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
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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, including 3.5 in Supervision: enough for the 3 supervision CEUs the current BACB handbook requires if you supervised RBTs, BCaBAs or trainees during your cycle. BCBA supervisors recertifying on or after January 1, 2027 need 4, so plan for half an hour more supervision CE.
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*