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 (if you supervise) |
| BCaBA | 2 years | 20 CEUs | 4 CEUs minimum | — |
Starting July 1, 2026: All CE must be interactive video with assessment (minimum 3 questions per CEU). Article-and-quiz formats are no longer BACB-eligible.
State Licensure: California Licensed Behavior Analyst (LBA)
California requires a separate state license to practice as a behavior analyst. Your BACB certification and your California LBA license are two separate renewals — each with their own CE requirements and timelines.
Licensing body: State behavior analyst licensing board
State-specific requirements: Licensed Behavior Analyst. Requires 2 hours in law and ethics specific to California regulations per renewal cycle.
Important: CE earned for BACB renewal does not automatically satisfy California LBA renewal unless the state board accepts those hours. Always verify with the California licensing board before submitting CE for state renewal.
How Special Learning Covers Your California BACB Requirements
CE Library ($199/year) delivers 32 BACB-eligible CEUs including:
- 4 Ethics CEUs (BACB required)
- 3.5 Supervision CEUs (exceeds the 3 BACB requires for supervisors)
- Remaining hours in behavior analysis content areas
- All video-based, self-paced CE from a BACB ACE Provider (#OP-14-2437)
[$6.22/CEU is the math: $199 ÷ 32 CEUs. One subscription closes your BACB cycle.]
Sources: BACB BCBA Handbook; California state licensure requirements (verified via SL state CE database, last updated 2026-03-29). 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.
Last verified: 2026-05-28 by Knowledge-Head