Renewal, Recertification, Reentry Standards

SECTION I: Annual Renewal and Recertification Cycle
 SECTION II: Acceptable Continuing Education
 SECTION III: Reactivation & Reentry

SECTION I: Annual Renewal & Recertification Cycle
BACB certificants, applicants for renewal and applicants for certification must maintain compliance with all rules of the BACB, as may be revised from time to time.

  1. Annual Renewal Renewal Application
    Renewal of Board Certified Behavior Analyst® (BCBA®) and Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst® (BCaBA®) status requires the following:
    1. During the 1st and 2nd years of the certification cycle the certificant must pay the annual renewal fee and submit an annual renewal form. The annual renewal form shall include questions to ensure that certificant information is up to date and may include questions relating to on-going compliance with the BACB’s rules.
    2. The annual renewal form and fee must be submitted to the BACB by the stated deadlines in first and second year of the certificant’s three-year certification period.
    3. BCaBA certificants must also report the name of their BCBA supervisor(s) and provide documentation of that supervision.

    Certificants who fail to comply with the annual renewal requirements will lose their certification.

  2. Recertification

    Recertification Procedures
    For BCBA and BCaBA certificants, recertification in the 3rd year of the certification cycle requires the following:

    1. For BCaBA certificants, proof of completion of 24 hours of acceptable continuing education as described in Section II.  BCaBA certificants must also report the name of their BCBA supervisor(s) and provide documentation of that supervision.
    2. For BCBA certificants, proof of completion of 36 hours of acceptable continuing education as described in Section II.
    3. All recertification applications must be submitted to the BACB by the stated deadlines prior to the expiration of certification (i.e., prior to the end of the 3rd year of certification).  Please see the BACB Recertification Procedures for additional recertification procedures information.

The minimum continuing education hours identified in 1 and 2 of this section must be earned during the three-year certification cycle. One hour of continuing education must include at least 50 minutes of instruction during the hour in order to count as an acceptable hour.

The BACB may audit a random number of continuing education applications and documentation to ensure compliance with these requirements. Any certificant who is denied recertification may appeal the denial in accordance with the BACB’s appeal procedures.

These renewal and recertification rules may be revised by the BACB from time-to-time.

SECTION II: Acceptable Continuing Education
“Acceptable Continuing Education” means instruction provided under the following:

Type 1
Completion of graduate level college or university courses, for BCBAs, or undergraduate or graduate, college or university courses, for BCaBAs. Course content must be entirely behavior analytic. Courses must be from any of the following:

  1. A United States or Canadian institution of higher education fully or provisionally accredited by a regional, state, provincial or national accrediting body; or
  2. An institution of higher education located outside the United States or Canada, that at the time the applicant was enrolled and at the time the applicant completed the course maintained a standard of training equivalent to the standards of training of those institutions accredited in the United States.

One academic semester credit is equivalent to 15 hours of continuing education and one academic quarter credit is equivalent to 10 hours of continuing education. Any portion or all of the required number of hours of continuing education may be applied from this category during any three-year certification period.

Type 2
Completion of events sponsored by providers approved by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board. Any portion or all of the total required number of hours of continuing education may be applied from this category during any three-year certification period.

Type 3
Completion or instruction of a seminar, colloquium, presentation, conference event, workshop or symposium not approved by the BACB, only if they relate directly to the practice of behavior analysis. A maximum of 25 percent of the total required number of hours of continuing education may be applied from this category during any three-year certification period.

Type 4
Instruction by the applicant of a category 1 or 2 continuing education events, on a one-time basis for each event, provided that the applicant was present for the complete event. A maximum of 25 percent of the total required number of hours of continuing education may come from this category during any three-year certification period.

Type 5
Credentialing events or activities initiated and pre-approved for CEU by the BACB. A maximum of 25 percent of the total required number of hours of continuing education may come from this category during any three-year certification period.

Type 6
 Passing, during the third year of the applicant’s certification period, the BACB certification examination appropriate to the type of certification being renewed. BCBAs may only take the BCBA examination; BCaBAs may only take the BCaBA examination for continuing education credit. Passage of the appropriate examination shall satisfy the recertification continuing education requirement for any recertification period. (Certificants do not have to re-qualify under current standards, they should apply for examination under the "retake" option and pay that fee)

SECTION III: Reactivation & Reentry

  1. General Rules Relating to Inactive Status
     The BACB no longer permits applicants to request or become inactive. For certificants who were inactive (either voluntarily or involuntarily) prior to August 2004 they may reactivate within the periods previously allowed (6 years if voluntary, remaining time in certification cycle if involuntary).

  1. Misrepresentation of Certification Status Inactive Certificants may not use their certification credentials or represent that they are certified by the BACB. Inactive certificants shall not enjoy any other privileges of BACB certification.


  2. Reactivation of Previously Granted Inactive Status
     Inactive certification may be reactivated if the inactive certificant:

    1. Submits the reactivation form and recertification form if the reactivation is during the third year of the individual's certification cycle.
    2. Pays the certification reactivation and recertification fees (if also applying for recertification) along with any previously accrued renewal fees and penalties, if any.
    3. Provides proof of completion of 33% of the continuing education requirements for each year (or partial year) the certificant has been inactive.

    Reactivation shall return the certificant to their three-year certification cycle.


  3. Reentry
     Reentry requires:

    1. Completion of the reentry form;
    2. Payment of the reentry fee; and
    3. Completion of continuing education requirements.

    For specific information about reentry requirements, please download the Reentry Application

  4. Active Duty Policy:  Any certificant called to active military duty in the United States armed forces may apply for a temporary reservation of their certification status to cover the period during which they are called to active military duty (not to exceed two (2) years). Applicants called to active duty who wish to request reserve status will be prohibited from representing that they are BACB certified (or supervising experience designed to comply with BACB standards) until reinstatement of their certification. Upon being called to active duty, the certificant shall notify the BACB and provide a copy of their official call up notice. The BACB will place the certificant on reserve status during the active duty period. Following completion of their active duty, or two (2) years, whichever is earlier, the certificant must contact the Chief Executive Officer. The Chief Executive Officer has the discretion to lengthen the individual's certification period in order to bring the certificant into a regularly scheduled renewal and recertification cycle.

Renewal Application

Recertification Procedures



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