State Licensure Status
Licensed. Behavior Specialist via the State Board of Medicine. Requires 2 hours of child abuse recognition and reporting training each renewal.
Last verified: 2026-10-01
Renewing in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania's State Board of Medicine licenses you as a Behavior Specialist, not a behavior analyst. Your license expires December 31 of each even-numbered year unless you renew it for the next 2-year cycle. Pennsylvania doesn't set a continuing education hour count for renewal; its 90 hours of coursework apply only to your first license. You do need 2 hours of approved training in child abuse recognition and reporting with each renewal.
Source: Pennsylvania State Board of Medicine, read October 1, 2026.
Your BACB certification has its own requirement: 32 CEUs per 2-year cycle, including 4 in ethics. If you supervised during the cycle, you also need 3 supervision CEUs through December 31, 2026, and 4 from January 1, 2027.
Video CE Library: $199 for 12 months, free 7-day trial
BACB CE hours, including Ethics and 3.5 hours of Supervision
BACB CE Requirements (All States)
Regardless of state licensure, all BCBAs must meet BACB certification maintenance requirements:
| Requirement | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Total CEUs per cycle | 32 | 2-year renewal cycle |
| Ethics (minimum) | 4 | BACB Ethics Code content |
| Supervision (minimum) | 3.5 | Increasing to 4 in 2027 |
| General CE | 24.5 | Balance after Ethics + Supervision |
| Renewal fee | $215 BCBA · $290 BCBA-D | Late fee: +$100 · BACB Handbook (Updated 06/2026), read at source 2026-09-03; confirm the amount on your BACB account before you pay |
| Carryover | None | Excess CEUs do not transfer |
ABA Practice in Pennsylvania
Estimated BCBAs: ~2,000
Insurance Coverage: Act 62 requires ABA coverage
Behavior Specialist licensing through the State Board of Medicine. Active market.
Employer Training Mandates in Pennsylvania
Harassment Training: Pending
For employer compliance training, see training for organizations.
July 2026 Changes Affecting Pennsylvania BCBAs
Format Change: Participation Monitoring for Asynchronous CE
Starting July 1, 2026, asynchronous (self-paced) CE includes participation monitoring — at least 3 knowledge-check questions per CEU, the handbook's example measure, or other active responding. This is not a video- or interactive-only mandate: live webinars, video, journal clubs, and podcasts all remain valid CE when they include the required knowledge checks. CEUs already in your record are unaffected.
Is your CE provider ready? For on-demand CE, the BACB's listed measure is knowledge questions on the event, at least 3 per CEU. Our BACB CE courses use it, and you need 80% to earn your certificate.
Free Tools for Pennsylvania BCBAs
Need CEUs for your Pennsylvania renewal?
$199 for 12 months. Ethics, supervision, and general CE included. Video-based and available 24/7.
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