BCBA Recertification Checklist 2026

Important change effective July 1, 2026: BACB now requires self-paced (asynchronous) CE to include participation monitoring — a minimum number of knowledge-assessment questions per CEU. This is a course-design requirement on ACE providers, not a requirement that you switch to live/interactive formats. Self-paced CE still fully counts, and you can still complete your entire cycle self-paced. See the section below.

Your Recertification at a Glance

BCBA and BCaBA recertification cycles and CEU requirements differ. Find your credential below.

BCBA Recertification Requirements

32
Total CEUs per 2-year cycle
Must be from a BACB ACE Provider (ACE-approved).

4
Ethics CEUs — required
Must cover the BACB Ethics Code. Cannot be waived.

Supervision CEUs — if you supervise

Required only for BCBAs who supervise RBTs or BCaBA candidates. Not required if you do not supervise.

Overlap allowed

CEUs cannot double-count. Ethics CEUs cannot count toward the supervision requirement and vice versa.

BCaBA Recertification Requirements

Total CEUs per 2-year cycle

4
Ethics CEUs — required

Supervision CEU (if applicable)

Required only if you provide supervisory duties.

Your Recertification Checklist

Know your certification expiration date Your cert end date sets the deadline for completing all CEUs. Log into your BACB Gateway account to confirm your exact date.
Track your CEU total toward 32 (BCBA) or 20 (BCaBA) required BACB Gateway tracks your reported CEUs. Verify all completions are synced from your ACE providers.
Complete at least 4 Ethics CEUs from a BACB ACE Provider required Ethics content must cover the BACB Ethics Code. Generic ethics courses not from an ACE provider do not count.
Complete at least 3 Supervision CEUs — if you supervise RBTs or BCaBA candidates if applicable Only required if you currently hold an active supervisory role. Check the BACB's supervision CEU definition to confirm whether your work qualifies.
Verify all CEU sources are from BACB ACE Providers (ACE-approved) required Self-study from non-ACE sources (YouTube, non-accredited webinars, personal reading) does not count. Verify every provider on the BACB ACE registry before starting content.
Confirm your self-paced CE comes from an ACE provider whose courses include participation monitoring new 2026 Effective July 1, 2026, self-paced CE must include knowledge-assessment checks. ACE providers build this in — you don't change your format. See the section below.
Submit your recertification application at least 2 weeks before expiration required BACB processing takes time. Do not wait until the expiration date to submit.
Confirm payment of the recertification fee Current recertification fees are posted on the BACB website. Verify the current amount when you submit your application.

July 1, 2026 Participation-Monitoring Change — What You Need to Know

Effective July 1, 2026, BACB requires self-paced (asynchronous) CE to include participation monitoring — a minimum number of knowledge-assessment questions per CEU that confirm you engaged with the content. This is a course-design requirement on ACE providers. It is not a rule that you switch to live or interactive formats, and it does not change how many CEUs you need.

Format type	Counts toward your 32 CEUs?	Notes
Self-Paced / Asynchronous with participation monitoring Pre-recorded video or online course with knowledge-check questions	Yes — fully counts	This is the format the new rule is about. From July 1, 2026, self-paced CE must include participation monitoring. ACE providers build the knowledge checks in — you don't do anything extra, and you can still complete your entire cycle this way.
Live / Synchronous Live webinars, workshops, in-person trainings, real-time Q&A sessions	Yes — counts as always	Interactive formats have always counted toward your CEUs and continue to. The new rule does not require you to choose these instead of self-paced CE.
Self-Study only (no assessment) Reading, non-assessed video viewing	Limited / Verify with BACB	Unmonitored self-study has always had restrictions, unchanged by this rule. Confirm current rules on the BACB ACE provider registry.

Action: You can still complete your full 32-CEU cycle through self-paced, asynchronous courses. Just confirm the courses come from an ACE provider whose self-paced content includes the required participation monitoring (knowledge checks).

Finding a BACB ACE Provider

The only way to verify a BACB ACE provider is through the BACB's official ACE Provider registry at bacb.com. No organization can self-certify as an ACE provider — the authorization must appear in the registry under the provider's current ACE number.

When reviewing a provider, confirm:

Their ACE Provider number is listed in the current BACB registry
Their approval has not lapsed (renewal is required periodically)
The specific course you want counts toward your credential type (BCBA vs BCaBA requirements differ for some content)

Recertification Timeline Guide

12+ months before expiration Identify your ethics CEU sources early — ethics-specific content from ACE providers can be harder to find. Build your recert plan now.

6 months before expiration Check your CEU count in BACB Gateway. Confirm at least 4 ethics CEUs are logged or planned. Confirm your self-paced CEUs come from an ACE provider whose courses include the July 1 participation-monitoring checks.

90 days before expiration Complete remaining CEUs. Verify all provider submissions are received by BACB. Do not wait — some providers take 30+ days to report CEU completions.

30 days before expiration Submit your recertification application in BACB Gateway. Confirm payment. Allow time for processing.

14 days before expiration Confirm your application status. If not yet processed, contact BACB directly.

Common Mistakes That Delay Recertification

Using a CE provider that is no longer on the current BACB ACE registry (providers must renew their approval — check the current list every time)
Assuming all video-based CEUs are automatically approved — content must be from a current BACB ACE Provider
Counting ethics CEUs toward supervision hours (or vice versa) — these are separate requirements and cannot overlap
Waiting for provider submissions — some ACE providers take weeks to report to BACB; track your own certificates separately
Using self-paced CE that lacks participation monitoring under the new July 1, 2026 rule — confirm your ACE provider's self-paced courses include the required knowledge checks

CE Library for Behavior Analysts

CE from a BACB ACE Provider (OP-14-2437). 32 CEUs including your full 4 ethics requirement and 3 supervision CEUs — all in one place. $199/year.

View CE Library — $199/yr

Special Learning is a BACB Authorized Continuing Education (ACE) Provider (OP-14-2437). Authorization as an ACE Provider does not imply endorsement or approval of the ACE event content by the BACB. Special Learning is not endorsed by, affiliated with, or officially connected with the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB). For the most current and authoritative recertification requirements, always refer directly to bacb.com. Requirements listed here reflect BACB policy as of June 2026 — verify before your recertification deadline. AI-generated content reviewed and verified by the Special Learning team.