Every RBT applicant must pass the RBT Initial Competency Assessment before applying for certification. The BACB sets who may run it, who may sign it, and how the people involved must be connected. The rules below come from the RBT Initial Competency Assessment Packet, effective January 1, 2026 (version 01/2026). Two points changed in 2026: assistant assessors now need an RBT certification or higher, and the assessment has 19 tasks.
The short answer
| Role | Who qualifies and what they do |
|---|---|
| Responsible assessor | A BCaBA or BCBA who has completed the 8-hour supervision training. Oversees the whole assessment, signs the form, keeps records for 7 years. |
| Assistant assessor (optional) | An active RBT or higher who has shown proficiency through direct observation. Conducts the tasks delegated by the responsible assessor. |
| Not allowed | Anyone related to, subordinate to, or employed by the applicant. |
The responsible assessor
The responsible assessor is a BACB certificant, a BCaBA or a BCBA, who has completed the 8-hour supervision training. They must:
- be employed at the same organization as the applicant and the client(s), or have a contractual relationship with it;
- make sure the assessment follows the BACB requirements and meets quality standards, including the parts run by assistants;
- sign the Initial Competency Assessment;
- keep documentation of each assessment for at least seven years.
If a BCaBA serves as the responsible or assistant assessor, their own supervisor must also be employed by, or contracted with, the organization where the client receives services. The assessor may be the same person who delivered the 40-hour training.
Assistant assessors
The responsible assessor may delegate some or all of the tasks to one or more assistant assessors. Since 2026, each assistant assessor must hold an active RBT certification or higher and must have demonstrated proficiency in the material through direct observation. An RBT serving as assistant assessor must have a supervisor at the same organization where the client receives services.
The packet asks the responsible assessor to have readiness criteria for assistants, written materials such as role-play scenarios, and procedural integrity and interobserver agreement checks across assessments.
The same-organization rule
The responsible assessor, any assistant assessors, and the applicant must all be employed by, or contracted with, the same organization. That organization must also be the one providing services to the client used in the assessment. The rule covers the entire assessment, including role-plays and interviews. An outside “sign-off” service with no tie to your organization does not meet it. Payment by the applicant for assessment services does not count as employment.
Timing and format
- When: after the 40-hour training is complete, and no more than 90 days before you submit your certification application.
- How: in one or more sessions, in person, live over the internet, or through videos recorded specifically for the assessment.
- Assessment types: with a client, role-play, or live interview, depending on the task.
- Tasks: all 19 tasks must be completed. At least three of tasks 6 to 14 (skill acquisition and behavior reduction) must be shown with a client. Tasks 16 to 19 are interview only.
- Retries: if a task is not performed competently, the assessor may give corrective feedback and reassess on another day. No feedback is given during the final assessment of a task.
- Form: the assessor initials each task and marks the type used. Only the BACB form is accepted.
All 19 tasks, with the allowed assessment types, are in our printable RBT competency assessment checklist.
Recertification is slightly different
RBTs who recertify in 2026 complete the Recertification Competency Assessment one last time. Its responsible assessor must also be a BCaBA or BCBA with the 8-hour supervision training, but the current recertification packet (version 08/2025) does not require assistant assessors to be BACB certified. It is completed no more than 45 days before the expiration date and has 20 tasks. See RBT recertification in 2026.
Who may not conduct it
- An RBT acting as the responsible assessor, or signing the form.
- A clinician without BCBA or BCaBA certification, as responsible assessor.
- A BCBA or BCaBA who has not completed the 8-hour supervision training.
- Anyone related to, subordinate to, or employed by the applicant.
- An assessor outside the organization that serves the client.
To rehearse the interview tasks, take our free RBT competency assessment practice test.
FAQ
Can a BCaBA conduct the RBT Initial Competency Assessment?
Yes, as responsible assessor, if they have completed the 8-hour supervision training and meet the same-organization rule. Their own supervisor must also be employed by, or contracted with, the organization serving the client.
Can an RBT help with the assessment?
Yes, as an assistant assessor, if they hold an active RBT certification and the responsible assessor has confirmed their proficiency. An RBT cannot be the responsible assessor or sign the form.
Does the assessment have to be in person?
No. It can be done in person, live over the internet, or with videos recorded for the assessment. At least three skill acquisition or behavior reduction tasks must be shown with a real client.
Can my 40-hour trainer also assess me?
Yes. The packet allows the assessor to be the person who delivered the 40-hour training, as long as all other requirements are met.
Sources
- BACB, RBT Initial Competency Assessment Packet: Effective January 1, 2026, version 01/2026.
- BACB, Guidance for Meeting RBT Requirements During the 2026 Transition, updated August 2025.
- BACB, RBT Recertification Competency Assessment Packet, version August 2025.
- BACB, RBT Handbook, updated June 2026.
