Do you need a license to practice ABA in Arkansas? What Arkansas law says
The short answer
Arkansas Acts 432 and 869 of 2025 provide for behavior analyst registration through the Arkansas Psychology Board and protect the title "registered behavior analyst." We found no behavior analyst license requirement in those two acts. We have not verified the current Arkansas Code or board rules, so this page does not establish all current requirements for practicing ABA in Arkansas.
What we found
Confirm with the Arkansas Psychology Board before you rely on this.
On October 30, 2026, we read the full text of two 2025 acts of the Arkansas General Assembly: Act 432 (House Bill 1245, approved April 3, 2025) and Act 869 (House Bill 1954, approved April 17, 2025). We did not find a statute in either one that requires a license to practice behavior analysis. We did not read the current codified Arkansas Code text, any Arkansas Psychology Board rules, or the board's registration page. The acts number their sections 17-97-601 to 17-97-608 and say they add a new subchapter on behavior analysts to Title 17 of the Arkansas Code.
What Arkansas does have
A registration, with a protected title. Act 432 names the law:
This subchapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Arkansas Behavior Analyst Registration Act".
It defines the term this way:
""registered behavior analyst" means an individual who is registered to practice behavior analysis independently by the Arkansas Psychology Board under this subchapter."
The section titled "Unlawful practice of applied behavior analysis" (17-97-603) says:
"Unless registered under this subchapter, a person shall not: (1) Hold himself or herself out to be a registered behavior analyst; or (2) Use any combination or abbreviation of the term "registered behavior analyst" to indicate or imply that he or she is a registered behavior analyst."
The text we read does not say in so many words that practicing behavior analysis without registering is unlawful. It sets these penalties:
"A person found to be in violation of subsection (a) of this section is subject to a fine of no less than five hundred dollars ($500) and no more than one thousand dollars ($1,000)."
"A person registered under this subchapter who violates this subchapter is subject to administrative sanctions and penalties, including without limitation a fine of no more than five thousand dollars ($5,000) and revocation of his or her registration."
How to register. Under 17-97-604, as Act 869 changed it, an applicant submits to the Arkansas Psychology Board an application, an application fee "that does not exceed two hundred dollars ($200)," "Evidence that he or she has successfully completed a criminal background check," and evidence that he or she is certified as:
"(A) A board certified behavior analyst or a board certified behavior analyst-doctoral by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board, Inc.; or (B) A qualified behavior analyst by the Qualified Applied Behavior Analysis Credentialing Board."
Act 432 alone named only the first of those two paths. Act 869 added the second. A person who is licensed as a behavior analyst in another jurisdiction, in good standing and under comparable requirements, may be registered by reciprocity (17-97-607). Section 17-97-606 provides a temporary-registration pathway for certain applicants with qualifying out-of-state licensure or certification who provide services in Arkansas on a short-term basis, subject to the section's application and verification requirements.
Assistants, RBTs and technicians. The registration is for a person "registered to practice behavior analysis independently." Section 17-97-606 names board certified assistant behavior analysts in its temporary-registration provision, subject to that section's eligibility conditions. Neither act establishes a separate assistant registration category or addresses RBTs or behavior technicians.
Renewal. Under 17-97-605, "A registration under this subchapter shall be granted for a period of two (2) years." Before it expires, the registration may be renewed on submission of "(1) A renewal application; (2) A renewal fee that does not exceed one hundred fifty dollars ($150); and (3) Evidence of verification of current certification." The Act adds:
"This section does not require additional training or continuing education with any state or national association."
The board. The Arkansas Psychology Board "shall administer the provisions of this subchapter and may adopt rules that are reasonable and necessary to implement the provisions of this subchapter" (17-97-608). It may adopt the BACB's ethics code as it existed on January 1, 2025, and, under Act 869, the Qualified Applied Behavior Analysis Credentialing Board's code of ethics. Act 869 also adds to the board's membership rule that "At least one (1) of the members appointed under subdivision (a)(2) of this section shall be a licensed psychologist who is a board certified behavior analyst, qualified behavior analyst, or has a background and experience providing behavior analysis services."
Source: Act 432 of 2025 (HB1245), Arkansas Legislature; Act 869 of 2025 (HB1954), Arkansas Legislature.
Training the staff you supervise
If you run a program in Arkansas and need new technicians or aides trained in the basics, this is what our Intro to ABA Level 1 course covers.
The Intro to ABA Level 1 course teaches methods and techniques of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) for parents and caregivers, teachers, paraprofessionals and behavior technicians who work with a child every day. Topics include what autism is, what ABA is, pairing, errorless teaching and prompting, and active student responding. Complete the course and pass its 40-question final exam with a score of at least 80%. Completing this course earns a Special Learning certificate of completion. That certificate is not a continuing education (CE) certificate. It is basic training in ABA methods for daily practice, not a professional credential. It is not the 40-hour training required for the RBT credential. We do not claim Arkansas state approval or continuing education credit for this course.
Two ways to start
- For one person: try the first two sessions free for 7 days; account creation is required, with no payment information requested. The full course costs $199, paid once, with no subscription or recurring charge. Activate your license code within 90 days of purchase; the published completion window is 10 weeks after activation. You may request a later start date, no later than three months after purchase. Start the free sessions
- For your team: tell us how many people need training and when, and we will send a quote; each participant who completes the course and passes its 40-question final exam with a score of at least 80% earns an individual certificate of completion. Ask for a team quote
Last reviewed: October 30, 2026.