RBT certification
The RBT is the BACB’s paraprofessional certification in behavior analysis. It lets you deliver behavior-analytic services under close BCBA or BCaBA supervision.
- All 43 outline tasks
- 85 questions, 90 minutes
- Explains each wrong answer
Paid once, no subscription. Ask for a refund within 7 days of buying if you’ve done less than 25% of the class.
How to get it, step by step
Check that you qualify
You need to be 18 or older, have a high school education or equivalent, and pass a criminal background check and an abuse registry check. Most people apply once an ABA provider has hired them.1
Finish the 40-hour training
Since January 1, 2026, it follows the BACB’s new curriculum and takes 5 to 180 days, in person or online. A BCBA or BCaBA designs and oversees it.1,2
Pass the competency assessment
After training, an assessor at the organization you work for checks that you can do each listed task, three of them with a client. Finish it no more than 90 days before you apply.1,3
Apply to the BACB
In your BACB account, upload the attestation form, your training certificate and the competency assessment, then pay $65. Allow two weeks for review.1
Pass the RBT exam
Book it with Pearson VUE within a year of approval: 85 questions in 90 minutes on the 3rd-edition outline. Our practice class helps you get ready.1,4
Start work under supervision
Your certification stays inactive until your supervisor, a BCBA or BCaBA, adds you in the BACB portal. You then get supervision for at least 5% of your service hours each month.1
Renew every two years
New RBTs recertify every 2 years: 12 hours of professional development, ongoing supervision and a $50 fee.1
The exam, and the money
The exam
Study for the exam
36 lessons in 7 chapters · about 5 minutes each
- 17%
- 11%
- 25%
- 19%
- 13%
- 15%
Built on RBT Test Content Outline · 3rd ed. (Updated 09/2024, © 2023)
The full class, $29 once.
Paid once, no subscription. Ask for a refund within 7 days of buying if you’ve done less than 25% of the class.
- All 43 outline tasks
- 85 questions, 90 minutes
- Explains each wrong answer
Passing isn’t guaranteed. Not affiliated with the BACB. Questions are original, written to the published outline.
Questions
Can you get RBT certified online?
Partly. The 40-hour training can be online and the competency assessment can run live over video, but three tasks are shown with a client and the exam is in person at Pearson VUE.1,2,3
How long does it take to get RBT certified?
The 40-hour training alone takes 5 to 180 days. After the competency assessment, allow two weeks for the BACB to review your application; you then have a year to pass the exam.1
How much does RBT certification cost?
$65 to the BACB to apply and $45 to Pearson VUE for each exam appointment, plus your 40-hour training, which the BACB doesn’t provide. A retake application is free for now.1
Is the RBT exam hard?
In 2025, 75% of first-time takers passed and 38% of retakers did, per the BACB. Those results come from before the exam moved to the 3rd-edition outline on January 1, 2026.4,5
How long does RBT certification last?
Two years for new RBTs, renewed with 12 hours of professional development and a $50 fee. RBTs who renew during 2026 meet the annual requirements one last time, then start the 2-year cycle.1
Sources
Read on . Rules change, so check the source before you pay a fee or book a test.
- Registered Behavior Technician Handbook (Updated 10/2026) · BACB
- RBT 2026 40-Hour Training Requirements and Curriculum Outline · BACB
- RBT Initial Competency Assessment Packet: Effective January 1, 2026 · BACB
- Examination Information · BACB
- BACB Newsletter, December 2023: RBT Test Content Outline (3rd ed.) implementation timeline · BACB