BCBA recertification and CEU requirements

Certification lasts two years at a time. Keeping it means continuing education, and in most states a separate licence renewal on its own timetable.

Careers · Last reviewed October 2026 · Take a Seat People editorial team

How many CEUs does a BCBA need?

A BCBA recertifies every two years and needs 32 continuing education units (CEUs) in each cycle. At least 4 must be in ethics. BCBAs who supervise, or may supervise, need at least 3 in supervision. CEUs come from BACB-approved continuing education providers and other activities the BACB accepts. You apply to recertify through your BACB account before the cycle ends. Most states also license behavior analysts separately, and state licences have their own renewal dates and continuing-education rules.

The two-year cycle

BCBA certification runs in two-year cycles. In each cycle you earn the required CEUs, keep following the BACB's Ethics Code, and submit a recertification application with the fee before the cycle ends. If the cycle ends without an approved application, your certification lapses and you can't practise as a BCBA until it is resolved.

BCBA continuing education per two-year cycle (official requirements)
Requirement	Minimum	Applies to
Total CEUs	32	All BCBAs
Ethics	4	All BCBAs
Supervision	3	BCBAs who supervise, or may supervise

Ethics and supervision CEUs count toward the 32. Check the current BCBA Handbook for accepted activity types and limits.

Certification renewal vs state licence renewal

Recertifying with the BACB keeps your national certification. In most states, though, it's the state licence that lets you practise and bill. State boards set their own renewal periods, fees and continuing-education rules, and those rarely line up with your BACB cycle. If you are licensed in two states, you are keeping track of three timetables.

Our licensure guide lists the licensing position for each state. Check each board directly for its renewal rules.

What changes in 2027

The BACB has published revised BCBA eligibility and maintenance requirements that take effect on 1 January 2027, including changes to continuing education. If your cycle runs past that date, read the BACB's 2027 requirements document and its transition guidance before planning your CEUs. Don't rely on summaries written before the board's final updates.

Recruitment insight: CEUs in an offer

This is our recruitment experience, not a BACB rule. Most BCBA offers we see include some continuing-education support, but how much varies a lot. When you compare offers, ask for the CEU allowance in dollars, the paid days for training, and whether subscriptions to CEU providers are covered. Ask too whether licence renewal fees in each state you're licensed in are paid. Over a two-year cycle these can add up to a meaningful part of the package.

Advertised pay on the BCBA roles we recruit: $75k – $115k. Ranges reflect what we typically see advertised on roles we recruit for in the US. They are a market guide, not a survey, and vary by setting, caseload and experience.

Where this connects

Related analysis

Sources and method

BCBA HandbookBehavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) — Eligibility, maintenance and recertification requirements, including continuing education.
2027 BCBA RequirementsBehavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) — Eligibility and maintenance changes taking effect 1 January 2027.
Recent and upcoming changes to BACB requirementsBehavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB)
Ethics Code for Behavior AnalystsBehavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB)
US behavior analyst licensure by stateBehavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) — Which states license behavior analysts and under which board.

Take a Seat People is a recruitment business, not a clinical or licensing authority. Certification requirements come from the BACB and wage statistics from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics; our own figures are advertised ranges and vacancy observations, labelled as such. Full research methodology.