and the degree must have been obtained while the program

was accredited or recognized by ABAI under Tier 1, 2a, or 2b. For example, your degree would meet the
degree requirement if you received your master’s or doctoral degree in 2018 from a program that was
accredited from 2016 to 2022.

Supervised Fieldwork

You must complete supervised fieldwork in applied behavior analysis. You may accrue your fieldwork hours
under one or more fieldwork types: Supervised Fieldwork or Concentrated Supervised Fieldwork. The following
table provides a general overview of the requirements for fieldwork; however, your fieldwork must meet all of the
requirements in the Supervised Fieldwork Requirements section.

Overview of Fieldwork Requirements
Supervised Fieldwork Concentrated Supervised Fieldwork

Fieldwork hours
required to qualify 2,000 1,500

Supervisor
qualifications
(see the Supervised
Fieldwork Requirements
section for additional
supervisor requirements)

Supervisors must be one of the following:
• an active BCBA without current disciplinary sanctions who has been certified for at least

one year and meets an ongoing supervision CEU requirement;
• an active BCBA without current disciplinary sanctions who has been certified for less than one

year and is receiving consultation on a monthly basis from a qualified consulting supervisor;
• a licensed or registered psychologist certified by the American Board of Professional Psychology

in Behavioral and Cognitive Psychology who was tested in applied behavior analysis; OR
• an authorized Verified Course Sequence instructor.

Supervision hours per
supervisory period 5% of hours 10% of hours

Does the BACB
use primary source
verification of degrees
and coursework?

Yes! Under every
eligibility pathway, we rely
on official transcripts to
verify that an applicant’s
degree and coursework
meet our requirements.

SUPERVISED FIELDWORK

DEGREE FROM APBA-
ACCREDITED PROGRAM

OR ABAI-ACCREDITED OR
RECOGNIZED PROGRAM
(ABAI TIER 1, 2A, OR 2B)

+ =
Version 9/26/2023, Copyright © 2022, BACB® | All rights reserved.

PASS
EXAMINATION

CERTIFICATION( )
Check out ABAI’s Accredited Programs web page for a directory of degree
programs that meet this requirement, and visit APBA’s About Accreditation
web page to learn more about their upcoming program.

Demonstrate that you meet this requirement when you apply by submitting an official transcript
with a conferral date for your qualifying degree.

https://www.apbahome.net/page/Accreditationstandards

https://accreditation.abainternational.org/welcome.aspx

https://www.abainternational.org/higher-education/tiered-model-of-education.aspx

https://www.apbahome.net/page/Accreditationstandards

https://accreditation.abainternational.org/welcome.aspx

https://www.abainternational.org/higher-education/tiered-model-of-education.aspx

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/consulting-supervisor-requirements/

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/external/behavioral-cognitive-psyc

https://www.abainternational.org/vcs/coordinators.aspx

https://accreditation.abainternational.org/accredited-programs.aspx

https://www.apbahome.net/page/AboutAccreditation

ELIgIBILITy rEqUIrEmENTS

Pathway 2: Behavior-Analytic Coursework

To apply for BCBA certification via this pathway, you must have an acceptable graduate degree from a qualifying
institution, have completed acceptable graduate coursework in behavior analysis, and have completed
supervised fieldwork.

Degree

You must have a master’s degree or higher from a qualifying institution (see glossary for the definition of qualifying
institution by country) in any field. The degree may have been earned at any time. Any degree earned outside of the
United States, Canada, Australia, or United Kingdom must undergo a degree equivalency evaluation to demonstrate
that it is equivalent to a US master’s degree or higher. The BACB only accepts degrees that have undergone the
degree equivalency evaluation process that it oversees at its expense. As of September 2021, the BACB no longer
allows applicants to refute its determinations using another degree evaluation service.

Demonstrate that you meet this requirement when you apply by submitting your signed Final
Fieldwork Verification Form(s) (F-FVF). Note: If your fieldwork is audited, you may need to submit an
audit log and other documents, such as your supervision contract, Monthly Fieldwork Verification
Forms (M-FVFs), and/or documentation system, to support the information entered in your audit
log. All current fieldwork requirements must be met.

BEHAVIOR-ANALYTIC
COURSEWORK

CERTIFICATION
PASS

EXAMINATION
SUPERVISED
FIELDWORK

DEGREE( )+ + =
Version 9/11/2019, Copyright © 2019, BACB® | All rights reserved.

Demonstrate that you meet this requirement when you apply by submitting an official transcript
with a conferral date for your qualifying degree.

ELIgIBILITy rEqUIrEmENTS

Behavior-Analytic Coursework

You must complete behavior-analytic coursework that meets the following requirements:
• The coursework was graduate level (i.e., master’s or doctoral) and from the qualifying

institution at which you were enrolled.
• The coursework was obtained within 10 years of the year the application was

submitted (e.g., to apply in 2024, only coursework completed in 2014 or later will
be applied).

• You received academic credit for the coursework.
• The coursework reflects that you received a passing grade (“C” or higher in a graded

course or “pass” in a pass/fail system) in each course.
• The coursework covers all of the content areas and number of hours specified in this table:

Coursework Content Requirements
Content Areas Hours*

BACB Ethics Code and Code-Enforcement System; Professionalism
Note: The content must be taught in one or more freestanding courses,
meaning that the BACB’s ethics code and code-enforcement system and
professionalism must constitute the majority of each course’s content.

45 hrs

Philosophical Underpinnings; Concepts & Principles Note: 45 hours
must be taught in one freestanding course, meaning that concepts and
principles must constitute the majority of the course’s content.

90 hrs

Measurement, Data Display, and Interpretation; Experimental Design
Note: The content must be taught in one freestanding course, meaning that
measurement, data display, and interpretation and experimental design
must constitute the majority of the course’s content.

45 hrs

Behavior Assessment 45 hrs
Behavior-Change Procedures; Selecting and Implementing Interventions 60 hrs
Personnel Supervision and Management 30 hrs

Total 315 hrs
* For the purpose of establishing instructional requirements that can be applied globally, 1 semester credit hour will

represent 15 hours of classroom instruction, and 1 quarter credit hour will represent 10 hours of classroom instruction. This
conversion is based on US Federal Rule.

Check out the You Want
to Pursue Certification…
Now What? section
for guidance on where
to get your behavior-
analytic training.

https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2010-10-29/pdf/2010-26531

ELIgIBILITy rEqUIrEmENTS

Supervised Fieldwork

You must complete supervised fieldwork in applied behavior analysis. You may accrue your fieldwork hours under
one or more fieldwork types: Supervised Fieldwork or Concentrated Supervised Fieldwork. The following table
provides a general overview. You should thoroughly review the Supervised Fieldwork Requirements section to
ensure that you meet all of the detailed requirements.

Overview of Fieldwork Requirements
Supervised Fieldwork Concentrated Supervised Fieldwork

Fieldwork hours
required to qualify 2,000 1,500

Supervisor qualifications
(see the Supervised
Fieldwork Requirements
section for additional
supervisor requirements)

Supervisors must be one of the following:
• an active BCBA without current disciplinary sanctions who has been certified for at

least one year and meets an ongoing supervision CEU requirement;
• an active BCBA without current disciplinary sanctions who has been certified for less than one

year and is receiving consultation on a monthly basis from a qualified consulting supervisor;
• a licensed or registered psychologist certified by the American Board of Professional

Psychology in Behavioral and Cognitive Psychology who was tested in applied
behavior analysis; OR

• an authorized Verified Course Sequence instructor.
Supervision hours per
supervisory period 5% of hours 10% of hours

How is my coursework evaluated? When applying for BCBA certification under Pathway 2,
you can show that you meet the coursework requirements in one of two ways:

1. Verified Course Sequence (VCS) Coordinator Coursework Attestation: Your BCBA-
certified VCS Coordinator reviews all of your course materials and, if all requirements
have been met, completes the VCS Coordinator Coursework Attestation.

2. Course-by-Course Review: ABAI works with institutions to identify and verify sequences
of courses—known as Verified Course Sequences—that have been prescreened to
meet BCBA coursework requirements. The ABAI Verified Course Sequence Directory
includes all Verified Course Sequences, VCS Coordinators and content hours, and
dates on which the courses were verified. Under this option, the BACB reviews each
course you completed with the courses in ABAI’s VCS records to determine whether
all requirements, including all content hour requirements, have been met. Note: This
method for evaluating coursework will be discontinued as of January 1, 2026.
If you completed qualifying coursework that was not part of a VCS, and we do not
have the courses established in our records, you will be required to have your
department chair complete a Nonverified Course Content Attestation. The BACB
will then add the attestation to the course database for consideration during the
course-by-course review for your BCBA Certification Application or your preliminary
coursework evaluation. Note: As of January 1, 2026, nonverified coursework will no
longer be accepted as part of a BCBA certification application.

Demonstrate that you meet the coursework requirements when you apply by submitting
official transcript(s) for all qualifying behavior-analytic courses that you will use to meet the
requirements. Please keep in mind that if you transferred schools while completing your
coursework, you must submit a transcript from each institution. In addition, if your VCS
Coordinator completes a VCS Coordinator Coursework Attestation, they must email it directly
to the BACB as stated in the form.

Not sure your
coursework qualifies?

If you are uncertain
whether your
coursework qualifies,
you can request a
preliminary coursework
evaluation online. This
will include a $100 fee.

Note: Preliminary
coursework evaluations
will no longer be available
as of December 31,
2025, due to the VCS
system ending. Submit all
required documentation
to the BACB by October
1, 2025, to ensure a
determination before the
final application deadline.

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/consulting-supervisor-requirements/

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/external/behavioral-cognitive-psyc

https://www.abainternational.org/vcs/coordinators.aspx

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/bcba_vcs_course_content_attestation

https://www.abainternational.org/vcs.aspx

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/Course-Content-Attestation

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/bcba_vcs_course_content_attestation

https://www.bacb.com/coursework-evaluation-application/

ELIgIBILITy rEqUIrEmENTS

Pathway 3: Faculty Teaching and Research

To apply for BCBA certification via this pathway, you must have an acceptable graduate degree from a qualifying
institution, have held a full-time faculty position in behavior analysis that includes research and teaching, and have
completed supervised fieldwork.

Degree

You must have a master’s degree or higher from a qualifying institution in any field. Any degree earned outside of the
United States, Canada, Australia, or United Kingdom must undergo a degree equivalency evaluation to demonstrate
that it is equivalent to a US master’s degree or higher. The BACB only accepts degrees that have undergone the
degree equivalency evaluation process that it oversees at its expense. As of September 2021, the BACB no longer
allows applicants to refute its determinations using another degree evaluation service.

Faculty Appointment

You must have at least three years (cumulative) of full-time work as a faculty member at a qualifying institution within a
five-year period.

Teaching: Your faculty appointment must have included the following teaching characteristics:
• You taught at least five sections/iterations of behavior-analytic coursework.
• You taught at least two of the following behavior-analytic content areas in separate courses: concepts and

principles of behavior, single-subject research methods, applied behavior analysis, and ethics in behavior analysis.
• Each course must have been exclusively or primarily devoted to behavior-analytic content.
• You taught this coursework at the graduate level.

Demonstrate that you meet this requirement when you apply by submitting your signed
Final Fieldwork Verification Form(s) (F-FVF). Note: If your fieldwork is audited, you may need to
submit an audit log and other documents, such as your supervision contract, Monthly Fieldwork
Verification Forms (M-FVFs), and/or documentation system, to support the information entered in
your audit log. All current fieldwork requirements must be met.

FACULTY
APPOINTMENT

CERTIFICATION
PASS

EXAMINATION
SUPERVISED
FIELDWORK

DEGREE( )+ + =
Version 9/11/2019, Copyright © 2019, BACB® | All rights reserved.

Demonstrate that you meet this requirement when you apply by submitting an official transcript
with a conferral date for your qualifying degree.

Demonstrate that you meet this requirement when you apply by submitting a letter from the
department chair indicating that these requirements were met along with course syllabi.

ABOUT BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS

ELIgIBILITy rEqUIrEmENTS

Research: You must have published one journal article with the following characteristics:
• It was behavior analytic in nature.
• It included at least one experimental evaluation.
• It was published in a high-quality, peer-reviewed journal.
• You were the first, second, or corresponding author.
• It was published at any point in your career.

Supervised Fieldwork

You must complete supervised fieldwork in applied behavior analysis. After starting your faculty appointment,
you may accrue your fieldwork hours under one or more fieldwork types: Supervised Fieldwork or Concentrated
Supervised Fieldwork. Review the following table for a general overview and the Supervised Fieldwork Requirements
section to ensure you meet all the requirements.

Overview of Fieldwork Requirements
Supervised Fieldwork Concentrated Supervised Fieldwork

Fieldwork hours
required to qualify 2,000 1,500

Supervisor qualifications
(see the Supervised
Fieldwork Requirements
section for additional
supervisor requirements)

Supervisors must be one of the following:
• an active BCBA without current disciplinary sanctions who has been certified for at

least one year and meets an ongoing supervision CEU requirement;
• an active BCBA without current disciplinary sanctions who has been certified for

less than one year and is receiving consultation on a monthly basis from a qualified
consulting supervisor;

• a licensed or registered psychologist certified by the American Board of Professional
Psychology in Behavioral and Cognitive Psychology who was tested in applied
behavior analysis; OR

• an authorized Verified Course Sequence instructor.
Supervision hours per
supervisory period 5% of hours 10% of hours

Demonstrate that you meet this requirement when you apply by submitting a copy of your
published article.

ABOUT BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/consulting-supervisor-requirements/

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/external/behavioral-cognitive-psyc

https://www.abainternational.org/vcs/coordinators.aspx

ELIgIBILITy rEqUIrEmENTS

Pathway 4: Postdoctoral Experience

To apply for BCBA certification via this pathway, you must have an acceptable doctoral degree from a qualifying
institution that was conferred at least 10 years ago, have completed at least 10 years of postdoctoral practical
experience, and have completed 500 hours of supervised fieldwork.

Doctoral Degree

You must have a doctoral degree from a qualifying institution. Any degree earned outside of the United States,
Canada, Australia, or United Kingdom must undergo a degree equivalency evaluation to demonstrate that it is
equivalent to a US doctoral degree. The BACB only accepts degrees that have undergone the degree equivalency
evaluation process that it oversees at its expense. As of September 2021, the BACB no longer allows applicants to
refute its determinations using another degree evaluation service.

Postdoctoral Experience

The postdoctoral experience must:
• include 10 years of full-time, cumulative experience practicing behavior analysis (time spent teaching

behavior analysis does not count) AND
• have occurred under a relevant state/provincial license or national professional credential. You may have

held different credentials at different times during the 10 years.

POSTDOCTORAL
EXPERIENCE

CERTIFICATION
PASS

EXAMINATION
SUPERVISED
FIELDWORK

DOCTORAL
DEGREE( )+ + =

Demonstrate that you meet this requirement when you apply by submitting an official transcript
with a conferral date for your qualifying degree.

Demonstrate that you meet this requirement when you apply by submitting a curriculum vitae
showing this experience, signed attestations describing the behavior-analytic practice from current
or former employers, and proof of the applicable professional credential(s).

ELIgIBILITy rEqUIrEmENTS

Supervised Fieldwork

You must complete supervised fieldwork in applied behavior analysis. You may accrue your fieldwork
hours under Supervised Fieldwork. This fieldwork must have started once you have completed 10 years of
postdoctoral experience. The following table provides a general overview. You should thoroughly review the
Supervised Fieldwork Requirements section to ensure that you meet all of the detailed requirements.

Overview of Fieldwork Requirements
Supervised Fieldwork

Fieldwork hours
required to qualify 500

Supervisor qualifications
(see the Supervised
Fieldwork Requirements
section for additional
supervisor requirements)

Supervisors must be one of the following:
• an active BCBA without current disciplinary sanctions who has been certified for at

least one year and meets an ongoing supervision CEU requirement;
• an active BCBA without current disciplinary sanctions who has been certified for less than one

year and is receiving consultation on a monthly basis from a qualified consulting supervisor;
• a licensed or registered psychologist certified by the American Board of Professional

Psychology in Behavioral and Cognitive Psychology who was tested in applied
behavior analysis; OR

• an authorized Verified Course Sequence instructor.
Supervision hours per
supervisory period 5% of hours

Qualification for Examination via Past Certification

If your BCBA certification expired within the last five years, you may be able to requalify as a BCBA by sitting for and
passing the BCBA certification examination. Qualification via past certification applications are only accepted from
individuals residing in countries in which the BACB accepts new certification applications.

To be eligible for this option, you must also meet the following continuing education requirements:
• You obtained 16 continuing education units (CEUs) each year since the date your BCBA certification expired

(prorated to the month you submit a Qualify for Examination via Past Certification Application).
• The CEUS you earned meet the BACB’s current CEU requirements and entered into your BACB account

prior to submitting the application. CEU documentation may use the previous certification number to connect
to previous certification held for this purpose only.

If you become certified again via this option, you will receive a new certification number and recertification cycle. You
must also adhere to the same requirements as a new certificant (e.g., 8-hour supervision training, consulting supervisor).
Additional CEUs may be required if there is a delay in the application requirements (e.g., payment, documents received).

Applying via Past Certification

If you want to apply for BCBA certification via this option, you must complete and submit a Qualify for Examination
via Past Certification Application after your reinstatement period has ended. If your application is approved and you
are authorized to sit for the BCBA examination, you must pass the examination within a two-year authorization period
(see the Examination section for more details).

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/consulting-supervisor-requirements/

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/external/behavioral-cognitive-psyc

https://www.abainternational.org/vcs/coordinators.aspx

http://bacb.com/wp-content/Qualification-via-Past-Certification-Application

ELIgIBILITy rEqUIrEmENTS

Supervised Fieldwork Requirements

Applicants must complete supervised fieldwork in applied behavior analysis. The following sections describe all of
the requirements for supervised fieldwork (hereafter referred to as “fieldwork”). Regardless of when the hours were
earned, applicants who apply for BCBA certification must meet all of these requirements.

Fieldwork Hour Requirements

Total Fieldwork Hours Required: Based on the type of fieldwork hours accrued (see the A Comparison of Fieldwork
Types table), you will need to complete either 2,000 Supervised Fieldwork hours or 1,500 Concentrated Supervised
Fieldwork hours to meet the fieldwork requirement. If you are mixing fieldwork types, please see the Combining
Fieldwork Types section.

Onset of Fieldwork: Trainees may not start accumulating fieldwork hours until they have:
• secured a qualified supervisor (see Supervisor Qualifications section), AND
• developed and signed a supervision contract with each supervisor (see Supervision Contract section), AND
• if applying under Pathway 1 or 2: started qualifying graduate-level behavior-analytic coursework*, OR
• if applying under Pathway 4: completed 10 years of postdoctoral experience.

Accrual of Fieldwork: No fewer than 20 hours but no more than 130 hours of fieldwork requirements may be accrued per
month. Fieldwork hours include independent hours (supervisor not present) and supervised hours (supervisor present).

Duration of Fieldwork: The time frame of the fieldwork may not exceed five continuous years (e.g., May 1, 2020, to
April 30, 2025).

Clients: Any person (or group of people) for whom behavior-analytic services are appropriate may be a client. However,
the trainee may not be related to the client, be the client’s primary caregiver, or be related to the client’s primary
caregiver. Trainees must work with, be observed by, and receive feedback from their supervisor for multiple clients
during the fieldwork. This requirement is applicable for the duration of the fieldwork (i.e., not per supervisory period).

Acceptable Activities: The trainee’s primary focus should be on acquiring the skills necessary to demonstrate
competence in behavior analysis and the skills necessary to interact effectively with consumers, supervisors, families,
and others. The supervisor will be responsible for determining whether activities qualify for accruing fieldwork hours
and are consistent with the requirements in this document.

Trainees are strongly encouraged to have multiple experiences (e.g., different settings,
populations) with multiple supervisors from each of these areas of activity:

• conducting assessments related to the need for behavioral intervention (e.g., stimulus
preference assessment, functional assessment, staff performance assessment) or for
evaluating behavioral interventions;

• designing, implementing, and systematically monitoring skill-acquisition and behavior-
reduction programs;

• writing behavior plans, progress summaries, clinical notes, transition summaries, and
professional correspondence;

• overseeing the implementation of behavior-analytic programs by others;
• training others, designing behavioral systems, and performance management;
• communicating and collaborating effectively with caregivers and other professionals; AND
• other activities normally performed by a behavior analyst that are directly related to

behavior analysis, such as attending planning meetings regarding the behavior-analytic
program and researching the literature that is relevant to a current client’s programming.

* They may begin accruing hours after attending the first class meeting. For fieldwork to be counted, a passing grade of “C” or
higher in a graded course or “pass” in a pass/fail system must be earned in at least one qualifying behavior-analytic course.

Now is the time to
explore! Find out
what areas of interest
you might have and
what populations and
settings you enjoy
working in. Get different
perspectives by working
with different supervisors
with various areas
of expertise.

ELIgIBILITy rEqUIrEmENTS

Restricted Activities: There is a restriction on the overall amount of hours you may
spend delivering therapeutic and instructional procedures during fieldwork. This
restriction is designed to ensure that trainees have sufficient time to acquire the other
skills necessary for practice as a BCBA. Restricted activities may comprise no more
than 40% of the total fieldwork hours—this requirement does not need to be met
during each supervisory period. Please note that this restriction does not necessarily
refer to all time spent working with clients.

Unrestricted Activities: Activities that are unrestricted are those that are most likely to
be performed by a BCBA. Unrestricted activities must comprise at least 60% (e.g., at least 1,200 hours of unrestricted
activities) of the total fieldwork hours. This requirement does not need to be met during each supervisory period.
Examples of unrestricted activities include:

• observation and data collection
• training staff and caregivers on behavior-analytic programs or content
• conducting assessments related to the need for behavioral intervention
• meeting with clients about behavior-analytic programming and services
• conducting behavior-analytic assessments (e.g., functional analyses, stimulus preference assessments)
• data graphing and analysis
• researching the literature relevant to a current client’s programming
• writing and revising behavior-analytic programs

Unacceptable Activities: Only behavior-analytic activities may be counted toward fieldwork requirements.
Nonbehavior-analytic activities, while valuable, may not be counted. Examples of activities that will not count as
fieldwork include:

• attending meetings with little or no behavior-analytic content
• providing interventions that are not based in behavior analysis
• performing nonbehavioral administrative activities
• nonbehavior-analytic trainings related to service delivery (e.g., crisis management, CPR, billing systems)
• completing nonbehavioral assessments (e.g., diagnostic assessments, intellectual assessments), paperwork,

documentation, billing, or any other activities that are not directly related to behavior analysis
• attending professional conferences, workshops, or university courses
• didactic-course assignments (e.g., completing homework assignments, readings)

Why are unrestricted activities so important?

Following certification, most behavior analysts primarily perform unrestricted activities. It is
important, therefore, to have experience with these activities before becoming certified.

Can the BACB tell me if an activity counts toward my fieldwork hours?

Unfortunately not. Since every trainee’s goals are unique—and we cannot possibly know
or anticipate all of the situational variables, populations, and settings in which they may be
working—we cannot provide guidance beyond our certification requirements. We rely on qualified
supervisors to determine how to develop fieldwork that meets our requirements and best supports
clients’ needs and trainees’ goals.

Before You Start Your Fieldwork

The BACB strongly encourages you (the trainee) to complete the Fieldwork
Checklist and Tip Sheet and share it with the supervisor at each fieldwork setting.

Fieldwork Checklist and
Tip Sheet

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/Supervised-Fieldwork-Checklist-and-Tip-Sheet-2022

ELIgIBILITy rEqUIrEmENTS

Supervisor Requirements

Supervisor Qualifications: Supervisors must be one of the following:
• an active BCBA without current disciplinary sanctions who has been certified for at

least one year and meets an ongoing supervision CEU requirement;
• an active BCBA who has been certified for less than one year and is receiving

consultation on a monthly basis from a qualified consulting supervisor without current
disciplinary sanctions;

• a licensed or registered psychologist certified by the American Board of Professional
Psychology in Behavioral and Cognitive Psychology who was tested in applied
behavior analysis (Note: This will no longer be a qualification method as of January
1, 2026. Fieldwork obtained before January 1, 2026, may be submitted with a
certification application until January 1, 2032.); OR

• an authorized Verified Course Sequence instructor (Note: This will no longer be a
qualification method as of January 1, 2026. Fieldwork obtained before January 1, 2026,
under the supervision of a noncertified Verified Course Sequence instructor may be
submitted with a certification application until January 1, 2032.).

Supervisor Training: Supervisors must complete an 8-hour supervision training before providing any supervision to
those accruing fieldwork hours.

Supervisors are responsible for ensuring that they have completed the training (available in the Certificant Registry)
and uploaded the certificate into their BACB account before signing a supervision contract. Trainees should confirm
the date on which the supervisor completed the training before signing a supervision contract.

Supervisor/Trainee Relationship: The supervisor may not be related to, subordinate to, employed by, or in a multiple
relationship with (e.g., personal or business relationship) the trainee during the fieldwork period. Employment does
not include compensation paid to the supervisor by the trainee for supervision services.

Multiple Supervisors/Settings: Trainees are strongly encouraged to receive supervision from multiple supervisors
and across various settings over the course of their fieldwork hours. This may occur as several individual supervisors,
multiple supervisors at one organization, or a combination of these supervision structures.

Individual Supervisor: An individual supervisor must ensure that all of their trainees’ fieldwork requirements are
being met during their supervision. In this situation:

• the supervision contract must clearly outline the roles, responsibilities, and expectations for the trainee and
supervisor (see the Supervision Contract section);

• all supervision must be related to specific client programming;
• the supervisor must have written permission to receive client information and must be well aware of the

organization’s values, practices, and personnel; AND
• the person signing the M-FVFs and F-FVF for Individual Supervisors must be able to agree to all of the

relevant attestations, including that all fieldwork requirements were met.
Multiple Supervisors at One Organization: An organization may coordinate and oversee multiple supervisors
who provide fieldwork to a trainee. For example, a service organization might have multiple supervisors providing
supervision, or a university might coordinate all on- and off-campus activities under one system. The supervisors
must work together to ensure that all of their trainees’ fieldwork requirements are met (e.g., all of the hours provided
by the supervisors are used to calculate the supervision percentage). One supervisor must ensure that the activity is
well organized and coordinated. In this situation:

Check the Certificant
Registry to find actively
certified supervisors
who meet BACB
requirements. You may
do this by choosing
to show certificants
who are willing to
supervise those
pursuing BCBA and
BCaBA certifications.

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/consulting-supervisor-requirements/

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/external/behavioral-cognitive-psyc

SUPERVISION, ASSESSMENT, TRAINING, AND OVERSIGHT

https://www.bacb.com/services/o.php?page=101135

https://www.bacb.com/find-a-certificant/

ELIgIBILITy rEqUIrEmENTS

• the supervision contract must list all supervisors and clearly outline the roles, responsibilities, and
expectations of each supervisor and the trainee (see the Supervision Contract section);

• all supervisors must sign the contract;
• all supervision must be related to specific client programming;
• the supervisor(s) must have written permission to receive client information and must be well aware of the

organization’s values, practices, and personnel; AND
• the person signing the M-FVFs and F-FVF for Multiple Supervisors at One Organization (i.e., the responsible

supervisor) must be able to agree to all of the relevant attestations, including that all fieldwork requirements were met.

Requirements for Supervision of Fieldwork Hours

Nature of Supervision: The purpose of supervision is to improve and maintain the behavior-analytic, professional,
and ethical repertoires of the trainee and facilitate the delivery of high-quality services to the trainee’s clients.
Effective behavior-analytic supervision includes:

• monitoring the skills of the trainee throughout the supervised fieldwork
• developing and communicating performance expectations to the trainee
• conducting behavioral-skills training for the trainee
• observing the trainee’s performance with clients and delivering feedback
• modeling technical, professional, and ethical behavior
• guiding the development of behavioral case conceptualization and problem-solving and decision-

making repertoires
• reviewing the trainee’s written materials (e.g., behavior programs, data sheets, reports) and delivering related

feedback about the products
• overseeing and evaluating the effects of the trainee’s behavior-analytic service delivery
• evaluating the effects of supervision throughout the supervised fieldwork

Responsibilities of the Supervisor: When behavior analysts are functioning as supervisors, they must take full
responsibility for all facets of this experience. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the supervisor to ensure that the
trainee abides by all ethical and legal requirements.

Responsibilities of the supervisor include:
• being fluent in, current in, and compliant with all BACB requirements relating to fieldwork
• confirming that the trainee has met all requirements before the outset of supervised fieldwork
• consistently demonstrating technical, professional, and ethical behavior for the trainee
• ensuring that fieldwork activities are in the best interest of the client rather than strictly for the purpose of

meeting the fieldwork requirements
• providing supervision only within their areas of defined competence
• taking on only a volume of supervisory activity that is commensurate with their ability to be effective
• delegating to their trainees only those responsibilities that trainees can reasonably be expected to perform

competently, ethically, and safely, or providing the conditions for the trainee to acquire those skills in an
ethical and safe manner

• ensuring that supervision, fieldwork activities, and trainings are behavior analytic in content, are effectively
and ethically designed, and meet the requirements for licensure, certification, or other defined goals

• providing a clear written description of the purpose, requirements, evaluation criteria, conditions, and terms
of supervision before the onset of supervision (i.e., behavior analysts are responsible for the development
and execution of the supervision contract). See the Supervision Contract section.

• designing and implementing feedback and reinforcement systems in a way that improves
trainee performance

• providing documented, timely feedback regarding the trainee’s performance on an ongoing basis
• designing systems for obtaining ongoing evaluation of their own supervision activities

ELIgIBILITy rEqUIrEmENTS

Structure of Supervision: Supervision contacts should ideally consist of individual (i.e., one-on-one) contacts
between the supervisor and trainee; however, group supervision is permitted in certain circumstances.

• Group Supervision Restrictions: Groups are interactive meetings in which 2–10 trainees who share similar
experiences participate in the supervision activities described earlier (see the Nature of Supervision
section). The number of trainees in a group meeting may not exceed 10 at any time, regardless of the
number of supervisors in the meeting. If nontrainees are present, their participation should be limited, and
their presence must not inhibit discussion or interfere with participation by trainees. The amount of group
supervision may not exceed the amount of individual supervision in a given supervisory period. In other
words, supervision may be conducted in groups for no more than half of the total supervised hours in each
supervisory period. Unless the trainee is receiving supervision at an organization with multiple supervisors,
group supervision must be provided by the same supervisor who provides individual supervision.

• Observation-With-Client Requirements: The trainee must be observed working with a client in the natural
environment during each supervisory period by at least one supervisor. In-person, on-site observation
is preferred. However, the observation may be conducted using asynchronous (e.g., recorded video) or
synchronous (e.g., live video conference) formats.

Please refer to the A Comparison of Fieldwork Types table for information about supervision contacts and
observations with clients and how these differ across the fieldwork types.

Amount of Supervision: Based on the type of fieldwork hours accrued, you will need to have 5% (Supervised
Fieldwork) or 10% (Concentrated Supervised Fieldwork) of your hours supervised by a qualified supervisor each
supervisory period. The supervision percentage is calculated by dividing supervised hours by total fieldwork hours
(i.e., independent and supervised hours).

Fieldwork Types: There are two supervised fieldwork types: Supervised Fieldwork and Concentrated Supervised
Fieldwork. Concentrated Supervised Fieldwork provides a pathway for individuals to complete their fieldwork in
fewer hours and with more supervision than Supervised Fieldwork.

Can the observation with a client and supervisor-trainee contact requirements be met at the
same time?

It depends. For the benefit of you and your clients, supervisor-trainee contacts must happen in real
time. For example, if your supervisor watches an hour-long video of you delivering services but
does not provide immediate, real-time feedback, that hour could count toward the observation with
a client requirements but not the supervisor-trainee contact or total supervised hours requirement.
If you and your supervisor watch the video together, pausing to discuss feedback and behavior-
analytic principles, the hour could count toward all requirements at once.

ELIgIBILITy rEqUIrEmENTS

The following table illustrates the requirements for each fieldwork type.

A Comparison of Fieldwork Types

Supervised Fieldwork Concentrated Supervised
Fieldwork

Fieldwork hours required to qualify 2,000* 1,500
Supervisory period 1 calendar month
Fieldwork hours per supervisory period min of 20 hours–max of 130 hours
Number of contacts with supervisor per
supervisory period 4 contacts 6 contacts

Observations with client per supervisory
period 1 observation 1 observation

Supervision per supervisory period 5% of hours 10% of hours
Individual supervision hours per
supervisory period

At least 50% of supervised hours must be individual (i.e., group
supervision may not exceed 50%).

Unrestricted activities At least 60% of overall supervised fieldwork must be spent engaged in
unrestricted activities.

* Under Pathway 4, only 500 hours of Supervised Fieldwork are required.

Combining Fieldwork Types: Trainees may accrue hours through Supervised Fieldwork, Concentrated Supervised
Fieldwork, or a combination (i.e., mix) of both. Each fieldwork type has different monthly requirements, so trainees
and supervisors should consult the relevant section for specifics. Hours can only be accrued under one fieldwork
type per month, per supervision structure, and all requirements of that fieldwork type must be satisfied for the hours
to be eligible toward the fieldwork requirement.

If hours are mixed across fieldwork types, trainees can estimate how close they are to meeting the fieldwork total-
hour requirement by following these steps:

1. Sum the total hours accrued under the Concentrated Fieldwork type;
2. Multiply the sum of the Concentrated Fieldwork hours by 1.33; THEN
3. Add the sum of the hours accrued under Supervised Fieldwork.
4. Ensure the combined total is at least 2,000 hours before applying for certification.

Note:
• The 1.33 multiplier is only 1) applied to Concentrated Fieldwork hours, and 2) used to reach the minimum of

mixed hours (i.e., Concentrated Fieldwork + Supervised Fieldwork).
• When documenting hours on the M-FVF and F-FVF, trainees should only record the actual hours accrued,

not the adjusted total with the multiplier.
• In case of an audit, trainees must indicate in the Fieldwork Audit Log the hours that have been adjusted to

meet the requirements.
Combination of Fieldwork Settings: Trainees may accrue hours in multiple settings to reach 2,000 total hours, but
they must meet all of the relevant requirements for each organized fieldwork experience (i.e., for each M-FVF and
F-FVF). For example, if a trainee is accruing some hours with an individual supervisor in one setting and some hours
with multiple supervisors in another setting, the trainee must independently meet the requirements at both sites.

ELIgIBILITy rEqUIrEmENTS

Adjusting Fieldwork Hours When Monthly Requirements Are Not Met: After all of the fieldwork hours in a month
have been documented, the trainee will determine whether they met the minimum requirements before they
complete the Monthly Fieldwork Verification Form (M-FVF). If a trainee does not meet all of the monthly fieldwork
requirements (e.g., not enough supervisor contacts, supervision percentage is too low), the trainee will work with
their supervisor to determine whether they may adjust their hours to meet the requirements through a systematic
reduction of hours. The following table describes each monthly fieldwork requirement and the associated adjustment
if the requirement is not met within a month.

Requirement Not Met Adjustment to the Month’s Fieldwork Hours
No observation of the trainee working with a client No hours are eligible for the month.
Fewer than 20 total hours No hours are eligible for the month.
More than 130 total hours Remove independent hours for the month until the total

equals 130 hours.
Not enough supervisor-trainee contacts Take the total hours accrued in the month (up to 130) and

prorate the hours based on the percentage of contacts
that met the requirement. For example, if 2 out of 4
required contacts occurred (i.e., 50% of the contacts were
met) and there were 110 total hours accrued in the month,
multiply 110 hours by .50 (i.e., 50%) to determine the total
hours that can count (i.e., 55 eligible hours).

Group supervision is more than individual supervision Reduce the group supervision hours until they equal (or
are less than) the individual supervision hours.

% of supervision did not meet the minimum requirement Decrease the independent hours for the month until the
% of supervision meets (or exceeds) the minimum monthly
requirement.

Monthly Fieldwork Verification Form (M-FVF) is not
signed by the last day of the calendar month following
the month of supervision

No hours are eligible for the month.

Once the hours have been adjusted, the trainee will record the adjusted hours on the M-FVF. Note: The fieldwork
documentation system will still need to include all of the hours accrued for the month (i.e., the unadjusted hours).

ELIgIBILITy rEqUIrEmENTS

Documentation Requirements

Supervision Contract: Before supervision may start, the trainee and supervisor(s) must develop
and sign a written contract at the outset of the supervisory relationship. The purpose of the
contract is to protect all involved parties and align fieldwork activities with the purpose of
supervision. The contract should include:

• the responsibilities of the supervisor(s) and trainee, including the completion of the
8-hour supervision training by the supervisor(s) and the adherence of all parties to the
fieldwork requirements

• if there are multiple supervisors at one organization, there may be one contract, but that contract must
outline each supervisor’s roles, responsibilities, and expectations, including how the documentation and
forms will be completed

• a description of the appropriate activities and training objectives individualized to the trainee
• the objective and measurable circumstances under which the supervisor(s) will not sign the trainee’s M-FVFs

and F-FVF
• the consequences if the parties do not adhere to their responsibilities (including proper termination of

the relationship)
• a statement requiring the trainee to obtain written permission from the trainee’s on-site

employer or manager when applicable
• an attestation that all parties will adhere to the Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts (Code)
• a statement declaring that the trainee and supervisor(s) (a) will retain a copy of the

contract and supervision documentation for at least seven years from the date of the final
supervision meeting and (b) will provide all documentation to the BACB if requested

Please note that supervision contracts may be amended throughout the supervisory
relationship; however, each amendment must be signed and dated by all relevant parties.

Documenting Fieldwork: Because fieldwork varies across settings and practice areas,
the BACB gives supervisors and trainees the flexibility to develop their own system for
documenting ongoing supervision and fieldwork in a way that demonstrates adherence to all
relevant requirements and the Code.

Documentation must include the following:

Independent Hours Supervised Hours Observations
For each session, document:
• date
• start time
• end time
• fieldwork type
• supervisor name
• activity category: restricted

or unrestricted

For each supervision contact, document:
• date
• start time
• end time
• fieldwork type
• supervision type: individual or group
• activity category: restricted or unrestricted
• summary of supervision activity (e.g.,

discussion of activities completed during
independent hours, feedback provided,
progress toward goals discussed)

For each observation, document:
• date
• start time
• end time
• fieldwork type
• setting name
• supervisor name
• activity category: restricted

or unrestricted

Download our sample
supervision contract
for guidance in creating
your own contract.

For more information
on documenting
fieldwork, check out the
Documenting Fieldwork
Hours video and the
Documenting Fieldwork:
Helpful Answers to Your
FAQs blog.

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/bacb-compliance-code-future

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/Sample-Supervision-Contract-for-BCBA-BCaBA-Trainees

Documenting Fieldwork: Helpful Answers to Your FAQs

ELIgIBILITy rEqUIrEmENTS

In addition to tracking data by session and supervision contact, the documentation system should be regularly
reviewed to ensure that all relevant requirements are met each supervisory period and across all fieldwork hours:

• Each Supervisory Period: The trainee and supervisor should have documentation that shows they are
meeting the quantitative requirements (e.g., minimum number of supervisory meetings and contacts) and
qualitative requirements (e.g., summary of what happened during the supervision meeting).

• Across all Fieldwork Hours: The trainee should have documentation that shows they are accruing the
minimum number of unrestricted hours and making progress toward completing the necessary requirements
for obtaining certification.

Fieldwork Forms: Supervisors and trainees are required to use two forms to verify fieldwork:
• Monthly Fieldwork Verification Form (M-FVF): must be provided to the BACB upon request
• Final Fieldwork Verification Form (F-FVF): must be submitted in the certification application. Please keep in

mind that each F-FVF you submit must show that you met all fieldwork requirements during that organized
fieldwork experience (e.g., fieldwork hours per supervisory period, supervision hours per supervisory period).
Multiple F-FVFs can be submitted to demonstrate that the combined fieldwork experiences meet the total
required fieldwork hours. A new F-FVF should be completed for each supervision experience. Taking a break
from accruing fieldwork under the same supervision contract constitutes a new supervision experience.

Two versions of each form are available and should be selected based upon the supervisory structure (i.e., individual
supervisor, multiple supervisors at one organization). Non-BACB forms will not be accepted.

Individual Supervisor Forms
• Monthly Fieldwork Verification Form: Individual Supervisor
• Final Fieldwork Verification Form: Individual Supervisor

Organization Forms
• Monthly Fieldwork Verification Form: Multiple Supervisors at One Organization
• Final Fieldwork Verification Form: Multiple Supervisors at One Organization

The M-FVF must be signed by the last day of the calendar month following the month of supervision, and we
recommend that the F-FVF be signed at the end of a specific fieldwork experience. Both parties must retain a copy
of the completed fieldwork forms for at least seven years. Note: Backdated or retroactively completed forms will not
be accepted.

+
Behavior Analyst Certification Board | Individual Final Fieldwork Verification FormVersion 07/2020 | Copyright © 2020, BACB® | All rights reserved.

FINAL | FIELDWORK VERIFICATION FORM

INDIVIDUAL SUPERVISOR
2022 Fieldwork Requirements

Instructions: Please complete one form per supervisor, per fieldwork type.

Trainee Name: ___________________________________________________________________________

BACB Account ID: _____________________ Start Date: _____________ End Date: _____________

Fieldwork Type (Select One):  Supervised Fieldwork  Concentrated Supervised Fieldwork

State Where Fieldwork Occurred: ________________ Country Where Fieldwork Occurred: _______________

Fieldwork Hours
A. Independent Hours (supervisor not present): __________
B. Supervised Hours (supervisor present): __________

 This fieldwork included prorated hours for partial months.

Supervisor and Trainee Attestation

Supervisor Name: _________________________________________________________________________
BACB Account ID#: _______________________________ Qualification: ____________________________

By signing below, we hereby attest that:
⊲ Information presented on this Final Fieldwork Verification Form and the corresponding Monthly Fieldwork

Verification Forms is true and correct to the best of my knowledge.
⊲ The trainee completed the fieldwork under my supervision in compliance with all relevant Fieldwork

Requirements (BCBA/BCaBA) including, but not limited to; the minimum number of contacts per month, required
amounts of unrestricted activities, required observations each month with clients, and adherence to the BACB’s
ethics requirements.

⊲ I am the supervisor designated in the signed supervision contract with this trainee.

Supervisor Signature: _______________________________________________ Date: ________________

This document must be signed in accordance with the Acceptable Signatures Policy.
SUPERVISOR AND TRAINEE MUST EACH RETAIN A COPY OF THIS FORM FOR AT LEAST 7 YEARS.

Total Fieldwork Hours _______________
(add A & B):
Percent of Hours Supervised _________

(supervised/total):

Note: Please download this form and complete it on your computer’s
desktop rather than in your web browser. This form contains
dropdown menus. If you prefer to print and manually fill out the
form, please write your answers over the dropdowns.

MONTHLY | FIELDWORK VERIFICATION FORM

INDIVIDUAL SUPERVISOR
2022 Fieldwork Requirements

Instructions: Please complete one form per supervisor, per fieldwork type.

Trainee Name: ___________________________________________________________________________

BACB Account ID: ______________________ Month/Year: ____________________________________

Fieldwork Type (Select One):  Supervised Fieldwork  Concentrated Supervised Fieldwork

State Where Fieldwork Occurred: ________________ Country Where Fieldwork Occurred: _______________

Supervisor Name: ________________________________________________________________________

BACB Account ID#: _______________________________ Qualification: ____________________________

Fieldwork Hours (this month only)
A. Independent Hours (supervisor not present): __________
B. Supervised Hours (supervisor present): __________

Supervisor and Trainee Attestation

By signing below, we hereby attest that:

⊲ The information contained on this form is true and correct to the best of our knowledge;
⊲ The required number of supervisory contacts occurred during this month;
⊲ Observation of the trainee with a client occurred during this supervisory period with a frequency appropriate for

this fieldwork type;
⊲ The trainee was supervised for the required amount of time for this supervisory period;
⊲ We have read and understand the most recent version of the Fieldwork Requirements (BCBA/BCaBA)
⊲ We are only including appropriate behavior-analytic activities in our totals listed above; and
⊲ The fieldwork hours obtained during this supervisory period are otherwise compliant with the Fieldwork

Requirements (BCBA/BCaBA)

Supervisor Signature: ________________________________________________ Date: ________________

Trainee Signature: __________________________________________________ Date: ________________

This document must bear the signature (see the Acceptable Signatures Policy) of the responsible supervisor and trainee and must be signed by the last day of
the calendar month following the month of supervision.
SUPERVISOR AND TRAINEE MUST EACH RETAIN A COPY OF THIS FORM FOR AT LEAST 7 YEARS.

Total Fieldwork Hours _______________
(add A & B):
Percent of Hours Supervised _________

(supervised/total):

FINAL | FIELDWORK VERIFICATION FORM

MULTIPLE SUPERVISORS AT ONE ORGANIZATION
2022 Fieldwork Requirements

Instructions: Please complete one form per organization, per fieldwork type.

Trainee Name: ___________________________________________________________________________

BACB Account ID: _____________________ Start Date: _____________ End Date: _____________

Fieldwork Type (Select One):  Supervised Fieldwork  Concentrated Supervised Fieldwork

State Where Fieldwork Occurred: ________________ Country Where Fieldwork Occurred: _______________

Supervisors at the Organization
Supervisor Name: ___________________________ Supervisor Name: ___________________________
BACB Account ID#: ______________ BACB Account ID#: ______________
Qualification: ___________________ Qualification: ___________________

Supervisor Name: ___________________________ Supervisor Name: ___________________________
BACB Account ID#: ______________ BACB Account ID#: ______________
Qualification: ___________________ Qualification: ___________________

Fieldwork Hours
A. Independent Hours (supervisor not present): __________
B. Supervised Hours (supervisor present): __________

 This fieldwork included prorated hours for partial months.

Responsible Supervisor and Trainee Attestation

Supervisor Name: _________________________________________________________________________
BACB Account ID#: _______________________________ Qualification: ____________________________

By signing below, we hereby attest that:
⊲ Information presented on this Final Fieldwork Verification Form and the corresponding Monthly Fieldwork

Verification Forms is true and correct to the best of my knowledge.
⊲ The trainee completed the fieldwork in compliance with all relevant Fieldwork Requirements (BCBA/BCaBA)

including, but not limited to; the minimum number of contacts per month, required amounts of unrestricted
activities, required observations each month with clients, and adherence to the BACB’s ethics requirements.

⊲ All supervisors, including the responsible supervisor, met BACB supervision requirements during these
experience hours.

⊲ I am the responsible supervisor designated in the signed supervision contract with this trainee.

Supervisor Signature: _______________________________________________ Date: ________________

This document must be signed in accordance with the Acceptable Signatures Policy.
SUPERVISOR AND TRAINEE MUST EACH RETAIN A COPY OF THIS FORM FOR AT LEAST 7 YEARS.

Total Fieldwork Hours _______________
(add A & B):

Percent of Hours Supervised _________
(supervised/total):

MONTHLY | FIELDWORK VERIFICATION FORM

MULTIPLE SUPERVISORS AT ONE ORGANIZATION
2022 Fieldwork Requirements

Instructions: Please complete one form per organization, per fieldwork type.

Trainee Name: ___________________________________________________________________________

BACB Account ID: ______________________ Month/Year: ____________________________________

Fieldwork Type (Select One):  Supervised Fieldwork  Concentrated Supervised Fieldwork

State Where Fieldwork Occurred: ________________ Country Where Fieldwork Occurred: _______________

Responsible Supervisor Name: _______________________________________________________________

BACB Account ID#: _______________________________ Qualification: ____________________________

Fieldwork Hours (this month only)
A. Independent Hours (supervisor not present): __________
B. Supervised Hours (supervisor present): __________

Responsible Supervisor and Trainee Attestation

By signing below, we hereby attest that:

⊲ The information contained on this form is true and correct to the best of our knowledge;
⊲ All supervisors, including the responsible supervisor, met BACB supervision requirements during this month;
⊲ The required number of supervisory contacts occurred during this month;
⊲ Observation of the trainee with a client occurred during this supervisory period with a frequency appropriate for this

fieldwork type;
⊲ The trainee was supervised for the required amount of time for this supervisory period;
⊲ We have read and understand the most recent version of the Fieldwork Requirements (BCBA/BCaBA)
⊲ We are only including appropriate behavior-analytic activities in our totals listed above; and
⊲ The fieldwork hours obtained during this supervisory period are otherwise compliant with the Fieldwork

Requirements (BCBA/BCaBA)

Supervisor Signature: ________________________________________________ Date: ________________

Trainee Signature: __________________________________________________ Date: ________________

Total Fieldwork Hours _______________
(add A & B):
Percent of Hours Supervised _________

(supervised/total):

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/BACB-Monthly-Fieldwork-Verification-Form-Individual-2022

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/BACB-Final-Fieldwork-Verification-Form-Individual-2022

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/BACB-Monthly-Fieldwork-Verification-Form-Organization-2022

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/BACB-Final-Fieldwork-Verification-Form-Organization-2022

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/BACB-Monthly-Fieldwork-Verification-Form-Individual-2022

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/BACB-Monthly-Fieldwork-Verification-Form-Organization-2022

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/BACB-Final-Fieldwork-Verification-Form-Individual-2022

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/BACB-Final-Fieldwork-Verification-Form-Organization-2022

ELIgIBILITy rEqUIrEmENTS

Audits

The BACB can audit trainees and supervisors at any time to determine compliance with BACB requirements. See the
following figure for an overview of the fieldwork audit process.

* A Notice of Alleged Violation may also be submitted against the trainee’s supervisor(s) if portions of the trainee’s eldwork
are not in compliance with the requirements.

AUDIT INITIATED
The BACB may initiate a eldwork audit at any time for any reason. For instance, it might be initiated as part of a quality
assurance check, contested eldwork, or ethics-related matter. Note: In the event that a certication application is
audited for eldwork, application processing will be suspended until completion of the audit.

BACB REQUESTS AUDIT INFORMATION
The BACB will contact the trainee and/or supervisor by email. The audit may require submission of the supervision
contract, consulting supervisor meetings (if the supervisor was in their rst year of supervision), M-FVFs, the
documentation system, and/or an audit log (or other supervisor-related documents as described in the Documentation
Requirements section).

PARTIES SUBMIT AUDIT DOCUMENTS TO BACB
All relevant parties will submit requested documents to the BACB as directed in the audit initiation email within the
specied time frame, typically 14 days. Documents submitted after the deadline will not be reviewed or considered in
the determination. Note: If the BACB does not receive a response in the specied time frame, the eldwork will be
considered noncompliant, and a Notice of Alleged Violation will be submitted against the relevant parties (see the
Code-Enforcement Procedures).

BACB REVIEWS INFORMATION
BACB staff will review information submitted to evaluate compliance with the eldwork requirements and other applicable
BACB requirements. If additional documents or information is required, relevant parties will be notied via email.

BACB PROVIDES A DETERMINATION AND FEEDBACK
The BACB will contact the trainee and supervisor with the results of the audit. If the BACB concludes that some or all of
the eldwork was not in compliance with the eldwork requirements or any other applicable BACB requirements, some
or all of the eldwork may be disqualied.*

Fieldwork Audit Process

ELIgIBILITy rEqUIrEmENTS

Disputes About Fieldwork Verification Form Signatures

Disputes that occur during supervisory relationships should first be addressed directly between the supervisor
and the trainee. If there is an ethics violation related to the experience, the trainee may report the matter to the
BACB by filing a Notice of Alleged Violation. Note: A Notice of Alleged Violation may only be submitted against
someone who has applied for BACB certification. Please review the Reporting to the Ethics Department for
general guidance on considering an Ethics violation.

Tips to Avoid Disputes Between Supervisors and Trainees Before They Occur

A supervisor may feel justified in not signing a trainee’s F-FVF or M-FVF even though the trainee may believe
that they are entitled to the signature. Although it is impossible to eliminate the likelihood of disputes about
supervised fieldwork hours, there are ways to mitigate that risk. The following guidance might be helpful:

• Before the supervisory relationship begins, trainees and supervisors should review the supervision
contract and BACB requirements together and clarify expectations. Specifically, supervisors should
identify conditions under which they will and will not sign a trainee’s F-FVF or M-FVF, as well as situations
that could end the supervisory relationship.

• Supervision should adhere to BACB ethics requirements as described in the Code. It should be behavior
analytic and effectively and ethically designed to meet the requirements for certification; supervisors should
communicate conditions with trainees before beginning supervision, including evaluation criteria and
supervision terms; and supervisors should provide documented, timely feedback about trainee performance.

• Supervisors should be familiar with BACB supervision requirements and provide supervised fieldwork
accordingly. This is an ethics requirement for all supervisors and will help ensure that trainees can count
their hours when applying for certification.

• Before the end of the supervisory relationship, supervisors should take the steps necessary to avoid
abandoning their trainees. This includes discussing relevant client services and transition needs with
their trainees; organizing, gathering, and signing supervision documentation; and, if appropriate, helping
to facilitate a timely transfer of responsibility to another supervisor.

Contesting Fieldwork: Is It Right for You?

If the supervision-contract terms have been met and the supervisor refuses or is unable to sign the F-FVF,
trainees may submit a Contested Fieldwork Form. Submission of a Contested Fieldwork Form may involve a
fieldwork audit. Disputes over signing M-FVFs should be handled between supervisors and trainees. In the event
of a contractual dispute, issues may need to be addressed through an appropriate independent legal process.

Guidance in the Event of a Dispute

The BACB’s Contested Fieldwork Form was developed to help resolve supervisor/trainee disagreements about
signing F-FVFs. Please note that disputes regarding M-FVFs must be handled between the supervisor and
trainee. Based on past contested-fieldwork cases filed with the BACB, the following are the most common issues
we have encountered—along with some guidance:

• Accuracy of Information on F-FVFs: Under the Code, a supervisor may not submit or allow the
submission of false or misleading information and has an obligation to correct inaccurate information
submitted to the BACB. As soon as the trainee identifies inaccurate information, the trainee must make
an effort to resolve this discrepancy with their supervisor(s) by providing supporting documentation that
clearly identifies how the information is inaccurate. If a resolution cannot be made specifically regarding
the F-FVF inaccuracies, the trainee may review the Contested Fieldwork Form.

REPORTING TO THE ETHICS DEPARTMENT

CONTESTED FIELDWORK FORM

ELIgIBILITy rEqUIrEmENTS

• Questions About a Trainee’s Competence After Concluding Supervision: Under the Code, if a
supervisor questions a trainee’s competence, they must provide the trainee with timely performance
feedback along with training and retraining efforts throughout the fieldwork experience. If the supervisor
continues questioning their competence, the supervisor should discuss with the trainee whether
fieldwork supervision should continue. In other words, supervisors should not wait until the conclusion of
the fieldwork experience to question competence. An F-FVF should only be withheld as outlined in the
supervision contract, or a Code violation occurred..

• Business Disputes Over Supervision Service Payments: Should a trainee refuse to pay for supervision
services, supervisors should seek enforcement of the supervision contract through the appropriate
venue (e.g., lawsuit, arbitration, mediation). Supervisors should not withhold signatures on FVFs until
they receive payment. If a trainee demonstrates that supervision occurred in accordance with BACB
requirements, we will allow the hours to be counted.

• Potential Ethics Violations Discovered After Concluding Supervision: If potential ethics violations are
discovered following the conclusion of supervision, report the alleged violation immediately through
one of the BACB’s reporting options. If there is a serious risk of harm to a consumer, follow all applicable
mandated-reporting requirements in addition to reporting to the BACB. Note: A Notice of Alleged
Violation may only be submitted against someone who has applied for BACB certification.

• Potential Supervisor Ethics Violations Discovered: The trainee should review the Reporting Alleged
Violations Against BCaBAs/BCBAs web page to determine whether submitting a Notice of Alleged
Violation is appropriate (see the Considerations for Reporting an Alleged Violation Against a BCaBA/BCBA).

Supervisors contemplating not signing an FVF should determine if (a) not signing is appropriate (e.g., missed
requirements in the supervisory period), (b) they delineated the conditions for not signing an FVF in the
supervision contract, and (c) they have sufficient documentation to justify withholding their signature. Trainees
who contest a signature denial must be prepared to demonstrate that the denial violates BACB requirements and
that they have tried to resolve the situation with the supervisor first.

https://www.bacb.com/ethics-information/reporting-to-ethics-department/reporting-alleged-violations-by-bcabas-bcbas/

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/BCaBA_BCBA-Cosiderations-for-Reporting-an-Alleged-Violation

AppLyINg FOr BCBA CErTIFICATION

Applying for BCBA Certification
To apply for BCBA certification, complete these steps:

Submit Your Application

1. Complete the BCBA Certification Application in Your BACB Account

Once you have met all of the current eligibility requirements, you may apply for BCBA certification at any time by
completing an application in your BACB account under the Certification Application tab. Please note that you must
select the pathway you are applying under in your application. If you are unsure of which pathway to choose, check with
your training program before submitting your application. If you happen to identify the wrong pathway, you may need
to submit and pay for a new application. You will be asked to provide specific information regarding your degree. If you
select Pathway 2: Behavior-Analytic coursework, you will need to know all the details of your coursework program(s)
(e.g., VCS number(s)). Incomplete or inaccurate information will delay the processing of your application.

Please also make sure that the personal information in your BACB account, application, and application
documentation matches and reflects your current official identification (e.g., first and last name). If the information
in your application does not match your official identification, your application may be denied, or you may not be
permitted to sit for the examination when you arrive at the testing center. If your name has changed since your
application documentation was issued, you must complete a Name Change Request in your account by selecting
Update Profile to notify of a former name for application documents.

When you submit your application, you will be asked to provide attestations in the Eligibility Affidavit section of the
application and agree to the Application Processing Agreement. You will be asked to (a) affirm that you have read, are
in compliance with, and will continue to comply with all BACB requirements, (b) report whether you have a physical or
mental health condition or substance use disorder that could impair your ability to safely and competently work as a
behavior analyst, and (c) report any relevant disciplinary or legal investigations or actions. Please read each question
and answer truthfully. Answering “yes” to the second or third question will require that you also complete and submit
an Ethics Self-Reporting Form. Your application will be placed on hold while your self-report is reviewed by BACB staff.

You will be asked if you are requesting an examination accommodation. Please see the Examination
Accommodations section for more information.

Note: You may only have one active examination authorization at a time. If you already have an active examination authorization
for the BCaBA examination, you will need to Contact Us to cancel your authorization before applying for BCBA certification.

2. Submit Your Payment

Once you complete your application, you can pay online with a credit card or mail a check to the BACB. You have 90 days
from the time of payment to submit your supplemental documents. If you fail to submit your supplemental documents
within the allotted 90 days, you will need to submit a new application, pay, and resubmit the application documents.

3. Submit Supplemental Documents

Submit all required supplemental documents, including any required documents that you submitted with a previous
application. The BACB application system accepts PDF or JPEG format documents. Please keep a record of all documents
submitted, as once they are sent, they become the property of the BACB and will not be released back to you (see
Documentation Policy). Note: the BACB is unable to process any documentation until you have a paid application on file.

PASS
EXAMINATION

COMPLETE BCBA CERTIFICATION APPLICATION

SUBMIT
DOCUMENTS

PAY FEE

RECEIVE
APPLICATION
DETERMINATION
(Allow 45 days for
processing)

COMPLETE BCBA
CERTIFICATION
APPLICATION IN

YOUR BACB
ACCOUNT

MEET CURRENT
ELIGIBILITY

REQUIREMENTS

The BACB blog provides
tips for a smoother
application process.

Self-Reporting

CONTACT US

BACB Blog

AppLyINg FOr BCBA CErTIFICATION

Note: Ensure that the information you submit is accurate and truthful. The BACB reserves the right to invalidate any
certification (immediately making the certification null and void) and/or prohibit any individual from taking a BACB examination
in the event that the individual submitted falsified, forged, or untrue information (see the Code-Enforcement Procedures for
more details). Additionally, documentation submitted for prior applications will not be reviewed in current or future applications.

Pathways Requirements Documentation Submission Information

Pathway 1:
Degree From
APBA-Accredited
Program or
ABAI-Accredited
or Recognized
Program

Master’s degree or higher from
an APBA-accredited program
or an ABAI-accredited or
recognized behavior analysis
degree program (ABAI Tier 1,
2a, or 2b)

Official transcript(s)

Institution sends electronic transcript(s)
to applications@bacb.com
OR
Institution or applicant mails sealed
transcript(s) to BACB–Applications 7950
Shaffer Pkwy, Littleton, CO 80127 USA*

Practical fieldwork in applied
behavior analysis

Final Fieldwork Verification
Form(s) Submit via the Contact Us form

Pathway 2:
Behavior-Analytic
Coursework

Master’s degree or higher

Official transcript(s) and
BCBA VCS Coordinator
Coursework Attestation
(if relevant)

Institution sends electronic transcript(s)
to applications@bacb.com
OR
Institution or applicant mails sealed
transcript(s) to BACB–Applications 7950
Shaffer Pkwy, Littleton, CO 80127 USA*
AND
VCS Coordinator emails BCBA VCS
Coordinator Coursework Attestation to
VCSatt@bacb.com

Behavior-analytic coursework

Practical fieldwork in applied
behavior analysis

Final Fieldwork Verification
Form(s) Submit via the Contact Us form

Pathway 3:
Faculty Teaching
and Research

Master’s degree or higher Official transcript(s)

Institution sends electronic transcript(s)
to applications@bacb.com
OR
Institution or applicant mails sealed
transcript(s) to BACB–Applications 7950
Shaffer Pkwy, Littleton, CO 80127 USA*

Faculty teaching and research
Letter from department
chair and course syllabi

Submit via the Contact Us formCopy of published article
Practical fieldwork in applied
behavior analysis

Final Fieldwork Verification
Form(s)

Pathway 4:
Postdoctoral
Experience

Doctoral degree Official transcript(s)

Institution sends electronic transcript(s)
to applications@bacb.com
OR
Institution or applicant mails sealed
transcript(s) to BACB–Applications 7950
Shaffer Pkwy, Littleton, CO 80127 USA*

Postdoctoral experience in
applied behavior analysis

Curriculum vitae, signed
attestations from current
or former employers,
and proof of professional
credentials

Submit via the Contact Us form

Practical fieldwork in applied
behavior analysis

Final Fieldwork Verification
Form(s)

* The BACB cannot accept packages that require a signature for delivery.

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/BACB_CodeEnforcement_Procedures

https://www.abainternational.org/higher-education/tiered-model-of-education.aspx

BOARD CERTIFIED BEHAVIOR ANALYST

CONTACT US

BOARD CERTIFIED BEHAVIOR ANALYST

CONTACT US

BOARD CERTIFIED BEHAVIOR ANALYST

CONTACT US

BOARD CERTIFIED BEHAVIOR ANALYST

AppLyINg FOr BCBA CErTIFICATION

4. BACB Staff Will Review Your Application and Issue a Determination

You will receive an email once the BACB receives your supplemental documents. It may take up to 45 days for
staff to review your application and issue a determination from the date your payment and all documents have
been received. If missing or updated documentation is submitted, it will require additional time for processing.
Applications are processed in the order they are received. For current application processing timelines, please visit
the Application Processing Updates web page.

Note: During the application-review process, your fieldwork hours might be audited. If so, additional documentation
will be requested (see the Fieldwork Audit Process).

If your application is:
• Approved: You will receive instructions via email for scheduling your BCBA examination.
• Not approved: You will receive feedback and guidance for next steps via email. If you do not meet the

requirements within 90 days of submitting your application, you must submit a new BCBA Certification
Application, including paying another certification application processing fee.

Note: If you believe the decision was made in error, you will need to review the Administrative Appeals Policy and, if
appropriate, submit an appeal within 30 days of the determination.

Schedule Your Examination Appointment

Within 24–48 hours of your application being approved, you will receive an email with instructions on how to
schedule your BCBA certification examination with Pearson VUE. The examination is continuously available, and
results are provided on site immediately upon completion. Except for candidates residing outside of the US, Canada,†
Australia, and the United Kingdom, you have two years from the date your application is approved to pass the BCBA
examination. Your BACB account will include your specific testing deadlines. During this time, you may take the
examination up to 8 times with at least 30 days between each appointment.

Fees*

Application Fees
Certification Application $245
Examination Retake Application** $140
Examination Appointment (paid to Pearson VUE)*** $125
Preliminary Coursework Evaluation (optional) $100

* BACB fees are nonrefundable and nontransferable. The BACB only accepts US currency. Please do not send cash.
** Each examination retake will require a new retake application and new examination appointment fees.
*** Veterans who qualify for the GI Bill can receive reimbursement for BACB certification examination fees from the Department of

Veterans Affairs, regardless of whether they pass the examination. Learn more about this benefit on the GI Bill website.

APPLICATION PROCESSING UPDATES

ADMINISTRATIVE APPEALS

https://BACB.com/pearsonvue

https://www.va.gov/education/about-gi-bill-benefits/how-to-use-benefits/test-fees/

ExAmINATION

Examination
Once you meet all applicable eligibility requirements, submit your application, and receive an approved
determination, you must take and pass the BCBA certification examination. This examination assesses
your knowledge of the BCBA Test Content Outline (6th ed.) at a level consistent with that of an entry-level
behavior analyst.

Note: Candidates permitted to take the BCBA examination will test under the current edition of the task list. If a new
edition goes into effect while a candidate’s authorization period is active, they must test under the new edition.
Exceptions will not be granted.

Examination Development

Job task analysis (JTA) is the predominant method for developing high-stakes examinations for professions, and
it has been used in the development of all BACB examinations. The JTA process involves the development of the
following: a draft task list, a content-validation survey of the profession that active BACB certificants are invited
to participate in, and a new examination blueprint (also known as a task list or test content outline). The BCBA
examination is currently based on the BCBA Test Content Outline (6th ed.).

Preparation

The BACB recommends that you prepare for the BCBA examination by reviewing the BCBA Test Content Outline (6th
ed.), the Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts, and the materials gathered from your training. The BACB cannot endorse
specific study guides or other preparation materials, and the purchase of any study materials does not guarantee that
you will pass the examination.

Examination Outline

The BCBA examination comprises 185 multiple-choice questions, 10 of which are unscored. Each question has 4
possible answers and only 1 correct answer. Candidates have 4 hours to complete the examination.

Content Area Number of
Questions

Percentage of
Examination

A. Behaviorism and Philosophical Foundations 8 5%
B. Concepts and Principles 24 14%
C. Measurement, Data Display, and Interpretation 21 12%
D. Experimental Design 13 7%
E. Ethical and Professional Issues 22 13%
F. Behavior Assessment 23 13%
G. Behavior-Change Procedures 25 14%
H. Selecting and Implementing Interventions 20 11%
I. Personnel Supervision and Management 19 11%
Total 175 100%

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/bcba-outline-6thEd/

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/bacb-compliance-code-future

ExAmINATION

Sample Examination Questions

The following retired questions appeared on previous administrations of the BCBA examination and represent
content areas that are currently on the examination. These questions are provided to offer candidates insight into
the format of the BCBA examination.

1. An employee is having difficulty staying on task at his job. His supervisor wants to graph the employee’s
time on task. Based on these data, what would be the appropriate labels for the vertical and
horizontal axes?

Day Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
Minutes on Task 45 45 42 35 28
Number of Minutes
Observed 60 65 60 45 55

a. Number of minutes on task; number of minutes observed
b. Number of minutes on task; time of day observed
c. Percentage of minutes on task; day observed
d. Percentage of minutes on task; number of minutes observed

2. Delivering a potential reinforcer one-half hour after the occurrence of a response to be strengthened is:
a. Generally effective for low response-effort behaviors
b. Effective, provided the individual understands the contingency
c. Most effective with high-frequency behaviors
d. Inconsistent with best practices in applied behavior analysis

3. If Terry puts his dishes in the sink after dinner, he earns computer time, which he enjoys. However, Terry
does not consistently put the dishes in the sink. Near the end of the dinner, his dad says, “Remember,
you only get to use the computer if you put your dishes in the sink.” Terry finishes dinner and puts his
dishes in the sink. Dad’s reminder is an example of which of the following?
a. Motivating operation
b. Verbal prompt
c. Positive reinforcer
d. Negative reinforcer

4. Injections reliably cause Johnny to cry and scream. Originally, Johnny liked the doctor, but because of
frequent pairings of the doctor with painful injections, the sight of the doctor walking into the examination
room came to elicit crying and screaming. In the respondent paradigm, the crying and screaming elicited
by the sight of the doctor would be called a(n):
a. Conditioned response
b. Discriminative stimulus
c. Generalized fear response
d. Unconditioned response

5. Randy is rarely aggressive. However, when he is, his behaviors are extreme in their intensity. Emergency
procedures have been developed to ensure the safety of Randy and others. One essential component of
addressing the problem behavior should be to:
a. Make a referral to a psychiatrist to access PRN medication
b. Immediately implement a behavior-reduction program
c. Perform a functional assessment to determine antecedents and consequences to the target behavior
d. Perform social validation to establish the staff’s tolerance and willingness to continue the procedure

ExAmINATION

Scheduling

The BACB contracts with Pearson VUE to deliver BACB examinations in person at authorized Pearson VUE testing
sites and US military bases that meet the security requirements necessary for the administration of high-stakes
examinations. The BACB authorizes the use of testing sites in:

• The United States
• Australia (until January 1, 2027)
• Canada (except for Quebec, and in Ontario until July 1, 2026)
• United Kingdom (until January 1, 2026)

The BACB routinely evaluates the addition of new sites and by requests made through Pearson VUE’s website.

You can schedule a BCBA examination using your BACB Candidate ID in your Pearson VUE account or by contacting
Pearson VUE’s customer service center. If you plan to retake the examination after an unsuccessful attempt, you must
wait 30 days following your previous attempt. Please note that if you request examination accommodations, you will
receive a separate email from the Accommodations Review Team with details on how to schedule your examination.

Pearson VUE Examination Fees

Pearson VUE charges $125 for every BCBA examination appointment. This fee is in addition to BACB application
fees, and Pearson VUE will collect it at the time of scheduling. You may be required to pay applicable sales tax,
value-added tax, GST, or similar tax required by law in the country or locality in which you are testing. If taxes are
applicable, Pearson VUE will collect them at the time of scheduling.

Any appointment canceled or rescheduled within 30 days of the examination date will be subject to a fee. If you are
within 48 hours of your appointment, you will be unable to cancel or reschedule your appointment, and a refund will
not be issued. Please note that all fees are nonrefundable and nontransferable.

Cancelation and rescheduling fees are as follows:

Cancelation/Rescheduling Time Period Cancelation/Rescheduling Fee
30 days—5 days before examination
appointment $59

5 days—48 hours before examination
appointment $69

https://www.pearsonvue.com/us/en/test-centers.html

https://BACB.com/pearsonvue

https://BACB.com/pearsonvue#contact

ExAmINATION

Examination Accommodations

Examination accommodations are available for individuals with a current disability as defined by the Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA) or a comparable human rights law in their country. Accommodation requests must include the
BACB Examination Accommodation Request Form and documentation from a qualified professional (e.g., physician,
school official, licensed psychiatrist, licensed psychologist).

Appropriate documentation must identify the disability and state the need for the requested accommodation(s).
Examples of appropriate documentation include official letters, reports of test results, and documentation of
past accommodation(s) received, including accommodation(s) received for standardized testing (e.g., previous
Individualized Education Plan [IEP], documentation from another organization similar to the BACB).

All documentation must be compiled into a single PDF file and submitted through the Submit Accommodations
Documentation web page. Once the accommodation request and supporting documentation are received, the BACB
will conduct a review, which typically takes 10–14 days. The BACB may require additional documentation, which can
result in longer processing times.

Individuals should not attempt to schedule their examination until they receive an email about the status of their
accommodation request and how to schedule their examination. Please note that certification applications and
accommodation requests are reviewed separately, and the approval of a certification application does not equal the
approval of an accommodation request.

What to Expect on Examination Day

At all Pearson VUE testing centers, the BCBA examination is administered using a computer-based testing
(CBT) format. For additional information, visit Pearson VUE’s BACB Certification Testing web page, which offers
the following:

• a tutorial to help you become familiar with the CBT format,
• details about what to expect at a Pearson VUE testing center, and
• testing center locations.

https://www.ada.gov/

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/Request-for-Examination-Accommodations

SUBMIT ACCOMMODATIONS DOCUMENTATION

https://BACB.com/pearsonvue

ExAmINATION

General Rules for Taking the Examination
• You are advised to arrive at the testing center approximately 30 minutes before your examination

appointment to allow sufficient time for the check-in process. This process includes security measures, such
as photographing, palm vein scanning, and obtaining an electronic signature from each candidate. Once an
examination has been underway for 30 minutes, no candidates will be admitted to the examination area.

• You must provide TWO forms of valid identification to be admitted into the examination area. Both pieces of
identification must show your first and last name exactly as they appear on your BACB account. Any name
discrepancies will prevent admission to the examination (e.g., providing a nickname on your BACB account,
identification that shows a different last name due to marriage). Pearson VUE does not make exceptions to
name discrepancies based on marriage certificates.

• Both pieces of identification must have your signature and be current (i.e., not expired). The primary
identification must be government issued and include both a photo and signature (e.g., a driver’s license or
state/national ID). The secondary identification must include a signature but need not include a photo (e.g., a
signed credit card with a signature that matches the government-issued identification).

• Failure to present two fully valid pieces of identification will prevent your admission to the testing center. If
this happens, you will be marked absent and will forfeit the entire examination fee.

• No cameras, phones, recording devices, watches, beepers or electronic transmitting devices, notes or
reference materials, books, briefcases, backpacks, portfolios, purses, etc. may be taken into the examination
area. Personal items may be stored in lockers available at all testing centers.

• Scratch paper, calculators, rulers, textbooks, reference materials, and notes are NOT permitted in the
examination area, and you are not allowed to remove any examination materials from the administration
room. A dry-erase board will be provided at each workstation.

• Earplugs are available upon request at all testing centers, some of which also provide noise-canceling
headphones upon request.

• No food or beverage items are permitted in the examination area.
• No visitors are permitted in the examination area.
• If you leave the examination area to use the restroom, you will go through palm vein scanning when you

leave and again before you reenter. During breaks, you are prohibited from accessing phones, electronic
devices, and notes, among other items stored in lockers. However, you are permitted to access food, drink,
or medication during breaks.

• Smoking areas are not provided at the testing centers.
• No questions concerning the examination’s content may be asked during the examination period. Please

listen carefully to instructions from testing-center staff and read all directions thoroughly.
• BACB examinations are delivered via the Internet and, occasionally, Internet connectivity at Pearson VUE

testing centers may result in technical problems (e.g., slow screen-load times, screen freezes), which may
require rebooting the computer. Answers and examination times (time allotted and time used) are not
affected by these technical issues, even in the case of a computer restart.

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/Proper-Examination-Identification

ExAmINATION

Examination Terms and Conditions

Before the commencement of a BACB examination, the candidate must read and agree to the following examination
Terms and Conditions. Failure to agree to these Terms and Conditions will result in immediate dismissal from the
examination. Please note that the time spent reviewing these Terms and Conditions is part of the examination time.

Confidentiality

• BACB examinations are copyright protected and highly confidential trade secrets. Any disclosure or
reconstruction of test questions or content is a violation of BACB rules and is subject to damages, including,
but not limited to:

• BACB investigation fees, court costs, and legal fees;
• the cost of replacing the compromised question(s); AND
• the cost of reconstructing the examination at the discretion of the BACB.

• CANDIDATES ARE PERMANENTLY PROHIBITED FROM EVER DISCLOSING THE CONTENT OF BACB
EXAMINATION QUESTIONS. Candidates may not communicate with other examinees or other individuals
during the examination. The BACB considers unauthorized sharing of examination content with others
a violation of BACB copyright and a form of cheating on the examination. This prohibition includes, but
is not limited to, verbal, written, and/or electronic (e.g., email, social media, other Internet or electronic
medium) disclosure.

Test Security

• BACB examinations may only be taken by individuals wishing to apply for BACB certification and for no
other purpose.

• Proctors continuously monitor candidates by video and audio during the examination. The candidate
recognizes that they have no right to privacy during examination delivery and that they waive all claims
asserting a right to privacy. The candidate also acknowledges and consents to audio and video recording
of their face, voice, the physical room in which they are seated when they check in, and their location during
examination delivery.

• ANY use of electronic devices while an examination is in progress is prohibited and is grounds for
termination of the examination and invalidation of the examination results. No materials, documents, or notes
of any sort may enter or leave an on-site testing center or be in the proximity of the remote examination
area. Additionally, any item visible or items worn by the candidate before or during an examination, including,
but not limited to, cell phones, watches, electronic devices, bags, purses, briefcases, and jewelry, may be
investigated at the discretion of the examination proctor.

• Proctors are authorized to maintain a secure and proper examination administration and assist with
operational issues but will not provide comments or recommendations regarding examination questions.
Tampering with Pearson VUE’s software or equipment, cheating, or permitting cheating (e.g., letting someone
copy answers, letting someone provide answers, providing information on the content of examination
questions to others) is cause for termination of the examination and invalidation of the examination results.
At the sole discretion of the BACB and/or Pearson VUE, irregular, disruptive, inappropriate, or suspected
cheating behavior by the candidate may result in any combination of the following:

• relocation or removal from the examination site;
• immediate termination of examination delivery;
• invalidation of examination results;
• inactivation of certification pending investigation of the irregularity;
• a required retest to validate a candidate’s examination results;
• a permanent restriction on sitting for any future BACB examination;
• another disciplinary action related to eligibility or certification status;
• forfeiture of all application and examination fees paid by the candidate; AND
• any other remedy necessary to protect BACB examination content and security.

ExAmINATION

• The BACB reserves the right to report examination content theft to applicable law enforcement authorities,
and the candidate authorizes the BACB to release the candidate’s name, examination performance data,
audio and video files from the examination administration, and any other pertinent information necessary
to demonstrate the basis for finding that the candidate participated in or benefited from theft of BACB
examination content.

Breaks

• Candidates taking the examination at a testing center may take breaks, including using the restroom, but
must first raise their hand to inform the proctor. The proctor will secure the workstation while the candidate
takes a break. The examination time will not stop during breaks. Candidates CANNOT leave their seat at
any time unless the proctor has secured the workstation and WILL NOT be permitted to access or use a cell
phone or electronic device. If at any time the candidate leaves their computer without the permission of the
proctor, the candidate will be unable to continue testing.

Examination Security

The BACB and Pearson VUE take examination security seriously because the value of your certification and our
credibility depend on it. BCBA certification examination content is confidential; it is never appropriate to share,
discuss, post, or upload examination content. In addition, candidates are required to adhere to the Ethics Code
for Behavior Analysts, which includes the following requirement: “Behavior analysts are truthful and arrange the
professional environment to promote truthful behavior in others.”

Unauthorized possession, reproduction, publication, or disclosure of any BACB examination materials—including
storing or disclosing examination questions to any person or entity by any means before, during, or after the
examination—is prohibited. Individuals violating these terms will not be permitted to retest or take any BACB
examination until the matter has been resolved and the BACB has determined whether the candidate can have
access to BACB examinations. Examples of violations and misconduct include:

• submitting false, inconsistent, or misleading statements or omitting information the BACB requests
• attempting to take the examination for someone else or having someone else take the examination for you
• copying or sharing information or any other form of cheating
• obtaining advanced access to examination materials
• stealing examination materials
• bringing prohibited items into the examination room
• failing to follow directions from testing-center staff
• violating Pearson VUE scheduling or testing-center rules and regulations

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/bacb-compliance-code-future

ExAmINATION

Examination Appeals

The BACB is committed to reporting valid examination results; however, certain circumstances may cause results
to be invalidated. The BACB reserves the right to invalidate examination results and certification status due to
suspected or documented misconduct during testing or violation of the Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts. The Ethics
Code for Behavior Analysts requires certificants, candidates, and applicants to immediately report any confirmed or
suspected examination misconduct by others to the BACB.

Additionally, invalidation may also occur due to situations beyond your control—or that of the BACB’s—at the testing
site. If you experience examination condition irregularities (e.g., poor lighting or disruptive noises at the testing site,
long screen-load times) during your examination, you may file an examination appeal with the BACB. Pearson VUE
delivers BACB examinations via a web browser, so minor Internet bandwidth variances are to be expected.

BACB standards, requirements, deadlines, procedures, fees, examination content, examination delivery modality,
examination results, examination edition, and examination-specific questions/answers may not be appealed.

How to appeal: You must file a request for appeal within 7 days of your examination appointment by completing the
Administrative Appeal Request Form.

Examination Results

You will be notified of your results at the testing site as soon as you complete the examination. The BACB will confirm
your results via email, and they will appear in your BACB account within approximately 24 hours. The Certificant
Registry will be updated to include those who passed the examination approximately 2 weeks after Pearson VUE
releases the examination results.

Examination Retakes

You may retake the BCBA examination for a maximum of 8 total attempts within a 2-year period following your initial
examination approval. An Examination Retake Application will be available in your BACB account within 48 hours of
each failed examination attempt. You will receive an examination authorization email within 48 hours of submitting
the Examination Retake Application, which will provide further instructions on how to schedule a new examination
appointment. You must pay a $140 retake application fee and a $125 examination appointment fee each time you
retake the examination. You must wait 30 days to retake the examination following your previous attempt.

Note: If you do not pass the examination after 8 attempts and you still have time in your 2-year authorization period,
you must wait until your 2-year authorization period is over to reapply for BCBA certification.

Scoring Methodology

The BACB uses the modified Angoff method to establish the BCBA examination’s passing score. This method is
criterion-referenced, meaning that the passing score is determined by a panel of BACB-certified subject matter
experts and then approved by the BACB Board of Directors. Your performance on the examination is solely
dependent on your understanding of entry-level behavior analyst knowledge.

A new passing score is established when a significant change to the industry or examination content occurs (e.g.,
introduction of a new task list).

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/bacb-compliance-code-future

ADMINISTRATIVE APPEALS

https://gateway.bacb.com/Account/Login.aspx

https://www.bacb.com/services/o.php?page=101135

wHAT TO ExpECT AFTEr pASSINg THE ExAmINATION

What to Expect After Passing the Examination
What happens after I leave the testing center? In most instances, you will receive a pass/fail
report at the testing center. If you passed the examination, your BCBA certification number will be
generated and available in your BACB account within 24 hours of passing the examination. You
will receive your BCBA certificate in the mail within 4–6 weeks (so make sure that your mailing
address is correct in your BACB account).

When can I start using my BCBA certification? You may start using your BCBA certification as
soon as you have passed the examination. However, please contact your state, regional, or national
behavior-analytic professional associations to learn about any additional requirements for practice as a behavior analyst
in your region and to access valuable support in the profession. If you reside in a US state where behavior analysts are
licensed, you should immediately contact your state licensure board to determine whether or how you should submit
an application for licensure before practicing with your new BACB certification. Please note that, starting January 1,
2025, once you pass the BCBA examination, any other BACB certification you hold will expire after 90 days or on its
expiration date, whichever comes first. See the September 2023 BACB Newsletter for more information.

How can employers and funders, among others, verify my certification? Newly certified BCBAs appear in the Certificant
Registry within 48 hours of passing the examination. The Certificant Registry shows the status of your certification and
recertification date, and if your certification becomes inactive for any reason, this will be indicated on the registry.

Anyone may request a written verification of their current certification status from the BACB for a $25 fee per
verification. The verification letter is delivered as an emailed PDF document or state-issued verification form and
contains the information shown on the registry.

Would you like to give others the opportunity to contact you through the Certificant Registry? Log into your BACB
account, select Email Preferences, and indicate that you can be contacted.

What does it mean now that I am certified? Becoming certified means you have demonstrated that you have the
knowledge and skills of an entry-level practicing behavior analyst. That said, consider what you are proficient in, what
you know a little about (but need more experience and mentorship in), and what you do not know to ensure that you
do not overstate your expertise to the public. Consider your scope of competence (e.g., populations or behavior-
analytic techniques you are capable of serving or using) because you have an ethical obligation to refrain from
practicing outside of your scope of competence (see the Code).

When can I start supervising?

RBTs and BCaBAs: You may start providing ongoing supervision to RBTs and BCaBAs as soon as you are certified
and have met all other relevant supervision requirements (e.g., supervisor training). See the Ongoing Supervision
sections in the RBT and BCaBA Handbooks for details.

BCBA Certificate Sample

What steps should I take to begin my career as a professional?

The BACB cannot provide guidance on this outside of the requirements to maintain your
certification, so the first step might be to identify a mentor who can help you develop a professional-
development plan. That plan might include determining your scope of competence; recognizing
skill sets that you need support with (e.g., billing) to move toward your goals; identifying ways to
stay in contact with the literature (as a certificant, you have free access to recent issues of major
behavior-analytic journals in your BACB account); and identifying ways to stay or get involved with
the professional community, such as joining professional associations. A mentor might also be able
to help you determine how to assess job opportunities to make sure they fit within your scope
of competence and career goals; whether you are ready and qualified to serve as a supervisor,
assessor, or trainer (see the Supervision, Assessment, Training and Oversight section); and whether
a service organization has an environment that is set up to promote ethical behavior.

U.S. LICENSURE OF BEHAVIOR ANALYSTS

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/sep2023_Newsletter/

https://www.bacb.com/services/o.php?page=101135

VERIFY BACB CERTIFICATION

https://www.bacb.com/RBT-Handbook#Ongoing%20Supervision

https://www.bacb.com/BCaBA-Handbook#Ongoing%20Supervision

https://gateway.bacb.com/Account/Login.aspx

wHAT TO ExpECT AFTEr pASSINg THE ExAmINATION

Tips for Protecting Your BACB Information

The BACB works to ensure the security of our certificants’ information. Despite our efforts, however, you are
still at risk of someone misusing your credential, most commonly for billing fraud. Given the prevalence of
open electronic access and digital identity theft, here are a few ways that you can take a proactive approach to
maximizing the security of your professional credentials.

• Check your BACB account regularly. Put a reminder in your calendar to log in and check the accuracy
of the information in your BACB account every six months or more frequently if you have been—or
suspect you may be—the target of identity theft. It is critical that you log in to ensure that your information
is accurate and review how your information is publicly displayed in the Certificant Registry. In addition to
your personal information, review the information specific to supervisees or supervisors to make sure it is
correct. If you find any inconsistencies or inaccuracies, use the Contact Us form to immediately inform us
of the potential issue.

• Protect your BACB certificate. While your certification number is publicly available in the Certificant
Registry, you should protect your BACB certificate from being copied and/or modified. Think twice before
posting photos of your certificate on social media platforms, and be sure to keep your private BACB
account ID number protected. This number is not published in the Certificant Registry and is generally
only needed by your supervisees/trainees, the BACB, and certain funding sources.

• If you suspect misuse of your information, contact a specialist (e.g., attorney/advisor) in identity theft
to help you determine your options. While BACB staff cannot provide legal advice, we are sympathetic
to the frustrations you may experience if your information is misused. Finally, if you suspect the misuse
or misappropriation of another certificant’s credential (or the creation of false credentials), please
immediately report your evidence to the appropriate authorities (e.g., law enforcement, funders) and to
the BACB using the Reporting Infringement or Misuse Form.

For additional guidance, please refer to the August 2019 newsletter on our Newsletters web page.

Trainees accruing fieldwork hours: You may start providing supervision to trainees accruing fieldwork as soon as
you are certified and have met all other relevant supervision requirements (e.g., supervisor training). Please note
that during your first year of certification, you must meet with a consulting supervisor each month that you provide
supervision to trainees accruing fieldwork. See the Consulting Supervisor Requirements for New BCBAs Supervising
Fieldwork document for more information.

How should I maintain my certification moving forward?
• Review the Certification Maintenance Requirements section and develop a plan to meet them, including

accruing continuing education and complying with ethics requirements (e.g., ensure that you accept clients
within the boundaries of your competence, have appropriate service contracts, provide appropriate services,
follow procedures to ensure continuity of care and appropriate client transitions).

• Be sure to keep an eye out for helpful resources, like BACB videos, blogs, and podcasts. For example,
the Tips for New Certificants blog shares valuable information for newly certified individuals, and The
Professional Infrastructure of Applied Behavior Analysis video describes the various organizations in ABA.

• Keep your contact information up to date in your BACB account to ensure that you receive important
updates about certification requirements, and periodically review bacb.com to stay informed of changes. This
is especially important because if the BACB tries to contact you and receives no response after reasonable
attempts are made, the BACB may take summary action (e.g., suspension) against your certification (see the
Timely Responding to the BACB section).

• Report critical events to the BACB Ethics Department (see the Self-Reporting web page).
• Stay up to date with licensure requirements in your area.
• If your certification status changes (e.g., your certification becomes inactive), ensure that you accurately

reflect your certification status to the public. For more information about the correct use of the BCBA
certification mark, see the September 2008, October 2013, and July 2021 BACB Newsletters.

https://www.bacb.com/services/o.php?page=101135

CONTACT US

FALSIFIED CREDENTIALS AND/OR MISREPRESENTATION

https://www.bacb.com/newsletter/

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/consulting-supervisor-requirements/

BACB Videos

BACB Blog

Inside the BACB Podcast

BACB

Self-Reporting

U.S. LICENSURE OF BEHAVIOR ANALYSTS

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/Sep2008_Newsletter/

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/Oct2013_Newsletter/

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/Jul2021_Newsletter/

CErTIFICATION mAINTENANCE rEqUIrEmENTS

Certification Maintenance Requirements
To maintain your BCBA certification, you must obtain ongoing continuing education, adhere
to the BACB’s ethics requirements and self-reporting requirements, and submit a completed
recertification application and associated fees every two years before your recertification date.

Continuing Education

Initial BCBA certification indicates that an individual has met entry-level standards of practice as a behavior analyst.
The purpose of the BACB’s continuing education (CE) requirement is to ensure that BCBA certificants engage in
activities that will expand their behavior-analytic skills beyond the requirements for initial certification and help them
stay up to date on developments in the profession.

CEU Requirements

As a BCBA, you are required to obtain 32 continuing education units (CEUs) within each 2-year recertification cycle,
including 4 CEUs in ethics and 3 CEUs in supervision (for supervisors).

All CEUs must occur within the recertification cycle to which they are applied. For example, if you submit your
recertification application on September 27, 2021, and your recertification date is September 30, 2021, you may only
count CEUs accrued from October 1, 2021, to September 30, 2023, toward your next recertification application.

Note: It is not permitted to make up missed CEUs after your recertification date (i.e., reinstatement period). CEUs
exceeding the required amount cannot be applied to the next cycle.

Recertify

Original Certification /
Recertification Date

Overview

Last chance to meet CEU requirements.

Recertify once you have entered all of

your CEUs (no sooner than 45 days

before your recertification date).

Failure to meet the requirements or to

apply by the end of this period results in

certification expiration.

Complete 32 CEUs (4 in Ethics,
3 in Supervision, if applicable)

Abide by BACB Ethics and
Self-Reporting Requirements 2 Year Cycle

Remember to keep your
information up to date
in your BACB account,
and please ensure that
bacb.com is in your
email contacts and list
of safe senders.

Demonstrate that you meet this requirement by entering your CEUs into your BACB account as
soon as you have supporting documentation. Use the following table to identify which type of CEU
was earned. Depending on the type of CE selected, you will need to enter specific information
about the activity and upload supporting documentation.

ETHICS CODES

Self-Reporting

CErTIFICATION mAINTENANCE rEqUIrEmENTS

CEU Types

You can earn CEUs via three activity types, as illustrated in the following table. There are no restrictions or limitations
on the number of non-repeating CEUs you can earn through each activity type.

Continuing Education By: Documentation CEU Values

Learning

Attending behavior-analytic learning
events offered by Authorized
Continuing Education (ACE) Providers
(see ACE Provider Directory)

Certificate from the ACE Provider 25 minutes
of learning =
.5 CEU
(i.e., 50
minutes of
learning =
1 CEU)

Completing didactic behavior-analytic
graduate courses with a passing
grade (“C” or higher in a graded
course or “pass” in a pass/fail system)*

Syllabi and transcripts from university courses

Participating in certain BACB
certification activities

No documentation is needed for BACB events
(these are issued directly into BACB accounts)

Teaching

Teaching ACE events
Documentation from the ACE Provider
demonstrating that the certificant taught an
ACE event

25 minutes
of instruction =
.5 CEU
(i.e., 50
minutes of
instruction =
1 CEU)

Teaching university courses in
behavior analysis at an accredited,
degree-granting university*

Letter from a department chair indicating that
the certificant taught a university course

Scholarship

Publishing an article on behavior
analysis in a peer-reviewed journal A PDF of the final published article 1 publication =

8 CEUs

Writing a review or decision letter
for an article on behavior analysis
submitted to a peer-reviewed journal

Confirmation from the journal (e.g.,
confirmation email, snapshot of the portal),
associate editor, or editor. Note: Please redact
title and author information.

1 review/
decision letter
= 1 CEU

* For the purpose of establishing instructional requirements that can be applied globally, 1 semester
credit hour will represent 15 hours of classroom instruction, and 1 quarter credit hour will represent 10
hours of classroom instruction. This conversion is based on US Federal Rule.

CEU Content

Continuing education may address any aspect of behavior analysis: practice, science,
methodology, theory, or the profession. CEUs must cover material that goes beyond the current
BCBA/BCaBA Task List and coursework required to sit for the certification examinations.

Ethics CEUs

Acceptable ethics content must cover ethical issues in behavior-analytic practice or research.
Ethics content should relate to the BACB’s ethics requirements. Sample ethics topics include
the (in)appropriateness of implementing nonbehavioral therapies, strategies for avoiding/
managing dual relationships, creating a culture of ethics in an organization, and ethical
implications of media and technology, among many others.

Supervision CEUs

BCBAs who have supervised the ongoing practice of RBTs or BCaBAs on record or trainees
pursuing BCBA or BCaBA certification at any point during their recertification cycle must obtain
and enter 3 supervision CEUs to recertify. Supervision is behavior analytic in nature and covers
effective supervision as described in the BACB Supervisor Training Curriculum Outline (2.0)
and the Nature of Supervision section.

There are a lot of options
for continuing education
in terms of format,
content, and providers,
among others.
Consider obtaining
CEUs that will help
with your professional-
development plan. And
remember that the
intent is for ongoing
development, so we
highly recommend
accruing continuing
education throughout
your recertification cycle.

https://www.bacb.com/services/o.php?page=100157

https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2010-10-29/pdf/2010-26531

https://www.bacb.com/ethics/

ABOUT BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/Supervision-Training-Curriculum-Outline-2.0

CErTIFICATION mAINTENANCE rEqUIrEmENTS

Ethics/Supervision CEU Overlap

A CEU may be counted as either an ethics CEU or a supervision CEU, but not both. CEUs acquired from the 8-hour
supervision training may count as supervision CEUs only.

Repeating CE Activities

Repeating CE activities of any CEU type does not provide new or expanded knowledge or skills and, therefore, does
not meet BACB certification requirements.

Ethics and Self-Reporting

You must adhere to the Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts and self-
reporting requirements. The BACB is prohibited from providing any
legal advice and from interpreting any ethics requirements.

Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts (Code): The Code contains six
sections outlining candidates’ and certificants’ responsibilities related
to professional conduct, clients and service provisions, supervision,
and colleagues. Certificants are required to remain knowledgeable
about the Code. Those supervising others (i.e., trainees, RBTs, BCaBAs)
must ensure that they review and address the Code (and the RBT
Ethics Code [2.0] where applicable) with their supervisees or trainees.
Certificants should also endeavor to address potential violations
directly with the relevant individual if appropriate. When considering
whether submitting a Notice of Alleged Violation is appropriate,
certificants should consult the Considerations for Reporting an Alleged
Violation Against a BCaBA/BCBA or the Considerations for Reporting
an Alleged Violation Against an RBT document.

Self-Reporting

Per the BACB’s ethics requirements, applicants and certificants must self-report to the BACB
any personal or professional conduct, condition, or event that may pose a risk to others or
reasonably impact their ability to safely or competently practice. These events may relate
to their roles as service providers, supervisors, educators, trainers, or business owners
or managers of any organization or company that provides behavior-analytic services,
supervision, education, and/or training. Please see the following sections for details on the
three main types of information that must be self-reported to the BACB.

For further guidance on when to self-report, please review the information on the Self-
Reporting web page.

Changes to Personal Information

You are required to keep the personal information in your BACB account up to date, including your address, email
address, and legal name. Please change or correct any outdated information within 30 days of the change or
of becoming aware of the outdated information. Please note that name changes will require the submission of
government-issued documentation reflecting your previous and current name, and address changes may require the
submission of documentation that verifies your residence.

Noncompliance With BACB-Required Supervision

BCaBAs, BCaBA Supervisors, RBTs, RBT Supervisors, and RBT Requirements Coordinators, among others, are
required to self-report any supervision noncompliance to the BACB in a timely manner.

Ethics Code for
Behavior Analysts

Code-Enforcement
Procedures

Visit the Ethics web
page for information
about code-enforcement
procedures, ethics
resources, and more.

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/bacb-compliance-code-future

Self-Reporting

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/rbt-compliance-code-future/

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/BCaBA-BCBA-Considerations-for-Reporting-NAV/

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/RBT-Considerations-for-Reporting-an-Alleged-Violation

Self-Reporting

https://gateway.bacb.com/Account/Login.aspx

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/bacb-compliance-code-future

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/BACB_CodeEnforcement_Procedures

https://www.bacb.com/ethics/

CErTIFICATION mAINTENANCE rEqUIrEmENTS

Critical Events

The following events must be self-reported to the BACB in a timely manner. This guidance does not constitute ethics
or legal advice. If it is not required that you self-report your situation to the BACB, but you are still unsure, the best
course of action is to self-report. Please note that for the purposes of self-reporting, funder refers to any entity (e.g.,
healthcare organization, state or federally funded service, commercial payer, managed care organization, educational
institution, other payment entity) that you have contracted with to provide behavior-analytic, educational, or health-
care services.

Violations of Ethics Standards: You must self-report any violation of one or more standards in the applicable BACB
ethics code (i.e., Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts for BCBAs and BCaBAs, RBT Ethics Code [2.0] for RBTs). This
includes, but is not limited to, the following events:

• leaving a position without ensuring continuity of services or in a manner that fails to appropriately transition
or discontinue services

• engaging in a multiple relationship with a client or supervisee
• failing to maintain appropriate client records (including documentation for billing purposes)

Physical and Mental Health Conditions and Substance Use Disorders: You must self-report the following events
related to physical and mental health conditions and substance use disorders:

• You currently have, or within the past 3 years have had, a physical or mental health condition or substance
use disorder that directly impacts your ability to provide services safely and competently, and:

• you do not have an active, effective care plan in place;
• you have an active, effective care plan in place, and your care provider recommends that you self-report

to the BACB; OR
• you have an active care plan in place, but it is no longer effective.

• Within the past 3 years, you have been voluntarily or involuntarily hospitalized or placed in a treatment facility
(e.g., in-patient, intensive out-patient) because of a physical or mental health condition or substance use
disorder for which you do not or did not have a care plan in place, and your ability to provide services safely
and competently is or was directly impacted.

• Within the past 3 years, you have participated in a diversion plan or treatment plan related to a physical or
mental health condition or substance use disorder in accordance with a license or credential held by you in
any profession.

• Within the past 3 years, you have participated in a diversion plan or treatment plan in accordance with
a court of law following criminal charges against you for which a physical or mental health condition or
substance use disorder lessened the offense that resulted in the diverted or deferred outcome.

You do not need to self-report the following events:
• a new or existing diagnosis of a physical or mental health condition or substance use

disorder that is unlikely to impact the competent and safe delivery of services
• a new or existing diagnosis of a physical or mental health condition or substance use

disorder for which you have an active, effective care plan, and you and your care provider
have determined that it will not likely impact the competent and safe delivery of services

• unless advised otherwise, an event that has already been self-reported and that the BACB
has dismissed or cleared

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/bacb-compliance-code-future

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/rbt-compliance-code-future/

CErTIFICATION mAINTENANCE rEqUIrEmENTS

Investigations: You must self-report any investigation naming you, a company that you own, or a company in which
you hold a primary role related to the matter under investigation (e.g., billing, clinical quality control) within 30 days of
becoming aware of the investigation. Do not wait until the conclusion of the investigation to self-report. This includes,
but is not limited to, the following events:

• any investigation conducted by an employer in response to an alleged violation of any BACB ethics standard
• any investigation or audit conducted by a state or federal entity (e.g., funder, licensure or regulatory board),

professional association, or educational institution that was triggered by a complaint or irregularity identified
by the entity

• any investigation or audit triggered by a self-identified irregularity
• any billing or quality control audit (e.g., random or scheduled audit that was not triggered by a complaint or

concern) conducted by a funder, governmental insurance provider, licensure or regulatory board, or other
entity (e.g., department of health, fire department) that resulted in an order to repay money due to overbilling
and a penalty that exceeded $2,500 (USD or equivalent)

Agreements and Actions: You must self-report certain agreements and actions within 30 days of (a) receiving an
order from the court, civil or criminal charges, a final determination, or a disposition or (b) signing an agreement or
consent order that relates to any of the following events:

• termination by an employer in response to a violation of any BACB ethics standard
• requirement to report a situation or action that posed a risk of harm to others and occurred during the

delivery of behavior-analytic, health-care, or educational services to a licensure or regulatory board,
professional liability insurance company (i.e., if the event triggered malpractice coverage), or other
governmental agency (i.e., if the event warranted mandated reporting to a welfare or protective agency)

• denial of a professional licensure application for conduct or competence reasons, such as eligibility
requirements deficits, that would not otherwise constitute ethics code violations (e.g., unmet education,
training, experience, application, and/or documentation requirements; unpaid fees)

• an arbitration decision or a settlement or consent agreement/order between yourself and any funder,
licensure board, or certification entity

• required actions (e.g., repayment, compliance or remediation plan, participation restrictions, probation or
suspension, voluntary surrender or relinquishment of license or certification, revocation or suspension,
practice restrictions or inclusions, mandatory mentorship or continuing education) assigned to you by a state
or federal entity (e.g., licensure or regulatory board), professional association, court or tribunal, arbitrator,
funder, or educational institution in response to a complaint, audit, or investigation related to the delivery of
behavior-analytic services or a behavior-analytic service company that you own or manage

• public health and safety tickets, citations, or fines greater than $750 (USD or equivalent) or of any amount
if the situation (a) led to an arrest warrant, jail time, or other incarceration or (b) involved or occurred in the
presence of a client

• criminal or civil suits naming you that are directly or indirectly related to the delivery of behavior-analytic
services or involve assault, battery, or abuse of a person or animal (this must be reported within 30 days of
becoming aware of the criminal or civil suit)

• criminal or civil suits in which you have been found guilty, have entered a plea of no contest, or have
otherwise been sanctioned related to a misdemeanor or felony involving public health and safety or the
delivery of behavior-analytic, health-care, educational, or other human services (this must be reported within
30 days of becoming aware of the criminal or civil suit)

You do not need to self-report the following events:
• any billing or quality control audit (e.g., random or scheduled audit that was not triggered

by a complaint or concern) conducted by a funder, governmental insurance provider,
licensure or regulatory board, or other entity (e.g., department of health, fire department)
that did not result in any corrective actions, improvement plans, fines, or repayments
exceeding $2,500 (USD or equivalent)

CErTIFICATION mAINTENANCE rEqUIrEmENTS

• official expungement of court records that meet BACB self-reporting requirements if the action occurred
during the delivery of behavior-analytic, health-care, or educational services or involved the assault, battery,
or abuse of a person or animal

• probation, parole, pretrial diversion agreements, settlement agreements, or consent orders assigned to you
• current detainment (e.g., you are being held in custody in a jail, prison, other correctional facility, court-

mandated treatment facility, or under house arrest)
• any conviction of a felony that carried a maximum sentence of more than 5 years imprisonment and that has

not been expunged

You do not need to self-report the following events:
• credit or tax hearing
• personal bankruptcy
• fines related to tax, revenue, or wage garnishment
• parking tickets or tickets generated by traffic cameras
• traffic tickets not exceeding $750 (USD or equivalent)
• family court proceedings (e.g., divorces, custody hearings)
• employer layoffs and actions that do not involve a violation of a BACB ethics standard
• a DUI or DWI charge or conviction that is a first-time offense, did not result in injury to any

party, did not occur with clients in the vehicle or during work hours, and is not related to a
substance use disorder that must be otherwise reported

CErTIFICATION mAINTENANCE rEqUIrEmENTS

Recertification

As a BCBA, you are required to submit a recertification application (including payment) every two years.
Recertification applications are available in your BACB account within 45 days of your recertification date AND as
soon as you have entered your required CEUs. You must complete your recertification application on or before your
recertification date to avoid lapses in your certification and late fees.

Recertifying

1. Throughout your certification cycle, enter your CEUs into your portal. All CEUs must be completed and
entered into your BACB account before your recertification date. If you supervised the ongoing practice
of one or more RBTs or BCaBAs on record at any point during your recertification cycle, you must have
obtained and entered 3 supervision CEUs to recertify. Note: All CEUs must include CEU documentation to
support each entry. Entries used to fulfill a CE category must clearly indicate the number of CEUs for that
specific category (i.e., general, supervision, ethics) in the documentation. Copies of CEU documentation will
not be provided to the certificant. Please see the Documentation Policy for more information.

2. As soon as all of your CEUs are entered AND you are within 45 days of your recertification date, a
recertification application will appear in your BACB account under the Recertification tab. This tab will not
be visible until these two elements are met.

3. Complete the application and pay the fee. Make sure that you are reviewing your information closely in
your recertification application to ensure that it is accurate, including your contact information and mailing
address. Note: At the time of application, you will be asked to attest to questions in the Eligibility Affidavit
section of the application and agree to the Application Processing Agreement. You will be asked to (a) affirm
that you have read, are in compliance with, and will continue to comply with all BACB requirements; (b) report
whether you have a physical/mental condition or substance addiction that could impair your service delivery;
and (c) report about any disciplinary or legal investigations or actions. Please read each question carefully
and answer truthfully. Answering “yes” to the second or third questions will require that you also complete
and submit an Ethics Self-Reporting Form. Your application will be placed on hold while your self-report is
reviewed by BACB staff.

4. If your CEU entries are selected for audit, we might reach out for additional action via email. If we do
not receive the appropriate documentation (e.g., incorrect and/or duplicate documentation, lack of ethics or
supervision documentation), to indicate that you met the CE requirements, your certification will expire.

If your application has been approved:
• Your certification dates will update with a new expiration date that is two years from your last

recertification date.
• After your new recertification date, you may start accruing CEUs for your next recertification cycle. Even

if you complete the recertification application before your recertification date, you can only count CEUs
for your next cycle once that new cycle starts.

• You will receive a new certificate in the mail at the address on record within 4–6 weeks.
If you do not recertify:

• By your recertification date: Your certification status will become inactive, and you will not be permitted
to bill, practice, supervise, or represent yourself as a BCBA. If you complete all of your CE requirements
but fail to recertify before your recertification date, you will have 30 days from your recertification date
to reinstate your certification and pay the late fee. Additional CEUs may not be accrued during the
reinstatement period. After this reinstatement period, you will lose your certification and will need to
reapply and meet the eligibility requirements applicable at that time.

Self-Reporting

CErTIFICATION mAINTENANCE rEqUIrEmENTS

• By the end of your reinstatement period: Your certification will expire, and you will not be permitted to
bill, practice, supervise, or represent yourself as a BCBA. You will need to reapply and meet the eligibility
requirements applicable at that time to become a BCBA (see the following graphic).

Fees**

Recertification Fees BCBA BCBA-D
Recertification Application $215 $290
Late Fee $50 $50
Insufficient Funds/Returned Check $45 $45
Certificate Replacement $35 $35

* Starting January 1, 2024, BCBAs will have 30 days from their recertification date to reinstate their certification and pay the
late fee.

** BACB fees are nonrefundable and nontransferable. The BACB only accepts US currency. Please do not send cash.

COMPLETE AN APPLICATION
TO QUALIFY FOR AN

EXAMINATION VIA PAST
CERTIFICATION

YES

REVIEW CURRENT
REQUIREMENTS AND

COMPLETE A NEW
APPLICATION FOR

CERTIFICATION

CERTIFICATION INACTIVE
You must stop using your BCBA

certication immediately.

YES

THE RECERTIFICATION
APPLICATION

YES

MISSED MY DATE
I missed my recertication date.

What should I do?

Did you complete all of

your CEUs by your

recertication date?

Has it been 5 years or

less since your

certication expired?

Has it been 30* days or

less since your

recertication date?

GUIDANCE FOR THOSE WHO MISSED THEIR RECERTIFICATION DATE
AND WISH TO REMAIN CERTIFIED

CERTIFICATE REPLACEMENT REQUEST

CErTIFICATION mAINTENANCE rEqUIrEmENTS

Inactive Policy

BCBAs may become inactive because:
• they placed their certification on voluntary inactive status or active duty/reserve status,
• they did not recertify by their recertification date, or
• they have sanctions against their certification.

Voluntary Inactive Status

BCBAs who need a break from maintaining their certification for a period—and who are within their recertification
cycle and have completed continuing education for their recertification cycle (prorated to the month)—may request
inactive status. As an inactive BCBA, you are not permitted to practice, bill, supervise, or represent yourself as an
active BCBA, and you will be listed as inactive on the Certificant Registry. Once granted voluntary inactive status, you
may remain inactive for up to four years. There are no certification maintenance requirements (e.g., recertification
fees) during the period of inactivity.

Applying for Voluntary Inactive Status

If you wish to request voluntary inactive status, you must complete the BCBA Application for Voluntary Inactive Status
and pay a one-time, inactive-request fee of $50. You may not apply for voluntary inactive status while you are in your
reinstatement period.

Applying for Return From Voluntary Inactive Status

If you are on voluntary inactive status for less than 4 years and wish to reactivate your certification, you must submit a
BCBA/BCaBA Request to Return from Voluntary Inactive Status Application. If you are on voluntary inactive status for
2 to 4 years, please note that you must obtain and submit documentation of 8 CEUs along with the application. These
CEUs will not count toward your recertification cycle. Once your certification has been reactivated, your recertification
cycle will resume. You may not apply for voluntary inactive status again until your next recertification cycle.

If you do not apply for reactivation within 4 years, your certification will expire as of the date you placed your
certification on voluntary inactive status, and you must reapply for certification if you wish to become certified
again. Please note that new BACB certifications will not be available to individuals who reside outside of the United
States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom as of January 1, 2023, including those who qualify via the past
certification option.

BCBAs with an inactive certification may not bill, practice, supervise, or represent themselves as
active BCBAs.

Example of how your recertification cycle is paused while on voluntary inactive status:

If you go on inactive status 18 months into your recertification cycle, you will have needed to
complete 24 CEUs. When you return, you will need to accrue the remaining CEUs for the next 6
months of your cycle before your next recertification date. Your next recertification date will be
6 months from the date that you return from inactive status.

https://www.bacb.com/ethics

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/BCBA-Application-for-Voluntary-Inactive-Status

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/BCBA-BCaBA–Application-for-Return-from-Inactive-Status

CErTIFICATION mAINTENANCE rEqUIrEmENTS

Active Duty/Reserve Status

If you are called to active military duty in the armed forces and are actively certified, you may apply for a temporary
pause of your recertification cycle to cover the time frame for which you are called (not to exceed two years). While
on reserve inactive status, you are prohibited from representing yourself as an active BCBA. This policy only applies
to service members just joining the military or those being deployed. If a spouse of a service member wishes to go
on inactive status, they must apply for voluntary inactive status.

If you are called to active military duty in the armed forces and have an active examination authorization, please see
the Compassionate Appeals criteria.

Applying for Active Duty/Reserve Status

Upon being called to active duty, notify the BACB via the Contact Us web page and provide a copy of your official
call-up notice. The BACB will place your certification on inactive status during your active duty period. Following
completion of your active duty or two years, whichever is earlier, you must contact the BACB to update your
certification status. When your certification becomes active again, your recertification cycle will resume.

Fees*

Inactive Status Fees
BCBA Application for Voluntary Inactive Status $50
BCBA/BCaBA Request to Return from Voluntary Inactive Status Application
(0–2 years inactive) $0

BCBA/BCaBA Request to Return from Voluntary Inactive Status Application
(2–4 years inactive) $50

Active Duty/Reserve Status $0

* BACB fees are nonrefundable and nontransferable. The BACB only accepts US currency. Please do not send cash.

CONTACT US

SUpErvISION, ASSESSmENT, TrAININg, AND OvErSIgHT

Supervision, Assessment, Training, and Oversight
As a BCBA, you may serve in the important role of overseeing the work, training, or
assessment of others who are providing behavior-analytic services or working toward BACB
certification. This oversight may occur in three primary roles:

• Supervisor: As a supervisor, you will oversee those who are providing behavior-
analytic services (i.e., RBTs, BCaBAs) and/or those who are accruing fieldwork hours
toward becoming certified (i.e., trainees). Note: In overseeing RBTs, you may also
be an RBT Requirements Coordinator who is responsible for ensuring that multiple
supervisors in an organization are providing appropriate supervision to RBTs (see the
Ongoing Supervision section of the RBT Handbook for more details).

• Assessor: As an assessor, you will be responsible for directly conducting or
overseeing assessments of those pursuing RBT certification or those who are
maintaining their RBT certification to determine whether they are competent in
specific tasks commonly conducted by behavior technicians (i.e., Initial Competency
Assessment or Renewal Competency Assessment).

• Trainer: As a trainer, you will develop and/or provide the RBT 40-hour training and/or
oversee individuals who are providing the RBT 40-hour training.

Because of the obvious importance of these roles, failure to comply with BACB
requirements and ethics standards constitutes a violation of the Code and may result in a
Notice of Alleged Violation being filed against you and subsequent action being taken by
the Ethics Department.

This section of the handbook provides an overview of each role; however, you will need to carefully review the
linked requirements specified in each section. It is the responsibility of every candidate, certificant, and supervisor to
ensure that any supervision provided or received is consistent with current BACB requirements, any applicable state
regulatory requirements (e.g., licensure), and relevant third-party payer requirements.

Overview of Additional Requirements by Role: Although holding BCBA certification is the primary qualification,
additional requirements are indicated in the following table.

Additional Requirements by Role

Role
8-Hour

Supervision
Training*

Ongoing CEUs in
Supervision

May Not Be Related to,
Subordinate to, or Employed by the

Trainee, Supervisee, Certificant

Consulting
Supervisor

Assessing RBTs
(competency
assessments)

✓ × ✓ ×

Training RBTs (RBT
40-hour training) × × ✓ ×

Supervising RBTs ✓ ✓ ✓ ×
Supervising BCBA
and BCaBA trainees
in your first year of
certification

✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Supervising BCBA
and BCaBA trainees
after your first year
of certification

✓ ✓ ✓ ×

Supervising BCaBAs ✓ ✓ ✓ ×

* You can find a list of ACE Providers who may offer 8-hour supervision training on the ACE Provider Directory.

How are eligible
supervisors identified

BCBAs who meet
supervision requirements
are identified in the
Certificant Registry
with the statement
“Completed supervision
training on DATE.” The
date shown is the date
the certificant became
eligible to provide
supervision.

https://www.bacb.com/RBT-Handbook#OngoingSupervision

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/consulting-supervisor-requirements/

https://www.bacb.com/services/o.php?page=100157

https://www.bacb.com/services/o.php?page=101135

SUpErvISION, ASSESSmENT, TrAININg, AND OvErSIgHT

Attesting, Assessing, Training, and Supervising RBTs

Attesting RBTs (Age, Education, Background, and Abuse Registry Check)

As of January 2, 2025, the RBT Certification Application Attestation form is used to confirm that the Age, Education,
Background, and Abuse Registry Check eligibility requirements have been met. A qualified attestor confirms that
these eligibility requirements have been met. Please note that if you are attesting based on the information the
organization’s Human Resources provides, then it is your responsibility to be familiar with the organization’s policies,
procedures, and processes when vetting applicants for the RBT certification.

Assessing RBTs (Competency Assessments)

One of the primary eligibility and maintenance requirements for
RBT certification is demonstrating competence in the tasks on the
Initial/Renewal Competency Assessment. A qualified assessor
conducts these assessments and, in some cases, may also involve
and oversee assistant assessors.

Requirements: The Initial Competency Assessment and the
Renewal Competency Assessment include the requirements for
administering the assessments.

Training RBTs (RBT 40-Hour Training)

As one of the requirements to obtain certification, RBT applicants
must complete a 40-hour training based on the RBT Task List (2nd
ed.). A qualified trainer conducts the training and, in some cases,
may also involve and oversee assistant trainers.

Requirements: The RBT 40-Hour Training Packet outlines the
requirements for conducting the RBT 40-hour training.

Supervising RBTs

RBTs practice under the close, ongoing supervision of an RBT
Supervisor and/or an RBT Requirements Coordinator who is
responsible for the RBT’s work (see the Ongoing Supervision section
of the RBT Handbook for a full description of each role’s requirements).

Requirements: The Ongoing Supervision section of the RBT Handbook helps RBT Supervisors, RBT Requirements
Coordinators, and RBTs ensure that the appropriate ongoing supervision is provided in order to maintain active certification.

Initial Competency
Assessment

Renewal Competency
Assessment

RBT 40-Hour Training
Packet

RBT Handbook

Managing Alleged Ethics Violations by RBTs

As an RBT Supervisor, you are responsible for the actions of all RBTs under your supervision, so it’s important to be
aware of the special considerations for submitting a Notice of Alleged Violation against an RBT. You can learn more
about these considerations by visiting the Reporting Alleged Violations Against RBTs web page and by reviewing the
Considerations for Reporting an Alleged Violation Against an RBT document. Supervisors are often best positioned
to immediately and directly address some ethics violations by an RBT. Therefore, in an instance where an RBT
Requirements Coordinator or RBT Supervisor becomes aware of a potential ethics violation by an RBT, they must
take steps to investigate and document the alleged violation. If they determine that a violation did occur, they should
decide if the matter should be addressed internally or by submitting a Notice of Alleged Violation to the BACB.

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/RBT-Initial-Competency-Assessment-2019

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/rbt-renewal-competency

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/RBT-40-hr-Training-Packet

https://www.bacb.com/RBT-Handbook#OngoingSupervision

https://www.bacb.com/RBT-Handbook#Ongoing%20Supervision

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/RBT-Initial-Competency-Assessment-2019

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/RBT-Renewal-Competency-Assessment%202019

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/RBT-40-hr-Training-Packet

https://www.bacb.com/RBT-Handbook

https://www.bacb.com/ethics-information/reporting-to-ethics-department/reporting-alleged-violations-by-rbts/

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/RBT-Considerations-for-Reporting-a-NAV/

SUpErvISION, ASSESSmENT, TrAININg, AND OvErSIgHT

Submit a Notice of Alleged Violation against the RBT if the alleged violation:
• involves abuse or neglect of a client;
• results in the RBT being charged with or convicted of a violation of the law;
• is a violation of standard 1.03, 1.05, 3.01, 3.02, 3.03, 3.04, or 3.05 of the RBT Ethics Code (2.0); OR
• has occurred repeatedly despite reasonable attempts to address the problem with the RBT.

If none of these situations apply, the RBT Requirements Coordinator and/or RBT Supervisor should develop and
implement an individualized corrective-action plan for the RBT and document the outcome. The BACB reserves
the right to audit the RBT Requirements Coordinator or RBT Supervisor for documentation of the complaint,
investigation, and resolution.

Tips for Supervising Trainees, RBTs, or BCaBAs

Being a supervisor is an important responsibility in both shaping future behavior analysts and helping to facilitate
quality services being provided to clients. With that in mind, here are a few tips for those who supervise.

• Know the relevant supervision requirements. This might be obvious by now, but supervisors should
know the relevant requirements for supervision and stay up to date about requirements changes by
reading the BACB Newsletter and periodically reviewing the BACB website and BCBA Handbook. It’s
also vital to remember that the BACB reserves the right to contact you to share or request information
regarding individuals for whom you are or were the supervisor on record. For example, if your RBT or
BCaBA supervisee is named in a Notice of Alleged Violation, they must immediately notify you, share all
documentation they received from the BACB, and review it with you.

• Become intimately familiar with the BACB’s ethics Codes. Supervisors should know the Code and, if
relevant, the RBT Ethics Code (2.0). In addition to following the Code in your practice and supervision,
you must be an ethical resource and guide for your supervisees/trainees (see the A Summary of Ethics
Violations and Code-Enforcement Activities document for the most recent ethics data). It is important
to review the Responsibility to Supervisees and Trainees section of the Code carefully and take
those standards into account when determining how you will provide supervision. For instance, when
determining how many supervisees you can supervise, consider the number of clients on your caseload,
how many hours each supervisee currently works, the amount of time required for their supervision,
the clients’ needs, and the program settings, among others. Please note that planning for transitions
when discontinuing supervision is crucial, as abruptly ending supervision—particularly for ongoing cases
involving RBTs and BCaBAs—can negatively impact services. Ensure you have transition plans in place
to minimize these impacts. It’s also vital to remember that the BACB reserves the right to contact you to
share or request information regarding individuals for whom you are or were the supervisor on record. For
example, if your RBT supervisee is named in a Notice of Alleged Violation, they must immediately notify
you, share all documentation they received from the BACB, and review it with you. If applicable, you will
also receive the Notice of Alleged Violation and the Disciplinary Determination and Appeal Determination.

• Consider whether you are ready to be a supervisor. We highly recommend waiting until after you have
ample experiences of your own before you supervise others. In addition, consider whether supervision
activities will be within your area of defined competence and whether you have the time and ability to
supervise trainees. As a reminder, if you are a first-year BCBA who provides supervision to BCBA and
BCaBA trainees accruing fieldwork, you must meet with a consulting supervisor each month in which you
provide supervision for the remainder of your first year.

• Determine whether your trainee is pursuing or maintaining more than one credential. If so, you will
need to ensure that all requirements are being met and separately documented for each credential that
you are overseeing.

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/rbt-compliance-code-future/

http://www.bacb.com/wp-content/ethics-violations-and-code-enforcement-activities

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/consulting-supervisor-requirements/

SUpErvISION, ASSESSmENT, TrAININg, AND OvErSIgHT

• Develop your time management and
organizational systems. Have these systems in
place before you start supervision to ensure that
you are meeting all relevant requirements. For
example, you will need a system for keeping
your RBT and BCaBA supervisee accounts up to
date with the BACB, documenting feedback, and
evaluating the effects of your supervision,
among other areas. In the event of an audit, it is
your responsibility to produce the
requested documentation. For additional
guidance, use these optional
supervision checklists:

• Evaluate fit before agreeing to supervise.
Identify your work and supervision style before taking on a supervisee/
trainee to determine whether their style is a good fit. Both you and the
trainee/supervisee have a history of experiences coming into the relationship, so it is helpful to know a
little about them before agreeing to be their supervisor. If your styles don’t fit, determine whether you are
open to adjusting your supervision style.

• Set clear expectations. Although a supervision contract is only required for supervising trainees and BCaBAs—
not RBTs—setting clear expectations at the beginning of supervision is valuable in all supervisory relationships.

• Aim to provide high-quality, individualized, and effective supervision. Don’t just focus on doing enough
to meet the BACB’s requirements. These were established as minimum requirements that allow flexibility
for variations in each setting. Think about what your past supervisors have done well (and maybe not so
well) so that you can identify how you can provide high-quality supervision. For instance, you may want
to develop a supervision curriculum for the trainee/supervisee that includes behavior-analytic topics,
specific skills that are important in practice (e.g., problem solving, interpersonal skills), and skills that they
will need when they become a supervisor (see the Supervisor Training Curriculum Outline [2.0]).

• Continue your professional development as a supervisor and seek out a trusted mentor. These tips
are only a starting point. There is growing literature on supervision, as well as continuing education
events and resources on the topic, so make continued growth and learning part of your regular schedule.

Supervision Checklist
for RBTs

Supervision Checklist
for RBT Supervisors
and RBT Requirements
Coordinators

Supervising BCBA and BCaBA Trainees

To obtain BCBA and BCaBA certification, individuals must complete a defined practical
experience in applied behavior analysis under the supervision of a qualified supervisor.

Requirements: Supervisors must provide supervision in accordance with the BCBA or
BCaBA fieldwork requirements.

Supervising BCaBAs

BCaBA certificants may not practice independently, so they must practice under the
supervision of a qualified supervisor.

Requirements: The Ongoing Supervision section of the BCaBA Handbook helps both
supervisors and BCaBAs ensure that the appropriate ongoing supervision is provided in
order to maintain certification.

BCaBA Handbook

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/Supervision-Training-Curriculum-Outline-2.0

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/RBT-Supervision-Checklist

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/RBT-Supervisor-RBT-Requirements-Coordinator-Supervision-Checklist

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/RBT-Supervision-Checklist

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/RBT-Supervisor-RBT-Requirements-Coordinator-Supervision-Checklist

https://www.bacb.com/BCaBA-Handbook#Supervised%20Fieldwork%20Requirements

https://www.bacb.com/BCaBA-Handbook#Ongoing%20Supervision

https://www.bacb.com/BCaBA-Handbook

BOArD CErTIFIED BEHAvIOr ANALyST-DOCTOrAL

Board Certified Behavior Analyst-Doctoral (BCBA-D)
BCBAs with doctoral training in behavior analysis may apply for the designation of Board Certified Behavior
Analyst-Doctoral (BCBA-D). The BCBA-D is not a separate certification and does not grant any privileges beyond
the BCBA certification. If you hold the BCBA-D designation, you function in the same capacity as a BCBA (i.e.,
as an independent practitioner who provides behavior-analytic services) and are required to meet all BCBA
maintenance requirements.

BCBA-D Eligibility Requirements

If you wish to become a BCBA-D, you must be actively certified as a BCBA and meet one of the following options.

Option A: Accredited Doctoral Program

Doctoral Degree From an ABAI-Accredited Program: You hold a doctoral degree from a doctoral program
accredited by the Association for Behavior Analysis International.

Option B: Nonaccredited Doctoral Program

Doctoral Degree With a Behavior-Analytic Dissertation: You hold a doctoral degree from a qualifying institution,
conducted a behavior-analytic dissertation, AND meet ONE of the following requirements:

• Doctoral Coursework: You passed at least four behavior-analytic courses as part of your doctoral
program of study.
OR

• Mentorship: You received formal mentorship from a faculty member who, at the time of your mentorship,
held the BCBA credential and met the supervisor qualifications in place at that time.
OR

• Publications: You authored two published peer-reviewed journal articles that are behavior analytic in nature.
These articles may have been published before, during, or after conferral of your doctoral degree. These
publications do not need to be experimental in nature, and first authorship is not required

BCBA-DDOCTORAL DEGREE FROM ABAI-
ACCREDITED PROGRAM

ACTIVE BCBA
CERTIFICATION + =

Demonstrate that you meet this requirement when you apply by submitting an official transcript
listing a doctoral degree that was conferred by an ABAI-accredited doctoral program.

BCBA-D

DOCTORAL DEGREE
WITH BEHAVIOR-

ANALYTIC
DISSERTATION

ACTIVE BCBA
CERTIFICATION + =+

DOCTORAL COURSEWORK

MENTORSHIP

PUBLICATIONS

https://accreditation.abainternational.org/accredited-programs.aspx

ABOUT BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS

BOArD CErTIFIED BEHAvIOr ANALyST-DOCTOrAL

Option C: Postdoctoral Respecialization

Doctoral Degree: You hold a doctoral degree from a qualifying institution.

AND

Postdoctoral Experience: You accumulated a minimum of 1,800 hours (beyond the experience hours used to qualify
for BCBA certification) in applied behavior analysis during a postdoctoral fellowship or postdoctoral employment
experience, which included explicit, ongoing education in behavior analysis conducted under the supervision of a
BCBA who met the supervision requirements in place at that time.

AND

Publications: You authored two peer-reviewed journal articles that (a) are behavior analytic in nature and (b)
were completed as a product of the training experience described earlier. These publications do not need to be
experimental in nature, and first authorship is not required.

Demonstrate that you meet this requirement when you apply by submitting:
• a copy of an official transcript from the institution showing a conferred doctoral degree;
• a copy of the published (e.g., in ProQuest) dissertation abstract; AND
• one of the following:

• if applying with doctoral coursework: a copy of the official doctoral program of study
showing all courses and syllabi from the courses to demonstrate that they were
entirely behavior analytic in nature;

• if applying with mentorship: a letter on university letterhead that attests to the formal
mentorship relationship from the faculty member who held a BCBA certification; OR

• if applying with publications: copies of the journal articles.

BCBA-DDOCTORAL
DEGREE

ACTIVE BCBA
CERTIFICATION + =+ POSTDOCTORAL

EXPERIENCE
PUBLICATIONS+

Demonstrate that you meet this requirement when you apply by submitting a copy of an
official transcript showing a conferred doctoral degree, a letter of attestation from the BCBA who
supervised the 1,800 hours of postdoctoral experience/fellowship, and copies of your publications.
The supervising BCBA may determine how the ongoing experience is documented.

ABOUT BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS

BOArD CErTIFIED BEHAvIOr ANALyST-DOCTOrAL

Applying for the BCBA-D Designation

If you are currently a BCBA, an application is required to apply for the BCBA-D designation. The application requires
supplemental documentation and a fee. Applications are accepted on a continual basis.

1. Complete the BCBA-D Designation Application online.
2. Submit all required supplemental documentation as described in the following table:

Please note that all application documents in a non-English language must be submitted with an
English translation. This application expires after 90 days of payment. If all documentation has not be
received and/or approved, you will need to submit a new application, documentation, and payment.

Options Requirements Documentation How to Submit Documentation

Option A:
ABAI-Accredited
Doctoral Program

Doctoral degree
from a doctoral
program accredited
by the Association
for Behavior Analysis
International

Official university transcript(s)

Institution sends
electronic transcript(s) to
applications@bacb.com
OR
Institution or applicant mails
sealed transcript(s) to
BACB–Applications
7950 Shaffer Pkwy
Littleton, CO 80127 USA**

Option B:
Nonaccredited
Doctoral Program

Doctoral degree and
behavior-analytic
dissertation
AND

Official university transcript(s)
or a diploma from the
institution

Institution sends
electronic transcript(s) to
applications@bacb.com
OR
Institution or applicant mails
sealed transcript(s) to
BACB–Applications
7950 Shaffer Pkwy
Littleton, CO 80127 USA**

Copy of the published
dissertation abstract showing
that it meets the behavior-
analytic dissertation*
requirement

File is uploaded in the BCBA-D
Designation Application

Doctoral coursework
OR

Copy of the official doctoral
program of study showing all
courses and syllabi from the
courses to demonstrate that
they were entirely behavior
analytic in nature

Mentorship
OR

A letter on university
letterhead that attests to the
formal mentorship relationship
from the faculty member who
held a BCBA credential

Publications
Copies of the two peer-
reviewed journal articles that
are behavior analytic in nature

* The BACB reserves the right to request a copy of the complete dissertation.
** The BACB cannot accept packages that require a signature for delivery.

BOARD CERTIFIED BEHAVIOR ANALYST

ABOUT BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS

BOArD CErTIFIED BEHAvIOr ANALyST-DOCTOrAL

Options Requirements Documentation How to Submit Documentation

Option C:
Postdoctoral
Respecialization

Doctoral degree Official university
transcript(s)

Institution sends
electronic transcript(s) to
applications@bacb.com
OR
Institution or applicant mails
sealed transcript(s) to
BACB–Applications
7950 Shaffer Pkwy
Littleton, CO 80127 USA*

Postdoctoral
experience

A letter of attestation from
the BCBA who supervised
the 1,800 hours of
postdoctoral experience or
fellowship File is uploaded in the BCBA-D

Designation Application

Publications

Copies of the two peer-
reviewed journal articles
that are behavior analytic in
nature

* The BACB cannot accept packages that require a signature for delivery.

3. Submit your payment: Pay the $105 processing fee by either:
• including a check with your application documentation (The BACB only accepts US currency. Please do

not send cash.) OR
• having BACB staff add a $105 invoice to your BACB account for online payment (credit card) after

submitting your application.
4. Allow up to two weeks from the date the BACB receives your complete application and payment for your

application to be reviewed.
5. If your application is:

• Approved: You will be notified via email. Your certification will be updated in your BACB account, and
you will receive a new certificate in the mail within four to six weeks. Your certification number and
recertification date will stay the same.

• Not approved: You will receive feedback and guidance on next steps via email.
Note: If you believe the decision was made in error, you will need to review the Administrative Appeals Policy, and, if
appropriate, submit an appeal within 30 days of the determination.

Maintaining the BCBA-D Designation

As a BCBA-D, you are required to meet all BCBA maintenance requirements. The BCBA-D recertification fee is $290
every 2 years. Please note that you may choose to discontinue your BCBA-D designation and retain your original
BCBA certification at the time of your recertification by contacting the BACB.

The BCBA-D designation is not a distinct certification. It is merely an addition to the BCBA
certification, indicating that the BCBA has earned a doctoral or postdoctoral education in
behavior analysis.

BOARD CERTIFIED BEHAVIOR ANALYST

ABOUT BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS

ADMINISTRATIVE APPEALS

CONTACT US

OTHEr rELEvANT pOLICIES

Other Relevant Policies
Administrative Appeals

Application Appeals

Adverse BACB decisions including, but not limited to, the denial of a certification, renewal, recertification, or other
applications submitted to the BACB may be appealed if (a) you have sufficient evidence to support that you properly
completed and submitted all of the required documentation to the BACB by the deadline, (b) you were given
incorrect feedback or guidance from the BACB, or (c) you experienced a technical issue with your BACB account
that prevented you from meeting the deadline. This type of appeal applies to all trainees, applicants, certificants, and
Authorized Continuing Education (ACE) Providers.

The following may not be appealed:
• BACB standards,
• requirements,
• deadlines,
• procedures,
• fees,
• examination content,
• examination edition,
• examination delivery modality,
• examination results, and
• specific questions/answers

Do not submit an appeal in order to request information about a denied application; you will receive detailed
information (i.e., reasons for the application denial, steps that must be taken to correct any deficiencies) at the time of
the denial. To request information about a denied application, please use the Contact Us Form. If you have an active
application and must submit additional or corrected documentation, please follow the instructions in your application
determination.

How to appeal: You must file a written request for an appeal within 30 days of the determination by completing
the Administrative Appeal Request Form. You must include evidence with your submission to support your
appeal request.

Examination Appeals

If you experience examination condition irregularities (e.g., poor lighting, disruptive noises, long screen-load times)
during your examination, you may file an appeal with the BACB. Note: Pearson VUE sites deliver BACB examinations
via a web browser, so minor Internet bandwidth variances are to be expected. BACB standards, requirements,
deadlines, procedures, fees, examination content, examination delivery modality, examination results, and specific
questions/answers may not be appealed.

How to appeal: You must file a written request for appeal within 7 days of your examination appointment by
completing the Administrative Appeal Request Form.

CONTACT US

ADMINISTRATIVE APPEALS

OTHEr rELEvANT pOLICIES

Compassionate Appeals

If you have experienced a qualifying unforeseen life event or extenuating circumstance that warrants relief (e.g.,
hospitalization, act of nature) within 1 year before the determination that you wish to appeal (e.g., the day that your
certification expires), you may submit an appeal request. This type of appeal applies to all trainees, applicants,
candidates, certificants, and ACE Providers who have supporting evidence that a qualifying life event occurred.

BACB staff will evaluate the appeal based on the date of the event, its potential impact on your ability to obtain or
maintain BACB certification, the amount of time you had to meet the applicable requirements (e.g., whether you
are using the 2 years between recertification to accrue continuing education), and whether you could have taken
preventative actions (e.g., applied for voluntary inactive status).

How to appeal: You must file a written request for an appeal within 6 months of the determination by completing
the Administrative Appeal Request Form. This appeal request requires documentation that verifies the event or
circumstance in question.

Name Change Policy

Depending on where you are in the certification process, submitting a Name Change Request may be necessary for
any of the following reasons:

• Your name has changed since creating a BACB account.
• Your name does not match your ID.
• You are notifying of a former name for application documents.

To submit a Name Change Request, log into your BACB account, select Update Profile, select the option that best
applies to your circumstances, and follow the instructions the will be sent to you via email, including submitting official
documentation verifying your name change.

Acceptable Signatures Policy

The BACB accepts electronic signatures* for applications and forms, whether submitted electronically or by
mail. Although it is preferred that documents are digitally signed using a third-party electronic signature service
(e.g., Adobe Sign, DocuSign, HelloSign), the BACB will accept any type of electronic signature (e.g., Adobe Fill &
Sign, JPEG of a signature), provided the document is signed by the appropriate party with the intent of signing
the document.

The BACB also accepts handwritten signatures on scanned documents, unless the document states that an
original signed copy is needed. Alterations on documents (e.g., white-outs, strikethroughs) must be initialed by all
relevant parties.

Documentation Policy

All documentation submitted to the BACB, for any reason, becomes the property of the BACB. Documents submitted
to the BACB will be retained and/or safely discarded at the discretion of the BACB. For this reason, candidates should
retain a copy of their certification application and all supporting documentation for their personal records and to be
prepared for future applications. The BACB will not return documentation to applicants or certificants.

ADMINISTRATIVE APPEALS

https://acrobat.adobe.com/us/en/sign.html

https://www usign.com/

https://www.hellosign.com/

OTHEr rELEvANT pOLICIES

Submission of False, Forged, or Untrue Information to the BACB

The BACB reserves the right to invalidate any certification (immediately making the certification null and void) and/or
prohibit any individual from taking a BACB examination if the individual submitted false, forged, or untrue information.

Examples of false, forged, or untrue information include:
• submitting false, inconsistent, or misleading statements or omitting information the BACB requests
• submitting an altered or inauthentic transcript
• submitting an application containing false, inconsistent, or misleading information
• submitting documentation that misrepresents your current address and/or country of residence to become

eligible for certification
• attempting to take the examination for someone else or having someone else take the examination for you
• copying or sharing information or any other form of cheating
• obtaining advanced access to certification or examination material
• stealing examination materials
• bringing prohibited items into the examination room
• failing to follow directions from testing-center staff
• violating Pearson VUE scheduling or testing-center rules and regulations

Timely Responding to the BACB

If an individual fails to respond to the BACB after reasonable contact attempts are made, or if an individual fails to
comply with a request from the BACB, the BACB may take summary action (e.g., suspension) against their eligibility or
certification. See the Code-Enforcement Procedures document for more information.

* An electronic signature is “an electronic sound, symbol, or process, attached to or logically associated with a contract or other
record and executed or adopted by a person with the intent to sign the record” (15 U.S.C. § 7006 (2000)). Simply stated, an
electronic signature is an electronic expression indicating a signee’s intent to sign a document. By contrast, a digital signature
is a specific kind of electronic signature, which requires authentication of a signee’s identity.

http://www.bacb.com/wp-content/BACB_CodeEnforcement_Procedures

https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=&req=%28title%3A+section%3A7006+edition%3Aprelim%29+OR+%28granuleid%3AUSC-prelim-title-section7006%29&f=treesort&fq=&num=0&hl=false&edition=prelim

DOCUmENTS AND rESOUrCES

Documents and Resources
Eligibility and Applying for Certification

• Qualify for Examination via Past Certification: Application

Coursework
• Nonverified Course Content Attestation
• Preliminary Coursework Evaluation Application
• VCS Coordinator Coursework Attestation

Supervised Fieldwork

Monthly and Final Fieldwork Verification Forms

• Monthly Fieldwork Verification Form: Individual Supervisor
• Final Fieldwork Verification Form: Individual Supervisor
• Monthly Fieldwork Verification Form: Multiple Supervisors at One Organization
• Final Fieldwork Verification Form: Multiple Supervisors at One Organization

Optional Resources

• Fieldwork Checklist and Tip Sheet
• Sample Supervision Contract for BCBA/BCaBA Trainees
• Documenting Fieldwork Hours Video
• Documenting Fieldwork: Helpful Answers to Your FAQs Blog
• Contested Fieldwork Form

Consulting Supervisor

• Consulting Supervisor Requirements for New BCBAs Supervising Fieldwork

Examination
• BCBA Task List (5th ed.)
• Pearson VUE Website
• Accommodation Request Form

Continuing Education
• ACE Provider Directory
• Supervisor Training Curriculum Outline (2.0)

Ethics and Self-Reporting
• Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts
• Code-Enforcement Procedures
• Ethics Web Page
• Self-Reporting Web Page

Voluntary Inactive Status
• BCBA Application for Voluntary Inactive Status
• BCBA/BCaBA Request to Return from Voluntary Inactive Status Application

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/Qualification-via-Past-Certification-Application

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/Course-Content-Attestation

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/preliminary-coursework-evaluation

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/bcba_vcs_course_content_attestation

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/BACB-Monthly-Fieldwork-Verification-Form-Individual-2022

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/BACB-Final-Fieldwork-Verification-Form-Individual-2022

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/BACB-Monthly-Fieldwork-Verification-Form-Organization-2022

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/BACB-Final-Fieldwork-Verification-Form-Organization-2022

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/Supervised-Fieldwork-Checklist-and-Tip-Sheet-2022

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/Sample-Supervision-Contract-for-BCBA-BCaBA-Trainees

Documenting Fieldwork: Helpful Answers to Your FAQs

CONTESTED FIELDWORK FORM

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/consulting-supervisor-requirements/

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/bcba-task-list-5th-ed

https://BACB.com/pearsonvue

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/Request-for-Examination-Accommodations

https://www.bacb.com/services/o.php?page=100157

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/Supervision-Training-Curriculum-Outline-2.0

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/bacb-compliance-code-future

http://www.bacb.com/wp-content/BACB_CodeEnforcement_Procedures

https://www.bacb.com/ethics/

Self-Reporting

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/BCBA-Application-for-Voluntary-Inactive-Status

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/BCBA-BCaBA–Application-for-Return-from-Inactive-Status

DOCUmENTS AND rESOUrCES

Supervising, Training, and Assessing

Assessing RBTs

• RBT Initial Competency Assessment Packet
• RBT Renewal Competency Assessment Packet
• Sample RBT Assessor Evaluation and Log

Training RBTs

• RBT 40-Hour Training Packet
• RBT Trainer Evaluation and Log

Supervising RBTs

• RBT Handbook (Ongoing Supervision section)
• Process for Adding or Removing Supervisees
• Supervision Checklist for RBTs
• Supervision Checklist for RBT Supervisors and RBT Requirements Coordinators

Supervising BCaBAs

• BCaBA Handbook (Ongoing Supervision section)
• BCaBA Supervision Contract Specifications

Administrative Appeals
• Administrative Appeal Request Form

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/RBT-Initial-Competency-Assessment-2019

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/rbt-renewal-competency

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/Sample-RBT-Assessor-Evaluation-and-Log

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/RBT-40-hr-Training-Packet-2019

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/Sample-RBT-Trainer-Evaluation-and-Log

https://www.bacb.com/RBT-Handbook#Ongoing%20Supervision

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/Process-for-Adding-or-Removing-Supervisees

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/RBT-Supervision-Checklist

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/RBT-Supervisor-RBT-Requirements-Coordinator-Supervision-Checklist

https://www.bacb.com/BCaBA-Handbook#Ongoing%20Supervision

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/161221-BCaBA-supervision-contract-specifications

ADMINISTRATIVE APPEALS

gLOSSAry

Glossary
Applicant: An individual who is pursuing certification.

BCBA-Doctoral: BCBAs with doctoral training in behavior analysis may receive the designation of Board Certified
Behavior Analyst-Doctoral® (BCBA-D®). The BCBA-D is not a separate certification and it does not grant any
privileges above or beyond the BCBA certification. If you are certified at the BCBA-D level, you function in the same
capacity as a BCBA (i.e., as an independent practitioner who provides behavior-analytic services) and are required
to meet all BCBA maintenance requirements. Information that pertains to BCBAs also pertains to BCBA-Ds (e.g.,
supervisor qualifications).

Behavior-Analytic Dissertation: The dissertation must include at least one experimental manipulation. The
independent variable must be explicitly operant or respondent in nature, the dependent variable must be sufficiently
operationalized, and the problem must be framed using an operant/respondent conceptualization. The experimental
criterion may be met with either single-subject or group-design methods. The dissertation must have been published
in a public database (e.g., ProQuest).

Candidate: An individual who has submitted a certification application.

Certification Application: An application to apply for certification after eligibility requirements have been met.

Client: The direct recipient of behavior-analytic services. Other individuals impacted by behavior-analytic services
(e.g., parent, caregiver, relative, legally authorized representative, employer) may meet the definition of client when
they receive direct training or consultation. In some contexts, the client might be a group of individuals (e.g., with
organizational behavior management services).

Conferral Date: The official date on which your degree was awarded by the institution.

Continuing Education: Initial BCBA certification indicates that an individual has met entry-level standards of
practice as a behavior analyst. The purpose of the BACB’s continuing education requirement is to ensure that BCBA
certificants engage in activities that will expand their behavior-analytic skills beyond the requirements for initial
certification and help them stay up to date on developments in the profession.

Degree Equivalency Evaluation: This evaluation will be performed as part of your certification application. When
we receive your transcript, we will notify you if an evaluation is required. If so, we will provide instructions on how to
submit the following documentation:

• an original-source verification (e.g., transcript[s], official statement with course/module grades/marks issued
directly by the academic institution) in the original language;

• an English translation of the original-source verification;
• an official copy of your diploma (i.e., official documentation attesting completion of program and award of

degree) from your university in the original language; AND
• an English translation of your official diploma.

Note: If you received your degree from a university in Cuba, official, signed transcript(s) must be submitted directly
from Consultoría Jurídica Internacional (CJI) or Bufete de Servicios Especializados (BES).

In response to differences among members of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES)
in evaluations, the BACB has decided to use one vendor for all degree equivalency evaluations outside of the US.
Currently, that vendor is the Foundation for International Services (FIS).

https://www.fis-web.com/services/credential-evaluations

gLOSSAry

Didactic Course: A course that includes synchronous or asynchronous instruction by an instructor.

Documentation System: A documentation system that tracks all ongoing supervision and fieldwork in a way that
demonstrates adherence to all relevant requirements and the Code.

Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts: The document that describes ethics obligations for BCBAs, BCaBAs, applicants,
and trainees. All BCBAs, BCaBAs, applicants, and trainees agree to abide by this Code.

Fieldwork Verification Forms: The forms used by the supervisor and trainee to document fieldwork hours each
month (Monthly Fieldwork Verification Form) and at the end of the fieldwork (Final Fieldwork Verification Form).
Versions of the forms are provided for individual supervisors as well as organizations with multiple supervisors.

Group Supervision: An interactive supervision meeting that includes no fewer than 2 and no more than 10 trainees.
The number of trainees in a group meeting may not exceed 10 at any time, regardless of the number of supervisors
in the meeting.

Inactive Status: BCBAs may be inactive for the following reasons:
• They are on voluntary inactive or reserve status (i.e., they put a pause on maintaining their certification). To

qualify for these options, BCBAs must complete a BCBA Application for Voluntary Inactive Status or request
reserve active duty.

• They did not recertify their BCBA certification and are within their reinstatement period.
• They have disciplinary sanctions against their certification.

BCBAs with an inactive certification may not bill, practice, supervise, or represent themselves as active BCBAs.

Independent Hours: Fieldwork hours that are accrued when a supervisor is not present.

Individual Supervisor: An individual supervisor must ensure that all of their trainees’ fieldwork requirements are
being met during their supervision. In this situation:

• the supervision contract should clearly outline the roles, responsibilities, and expectations for the trainee and
supervisor (see the Supervision Contract section);

• all supervision must be related to specific client programming;
• the supervisor must have written permission to receive client information and must be well aware of the

organization’s values, practices, and personnel; AND
• the person signing the M-FVFs and F-FVF for Individual Supervisors must be able to agree to all of the

• the supervision contract should list all supervisors and clearly outline the roles, responsibilities, and
expectations of each supervisor and the trainee (see the Supervision Contract section);

• all supervision must be related to specific client programming;
• the supervisor(s) must have written permission to receive client information and must be well aware of the

organization’s values, practices, and personnel; AND
• the person signing the M-FVFs and F-FVF for Multiple Supervisors at One Organization (i.e., the responsible

supervisor) must be able to agree to all of the relevant attestations, including that all fieldwork requirements
were met.

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/BCBA-Application-for-Voluntary-Inactive-Status

gLOSSAry

Nonverified Coursework: Coursework completed in anything other than an ABAI Verified Course Sequence and
evaluated via course-by-course review is considered nonverified. You must have your department chair complete
a Nonverified Course Content Attestation and submit it with your BCBA Certification Application or your preliminary
coursework evaluation.

Observation With a Client: The trainee must be observed working with a client in the natural environment
during each supervisory period by at least one supervisor. In-person, on-site observation is preferred. However,
the observation may be conducted using asynchronous (e.g., recorded video) or synchronous (e.g., live video
conference) formats.

Official Transcripts: Transcripts that are either:
• electronically sent directly by the institution to the BACB
• mailed in the original sealed and unopened envelope

Please note that official transcripts become unofficial if the applicant forwards an electronic transcript to the BACB
or if the original envelope has been opened. Unofficial transcripts will not be considered in the processing of a
certification application.

Ongoing Supervision: Supervision of the services provided by an RBT or BCaBA as one of their requirements to
maintain their certification.

Preliminary Coursework Evaluation: A preliminary review of coursework (i.e., a review that occurs before
the submission of a certification application) by the BACB to determine whether it meets the Pathway 2
coursework requirements.

Qualifying Coursework: Coursework that must come from a qualifying institution and cover the required content.
Only graduate (i.e., master’s or doctoral) courses where the applicant was formally enrolled and earned a passing
grade (“C” or higher in a graded course or “pass” in a pass/fail system) are acceptable.

Qualifying Institution:
• United States: An institution in the US that is listed in the Council for Higher Education Accreditation database.
• Canada: An educational institution in Canada that is recognized, authorized, registered, or licensed by the

Canadian government.
• Australia: A university in Australia that is registered with the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency.
• United Kingdom: A college or university in the UK that is recognized as a degree-awarding body by the

UK government.
Recertification Application: The online application that is submitted through a BCBA’s BACB account to renew their
BCBA certification on a biennial basis before its expiration date.

Recertification Date: The date on which a BCBA’s certification lapses (the day the BCBA first became certified).
BCBAs may locate this date in their BACB account, in the Certificant Registry, and on their certificate.

Reinstatement Period: If you complete all of your CE requirements but fail to recertify before your recertification
date, you will have 30 days from your recertification date to reinstate your certification. After this grace period, you
will lose your certification and will need to reapply and meet the eligibility requirements applicable at that time.

Responsible Supervisor: A supervisor who signs a Fieldwork Verification Form on behalf of an organization where
multiple supervisors are providing supervision for one trainee accruing fieldwork hours and who meets supervisor
requirements for the entirety of the fieldwork.

Restricted Activities: The delivery of therapeutic or instructional procedures to a client for those accruing fieldwork
hours. Note: Not all time spent working with a client is considered restricted. For example, a number of unrestricted
activities may involve the trainee working directly with a client (see Unrestricted Activities).

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/Course-Content-Attestation

https://www.chea.org/

https://www.cicic.ca/868/search_the_directory_of_educational_institutions_in_canada.canada

https://www.teqsa.gov.au/national-register

https://www.gov.uk/check-university-award-degree/recognised-bodies

https://www.bacb.com/services/o.php?page=101135

gLOSSAry

Supervised Fieldwork: The experiential activities in which one engages as part of the eligibility requirements
for obtaining BCBA (or BCaBA) certification. There are two types of supervised fieldwork: Supervised Fieldwork
and Concentrated Supervised Fieldwork. For detailed fieldwork requirements, visit the Supervised Fieldwork
Requirements section.

Supervised Hours: Hours accrued when a supervisor is present. These may include restricted or unrestricted
activities observed by a supervisor or individual or group meetings with the supervisor.

Supervisee: For the purpose of BACB requirements, this includes RBTs and BCaBAs who are receiving supervision
from a qualified supervisor (see Trainee).

Supervisor: A supervisor might supervise trainees who are pursuing BCBA or BCaBA certification (i.e., fieldwork),
RBTs who require ongoing supervision, or BCaBAs who require ongoing supervision. BCBAs who are serving as a
supervisor must complete an 8-hour supervision training before providing any supervision and may not be related to,
subordinate to, or employed by the trainee during the supervisory period. In addition, first-year BCBAs who provide
supervision to BCBA or BCaBA trainees accruing fieldwork hours must meet with a consulting supervisor each month
in which they provide supervision for the remainder of their first year.

Supervisor-Trainee Contact: A real-time interaction between the supervisor and trainee that takes place in an
individual or group format.

Trainee: Any individual accruing fieldwork toward fulfilling eligibility requirements for BCBA or BCaBA certification.

Unrestricted Activities: Activities under the fieldwork requirements that are most likely to be performed by a BCBA
or BCaBA, including conducting assessments, staff training, and developing behavior plans, among others.

VCS Coordinator Coursework Attestation: This form may be completed by a current, BCBA-certified VCS
Coordinator to attest that an applicant has met all of the current coursework requirements for BCBA certification.

Verified Course Sequence (Verified Coursework): ABAI works with institutions to identify and verify sequences of
courses—known as Verified Course Sequences—that meet the BACB’s coursework requirements. The ABAI Verified
Course Sequence Directory includes all Verified Course Sequences, Verified Course Sequence Coordinators,
content hours, and dates for which the courses were verified. The BACB also publishes examination pass rates for
Verified Course Sequences.

SUPERVISION, ASSESSMENT, TRAINING, AND OVERSIGHT

https://www.abainternational.org/vcs.aspx

https://www.bacb.com/university-pass-rates/

AppENDIx

Appendix
Application Processing Agreement

The Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) agrees to process this application subject to your agreement to the
following terms and conditions:

1. You have read and agree to be bound by and comply with all BACB rules and requirements (which may be
revised) as specified in the applicable BACB certification handbook(s) and on the BACB website relating to:

• your application for initial certification,
• your compliance with the relevant ethics code and code-enforcement procedures,
• the maintenance of your certification, and
• your application for renewal or recertification.

2. You will only convey truthful and accurate information to the BACB.
3. You must complete all requirements related to the BACB certification you are seeking or currently hold,

including, but not limited to:
• paying applicable fees (which are nonrefundable)
• demonstrating that you have met requirements for initial certification, maintaining certification, and

renewal or recertification, as may be applicable
• complying with applicable BACB ethics requirements
• complying with all BACB documentation and reporting requirements
• reviewing and complying with any revised requirements. You will receive notice of revisions in at least

one of the following mediums:
• the BACB Newsletter,
• the BACB website,
• an email from the BACB, or
• a notice published in your BACB account.

4. You must check the email account you have on record with the BACB, review the BACB website, and review
your BACB account on a monthly basis, as the BACB typically provides at least thirty (30) days’ advance
notice of updated requirements.

5. You authorize the BACB to publish or otherwise release the following information to governmental licensure
boards or agencies, funders, professional associations, supervisors, mentors, and employers. You also
authorize the BACB to publish the following information on the BACB website:

• certificant name
• certification status (e.g., active, inactive, expired, suspended, revoked, practice restrictions, ineligible

for certification)
• certificant geographic location
• certification dates
• qualifications and willingness to supervise others
• violations of ethics requirements, including, but not limited to:

• your name on a matter resulting in revocation of certification or eligibility, suspension of certification
or eligibility, invalidation of certification, mandatory supervision, or other practice restrictions

• geographic region where the matter occurred
• code standard(s) violated
• year of disciplinary action(s)
• interim or final action(s) imposed

Unless you choose to opt out, you may be contacted through the Certificant Registry and/or through the
BACB mass email service.

ETHICS CODES

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/bacb_codeEnforcement_procedures

AppENDIx

Except as otherwise provided herein, it is the policy of the BACB not to release information provided in BACB
applications (initial, renewal, and recertification) or contained in certificant records unless such information
relates to a pending or final disciplinary, educational/coaching, or supervision matter; is requested by a
governmental licensure board or agency, other governmental agency, or court of law; is necessary to
conduct a disciplinary investigation or criminal background check; is necessary to provide feedback to a
supervisor; or is otherwise properly subpoenaed.
It is the policy of the BACB to comply with all applicable privacy and publication laws. If you become aware
that this agreement contravenes laws where you reside, you agree to immediately provide the BACB with
written notice of the conflict. Once your information has been published on the BACB website or released
outside of the BACB, the BACB is unable to assure removal or retrieval of the information.

6. You agree to hold the BACB harmless and to waive, release, and exonerate the BACB, its officers, directors,
employees, committee members, and agents (referred to collectively as BACB personnel) from any claims
that you may have against the BACB arising out of the BACB’s review of this application or any future
applications relating to eligibility for certification, recertification or renewal, reinstatement, conduct of the
examination, disciplinary processing, issuance of a disciplinary decision, publication, or third-party disclosure
in accordance with Clause 5 of this Agreement. Except as may be found to contravene the law, you waive
any right to assert a claim against the BACB where you are a representative or member of a class or
representative action; further, should you be permitted by law or court of law to proceed with a class
or representative action, you shall not be entitled to recover attorneys’ fees. Additionally, you agree to
refrain from subpoenaing the BACB and BACB personnel in any legal proceeding.

7. Your communications with BACB personnel must be professional. You agree to use BACB-approved contact
forms and processes for contacting BACB personnel. Communication from you or your representatives
regarding a BACB-related matter or decision may not be made outside of the BACB-approved contact
forms or processes, including, but not limited to, contacting personnel at their home, in their community, or
at their place of employment (if employed outside of the BACB). You also agree that you will not engage
in threatening, vexatious, harassing, and/or profane communications with BACB personnel. If you are sent
a cease-and-desist notice from the BACB for any reason (e.g., engaging in harassing communication or
unauthorized contact, misrepresentation of BACB-owned intellectual property), you agree to immediately
comply with that cease-and-desist notice.

8. You acknowledge that this certification, if granted, indicates that you have met the BACB’s requirements but
does not warrant or guarantee your competence to provide professional services. You also indemnify the
BACB from and against any liability that may arise from the BACB’s issuance of your certification as it relates
to your professional practice.

9. You agree to abide by all BACB ethics requirements, Examination Terms and Conditions, and any other
testing-related requirements identified by the BACB and/or the BACB’s testing vendor.

10. You agree that your address of record with the BACB will, at all times, accurately reflect your lawful residence
(state/province and country). You understand that initial certification applications are only available to
candidates who reside in authorized geographic locations, and that the BACB reserves the right to modify or
discontinue offering initial certification applications and/or recertification applications in certain geographic
locations in the discretion of the BACB.

The terms of this agreement include and incorporate by reference the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy published
on the BACB website. This agreement survives expiration of your certification application and certification. This
agreement is governed by the laws of the state of Colorado. In the BACB’s sole discretion, any disputes between you
and the BACB must be resolved by binding, individual arbitration in Colorado with an arbitrator selected by mutual
agreement of the parties, except as may be necessary for the BACB to obtain injunctive or other relief to protect the
BACB’s intellectual property rights. Arbitration, if applicable, will be governed by the Federal Arbitration Act and not
by any state law concerning arbitration. In the event of a judgment against the BACB in a matter filed by or on behalf
of you, you agree that damages or compensation awarded, payable, or due to you by the BACB may not exceed any
fees you have paid to the BACB in association with submitting this application.

Do you agree to be bound by all the terms of this Application Processing Agreement?

EXAMINATION INFORMATION

https://BACB.com/pearsonvue

International Development & Support

TERMS OF USE

PRIVACY POLICY

vErSION HISTOry AND UpDATES

Version History and Updates
Version 11/1/2023 Updates

• Added the update that BACB examinations are no longer delivered in Quebec as of November 1, 2023, and
BCBA examinations will no longer be delivered in Ontario beginning July 1, 2026 (pp. 29 & 32).

Version 12/29/2023 Updates

In addition to minor edits to enhance clarity, the following changes were made:
• Made minor updates to the Eligibility Requirements section (p. 6); Examination section (p. 30),

including the Examination Terms and Conditions (p. 35); and Application Processing Agreement (p. 67).
• Incoporated the requirement that coursework must be obtained within 10 years of the year the application is

submitted as announced in the March 2022 BACB Newsletter (p. 9).
• Added a note that nonverified coursework will no longer be accepted as part of a BCBA certification

application as of January 1, 2026 (p. 10).
• Further clarified the expectations for certificants who use the Qualify for Examination via Past Certification

option (p. 14).
• Updated the reinstatement period to 30 days per the September 2023 BACB Newsletter announcement (p. 46).
• Clarified the supervision CEU requirements for certificants who have supervised the ongoing practice

of RBTs or BCaBAs on record or trainees pursuing BCBA or BCaBA certification at any point during their
recertification cycle (p. 41).

• Added a note about changes to supervisor qualifications beginning January 1, 2026, as a result of ABAI’s
Verified Course Sequence system being discontinued (p. 17).

• Provided clarification on the Name Change Policy (p. 59).

Version 5/1/2024 Updates

In addition to minor edits to enhance clarity, the following changes were made:
• Noted that the preliminary coursework evaluation service will no longer be provided as of January 1, 2026

(p. 10).
• Provided clarification on mixed fieldwork types (p. 20).
• Noted that the BACB cannot accept packages that require a signature for delivery (p. 28).
• Provided clarification on administrative appeals (p. 58).

Version 9/27/2024 Updates

In addition to minor edits to enhance clarity, the following changes were made:
• Added a note about changes to no longer being able to hold mulitple BACB certifications at the same time

effective January 1, 2025 (p. 1).
• Added a note that Preliminary Coursework Evaluations will be a service the BACB no longer provides as of

January 1, 2026 as a result of the ABAI’s Verified Course Sequence system being discontinued (p. 10).

Version 1/2/2025 Updates

In addition to minor edits to enhance clarity, the following changes were made:
• Updated the jurisdiction section for clarity (p. 1).
• Provided clarification and guidance on fieldwork documentation per supervisory period (p. 20).
• Clarified how to address disputes around fieldwork (p. 25).
• Added the expectation of Attesting Certificants for RBT certification applications (p. 51).

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/mar2022_Newsletter/

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/sep2023_Newsletter/

Overview

About the Behavior Analyst Certification Board

Jurisdiction

What Is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst?

Board Certified Behavior Analyst—Doctoral

Overview of Becoming and Maintaining BCBA Certification

Reasons for Becoming a BCBA

Accreditation

You Want to Pursue Certification… Now What?*

A Few Tips Before Getting Started

Considerations When Exploring Training Options

Considerations When Identifying Practical Fieldwork Opportunities

A Few Final Tips

Eligibility Requirements

Eligibility Pathways

Pathway 1: Degree From Association of Professional Behavior Analysts (APBA) Accredited Program or Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI) Accredited or Recognized Program

Pathway 2: Behavior-Analytic Coursework

Pathway 3: Faculty Teaching and Research

Pathway 4: Postdoctoral Experience

Qualification for Examination via Past Certification

Supervised Fieldwork Requirements

Fieldwork Hour Requirements

Before You Start Your Fieldwork

Supervisor Requirements

Requirements for Supervision of Fieldwork Hours

Documentation Requirements

Audits

Disputes About Fieldwork Verification Form Signatures

Tips to Avoid Disputes Between Supervisors and Trainees Before They Occur

Contesting Fieldwork: Is It Right for You?

Guidance in the Event of a Dispute

Applying for BCBA Certification

Submit Your Application

1. Complete the BCBA Certification Application in Your BACB Account

2. Submit Your Payment

3. Submit Supplemental Documents

4. BACB Staff Will Review Your Application and Issue a Determination

Schedule Your Examination Appointment

Fees*

Examination

Examination Development

Preparation

Examination Outline

Sample Examination Questions

Scheduling

Pearson VUE Examination Fees

Examination Accommodations

What to Expect on Examination Day

General Rules for Taking the Examination

Examination Terms and Conditions

Confidentiality

Test Security

Breaks

Examination Security

Examination Appeals

Examination Results

Examination Retakes

Scoring Methodology

What to Expect After Passing the Examination

Tips for Protecting Your BACB Information

Certification Maintenance Requirements

Continuing Education

CEU Requirements

CEU Types

CEU Content

Ethics and Self-Reporting

Self-Reporting

Recertification

Recertifying

Fees**

Inactive Policy

Voluntary Inactive Status

Active Duty/Reserve Status

Fees*

Supervision, Assessment, Training, and Oversight

Attesting, Assessing, Training, and Supervising RBTs

Attesting RBTs (Age, Education, Background, and Abuse Registry Check)

Assessing RBTs (Competency Assessments)

Training RBTs (RBT 40-Hour Training)

Supervising RBTs

Managing Alleged Ethics Violations by RBTs

Tips for Supervising Trainees, RBTs, or BCaBAs

Supervising BCBA and BCaBA Trainees

Supervising BCaBAs

Board Certified Behavior Analyst-Doctoral (BCBA-D)

BCBA-D Eligibility Requirements

Option A: Accredited Doctoral Program

Option B: Nonaccredited Doctoral Program

Option C: Postdoctoral Respecialization

Applying for the BCBA-D Designation

Maintaining the BCBA-D Designation

Other Relevant Policies

Administrative Appeals

Application Appeals

Examination Appeals

Compassionate Appeals

Name Change Policy

Acceptable Signatures Policy

Documentation Policy

Submission of False, Forged, or Untrue Information to the BACB

Timely Responding to the BACB

Documents and Resources

Eligibility and Applying for Certification

Coursework

Supervised Fieldwork

Monthly and Final Fieldwork Verification Forms

Optional Resources

Consulting Supervisor

Examination

Continuing Education

Ethics and Self-Reporting

Voluntary Inactive Status

Supervising, Training, and Assessing

Assessing RBTs

Training RBTs

Supervising RBTs

Supervising BCaBAs

Administrative Appeals

Glossary

Appendix

Application Processing Agreement

Version History and Updates

Version 11/1/2023 Updates

Version 12/29/2023 Updates

Version 5/1/2024 Updates

Version 9/27/2024 Updates

Version 1/2/2025 Updates

Ethics Code for
Behavior Analysts
The Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts (Code) replaces the Professional and Ethical
Compliance Code for Behavior Analysts (2014). All BCBA and BCaBA applicants
and certificants are required to adhere to the Code effective January 1, 2022.

This document should be referenced as:
Behavior Analyst Certification Board. (2020). Ethics code for behavior analysts.

https://bacb.com/wp-content/ethics-code-for-behavior-analysts/

Table of Contents

Introduction

……………………………………………………………… 3

Scope of the Code ……………………………………………………………………………………… 3
Core Principles …………………………………………………………………………………………… 4
Application of the Code ………………………………………………………………………………5
Enforcement of the Code ……………………………………………………………………………6

Glossary

………………………………………………………………….. 7

Ethics Standards

………………………………………………………. 9

Section 1—Responsibility as a Professional ………………………………………………9

1.01 Being Truthful ……………………………………………………………………………….9
1.02 Conforming with Legal and Professional Requirements………..9
1.03 Accountability………………………………………………………………………………9
1.04 Practicing within a Defined Role ……………………………………………….9
1.05 Practicing within Scope of Competence …………………………………9
1.06 Maintaining Competence …………………………………………………………..9
1.07 Cultural Responsiveness and Diversity ……………………………………9
1.08 Nondiscrimination ……………………………………………………………………….9
1.09 Nonharassment …………………………………………………………………………..9
1.10 Awareness of Personal Biases and Challenges ………………………9
1.11 Multiple Relationships ………………………………………………………………… 10
1.12 Giving and Receiving Gifts ……………………………………………………….. 10
1.13 Coercive and Exploitative Relationships ………………………………… 10
1.14 Romantic and Sexual Relationships…………………………………………. 10
1.15 Responding to Requests …………………………………………………………… 10
1.16 Self-Reporting Critical Information …………………………………………… 10

Section 2—Responsibility in Practice ……………………………………………………… 10

2.01 Providing Effective Treatment…………………………………………………. 10
2.02 Timeliness ………………………………………………………………………………… 10
2.03 Protecting Confidential Information ………………………………………. 10
2.04 Disclosing Confidential Information …………………………………………11
2.05 Documentation Protection and Retention ………………………………11
2.06 Accuracy in Service Billing and Reporting ……………………………..11
2.07 Fees …………………………………………………………………………………………….11
2.08 Communicating About Services ………………………………………………11
2.09 Involving Clients and Stakeholders …………………………………………11
2.10 Collaborating with Colleagues ………………………………………………….11
2.11 Obtaining Informed Consent ………………………………………………………11
2.12 Considering Medical Needs ……………………………………………………..12
2.13 Selecting, Designing, and Implementing Assessments ………..12
2.14 Selecting, Designing, and Implementing Behavior-

Change Interventions ……………………………………………………………………12
2.15 Minimizing Risk of Behavior-Change Interventions ……………….12
2.16 Describing Behavior-Change Interventions

Before Implementation …………………………………………………………………12
2.17 Collecting and Using Data …………………………………………………………12
2.18 Continual Evaluation of the Behavior-Change Intervention ….12
2.19 Addressing Conditions Interfering with Service Delivery ……..12

Section 3—Responsibility to Clients and Stakeholders ………………………….13

3.01 Responsibility to Clients…………………………………………………………….13
3.02 Identifying Stakeholders …………………………………………………………..13
3.03 Accepting Clients………………………………………………………………………13
3.04 Service Agreement …………………………………………………………………..13
3.05 Financial Agreements ………………………………………………………………13

3.06 Consulting with Other Providers ……………………………………………..13
3.07 Third-Party Contracts for Services …………………………………………..13
3.08 Responsibility to the Client with Third-Party Contracts

for Services …………………………………………………………………………………….13
3.09 Communicating with Stakeholders About Third-Party

Contracted Services ……………………………………………………………………..14
3.10 Limitations of Confidentiality …………………………………………………….14
3.11 Documenting Professional Activity ……………………………………………14
3.12 Advocating for Appropriate Services ………………………………………14
3.13 Referrals ………………………………………………………………………………………14
3.14 Facilitating Continuity of Services …………………………………………….14
3.15 Appropriately Discontinuing Services ……………………………………..14
3.16 Appropriately Transitioning Services ……………………………………….14

Section 4—Responsibility to Supervisees and Trainees ………………………..15

4.01 Compliance with Supervision Requirements ………………………….15
4.02 Supervisory Competence ………………………………………………………..15
4.03 Supervisory Volume …………………………………………………………………15
4.04 Accountability in Supervision …………………………………………………..15
4.05 Maintaining Supervision Documentation ……………………………….15
4.06 Providing Supervision and Training ………………………………………..15
4.07 Incorporating and Addressing Diversity …………………………………15
4.08 Performance Monitoring and Feedback ………………………………..15
4.09 Delegation of Tasks ………………………………………………………………….15
4.10 Evaluating Effects of Supervision and Training ………………………16
4.11 Facilitating Continuity of Supervision ………………………………………..16
4.12 Appropriately Terminating Supervision ……………………………………16

Section 5—Responsibility in Public Statements ………………………………………16

5.01 Protecting the Rights of Clients, Stakeholders,
Supervisees, and Trainees …………………………………………………………..16

5.02 Confidentiality in Public Statements ……………………………………….16
5.03 Public Statements by Behavior Analysts………………………………..16
5.04 Public Statements by Others …………………………………………………..16
5.05 Use of Intellectual Property ……………………………………………………..16
5.06 Advertising Nonbehavioral Services ……………………………………..16
5.07 Soliciting Testimonials from Current Clients

for Advertising ………………………………………………………………………………. 17
5.08 Using Testimonials from Former Clients for Advertising …….. 17
5.09 Using Testimonials for Nonadvertising Purposes ………………… 17
5.10 Social Media Channels and Websites …………………………………….. 17
5.11 Using Digital Content in Public Statements …………………………….. 17

Section 6—Responsibility in Research …………………………………………………….. 17

6.01 Conforming with Laws and Regulations in Research ……………. 17
6.02 Research Review ……………………………………………………………………… 17
6.03 Research in Service Delivery ………………………………………………….. 17
6.04 Informed Consent in Research ……………………………………………….18
6.05 Confidentiality in Research………………………………………………………18
6.06 Competence in Conducting Research …………………………………..18
6.07 Conflict of Interest in Research and Publication ……………………18
6.08 Appropriate Credit ……………………………………………………………………18
6.09 Plagiarism …………………………………………………………………………………..18
6.10 Documentation and Data Retention in Research …………………..18
6.11 Accuracy and Use of Data …………………………………………………………18

Introduction
As a diverse group of professionals who work in a variety of practice areas, behavior analysts deliver applied behavior
analysis (ABA) services to positively impact lives. The Behavior Analyst Certification Board® (BACB®) exists to meet the
credentialing needs of these professionals and relevant stakeholders (e.g., licensure boards, funders) while protecting ABA
consumers by establishing, disseminating, and managing professional standards. The BACB facilitates ethical behavior in the
profession through its certification eligibility and maintenance requirements, by issuing the ethics standards described in this
document, and by operating a system for addressing professional misconduct.
The Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts (Code) guides the professional activities of behavior analysts over whom the BACB
has jurisdiction (see Scope of the Code below). The Code also provides a means for behavior analysts to evaluate their own
behavior and for others to assess whether a behavior analyst has violated their ethical obligations. An introduction section
describes the scope and application of the Code, its core principles, and considerations for ethical decision making. The core
principles are foundational concepts that should guide all aspects of a behavior analyst’s work. The introduction is followed
by a glossary that includes definitions of technical terms used in the Code. The final section includes the ethics standards,
which are informed by the core principles. The standards are organized into six sections: 1) Responsibility as a Professional,
2) Responsibility in Practice, 3) Responsibility to Clients and Stakeholders, 4) Responsibility to Supervisees and Trainees, 5)
Responsibility in Public Statements, and 6) Responsibility in Research.

Scope of the Code

The Code applies to all individuals who hold Board Certified Behavior Analyst® (BCBA®) or Board Certified Assistant Behavior
Analyst® (BCaBA®) certification and all individuals who have completed an application for BCBA or BCaBA certification. For the
sake of efficiency, the term “behavior analyst” is used throughout this document to refer to those who must act in accordance
with the Code. The BACB does not have separate jurisdiction over organizations or corporations.
The Code applies to behavior analysts in all of their professional activities, including direct service delivery, consultation,
supervision, training, management, editorial and peer-review activities, research, and any other activity within the ABA
profession. The Code applies to behavior analysts’ professional activities across settings and delivery modes (e.g., in person;
in writing; via phone, email, text message, video conferencing). Application of the Code does not extend to behavior analysts’
personal behavior unless it is determined that the behavior clearly poses a potential risk to the health and safety of clients,
stakeholders, supervisees, or trainees.

Specific terms are defined in the Glossary section; however, two definitions are provided here because they are
frequently used in the Core Principles section.

Client: The direct recipient of the behavior analyst’s services. At various times during service provision, one or
more stakeholders may simultaneously meet the definition of client (e.g., the point at which they receive direct
training or consultation). In some contexts, the client might be a group of individuals (e.g., with organizational
behavior management services).
Stakeholder: An individual, other than the client, who is impacted by and invested in the behavior analyst’s
services (e.g., parent, caregiver, relative, legally authorized representative, collaborator, employer, agency or
institutional representative, licensure board, funder, third-party contractor for services).

Core Principles

Four foundational principles, which all behavior analysts should strive to embody, serve as the framework for the ethics
standards. Behavior analysts should use these principles to interpret and apply the standards in the Code. The four core
principles are that behavior analysts should: benefit others; treat others with compassion, dignity, and respect; behave with
integrity; and ensure their own competence.

1. Benefit Others. Behavior analysts work to maximize
benefits and do no harm by:

• Protecting the welfare and rights
of clients above all others

• Protecting the welfare and rights of
other individuals with whom they
interact in a professional capacity

• Focusing on the short- and long-term
effects of their professional activities

• Actively identifying and addressing the potential
negative impacts of their own physical and
mental health on their professional activities

• Actively identifying potential and actual conflicts
of interest and working to resolve them in
a manner that avoids or minimizes harm

• Actively identifying and addressing factors
(e.g., personal, financial, institutional, political,
religious, cultural) that might lead to conflicts
of interest, misuse of their position, or negative
impacts on their professional activities

• Effectively and respectfully collaborating
with others in the best interest of those
with whom they work and always
placing clients’ interests first

2. Treat Others with Compassion, Dignity, and
Respect. Behavior analysts behave toward others
with compassion, dignity, and respect by:

• Treating others equitably, regardless of factors
such as age, disability, ethnicity, gender
expression/identity, immigration status, marital/
relationship status, national origin, race,
religion, sexual orientation, socioeconomic
status, or any other basis proscribed by law

• Respecting others’ privacy and confidentiality
• Respecting and actively promoting

clients’ self-determination to the best of
their abilities, particularly when providing
services to vulnerable populations

• Acknowledging that personal choice in service
delivery is important by providing clients
and stakeholders with needed information
to make informed choices about services

3. Behave with Integrity. Behavior analysts fulfill
responsibilities to their scientific and professional
communities, to society in general, and to the
communities they serve by:

• Behaving in an honest and trustworthy manner
• Not misrepresenting themselves,

misrepresenting their work or others’
work, or engaging in fraud

• Following through on obligations
• Holding themselves accountable for their work

and the work of their supervisees and trainees,
and correcting errors in a timely manner

• Being knowledgeable about and upholding
BACB and other regulatory requirements

• Actively working to create professional
environments that uphold the core
principles and standards of the Code

• Respectfully educating others about
the ethics requirements of behavior
analysts and the mechanisms for
addressing professional misconduct

4. Ensure their Competence. Behavior analysts ensure
their competence by:

• Remaining within the profession’s
scope of practice

• Remaining current and increasing
their knowledge of best practices and
advances in ABA and participating in
professional development activities

• Remaining knowledgeable and current about
interventions (including pseudoscience)
that may exist in their practice areas
and pose a risk of harm to clients

• Being aware of, working within, and continually
evaluating the boundaries of their competence

• Working to continually increase their knowledge
and skills related to cultural responsiveness
and service delivery to diverse groups

Application of the Code

Behavior analysts are expected to be knowledgeable about and comply with the Code and Code-Enforcement Procedures.
Lack of awareness or misunderstanding of an ethics standard is not a defense against an alleged ethics violation. When
appropriate, behavior analysts should inform others about the Code and Code-Enforcement Procedures and create
conditions that foster adherence to the Code. When addressing potential code violations by themselves or others, behavior
analysts document the steps taken and the resulting outcomes. Behavior analysts should address concerns about the
professional misconduct of others directly with them when, after assessing the situation, it seems possible that doing so will
resolve the issue and not place the behavior analyst or others at undue risk.
The BACB recognizes that behavior analysts may have different professional roles. As such, behavior analysts are
required to comply with all applicable laws, licensure requirements, codes of conduct/ethics, reporting requirements (e.g.,
mandated reporting, reporting to funding sources or licensure board, self-reporting to the BACB, reporting instances of
misrepresentation by others), and professional practice requirements related to their various roles. In some instances,
behavior analysts may need to report serious concerns to relevant authorities or agencies that can provide more immediate
relief or protection before reporting to the BACB (e.g., criminal activity or behavior that places clients or others at risk for
direct and immediate harm should immediately be reported to the relevant authorities before reporting to the BACB or a
licensure board).
The standards included in the Code are not meant to be exhaustive, as it is impossible to predict every situation that might
constitute an ethics violation. Therefore, the absence of a particular behavior or type of conduct from the Code standards
does not indicate that such behavior or conduct is ethical or unethical. When interpreting and applying a standard, it is critical
to attend to its specific wording and function, as well as the core principles. Additionally, standards must be applied to a
situation using a functional, contextualized approach that accounts for factors relevant to that situation, such as variables
related to diversity (e.g., age, disability, ethnicity, gender expression/identity, immigration status, marital/relationship status,
national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status) and possible imbalances in power. In all instances
of interpreting and applying the Code, behavior analysts should put compliance with the law and clients’ interests first by
actively working to maximize desired outcomes and minimize risk.
Ethical decision making. Behavior analysts will likely encounter complex and multifaceted ethical dilemmas. When faced with
such a dilemma, behavior analysts should identify problems and solutions with care and deliberation. In resolving an ethical
dilemma, behavior analysts should follow the spirit and letter of the Code’s core principles and specific standards. Behavior
analysts should address ethical dilemmas through a structured decision-making process that considers the full context of the
situation and the function of relevant ethics standards. Although no single ethical decision-making process will be equally
effective in all situations, the process below illustrates a systematic approach behavior analysts can take to document and
address potential ethical concerns.

1. Clearly define the issue and consider potential risk of harm to relevant individuals.
2. Identify all relevant individuals.
3. Gather relevant supporting documentation and follow-up on second-hand information to confirm that there is an

actual ethical concern.
4. Consider your personal learning history and biases in the context of the relevant individuals.
5. Identify the relevant core principles and Code standards.
6. Consult available resources (e.g., research, decision-making models, trusted colleagues).
7. Develop several possible actions to reduce or remove risk of harm, prioritizing the best interests of clients in

accordance with the Code and applicable laws.

Throughout all of the following steps, document information that may be essential to decision making or for
communicating the steps taken and outcomes (e.g., to the BACB, licensure boards, or other governing agencies).
For example, consider documenting: dates, times, locations, and relevant individuals; summaries of observations,
meetings, or information reported by others. Take care to protect confidentiality in the preparation and storage of all
documentation.

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/BACB_CodeEnforcement_Procedures

8. Critically evaluate each possible action by considering its alignment with the “letter and spirit” of the Code, its
potential impact on the client and stakeholders, the likelihood of it immediately resolving the ethical concern, as well
as variables such as client preference, social acceptability, degree of restrictiveness, and likelihood of maintenance.

9. Select the action that seems most likely to resolve the specific ethical concern and reduce the likelihood of similar
issues arising in the future.

10. Take the selected action in collaboration with relevant individuals affected by the issue and document specific
actions taken, agreed-upon next steps, names of relevant individuals, and due dates.

11. Evaluate the outcomes to ensure that the action successfully addressed the issue.

Enforcement of the Code

The BACB enforces the Code to protect clients and stakeholders, BCBA and BCaBA certificants and applicants, and the ABA
profession. Complaints are received and processed according to the processes outlined in the BACB’s Code-Enforcement
Procedures document.

https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/BACB_CodeEnforcement_Procedures

Glossary
Assent
Vocal or nonvocal verbal behavior that can be taken to
indicate willingness to participate in research or behavioral
services by individuals who cannot provide informed consent
(e.g., because of age or intellectual impairments). Assent may
be required by a research review committee or a service
organization. In such instances, those entities will provide
parameters for assessing assent.

Behavior Analyst
An individual who holds BCBA or BCaBA certification or
who has submitted a complete application for BCBA or
BCaBA certification.

Behavior-Change Intervention
The full set of behavioral procedures designed to improve
the client’s wellbeing.

Behavioral Services
Services that are explicitly based on the principles and
procedures of behavior analysis and are designed to change
behavior in meaningful ways. These services include, but are
not limited to, assessment, behavior-change interventions,
training, consultation, managing and supervising others, and
delivering continuing education.

Client
The direct recipient of the behavior analyst’s services.
At various times during service provision, one or more
stakeholders may simultaneously meet the definition of
client (e.g., the point at which they receive direct training
or consultation). In some contexts, the client might be a
group of individuals (e.g., with organizational behavior
management services).

Clients’ Rights
Human rights, legal rights, rights codified within behavior
analysis, and organization rules designed to benefit
the client.

Conflict of Interest
An incompatibility between a behavior analysts’ private
and professional interests resulting in risk or potential risk
to services provided to, or the professional relationship
with, a client, stakeholder, supervisee, trainee, or research
participant. Conflicts may result in a situation in which
personal, financial, or professional considerations have the
potential to influence or compromise professional judgment
in the delivery of behavioral services, research, consultation,
supervision, training, or any other professional activity.

Digital Content
Information that is made available for online consumption,
downloading, or distribution through an electronic medium
(e.g., television, radio, ebook, website, social media,
videogame, application, computer, smart device). Common
digital content includes documents, pictures, videos, and
audio files.

Informed Consent
The permission given by an individual with the legal right
to consent before participating in services or research, or
allowing their information to be used or shared.

Service/Research: Providing the opportunity for an
individual to give informed consent for services or
research involves communicating about and taking
appropriate steps to confirm understanding of: 1) the
purpose of the services or research; 2) the expected
time commitment and procedures involved; 3) the
right to decline to participate or withdraw at any time
without adverse consequences; 4) potential benefits,
risks, discomfort, or adverse effects; 5) any limits to
confidentiality or privacy; 6) any incentives for research
participation; 7) whom to contact for questions or
concerns at any time; and 8) the opportunity to ask
questions and receive answers.
Information Use/Sharing: Providing the opportunity
for an individual to give informed consent to share or
use their information involves communicating about: 1)
the purpose and intended use; 2) the audience; 3) the
expected duration; 4) the right to decline or withdraw
consent at any time; 5) potential risks or benefits; 6)
any limitations to confidentiality or privacy; 7) whom to
contact for questions or concerns at any time; and 8) the
opportunity to ask questions and receive answers.

Legally Authorized Representative
Any individual authorized under law to provide consent
on behalf of an individual who cannot provide consent to
receive services or participate in research.

Multiple Relationship
A comingling of two or more of a behavior analyst’s roles
(e.g., behavioral and personal) with a client, stakeholder,
supervisee, trainee, research participant, or someone closely
associated with or related to the client.

Public Statements
Delivery of information (digital or otherwise) in a public
forum for the purpose of either better informing that
audience or providing a call-to-action. This includes paid or
unpaid advertising, brochures, printed material, directory
listings, personal resumes or curriculum vitae, interviews, or
comments for use in media (e.g., print, statements in legal
proceedings, lectures and public presentations, social media,
published materials).

Research
Any data-based activity, including analysis of preexisting
data, designed to generate generalizable knowledge for the
discipline. The use of an experimental design does not by
itself constitute research.

Research Participant
Any individual participating in a defined research study for
whom informed consent has been obtained.

Research Review Committee
A group of professionals whose stated purpose is to review
research proposals to ensure the ethical treatment of human
research participants. This committee might be an official
entity of a government or university (e.g., Institutional Review
Board, Research Ethics Board), an independent committee
within a service organization, or an independent organization
created for this purpose.

Scope of Competence
The professional activities a behavior analyst can consistently
perform with proficiency.

Social Media Channel
A digital platform, either found through a web browser or
through an application, where users (individuals and/or
businesses) can consume, create, copy, download, share,
or comment on posts or advertisements. Both posts and
advertisements would be considered digital content.

Stakeholder
An individual, other than the client, who is impacted by and
invested in the behavior analyst’s services (e.g., parent,
caregiver, relative, legally authorized representative,
collaborator, employer, agency or institutional
representatives, licensure board, funder, third-party
contractor for services).

Supervisee
Any individual whose behavioral service delivery is overseen
by a behavior analyst within the context of a defined, agreed-
upon relationship. Supervisees may include RBTs, BCaBAs,
and BCBAs, as well as other professionals carrying out
supervised behavioral services.

Testimonial
Any solicited or unsolicited recommendation, in any form,
from a client, stakeholder, supervisee, or trainee affirming
the benefits received from a behavior analyst’s product or
service. From the point at which a behavior analyst asks an
individual for a recommendation it is considered solicited.

Third Party
Any individual, group of individuals, or entity, other than
the direct recipient of services, the primary caregiver, the
legally authorized representative, or the behavior analyst,
who requests and funds services on behalf of a client or
group of clients. Some examples include a school district,
governmental entity, mental health agency, among others.

Trainee
Any individual accruing fieldwork/experience toward fulfilling
eligibility requirements for BCaBA or BCBA certification.

Website
A digital platform found through a web browser where
an entity (individual and/or organization) produces and
distributes digital content for the consumption of users
online. Depending on the functionality, users can consume,
create, copy, download, share, or comment on the provided
digital content.
Note: Terms defined in the glossary are italicized the first
time they appear in a standard in each section of the Code.

Ethics Standards
Section 1—Responsibility as a Professional

1.01 Being Truthful
Behavior analysts are truthful and arrange the professional environment to promote truthful behavior in others. They do
not create professional situations that result in others engaging in behavior that is fraudulent or illegal or that violates the
Code. They also provide truthful and accurate information to all required entities (e.g., BACB, licensure boards, funders)
and individuals (e.g., clients, stakeholders, supervisees, trainees), and they correct instances of untruthful or inaccurate
submissions as soon as they become aware of them.

1.02 Conforming with Legal and Professional Requirements
Behavior analysts follow the law and the requirements of their professional community (e.g., BACB, licensure board).

1.03 Accountability
Behavior analysts are accountable for their actions and professional services and follow through on work commitments. When
errors occur or commitments cannot be met, behavior analysts take all appropriate actions to directly address them, first in
the best interest of clients, and then in the best interest of relevant parties.

1.04 Practicing within a Defined Role
Behavior analysts provide services only after defining and documenting their professional role with relevant parties in writing.

1.05 Practicing within Scope of Competence
Behavior analysts practice only within their identified scope of competence. They engage in professional activities in
new areas (e.g., populations, procedures) only after accessing and documenting appropriate study, training, supervised
experience, consultation, and/or co-treatment from professionals competent in the new area. Otherwise, they refer or
transition services to an appropriate professional.

1.06 Maintaining Competence
Behavior analysts actively engage in professional development activities to maintain and further their professional
competence. Professional development activities include reading relevant literature; attending conferences and conventions;
participating in workshops and other training opportunities; obtaining additional coursework; receiving coaching, consultation,
supervision, or mentorship; and obtaining and maintaining appropriate professional credentials.

1.07 Cultural Responsiveness and Diversity
Behavior analysts actively engage in professional development activities to acquire knowledge and skills related to cultural
responsiveness and diversity. They evaluate their own biases and ability to address the needs of individuals with diverse needs/
backgrounds (e.g., age, disability, ethnicity, gender expression/identity, immigration status, marital/relationship status, national
origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status). Behavior analysts also evaluate biases of their supervisees and
trainees, as well as their supervisees’ and trainees’ ability to address the needs of individuals with diverse needs/backgrounds.

1.08 Nondiscrimination
Behavior analysts do not discriminate against others. They behave toward others in an equitable and inclusive manner
regardless of age, disability, ethnicity, gender expression/identity, immigration status, marital/relationship status, national
origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, or any other basis proscribed by law.

1.09 Nonharassment
Behavior analysts do not engage in behavior that is harassing or hostile toward others.

1.10 Awareness of Personal Biases and Challenges
Behavior analysts maintain awareness that their personal biases or challenges (e.g., mental or physical health conditions;
legal, financial, marital/relationship challenges) may interfere with the effectiveness of their professional work. Behavior
analysts take appropriate steps to resolve interference, ensure that their professional work is not compromised, and
document all actions taken in this circumstance and the eventual outcomes.

1.11 Multiple Relationships
Because multiple relationships may result in a conflict of interest that might harm one or more parties, behavior analysts
avoid entering into or creating multiple relationships, including professional, personal, and familial relationships with clients
and colleagues. Behavior analysts communicate the risks of multiple relationships to relevant individuals and continually
monitor for the development of multiple relationships. If multiple relationships arise, behavior analysts take appropriate steps
to resolve them. When immediately resolving a multiple relationship is not possible, behavior analysts develop appropriate
safeguards to identify and avoid conflicts of interest in compliance with the Code and develop a plan to eventually resolve
the multiple relationship. Behavior analysts document all actions taken in this circumstance and the eventual outcomes.

1.12 Giving and Receiving Gifts
Because the exchange of gifts can invite conflicts of interest and multiple relationships, behavior analysts do not give gifts to
or accept gifts from clients, stakeholders, supervisees, or trainees with a monetary value of more than $10 US dollars (or the
equivalent purchasing power in another currency). Behavior analysts make clients and stakeholders aware of this requirement
at the onset of the professional relationship. A gift is acceptable if it functions as an infrequent expression of gratitude and
does not result in financial benefit to the recipient. Instances of giving or accepting ongoing or cumulative gifts may rise to the
level of a violation of this standard if the gifts become a regularly expected source of income or value to the recipient.

1.13 Coercive and Exploitative Relationships
Behavior analysts do not abuse their power or authority by coercing or exploiting persons over whom they have authority
(e.g., evaluative, supervisory).

1.14 Romantic and Sexual Relationships
Behavior analysts do not engage in romantic or sexual relationships with current clients, stakeholders, trainees, or
supervisees because such relationships pose a substantial risk of conflicts of interest and impaired judgment. Behavior
analysts do not engage in romantic or sexual relationships with former clients or stakeholders for a minimum of two years
from the date the professional relationship ended. Behavior analysts do not engage in romantic or sexual relationships with
former supervisees or trainees until the parties can document that the professional relationship has ended (i.e., completion
of all professional duties). Behavior analysts do not accept as supervisees or trainees individuals with whom they have had a
past romantic or sexual relationship until at least six months after the relationship has ended.

1.15 Responding to Requests
Behavior analysts make appropriate efforts to respond to requests for information from and comply with deadlines of relevant
individuals (e.g., clients, stakeholders, supervisees, trainees) and entities (e.g., BACB, licensure boards, funders). They also
comply with practice requirements (e.g., attestations, criminal background checks) imposed by the BACB, employers, or
governmental entities.

1.16 Self-Reporting Critical Information
Behavior analysts remain knowledgeable about and comply with all self-reporting requirements of relevant entities (e.g.,
BACB, licensure boards, funders).

Section 2—Responsibility in Practice

2.01 Providing Effective Treatment
Behavior analysts prioritize clients’ rights and needs in service delivery. They provide services that are conceptually consistent
with behavioral principles, based on scientific evidence, and designed to maximize desired outcomes for and protect all clients,
stakeholders, supervisees, trainees, and research participants from harm. Behavior analysts implement nonbehavioral services
with clients only if they have the required education, formal training, and professional credentials to deliver such services.

2.02 Timeliness
Behavior analysts deliver services and carry out necessary service-related administrative responsibilities in a timely manner.

2.03 Protecting Confidential Information
Behavior analysts take appropriate steps to protect the confidentiality of clients, stakeholders, supervisees, trainees, and
research participants; prevent the accidental or inadvertent sharing of confidential information; and comply with applicable

confidentiality requirements (e.g., laws, regulations, organization policies). The scope of confidentiality includes service
delivery (e.g., live, teleservices, recorded sessions); documentation and data; and verbal, written, or electronic communication.

2.04 Disclosing Confidential Information
Behavior analysts only share confidential information about clients, stakeholders, supervisees, trainees, or research
participants: (1) when informed consent is obtained; (2) when attempting to protect the client or others from harm; (3) when
attempting to resolve contractual issues; (4) when attempting to prevent a crime that is reasonably likely to cause physical,
mental, or financial harm to another; or (5) when compelled to do so by law or court order. When behavior analysts are
authorized to discuss confidential information with a third party, they only share information critical to the purpose of
the communication.

2.05 Documentation Protection and Retention
Behavior analysts are knowledgeable about and comply with all applicable requirements (e.g., BACB rules, laws, regulations,
contracts, funder and organization requirements) for storing, transporting, retaining, and destroying physical and electronic
documentation related to their professional activities. They destroy physical documentation after making electronic copies or
summaries of data (e.g., reports and graphs) only when allowed by applicable requirements. When a behavior analyst leaves
an organization these responsibilities remain with the organization.

2.06 Accuracy in Service Billing and Reporting
Behavior analysts identify their services accurately and include all required information on reports, bills, invoices, requests
for reimbursement, and receipts. They do not implement or bill nonbehavioral services under an authorization or contract for
behavioral services. If inaccuracies in reporting or billing are discovered, they inform all relevant parties (e.g., organizations,
licensure boards, funders), correct the inaccuracy in a timely manner, and document all actions taken in this circumstance and
the eventual outcomes.

2.07 Fees
Behavior analysts implement fee practices and share fee information in compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
They do not misrepresent their fees. In situations where behavior analysts are not directly responsible for fees, they must
communicate these requirements to the responsible party and take steps to resolve any inaccuracy or conflict. They
document all actions taken in this circumstance and the eventual outcomes.

2.08 Communicating About Services
Behavior analysts use understandable language in, and ensure comprehension of, all communications with clients,
stakeholders, supervisees, trainees, and research participants. Before providing services, they clearly describe the scope
of services and specify the conditions under which services will end. They explain all assessment and behavior-change
intervention procedures before implementing them and explain assessment and intervention results when they are available.
They provide an accurate and current set of their credentials and a description of their area of competence upon request.

2.09 Involving Clients and Stakeholders
Behavior analysts make appropriate efforts to involve clients and relevant stakeholders throughout the service relationship,
including selecting goals, selecting and designing assessments and behavior-change interventions, and conducting continual
progress monitoring.

2.10 Collaborating with Colleagues
Behavior analysts collaborate with colleagues from their own and other professions in the best interest of clients and
stakeholders. Behavior analysts address conflicts by compromising when possible and always prioritizing the best interest of
the client. Behavior analysts document all actions taken in these circumstances and their eventual outcomes.

2.11 Obtaining Informed Consent
Behavior analysts are responsible for knowing about and complying with all conditions under which they are required
to obtain informed consent from clients, stakeholders, and research participants (e.g., before initial implementation of
assessments or behavior-change interventions, when making substantial changes to interventions, when exchanging or
releasing confidential information or records). They are responsible for explaining, obtaining, reobtaining, and documenting
required informed consent. They are responsible for obtaining assent from clients when applicable.

2.12 Considering Medical Needs
Behavior analysts ensure, to the best of their ability, that medical needs are assessed and addressed if there is any
reasonable likelihood that a referred behavior is influenced by medical or biological variables. They document referrals made
to a medical professional and follow up with the client after making the referral.

2.13 Selecting, Designing, and Implementing Assessments
Before selecting or designing behavior-change interventions behavior analysts select and design assessments that are
conceptually consistent with behavioral principles; that are based on scientific evidence; and that best meet the diverse
needs, context, and resources of the client and stakeholders. They select, design, and implement assessments with a focus
on maximizing benefits and minimizing risk of harm to the client and stakeholders. They summarize the procedures and
results in writing.

2.14 Selecting, Designing, and Implementing Behavior-Change Interventions
Behavior analysts select, design, and implement behavior-change interventions that: (1) are conceptually consistent with
behavioral principles; (2) are based on scientific evidence; (3) are based on assessment results; (4) prioritize positive
reinforcement procedures; and (5) best meet the diverse needs, context, and resources of the client and stakeholders.
Behavior analysts also consider relevant factors (e.g., risks, benefits, and side effects; client and stakeholder preference;
implementation efficiency; cost effectiveness) and design and implement behavior-change interventions to produce
outcomes likely to maintain under naturalistic conditions. They summarize the behavior-change intervention procedures in
writing (e.g., a behavior plan).

2.15 Minimizing Risk of Behavior-Change Interventions
Behavior analysts select, design, and implement behavior-change interventions (including the selection and use of
consequences) with a focus on minimizing risk of harm to the client and stakeholders. They recommend and implement
restrictive or punishment-based procedures only after demonstrating that desired results have not been obtained using less
intrusive means, or when it is determined by an existing intervention team that the risk of harm to the client outweighs the risk
associated with the behavior-change intervention. When recommending and implementing restrictive or punishment-based
procedures, behavior analysts comply with any required review processes (e.g., a human rights review committee). Behavior
analysts must continually evaluate and document the effectiveness of restrictive or punishment-based procedures and modify
or discontinue the behavior-change intervention in a timely manner if it is ineffective.

2.16 Describing Behavior-Change Interventions Before Implementation
Before implementation, behavior analysts describe in writing the objectives and procedures of the behavior-change
intervention, any projected timelines, and the schedule of ongoing review. They provide this information and explain the
environmental conditions necessary for effective implementation of the behavior-change intervention to the stakeholders
and client (when appropriate). They also provide explanations when modifying existing or introducing new behavior-change
interventions and obtain informed consent when appropriate.

2.17 Collecting and Using Data
Behavior analysts actively ensure the appropriate selection and correct implementation of data collection procedures. They
graphically display, summarize, and use the data to make decisions about continuing, modifying, or terminating services.

2.18 Continual Evaluation of the Behavior-Change Intervention
Behavior analysts engage in continual monitoring and evaluation of behavior-change interventions. If data indicate that
desired outcomes are not being realized, they actively assess the situation and take appropriate corrective action. When
a behavior analyst is concerned that services concurrently delivered by another professional are negatively impacting
the behavior-change intervention, the behavior analyst takes appropriate steps to review and address the issue with the
other professional.

2.19 Addressing Conditions Interfering with Service Delivery
Behavior analysts actively identify and address environmental conditions (e.g., the behavior of others, hazards to the client or
staff, disruptions) that may interfere with or prevent service delivery. In such situations, behavior analysts remove or minimize
the conditions, identify effective modifications to the intervention, and/or consider obtaining or recommending assistance
from other professionals. Behavior analysts document the conditions, all actions taken, and the eventual outcomes.

Section 3—Responsibility to Clients and Stakeholders

3.01 Responsibility to Clients (see 1.03, 2.01)
Behavior analysts act in the best interest of clients, taking appropriate steps to support clients’ rights, maximize benefits,
and do no harm. They are also knowledgeable about and comply with applicable laws and regulations related to mandated
reporting requirements.

3.02 Identifying Stakeholders
Behavior analysts identify stakeholders when providing services. When multiple stakeholders (e.g., parent or legally
authorized representative, teacher, principal) are involved, the behavior analyst identifies their relative obligations
to each stakeholder. They document and communicate those obligations to stakeholders at the outset of the
professional relationship.

3.03 Accepting Clients (see 1.05, 1.06)
Behavior analysts only accept clients whose requested services are within their identified scope of competence and
available resources (e.g., time and capacity for case supervision, staffing). When behavior analysts are directed to accept
clients outside of their identified scope of competence and available resources, they take appropriate steps to discuss
and resolve the concern with relevant parties. Behavior analysts document all actions taken in this circumstance and the
eventual outcomes.

3.04 Service Agreement (see 1.04)
Before implementing services, behavior analysts ensure that there is a signed service agreement with the client and/
or relevant stakeholders outlining the responsibilities of all parties, the scope of behavioral services to be provided,
the behavior analyst’s obligations under the Code, and procedures for submitting complaints about a behavior analyst’s
professional practices to relevant entities (e.g., BACB, service organization, licensure board, funder). They update service
agreements as needed or as required by relevant parties (e.g., service organizations, licensure boards, funders). Updated
service agreements must be reviewed with and signed by the client and/or relevant stakeholders.

3.05 Financial Agreements (see 1.04, 2.07)
Before beginning services, behavior analysts document agreed-upon compensation and billing practices with their clients,
relevant stakeholders, and/or funders. When funding circumstances change, they must be revisited with these parties. Pro
bono and bartered services are only provided under a specific service agreement and in compliance with the Code.

3.06 Consulting with Other Providers (see 1.05, 2.04, 2.10, 2.11, 2.12)
Behavior analysts arrange for appropriate consultation with and referrals to other providers in the best interests of their
clients, with appropriate informed consent, and in compliance with applicable requirements (e.g., laws, regulations, contracts,
organization and funder policies).

3.07 Third-Party Contracts for Services (see 1.04, 1.11, 2.04, 2.07)
When behavior analysts enter into a signed contract to provide services to a client at the request of a third party (e.g., school
district, governmental entity), they clarify the nature of the relationship with each party and assess any potential conflicts
before services begin. They ensure that the contract outlines (1) the responsibilities of all parties, (2) the scope of behavioral
services to be provided, (3) the likely use of the information obtained, (4) the behavior analysts’ obligations under the Code,
and (5) any limits about maintaining confidentiality. Behavior analysts are responsible for amending contracts as needed and
reviewing them with the relevant parties at that time.

3.08 Responsibility to the Client with Third-Party Contracts for Services (see 1.05, 1.11, 2.01)
Behavior analysts place the client’s care and welfare above all others. If the third party requests services from the behavior
analyst that are incompatible with the behavior analyst’s recommendations, that are outside of the behavior analyst’s scope of
competence, or that could result in a multiple relationship, behavior analysts resolve such conflicts in the best interest of the
client. If a conflict cannot be resolved, the behavior analyst may obtain additional training or consultation, discontinue services
following appropriate transition measures, or refer the client to another behavior analyst. Behavior analysts document all
actions taken in this circumstance and the eventual outcomes.

3.09 Communicating with Stakeholders About Third-Party Contracted Services (2.04, 2.08, 2.09, 2.11)
When providing services at the request of a third party to a minor or individual who does not have the legal right to make
personal decisions, behavior analysts ensure that the parent or legally authorized representative is informed of the rationale
for and scope of services to be provided, as well as their right to receive copies of all service documentation and data.
Behavior analysts are knowledgeable about and comply with all requirements related to informed consent, regardless of who
requested the services.

3.10 Limitations of Confidentiality (see 1.02, 2.03, 2.04)
Behavior analysts inform clients and stakeholders of the limitations of confidentiality at the outset of the professional
relationship and when information disclosures are required.

3.11 Documenting Professional Activity (see 1.04, 2.03, 2.05, 2.06, 2.10)
Throughout the service relationship, behavior analysts create and maintain detailed and high-quality documentation of their
professional activities to facilitate provision of services by them or by other professionals, to ensure accountability, and to
meet applicable requirements (e.g., laws, regulations, funder and organization policies). Documentation must be created and
maintained in a manner that allows for timely communication and transition of services, should the need arise.

3.12 Advocating for Appropriate Services (1.04, 1.05, 2.01, 2.08)
Behavior analysts advocate for and educate clients and stakeholders about evidence-based assessment and behavior-
change intervention procedures. They also advocate for the appropriate amount and level of behavioral service provision
and oversight required to meet defined client goals.

3.13 Referrals (see 1.05, 1.11, 2.01, 2.04, 2.10)
Behavior analysts make referrals based on the needs of the client and/or relevant stakeholders and include multiple
providers when available. Behavior analysts disclose to the client and relevant stakeholders any relationships they have
with potential providers and any fees or incentives they may receive for the referrals. They document any referrals made,
including relevant relationships and fees or incentives received, and make appropriate efforts to follow up with the client and/
or relevant stakeholders.

3.14 Facilitating Continuity of Services (see 1.03, 2.02, 2.05, 2,08, 2.10)
Behavior analysts act in the best interests of the client to avoid interruption or disruption of services. They make appropriate
and timely efforts to facilitate the continuation of behavioral services in the event of planned interruptions (e.g., relocation,
temporary leave of absence) and unplanned interruptions (e.g., illness, funding disruption, parent request, emergencies).
They ensure that service agreements or contracts include a general plan of action for service interruptions. When a service
interruption occurs, they communicate to all relevant parties the steps being taken to facilitate continuity of services. Behavior
analysts document all actions taken in this circumstance and the eventual outcomes.

3.15 Appropriately Discontinuing Services (see 1.03, 2.02, 2.05. 2.10, 2.19)
Behavior analysts include the circumstances for discontinuing services in their service agreement. They consider
discontinuing services when: (1) the client has met all behavior-change goals, (2) the client is not benefiting from the service,
(3) the behavior analyst and/or their supervisees or trainees are exposed to potentially harmful conditions that cannot be
reasonably resolved, (4) the client and/or relevant stakeholder requests discontinuation, (5) the relevant stakeholders are
not complying with the behavior-change intervention despite appropriate efforts to address barriers, or (6) services are no
longer funded. Behavior analysts provide the client and/or relevant stakeholders with a written plan for discontinuing services,
document acknowledgment of the plan, review the plan throughout the discharge process, and document all steps taken.

3.16 Appropriately Transitioning Services (see 1.03, 2.02, 2.05. 2.10)
Behavior analysts include in their service agreement the circumstances for transitioning the client to another behavior analyst
within or outside of their organization. They make appropriate efforts to effectively manage transitions; provide a written plan
that includes target dates, transition activities, and responsible parties; and review the plan throughout the transition. When
relevant, they take appropriate steps to minimize disruptions to services during the transition by collaborating with relevant
service providers.

Section 4—Responsibility to Supervisees and Trainees

4.01 Compliance with Supervision Requirements (see 1.02)
Behavior analysts are knowledgeable about and comply with all applicable supervisory requirements (e.g., BACB rules,
licensure requirements, funder and organization policies), including those related to supervision modalities and structure (e.g.,
in person, video conference, individual, group).

4.02 Supervisory Competence (see 1.05, 1.06)
Behavior analysts supervise and train others only within their identified scope of competence. They provide supervision
only after obtaining knowledge and skills in effective supervisory practices, and they continually evaluate and improve their
supervisory repertoires through professional development.

4.03 Supervisory Volume (see 1.02, 1.05, 2.01)
Behavior analysts take on only the number of supervisees or trainees that allows them to provide effective supervision and
training. They are knowledgeable about and comply with any relevant requirements (e.g., BACB rules, licensure requirements,
funder and organization policies). They consider relevant factors (e.g., their current client demands, their current supervisee or
trainee caseload, time and logistical resources) on an ongoing basis and when deciding to add a supervisee or trainee. When
behavior analysts determine that they have met their threshold volume for providing effective supervision, they document this
self-assessment and communicate the results to their employer or other relevant parties.

4.04 Accountability in Supervision (see 1.03)
Behavior analysts are accountable for their supervisory practices. They are also accountable for the professional activities
(e.g., client services, supervision, training, research activity, public statements) of their supervisees or trainees that occur as
part of the supervisory relationship.

4.05 Maintaining Supervision Documentation (1.01, 1.02, 1.04, 2.03, 2.05, 3.11)
Behavior analysts create, update, store, and dispose of documentation related to their supervisees or trainees by following all
applicable requirements (e.g., BACB rules, licensure requirements, funder and organization policies), including those relating
to confidentiality. They ensure that their documentation, and the documentation of their supervisees or trainees, is accurate
and complete. They maintain documentation in a manner that allows for the effective transition of supervisory oversight
if necessary. They retain their supervision documentation for at least 7 years and as otherwise required by law and other
relevant parties and instruct their supervisees or trainees to do the same.

4.06 Providing Supervision and Training (see 1.02, 1.13 2.01)
Behavior analysts deliver supervision and training in compliance with applicable requirements (e.g., BACB rules, licensure
requirements, funder and organization policies). They design and implement supervision and training procedures that are
evidence based, focus on positive reinforcement, and are individualized for each supervisee or trainee and their circumstances.

4.07 Incorporating and Addressing Diversity (see 1.05, 1.06, 1.07, 1.10)
During supervision and training, behavior analysts actively incorporate and address topics related to diversity (e.g., age,
disability, ethnicity, gender expression/identity, immigration status, marital/relationship status, national origin, race, religion,
sexual orientation, socioeconomic status).

4.08 Performance Monitoring and Feedback (see 2.02, 2.05, 2.17, 2.18)
Behavior analysts engage in and document ongoing, evidence-based data collection and performance monitoring (e.g.,
observations, structured evaluations) of supervisees or trainees. They provide timely informal and formal praise and feedback
designed to improve performance and document formal feedback delivered. When performance problems arise, behavior
analysts develop, communicate, implement, and evaluate an improvement plan with clearly identified procedures for
addressing the problem.

4.09 Delegation of Tasks (see 1.03)
Behavior analysts delegate tasks to their supervisees or trainees only after confirming that they can competently perform the
tasks and that the delegation complies with applicable requirements (e.g., BACB rules, licensure requirements, funder and
organization policies).

4.10 Evaluating Effects of Supervision and Training (see 1.03, 2.17, 2.18)
Behavior analysts actively engage in continual evaluation of their own supervisory practices using feedback from others and
client and supervisee or trainee outcomes. Behavior analysts document those self-evaluations and make timely adjustments
to their supervisory and training practices as indicated.

4.11 Facilitating Continuity of Supervision (see 1.03, 2.02, 3.14)
Behavior analysts minimize interruption or disruption of supervision and make appropriate and timely efforts to facilitate the
continuation of supervision in the event of planned interruptions (e.g., temporary leave) or unplanned interruptions (e.g.,
illness, emergencies). When an interruption or disruption occurs, they communicate to all relevant parties the steps being
taken to facilitate continuity of supervision.

4.12 Appropriately Terminating Supervision (see 1.03, 2.02, 3.15)
When behavior analysts determine, for any reason, to terminate supervision or other services that include supervision, they
work with all relevant parties to develop a plan for terminating supervision that minimizes negative impacts to the supervisee
or trainee. They document all actions taken in this circumstance and the eventual outcomes.

Section 5—Responsibility in Public Statements

5.01 Protecting the Rights of Clients, Stakeholders, Supervisees, and Trainees (see 1.03, 3.01)
Behavior analysts take appropriate steps to protect the rights of their clients, stakeholders, supervisees, and trainees in all
public statements. Behavior analysts prioritize the rights of their clients in all public statements.

5.02 Confidentiality in Public Statements (see 2.03, 2.04, 3.10)
In all public statements, behavior analysts protect the confidentiality of their clients, supervisees, and trainees, except when
allowed. They make appropriate efforts to prevent accidental or inadvertent sharing of confidential or identifying information.

5.03 Public Statements by Behavior Analysts (see 1.01, 1.02)
When providing public statements about their professional activities, or those of others with whom they are affiliated, behavior
analysts take reasonable precautions to ensure that the statements are truthful and do not mislead or exaggerate either
because of what they state, convey, suggest, or omit; and are based on existing research and a behavioral conceptualization.
Behavior analysts do not provide specific advice related to a client’s needs in public forums.

5.04 Public Statements by Others (see 1.03)
Behavior analysts are responsible for public statements that promote their professional activities or products, regardless
of who creates or publishes the statements. Behavior analysts make reasonable efforts to prevent others (e.g., employers,
marketers, clients, stakeholders) from making deceptive statements concerning their professional activities or products. If
behavior analysts learn of such statements, they make reasonable efforts to correct them. Behavior analysts document all
actions taken in this circumstance and the eventual outcomes.

5.05 Use of Intellectual Property (see 1.01, 1.02, 1.03)
Behavior analysts are knowledgeable about and comply with intellectual property laws, including obtaining permission to
use materials that have been trademarked or copyrighted or can otherwise be claimed as another’s intellectual property as
defined by law. Appropriate use of such materials includes providing citations, attributions, and/or trademark or copyright
symbols. Behavior analysts do not unlawfully obtain or disclose proprietary information, regardless of how it became
known to them.

5.06 Advertising Nonbehavioral Services (see 1.01, 1.02, 2.01)
Behavior analysts do not advertise nonbehavioral services as behavioral services. If behavior analysts provide nonbehavioral
services, those services must be clearly distinguished from their behavioral services and BACB certification with the following
disclaimer: “These interventions are not behavioral in nature and are not covered by my BACB certification.” This disclaimer
is placed alongside the names and descriptions of all nonbehavioral interventions. If a behavior analyst is employed by an
organization that violates this Code standard, the behavior analyst makes reasonable efforts to remediate the situation,
documenting all actions taken and the eventual outcomes.

5.07 Soliciting Testimonials from Current Clients for Advertising (see 1.11, 1.13, 2.11, 3.01, 3.10)
Because of the possibility of undue influence and implicit coercion, behavior analysts do not solicit testimonials from current
clients or stakeholders for use in advertisements designed to obtain new clients. This does not include unsolicited reviews
on websites where behavior analysts cannot control content, but such content should not be used or shared by the behavior
analyst. If a behavior analyst is employed by an organization that violates this Code standard, the behavior analyst makes
reasonable efforts to remediate the situation, documenting all actions taken and the eventual outcomes.

5.08 Using Testimonials from Former Clients for Advertising (see 2.03, 2.04, 2.11, 3.01, 3.10)
When soliciting testimonials from former clients or stakeholders for use in advertisements designed to obtain new clients,
behavior analysts consider the possibility that former clients may re-enter services. These testimonials must be identified as
solicited or unsolicited, include an accurate statement of the relationship between the behavior analyst and the testimonial
author, and comply with all applicable privacy and confidentiality laws. When soliciting testimonials from former clients or
stakeholders, behavior analysts provide them with clear and thorough descriptions about where and how the testimonial will
appear, make them aware of any risks associated with the disclosure of their private information, and inform them that they can
rescind the testimonial at any time. If a behavior analyst is employed by an organization that violates this Code standard, the
behavior analyst makes reasonable efforts to remediate the situation, documenting all actions taken and the eventual outcomes.

5.09 Using Testimonials for Nonadvertising Purposes (see 1.02, 2.03. 2.04, 2.11, 3.01, 3.10)
Behavior analysts may use testimonials from former or current clients and stakeholders for nonadvertising purposes (e.g.,
fundraising, grant applications, dissemination of information about ABA) in accordance with applicable laws. If a behavior
analyst is employed by an organization that violates this Code standard, the behavior analyst makes reasonable efforts to
remediate the situation, documenting all actions taken and the eventual outcomes.

5.10 Social Media Channels and Websites (see 1.02, 2.03, 2.04, 2.11, 3.01, 3.10)
Behavior analysts are knowledgeable about the risks to privacy and confidentiality associated with the use of social media
channels and websites and they use their respective professional and personal accounts accordingly. They do not publish
information and/or digital content of clients on their personal social media accounts and websites. When publishing information
and/or digital content of clients on their professional social media accounts and websites, behavior analysts ensure that
for each publication they (1) obtain informed consent before publishing, (2) include a disclaimer that informed consent was
obtained and that the information should not be captured and reused without express permission, (3) publish on social media
channels in a manner that reduces the potential for sharing, and (4) make appropriate efforts to prevent and correct misuse of
the shared information, documenting all actions taken and the eventual outcomes. Behavior analysts frequently monitor their
social media accounts and websites to ensure the accuracy and appropriateness of shared information.

5.11 Using Digital Content in Public Statements (see 1.02, 1.03, 2.03, 2.04, 2.11, 3.01, 3.10)
Before publicly sharing information about clients using digital content, behavior analysts ensure confidentiality, obtain
informed consent before sharing, and only use the content for the intended purpose and audience. They ensure that
all shared media is accompanied by a disclaimer indicating that informed consent was obtained. If a behavior analyst is
employed by an organization that violates this Code standard, the behavior analyst makes reasonable efforts to remediate
the situation, documenting all actions taken and the eventual outcomes.

Section 6—Responsibility in Research

6.01 Conforming with Laws and Regulations in Research (see 1.02)
Behavior analysts plan and conduct research in a manner consistent with all applicable laws and regulations, as well as
requirements by organizations and institutions governing research activity.

6.02 Research Review (see 1.02, 1.04, 3.01)
Behavior analysts conduct research, whether independent of or in the context of service delivery, only after approval by a
formal research review committee.

6.03 Research in Service Delivery (see 1.02, 1.04, 2.01, 3.01)
Behavior analysts conducting research in the context of service delivery must arrange research activities such that client
services and client welfare are prioritized. In these situations, behavior analysts must comply with all ethics requirements for both

service delivery and research within the Code. When professional services are offered as an incentive for research participation,
behavior analysts clarify the nature of the services, and any potential risks, obligations, and limitations for all parties.

6.04 Informed Consent in Research (see 1.04, 2.08, 2.11)
Behavior analysts are responsible for obtaining informed consent (and assent when relevant) from potential research
participants under the conditions required by the research review committee. When behavior analysts become aware that
data obtained from past or current clients, stakeholders, supervisees, and/or trainees during typical service delivery might be
disseminated to the scientific community, they obtain informed consent for use of the data before dissemination, specify that
services will not be impacted by providing or withholding consent, and make available the right to withdraw consent at any
time without penalty.

6.05 Confidentiality in Research (see 2.03, 2.04, 2.05)
Behavior analysts prioritize the confidentiality of their research participants except under conditions where it may not be
possible. They make appropriate efforts to prevent accidental or inadvertent sharing of confidential or identifying information
while conducting research and in any dissemination activity related to the research (e.g., disguising or removing confidential
or identifying information).

6.06 Competence in Conducting Research (see 1.04, 1.05, 1.06, 3.01)
Behavior analysts only conduct research independently after they have successfully conducted research under a supervisor
in a defined relationship (e.g., thesis, dissertation, mentored research project). Behavior analysts and their assistants are
permitted to perform only those research activities for which they are appropriately trained and prepared. Before engaging
in research activities for which a behavior analyst has not received training, they seek the appropriate training and become
demonstrably competent or they collaborate with other professionals who have the required competence. Behavior analysts
are responsible for the ethical conduct of all personnel assigned to the research project.

6.07 Conflict of Interest in Research and Publication (see 1.01, 1.11, 1.13)
When conducting research, behavior analysts identify, disclose, and address conflicts of interest (e.g., personal, financial,
organization related, service related). They also identify, disclose, and address conflicts of interest in their publication and
editorial activities.

6.08 Appropriate Credit (see 1.01, 1.11, 1.13)
Behavior analysts give appropriate credit (e.g., authorship, author-note acknowledgment) to research contributors in all
dissemination activities. Authorship and other publication acknowledgments accurately reflect the relative scientific or
professional contributions of the individuals involved, regardless of their professional status (e.g., professor, student).

6.09 Plagiarism (see 1.01)
Behavior analysts do not present portions or elements of another’s work or data as their own. Behavior analysts only
republish their previously published data or text when accompanied by proper disclosure.

6.10 Documentation and Data Retention in Research (see 2.03, 2.05, 3.11, 4.05)
Behavior analysts must be knowledgeable about and comply with all applicable standards (e.g., BACB rules, laws, research
review committee requirements) for storing, transporting, retaining, and destroying physical and electronic documentation
related to research. They retain identifying documentation and data for the longest required duration. Behavior analysts
destroy physical documentation after making deidentified digital copies or summaries of data (e.g., reports and graphs) when
permitted by relevant entities.

6.11 Accuracy and Use of Data (see 1.01, 2.17, 5.03)
Behavior analysts do not fabricate data or falsify results in their research, publications, and presentations. They plan and carry
out their research and describe their procedures and findings to minimize the possibility that their research and results will
be misleading or misinterpreted. If they discover errors in their published data they take steps to correct them by following
publisher policy. Data from research projects are presented to the public and scientific community in their entirety whenever
possible. When that is not possible, behavior analysts take caution and explain the exclusion of data (whether single data
points, or partial or whole data sets) from presentations or manuscripts submitted for publication by providing a rationale and
description of what was excluded.

Copyright © 2020 by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board®, Inc. (“BACB®”), all rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction,
copying, or transmission in any medium is strictly prohibited.
®The trademarks “Behavior Analyst Certification Board®, Inc.,” “BACB®.” “Board Certified Behavior Analyst®,” “BCBA®,” “Board
Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst®,” “BCaBA®,” and “RBT®,” are owned by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board®.
Unauthorized use or misrepresentation is strictly prohibited.

Scope of the Code

Core Principles

Application of the Code

Enforcement of the Code

Glossary

Ethics Standards

Section 1—Responsibility as a Professional

1.01 Being Truthful

1.02 Conforming with Legal and Professional Requirements

1.03 Accountability

1.04 Practicing within a Defined Role

1.05 Practicing within Scope of Competence

1.06 Maintaining Competence

1.07 Cultural Responsiveness and Diversity

1.08 Nondiscrimination

1.09 Nonharassment

1.10 Awareness of Personal Biases and Challenges

1.11 Multiple Relationships

1.12 Giving and Receiving Gifts

1.13 Coercive and Exploitative Relationships

1.14 Romantic and Sexual Relationships

1.15 Responding to Requests

1.16 Self-Reporting Critical Information

Section 2—Responsibility in Practice

2.01 Providing Effective Treatment

2.02 Timeliness

2.03 Protecting Confidential Information

2.04 Disclosing Confidential Information

2.05 Documentation Protection and Retention

2.06 Accuracy in Service Billing and Reporting

2.07 Fees

2.08 Communicating About Services

2.09 Involving Clients and Stakeholders

2.10 Collaborating with Colleagues

2.11 Obtaining Informed Consent

2.12 Considering Medical Needs

2.13 Selecting, Designing, and Implementing Assessments

2.14 Selecting, Designing, and Implementing Behavior-Change Interventions

2.15 Minimizing Risk of Behavior-Change Interventions

2.16 Describing Behavior-Change Interventions Before Implementation

2.17 Collecting and Using Data

2.18 Continual Evaluation of the Behavior-Change Intervention

2.19 Addressing Conditions Interfering with Service Delivery

Section 3—Responsibility to Clients and Stakeholders

3.01 Responsibility to Clients (see 1.03, 2.01)

3.02 Identifying Stakeholders

3.03 Accepting Clients (see 1.05, 1.06)

3.04 Service Agreement (see 1.04)

3.05 Financial Agreements (see 1.04, 2.07)

3.06 Consulting with Other Providers (see 1.05, 2.04, 2.10, 2.11, 2.12)

3.07 Third-Party Contracts for Services (see 1.04, 1.11, 2.04, 2.07)

3.08 Responsibility to the Client with Third-Party Contracts for Services (see 1.05, 1.11, 2.01)

3.09 Communicating with Stakeholders About Third-Party Contract Services (2.04, 2.08, 2.09, 2.11)

3.10 Limitations of Confidentiality (see 1.02, 2.03, 2.04)

3.11 Documenting Professional Activity (see 1.04, 2.03, 2.05, 2.06, 2.10)

3.12 Advocating for Appropriate Services (1.04, 1.05, 2.01, 2.08)

3.13 Referrals (see 1.05, 1.11, 2.01, 2.04, 2.10)

3.14 Facilitating Continuity of Services (see 1.03, 2.02, 2.05, 2,08, 2.10)

3.15 Appropriately Discontinuing Services (see 1.03, 2.02, 2.05. 2.10, 2.19)

3.16 Appropriately Transitioning Services (see 1.03, 2.02, 2.05. 2.10)

Section 4—Responsibility to Supervisees and Trainees

4.01 Compliance with Supervision Requirements (see 1.02)

4.02 Supervisory Competence (see 1.05, 1.06)

4.03 Supervisory Volume (see 1.02, 1.05, 2.01)

4.04 Accountability in Supervision (see 1.03)

4.05 Maintaining Supervision Documentation (1.01, 1.02, 1.04, 2.03, 2.05, 3.11)

4.06 Providing Supervision and Training (see 1.02, 1.13 2.01)

4.07 Incorporating and Addressing Diversity (see 1.05, 1.06, 1.07, 1.10)

4.08 Performance Monitoring and Feedback (see 2.02, 2.05, 2.17, 2.18)

4.09 Delegation of Tasks (see 1.03)

4.10 Evaluating Effects of Supervision and Training (see 1.03, 2.17, 2.18)

4.11 Facilitating Continuity of Supervision (see 1.03, 2.02, 3.14)

4.12 Appropriately Terminating Supervision (see 1.03, 2.02, 3.15)

Section 5—Responsibility in Public Statements

5.01 Protecting the Rights of Clients, Stakeholders, Supervisees, and Trainees (see 1.03, 3.01)

5.02 Confidentiality in Public Statements (see 2.03, 2.04, 3.10)

5.03 Public Statements by Behavior Analysts (see 1.01, 1.02)

5.04 Public Statements by Others (see 1.03)

5.05 Use of Intellectual Property (see 1.01, 1.02, 1.03)

5.06 Advertising Nonbehavioral Services (see 1.01, 1.02, 2.01)

5.07 Soliciting Testimonials from Current Clients for Advertising (see 1.11, 1.13, 2.11, 3.01, 3.10)

5.08 Using Testimonials from Former Clients for Advertising (see 2.03, 2.04, 2.11, 3.01, 3.10)

5.09 Using Testimonials for Nonadvertising Purposes (see 1.02, 2.03. 2.04, 2.11, 3.01, 3.10)

5.10 Social Media Channels and Websites (see 1.02, 2.03, 2.04, 2.11, 3.01, 3.10)

5.11 Using Digital Content in Public Statements (see 1.02, 1.03, 2.03, 2.04, 2.11, 3.01, 3.10)

Section 6—Responsibility in Research

6.01 Conforming with Laws and Regulations in Research (see 1.02)

6.02 Research Review (see 1.02, 1.04, 3.01)

6.03 Research in Service Delivery (see 1.02, 1.04, 2.01, 3.01)

6.04 Informed Consent in Research (see 1.04, 2.08, 2.11)

6.05 Confidentiality in Research (see 2.03, 2.04, 2.05)

6.06 Competence in Conducting Research (see 1.04, 1.05, 1.06, 3.01)

6.07 Conflict of Interest in Research and Publication (see 1.01, 1.11, 1.13)

6.08 Appropriate Credit (see 1.01, 1.11, 1.13)

6.09 Plagiarism (see 1.01)

6.10 Documentation and Data Retention in Research (see 2.03, 2.05, 3.11, 4.05)

6.11 Accuracy and Use of Data (see 1.01, 2.17, 5.03)

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