RBT CEU requirements for 2026

What changed on January 1, 2026

The BACB replaced the RBT annual competency assessment with a continuing-education requirement. Instead of sitting a renewal assessment every year, an RBT now renews every two years and completes 12 hours of professional development during each cycle. The initial competency assessment for new RBTs is unchanged; the change removes the renewal-year assessment only.

The BACB calls these hours professional development (PD) hours, and you’ll also see them called PDUs. They work like CEUs do for BCBAs: one hour of qualifying instruction is one hour of credit, documented with a certificate.

How many hours you need

Requirement	The rule
Professional development	12 hours per 2-year cycle
Renewal cadence	Every two years (was every year)
Renewal fee	$50 per two-year cycle (was $35 per year)
Annual competency assessment	Eliminated for renewals

Your cycle runs from your certification or last renewal date. The content has to relate to behavior-analytic service delivery, in line with the RBT Ethics Code.

Where the hours can come from

• An ACE provider. Courses from a BACB Authorized Continuing Education provider count, with a certificate for your records. That’s what ABT’s RBT courses are.
• Employer in-service training, planned and documented by your organization.
• University coursework in behavior analysis from an accredited program.

Whoever delivers the training needs active BCBA, BCaBA, or BCBA-D certification and the 8-hour supervision training. Keep the certificate or documentation from every hour you claim.

Renewal steps and fees

1. Earn 12 PD hours during your two-year cycle.
2. Keep your certificates. Each one records your name and BACB number, the event, the date, the hours, and the trainer’s credentials.
3. Renew through your BACB account and pay the $50 fee. Your supervisor attests as part of the renewal, as before.
4. If audited, upload your documentation through the BACB Gateway. Keep your PD records well past the renewal itself.

Renewing in 2026 vs. 2027 and later

If your renewal lands in 2026, you complete one final competency assessment under the old rules, and your PD hours start counting toward the renewal after that. From 2027 on, renewals run fully on the new system: 12 hours, every two years, no assessment.

If your certification lapses

Missing your renewal date means your certification expires, and with it your ability to bill as an RBT. Reinstatement runs through the BACB and can mean re-applying, so the cheap insurance is finishing your 12 hours early in the cycle. Self-paced courses make that a few evenings, not a project.

For clinics and teams

The 2026 change turns RBT renewal from a supervisor-run assessment into a training requirement, which lands on the clinic. ABT’s team accounts cover it: buy seats, assign courses to your RBTs, watch completion in the group dashboard, and keep every learner’s certificate on file for their renewal.