BCBA State CE Requirements Cheatsheet 2026
What the BACB Requires - Plus What Your State Adds on Top
Free resource from Special Learning - BACB ACE Provider #OP-14-2437
What's inside
- The BACB baseline: 32 CEUs / 2-year cycle (BCBA) and 20 CEUs (BCaBA) - what counts after July 2026
- 12 US states, each checked against its own board (CT, IL, KY, LA, MA, NV, NY, PA, TN, TX, VA, WA)
- Where BACB CE does NOT satisfy your state license (and what does)
- How to track BACB + state CE in one place without double-counting
Get the full cheatsheet - instant access
Enter your email to unlock the full resource below.
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy
BCBA State CE Requirements Cheatsheet 2026
What the BACB Requires - Plus What Your State Adds on Top
Free resource from Special Learning - BACB ACE Provider #OP-14-2437
The BACB Baseline (All BCBAs, Everywhere)
Your BACB certification renews on a 2-year cycle - no matter what state you're in.
| 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 | 3 CEUs (if you supervise) |
Starting July 2026: self-paced (asynchronous) CE must include participation monitoring. The handbook's example measure is at least 3 knowledge-check questions per CEU, or another activity that requires active responding. This is not a video or format mandate: article-and-quiz, journal clubs, and podcasts all remain valid when they meet the participation-monitoring standard.
State Licensure Layer - Where It Gets More Complex
If your state has a Licensed Behavior Analyst (LBA) credential, you have two separate renewal requirements: BACB certification AND state licensure. They often have different cycle lengths and different CEU counts.
Here's what we've verified for states with specific additional requirements:
| State | State Cycle | State CE Total | State-Specific Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | 1 year | Current BACB certification (no separate state hours) | 2 hours on screening for PTSD, suicide risk, depression and grief, and on suicide prevention: in the first renewal period, then at least once every 6 years (source: Conn. Gen. Stat. §20-185k) |
| Illinois | 2 years | 30 hours every 2 years from the 2027 renewal (assistant: 20); none at a first Illinois renewal | 1 hour sexual harassment prevention every renewal; it counts toward the CE hours (source: 68 Ill. Adm. Code 1376.50, 1130.400) |
| Kentucky | 2 years | Current BACB certification (no separate state hours) | None at renewal. 5 hours of abuse and neglect training is required when you first apply for the license. (source: 201 KAR 43:080, 201 KAR 43:010) |
| Louisiana | license renews every year; CE is reported over 2 years | 32 hours every 2 years, 4 in ethics (assistant: 20, 4 in ethics) | None at renewal. The Louisiana jurisprudence exam is taken once, for the license. (source: LAC 46:VIII ch. 4, ch. 8, ch. 3) |
| Massachusetts | 2 years | 30 contact hours every 2 years | Domestic violence and sexual violence training, once, unless the Board requires it again (source: 262 CMR 7.03, M.G.L. c.112 §264) |
| Nevada | 2 years | Current BACB certification and BACB CE | At least 2 hours of evidence-based suicide prevention and awareness each renewal (assistant too); may count within the BACB CE. State law also requires 6 hours of cultural competency and diversity, equity and inclusion for behavior analysts, once the Board adopts it in its rules. (source: NAC 641D.160, NRS 641D.360) |
| New York | 3 years | No state CE hours set in the profession's law; BACB certification alone is not a New York license | 2 hours of child abuse identification and reporting coursework, once, at first licensure. All mandated reporters must complete the updated curriculum by November 17, 2026. (source: Education Law Art. 167, NYSED mandated training) |
| Pennsylvania (Licensed Behavior Specialist) | 2 years | No general state CE hours | Licensed Behavior Specialist (State Board of Medicine): 2 hours of child abuse recognition and reporting each renewal (3 hours for the first license) (source: 49 Pa. Code §18.525, Board snapshot) |
| Tennessee | 2 years | Current BACB certification and BACB CE | 3 hours on cultural diversity each renewal (LBA and LABA) (source: Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1180-05) |
| Texas | 2 years | CE requirements of the certification held | HHSC-approved human trafficking prevention training is required for license renewal; TDLR accepts current BACB or QABA certification as proof of the certification's CE requirements (renewal, continuing education). |
| Virginia | 2 years | 32 hours every 2 years, 4 in ethics (assistant: 20); none at the first renewal | The Board of Medicine required 1 hour on human trafficking from all its licensees for the 2024 and 2025 renewals; check the Board for the 2027 renewal (source: 18VAC85-150-100, Board notice 12/6/2023) |
| Washington | 2 years | Current BACB certification, or 32 state hours with 4 in ethics (assistant: 20) | 2 hours of health equity every 4 years (source: WAC 246-805-401) |
Important: Your BACB certification renews every 2 years. Your state license may run on its own cycle (commonly 1-2 years, varying by state), so confirm both renewal dates and track them separately. CE earned for one does not automatically satisfy the other - check your state board's specific requirements.
What This Means for Your CE Plan
If you only track BACB CEUs, you may be non-compliant with your state license.
A CE tracker that shows "32 CEUs completed" means you've satisfied BACB - but if you're in a state such as Illinois or Tennessee, your state board wants specific content types that may not be in your courses from a BACB ACE Provider.
Special Learning's CE Library ($199 for 12 months) gives you BACB CEUs (and the 3 supervision CEUs under the current BACB handbook; the BACB's 2027 requirements raise it to 4 and do not say which cycles that covers the BACB requires if you supervised RBTs/BCaBAs/trainees during the cycle).
For state-specific topical requirements (mandated reporting, jurisprudence, suicide prevention), check your state board's approved provider list - those requirements typically need state-approved content.
The States Without Additional Requirements
Roughly half of US states either don't have LBA licensure or accept BACB CE without adding state-specific requirements. If your state isn't on the list above, your BACB CE completion likely satisfies state licensure too - but always verify directly with your state board before renewal.
Keep This Reference
Bookmark this. Requirements change - state boards update CE rules more frequently than BACB does. When you see a change, verify at your state board's official site.
Want your CE tracked in one place, with alerts before deadlines?
Special Learning's CE Library gives you BACB CEUs of BACB-eligible content, organized by ethics, supervision, and content area - for $199 for 12 months.
Start your CE Library access →
*Sources: BACB BCBA Handbook; BACB certificant data; each state board's rules, linked in the table. Checked against each state board's own rules, 10-16-2026. State rules change; confirm with your board before you renew. This cheatsheet covers the BACB CE baseline and state layers for selected US states with active licensure requirements.*
*Special Learning | ACE Provider #OP-14-2437*