On January 1, 2026, the BACB changed how RBTs maintain their certification. The one-year cycle with a yearly competency assessment is being replaced by a two-year cycle built on professional development. The change is phased in: if you are already an RBT, you complete the competency assessment one last time at your 2026 recertification, then move to the new system.
The assessment you may know as the “Renewal Competency Assessment” is now called the RBT Recertification Competency Assessment. This page covers what changed, the exact transition calendar, and what you need to do this year.
Before and after: what changed
| Requirement | Before 2026 / new 2-year cycle |
|---|---|
| Cycle | Before: Every year. Now: every 2 years. |
| Competency assessment | Before: Every year. Now: not required (done one last time in 2026). |
| Professional development | Before: None. Now: 12 PDUs per cycle. |
| Fee | Before: $35 per year. Now: $50 every 2 years. |
| Supervision | Before: Required. Now: unchanged. |
| RBT Ethics Code (2.0) | Before: Required. Now: unchanged. |
The transition calendar
The BACB’s transition guidance (updated August 2025) sets the following timeline.
| Year | What happens |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Current RBTs recertify with the Recertification Competency Assessment; their next date is 2 years later. New RBTs get a 2-year window from certification. |
| 2027 | Current RBTs do not recertify. A tab for uploading PDUs appears in the BACB account. New RBTs get a 2-year window. |
| 2028 | RBTs certified or recertified in 2026 submit 12 PDUs and a recertification application, with no competency assessment. |
If your recertification date falls in 2026
- Check your expiration date in your BACB portal account. It is usually the anniversary of the date you passed the exam.
- Complete the Recertification Competency Assessment no more than 45 days before that date, on the current BACB packet (Version 08/2025, 20 tasks).
- Submit the recertification application in your BACB portal: upload the assessment, report whether you met supervision requirements, answer the self-report questions, and pay the $50 fee.
- Allow about two weeks for processing.
- Start tracking PDUs for your new 2-year cycle. Only PDUs earned inside that cycle count.
If you miss your date, your certification becomes inactive and you have a 30-day reinstatement period with a $50 late fee. You cannot practice, bill, or call yourself an RBT while inactive. After that period, the certification expires and you must reapply and retake the exam.
Earning your 12 PDUs
PDUs can come from three sources:
- In-service training from your organization, delivered by a BCaBA, BCBA, or BCBA-D who works there (training on one specific client’s program does not count).
- Professional development events from an Authorized Continuing Education (ACE) Provider.
- Didactic behavior-analytic university courses passed with a C or better.
Supervision does not count as PDUs. Extra PDUs do not carry over to the next cycle, and missed PDUs cannot be made up during the reinstatement period. The BACB documents we reviewed set no minimum number of ethics PDUs: content must cover or expand on the 40-hour curriculum, the RBT Ethics Code (2.0), BACB requirements, or other content appropriate for RBTs.
What stays mandatory
- Supervision every month: at least 5% of your service hours, with at least two face-to-face, real-time contacts. At least one contact is individual, and your supervisor observes you with a client at least once a month.
- Qualified supervisors only: since January 1, 2026, your RBT Supervisor must be a BCBA or BCaBA. The noncertified RBT Supervisor role no longer exists.
- Each employer separately: if you work for two organizations, you meet the requirements at each one.
- RBT Ethics Code (2.0): unchanged, including self-reporting to the BACB within 30 days.
Who can conduct the Recertification Competency Assessment
The responsible assessor is a BCaBA or BCBA who has completed the 8-hour supervision training. They oversee the assessment, sign the form, and keep records for seven years. Under the current recertification packet, assistant assessors do not need BACB certification, but the responsible assessor is accountable for their work. (The 2026 Initial Competency Assessment is stricter: assistant assessors must hold an RBT certification or higher.) No assessor may be related to, subordinate to, or employed by the RBT. For details, see who may conduct the RBT competency assessment.
The assessment can run in person, live over the internet, or from videos recorded for the assessment. At least three of the Skill Acquisition and Behavior Reduction tasks must be shown with a client. RBTs returning from voluntary inactive status complete a Reentry Competency Assessment with the same content.
To rehearse the interview-style tasks, try our free RBT competency assessment practice test.
FAQ
Is there a written test to recertify?
No. The Recertification Competency Assessment is a skills check made of client demonstrations, role-plays, and interview tasks. There is no multiple-choice exam or passing percentage for recertification.
I became an RBT in 2026. When do I recertify?
Two years after your certification date, with 12 PDUs and a recertification application. You do not complete a recertification competency assessment.
Do I need a set number of ethics PDUs?
The BACB documents we reviewed do not set an ethics minimum. All 12 PDUs must be relevant to RBT practice.
Do supervision hours count toward PDUs?
No. Supervision and professional development are separate requirements, and one event cannot count for both.
Sources
- BACB, Guidance for Meeting RBT Requirements During the 2026 Transition, updated August 2025.
- BACB, RBT Handbook, updated June 2026 (recertification, fees, supervision).
- BACB, RBT Recertification Competency Assessment Packet, version August 2025.
- BACB, RBT Professional Development: In-Service Training Requirements, updated March 2026.
- BACB, Recent and Upcoming Changes, accessed October 23, 2026.
