The RBT Examination

Verify against the official source. Rules change. Before you rely on dates, fees, or forms, confirm them in the current BACB RBT Handbook.

After the BACB approves your application, you must pass the RBT certification exam. The exam tests entry-level knowledge aligned with the RBT Test Content Outline (3rd ed.).

Exam format

Questions are equally weighted. You do not need to pass each content area separately — your total performance determines the outcome.

Content areas

*Percentages are rounded in BACB materials.

The exam reflects tasks behavior technicians should perform in supervised practice. Review the full test content outline and your 40-hour training materials.

Preparation

The BACB recommends studying:

• The current test content outline
• Materials from your 40-hour training
• Notes and practice from your Initial Competency Assessment

The BACB does not endorse specific study guides. Buying prep materials does not guarantee a passing score.

Sample retired questions appear in the handbook to show format — ethics scenarios, measurement calculations, and procedure identification are common.

Edition rule: You test under the content outline in effect when you schedule. If a new edition launches during your one-year authorization, you must test under the new edition.

Scheduling

Exams are delivered by Pearson VUE at authorized centers in:

• United States (including military bases meeting security requirements)
• Australia (until January 1, 2027)
• Canada (except Quebec and Ontario)

Not available: Quebec (since November 2023), Ontario (since July 2024).

The BACB cannot schedule, cancel, or reschedule appointments for you.

Canceling or rescheduling

Fees apply when you change appointments inside 30 days:

Retakes

If your one-year authorization expires, you must reapply and meet requirements in effect at that time.

Accommodations

If you have a disability under the ADA or comparable law, you may request accommodations before scheduling.

Submit the BACB Examination Accommodation Request Form plus qualified professional documentation as a single PDF through the accommodations documentation page.

Review typically takes 10–14 days (longer if more documentation is needed).

Do not schedule your exam until you receive accommodation approval email. Application approval and accommodation approval are separate processes.

Day of the exam

Before you arrive

• Confirm testing center location and arrival time
• Review Pearson VUE's BACB testing page and demo test
• Bring one valid, government-issued photo ID matching your BACB account name exactly

Acceptable IDs include passport, driver's license, military ID, state/province ID, or green card. Expired, photocopied, or digital IDs are not accepted.

Check-in

Arrive about 30 minutes early. Check-in is in English only — no interpreters unless you have approved accommodations.

Check-in may include ID verification, rules agreement, palm vein scan, and photograph.

Arriving more than 30 minutes late means you will not test and forfeit your fee.

During the exam

• Only your ID and locker key are allowed in the testing room
• Personal items (phone, notes, food, bags) must be stored — access during the exam is misconduct
• Unscheduled breaks are allowed but do not stop the clock
• You may not leave the building during the exam
• Earplugs or noise-canceling headphones may be available; dry-erase boards are provided

You must agree to confidentiality and security terms before testing begins. Never share exam questions — disclosure violates BACB rules and can trigger legal action.

After the exam

• Pass: BACB emails certification details within about a week. Your status starts inactive until a supervisor adds you — Supervision
• Fail: Submit retake application in BACB account after 7-day wait
• Score report: Download from Pearson VUE ("View Score Reports"); BACB cannot provide your report

Appeals

You may appeal examination condition irregularities (e.g., disruptive testing environment) within 7 days via the Administrative Appeal Request Form.

You cannot appeal passing standards, exam content, fees, or your answers.

What you'll need

• Approved BACB application within one-year window
• Pearson VUE account and $45 exam fee
• Government ID matching BACB account exactly
• Accommodation approval (if applicable) before scheduling

What happens next

• Passed: Activate credential with supervision → Supervision
• Maintaining: Annual recertification → Renewal