BCBA CE Requirements in California (2026)
BACB Baseline + California-Specific Requirements
Free reference from Special Learning — BACB ACE Provider #OP-14-2437
BACB Certification Requirements (All BCBAs in California)
Regardless of state, your BACB certification renews on a 2-year cycle.
| Credential | Cycle | Total CEUs | Ethics | Supervision |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BCBA / BCBA-D | 2 years | 32 CEUs | 4 CEUs minimum | 3 CEUs per two-year cycle under the current BACB handbook; the BACB's 2027 requirements raise it to 4 and do not say which cycles that covers (if you supervise) |
| BCaBA | 2 years | 20 CEUs | 4 CEUs minimum | — |
Starting July 1, 2026: BACB requires participation monitoring. The handbook’s example measure is a minimum of 3 knowledge questions per CEU, or another form of required active responding. This is not a video or format mandate: article-and-quiz, journal clubs, and podcasts remain BACB-eligible.
State Licensure: California
State-specific requirements: California does not license behavior analysts, and no California state CE mandate applies — your BACB certification requirements govern (32 CEUs per 2-year cycle, including 4 ethics). Verified 18 August 2026 by enumeration rather than by absence of mention: California’s Department of Consumer Affairs lists 37 boards and bureaus and none is a behavior-analyst entity, and the Board of Behavioral Sciences — the board that would hold such a licence — issues only the LCSW, LMFT, LPCC and LEP. The BACB’s national licensure table also omits California. The DCA list is strong but not exhaustive of every California authority; confirm with the relevant authority before relying on this for a licence question.
What Special Learning Offers Toward Your California BACB Requirements
CE Library ($199 for 12 months) delivers BACB CEUs including:
- 3.5 Supervision CEUs (the BACB asks supervisors for 3 under the current BACB handbook; the BACB's 2027 requirements raise it to 4 and do not say which cycles that covers)
- Remaining hours in behavior analysis content areas
- All video-based, self-paced CE from a BACB ACE Provider (#OP-14-2437)
Sources: BACB BCBA Handbook; California state licensure requirements. State requirements subject to change — verify with your state board before renewal. Special Learning ACE Provider #OP-14-2437.
Authorization as an ACE Provider does not imply endorsement or approval of the ACE event content by the BACB.