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Guide

RBT Lookup and Behavior Technician Credentials by State

March 31, 2026 · Updated September 3, 2026 50 states + DC Special Learning

To look up an RBT, use the BACB Certificant Registry at bacb.com/verify-certification: search the person's name or certification number and the registry shows whether the certification is current and whether any reportable disciplinary action is attached. The BACB says the registry is updated daily. That check takes under a minute and it answers the question most people land here with.

In this guide
  1. Is the RBT a license or a certification?
  2. Historical state notes
  3. Search the Historical State Notes
  4. Questions about state BT credentials

Is the RBT a license or a certification?

A certification. The Registered Behavior Technician credential is issued by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board, a private national board, after a 40-hour training, a competency assessment and an exam. It is not a state license. State registration, national certification, employer requirements and payer requirements are separate questions. The historical state notes below have not been verified against state boards; use the relevant board and employer to confirm current requirements.

How to check an RBT in three steps.

  1. Ask for the technician's full name as it appears on their certification, or their RBT certification number.
  2. Open the BACB Certificant Registry and search. If you have the certification number, search by number. If you do not, search by first and last name, and narrow by country, state or province, city, or a postal code within 5 to 200 miles. A current certification shows as active; an inactive or expired one shows as such. A dagger beside the status means the BACB has published one or more sanctions or actions against that certificant.
  3. Check the relevant state board's current requirements and lookup separately. The state notes below are an unverified March 2026 compilation and do not establish whether the person needs or holds a state credential.

If you are a parent checking who works with your child, the same registry lists BCBAs and BCaBAs, so you can look up the supervisor too. Our guide to the credentialing bodies in ABA explains what each set of letters means.

Historical state notes

Search the historical notes for your state, then confirm the current rule with its licensing board. The filters describe categories in the old compilation; they do not establish current legal requirements.

51
Historical entries: 50 states + DC
2026
Compiled in March from secondary sources
0
State entries verified in this repair
Whether a particular employer or payer requires the credential depends on the state and the plan. The labels below are historical, unverified classifications. Confirm current state, employer and payer requirements before acting on them.

Search the Historical State Notes

About the 51 entries below: they were compiled in March 2026 from secondary sources and have not been checked against the state boards. Confirm your own state with its behavior analyst licensing board before acting on anything here.
Source and limits: the 51 entries were compiled in March 2026 from secondary sources and have not been checked against state boards. They remain historical notes, including the category and requirement labels. No state entry was verified in this repair. Confirm your own state with its licensing board and ask the employer or payer about its separate requirements. Special Learning is not a legal authority on state licensure. For the BACB national RBT requirement, visit bacb.com/rbt.

Get Your RBT Credential

The RBT is the national credential. The certification pathway includes 40-hour training, competency assessment and an exam. Check the current BACB rules and your state board separately; the historical table above is not verification of a state rule.

Related: BT vs RBT | How to Become an RBT | PDU by State | Salary Guide | RBT FAQ

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If the RBT credential is your next step

A historical introduction to the RBT role

The RBT Readiness Webinar costs $39 for one recorded webcast with a downloadable slide deck. It describes the pathway in a historical recording that references December 2017 exam data. It carries no CE credit and does not replace the 40-hour course or establish current state requirements. Check the current RBT Handbook before making a certification plan.

RBT Readiness, $39 →

Questions about state BT credentials

The table contains 51 historical entries compiled from secondary sources in March 2026. Its categories are unverified and do not establish which states currently require the RBT. Check your own state licensing board, employer and payer. For national RBT certification status, use the BACB Certificant Registry.

This page does not verify whether you can work without the RBT in a particular state or role. Ask the state licensing board about its current rules and ask the employer and payer about their separate requirements.

The RBT is a national BACB certification. A state registration or license is a separate credential. This historical table does not establish whether your state requires one or whether holding the RBT satisfies a state requirement. Check the state board directly.