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ABA licensure by state

ABA licensure in Wisconsin: who needs a license, how to get one and how to keep it

The short answer

Wisconsin requires a license to use the title "behavior analyst" or to represent or imply that you are one. The Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) issues the license, and an applicant must be certified by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) as a BCBA. Licenses renew on December 15 of each even-numbered year, with proof of current BACB certification.

Confirm with the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services before you rely on this.

What the law says

Wisconsin's behavior analyst law is subchapter III of Chapter 440 of the Wisconsin Statutes, ss. 440.310 to 440.317. It defines a behavior analyst as:

"a person who is certified by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board, Inc., as a board-certified behavior analyst and has been granted a license under this subchapter to engage in the practice of behavior analysis."

The title rule is in s. 440.311(1):

"No person may use the title "behavior analyst" or represent or imply that he or she is a behavior analyst unless the person is licensed under this subchapter."

The same subsection protects other licensed professionals:

"This section may not be construed to restrict the practice of behavior analysis by a licensed professional who is not a behavior analyst, if the services performed are within the scope of the professional's practice and are performed commensurate with the professional's training and experience, and the professional does not represent that he or she is a behavior analyst."

A person who violates the title rule "may be fined not more than $250, imprisoned not more than 3 months in the county jail, or both" (s. 440.311(2)). The subchapter defines the practice of behavior analysis as:

"the design, implementation, and evaluation of systematic instructional and environmental modifications to produce socially significant improvements in human behavior, including the empirical identification of functional relations between behavior and environmental factors, known as functional assessment and analysis, including interventions based on scientific research and the direct observation and measurement of behavior and environment."

The sections we read restrict the use of the title. We did not find a provision in this subchapter that prohibits the practice of behavior analysis itself by someone who does not use the title. Ask DSPS how the title rule applies to your role.

Source: Wis. Stat. s. 440.310; s. 440.311.

How to get licensed

Section 440.312(1) says the department "shall grant a license as a behavior analyst" if the person submits an application on the department's form, pays the initial credential fee, and:

"submits evidence satisfactory to the department that the person is a behavior analyst certified by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board, Inc., or its successor organization."

The statute sets one bar for people with certain criminal convictions:

"The department may not grant a license under this subchapter to any person who has been convicted of an offense under s. 940.22, 940.225, 940.302 (2) (a) 1. b., 944.06, 944.15, 944.17, 944.30 (1m), 944.31, 944.32, 944.33, 944.34, 948.02, 948.025, 948.051, 948.06, 948.07, 948.072, 948.075, 948.08, 948.081, 948.09, 948.095, 948.10, 948.11, 948.12, or 948.125."

The DSPS page for behavior analysts describes the route as "Licensure by Initial Application" for applicants "certified by and registered with the Behavior Analyst Certification Board Inc. (BACB) as a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA)." It also lists licensure after an expired credential of five years or more, and military reciprocity. Fees are set by the department; we did not read the fee list.

The state's rule-making power is limited. The department's rules "may not" require additional education beyond what the BACB requires, and may not require a behavior analyst to practice under the supervision of another health care provider (s. 440.314(3)).

Source: Wis. Stat. s. 440.312; s. 440.314; DSPS, Behavior Analyst.

Assistants, RBTs and technicians

The sections we read license only the behavior analyst. They do not create a license for assistant behavior analysts or a registration for technicians. They do mention supervised practice in one place. Section 440.314(2) says:

"The department may promulgate rules authorizing the department to issue a temporary permit to a person who is certified by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board, Inc., or its successor organization authorizing the practice of behavior analysis by the person under the supervision of a behavior analyst licensed under s. 440.312 (1)."

We did not find a rule issuing such a permit. Wisconsin's autism insurance coverage law lists, among covered providers, "A paraprofessional working under the supervision of a provider listed under subds. 1. to 3m." (s. 632.895(12m)(b)4.). That list includes "A behavior analyst who is licensed under s. 440.312."

Source: Wis. Stat. s. 440.314; s. 632.895).

Renewal and state-required training

Section 440.08(2)(a) sets the renewal date: "Behavior analyst: December 15 of each even-numbered year." Section 440.313(2) adds a certification requirement at renewal:

"A behavior analyst shall, at the time that he or she applies for renewal of a license under sub. (1), submit proof satisfactory to the department that he or she is, at the time he or she applies for renewal, certified by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board, Inc., or its successor organization."

On continuing education, the DSPS page says:

"There is no continuing education requirement specific to Wisconsin renewal for this license type."

The page repeats that a behavior analyst must submit proof of current BACB certification. We found no Wisconsin-required continuing education topic for behavior analysts.

Source: Wis. Stat. s. 440.08; s. 440.313; DSPS, Behavior Analyst.

Training the staff you supervise

If you run a program in Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin state approval or continuing education credit for this course.

Two ways to start

Last reviewed: October 30, 2026.

See every state's ABA licensure rules

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