RBT recertification is moving from an annual competency assessment to a 2-year continuing education model starting in 2026. Learn more about the new RBT PDUs.
This post is intended to help BCBAs, clinic owners, and training managers understand the upcoming RBT® recertification changes. It is written for informational purposes and reflects our interpretation of publicly available BACB documents. It does not represent the BACB®. Always refer to the official BACB website for the most current and authoritative guidance.
The RBTs who certify or recertify in 2026 will need to submit their first PDU-based recertification application in 2028. That's a two-year window to earn 12 Professional Development Units, and the clock starts the moment they certify or recertify in 2026. If your clinic doesn't have a professional development infrastructure in place, your RBTs will be scrambling to find PDU opportunities on their own, and some of them may not make it.
This post breaks down exactly how the new system works, what counts as a PDU, and what clinic owners and training managers should be doing right now to get ahead of it. The full requirements are available in the BACB's Guidance for Meeting RBT Requirements During the 2026 Transition and the RBT Professional Development for ACE Providers document.
Under the current model, RBTs recertify annually by completing an RBT Recertification Competency Assessment. It's a direct, skills-based check that happens every 12 months. That model is being replaced, not eliminated, but replaced, with a system that emphasizes ongoing professional development over a longer cycle.
Starting with RBTs who certify or recertify in 2026, the recertification model shifts to a two-year cycle requiring 12 Professional Development Units (PDUs). The competency assessment is no longer part of the recertification process for these RBTs. Instead, they accumulate PDUs through approved professional development activities and submit a recertification application at the end of their two-year window.
This is a meaningful philosophical shift. The BACB is signaling that recertification should reflect growth and continued learning, not just a periodic demonstration of baseline competency. For the field, that's a positive development. For clinics, it creates a new operational responsibility.
The transition is phased, and the specific year matters for understanding what applies to whom.
| Year | New RBTs | Current RBTs |
| 2026 |
Upon certification, begin a 2-year recertification window. PDU tracking tab available in BACB account. *Be sure to use the new Competency Assessment! |
Recertify via competency assessment as usual. A new PDU tracking tab appears in BACB account. Next recertification date moves to 2 years out. |
| 2027 | Continue earning PDUs within 2-year window. | No recertification required. PDU tab available for tracking. |
| 2028 | RBTs who certified in 2026 submit first PDU-based recertification application. | RBTs who recertified in 2026 submit first PDU-based recertification application (no competency assessment required). |
A few important notes on this timeline. Current RBTs recertifying in 2026 will not recertify in 2027- their next recertification date will be two years from their 2026 recertification in 2028. The two-year window begins from the date of certification, not from January 1. For RBTs certifying for the first time in 2027, their recertification will take place in 2029.
The BACB has established three approved pathways for earning PDUs. Understanding all three is important for clinics that want to build a comprehensive professional development strategy.
In-service training is professional development provided by the same organization where the RBT is employed. This pathway is significant because it gives clinics direct control over their RBTs' PDU pathway, and it means that the professional development you're already delivering internally may count toward recertification. The key is documentation and alignment. In-service training must cover content that is appropriate for RBTs. The BACB also lists several examples that does not count, including exam prep, supervision, or client-specific training.
Clinics that build structured internal PD programs with clear learning objectives and attendance records will be well-positioned to support their RBTs through this pathway. See the BACB's RBT Professional Development: In-Service Training Requirements for full details.
Professional development events offered by BACB-Approved Continuing Education (ACE) Providers, like Sidekick, represent the second pathway. These events can be delivered live or online, including both synchronous and asynchronous formats, and must be led by an active BCaBA, BCBA, or BCBA-D.
The PDU structure for ACE Provider events is specific: each event must include at least 25 minutes of instruction, for which 0.5 PDUs are awarded. Additional PDUs are awarded in increments of 0.5 (25 minutes) or 1.0 (50 minutes). See the RBT Professional Development for ACE Providers document and the ACE Provider Handbook 2026 for full requirements.
One critical distinction that clinic owners and training managers need to understand: RBTs cannot earn PDUs by attending CE events designed for BCBAs or BCaBAs, and BCBAs/BCaBAs cannot earn CEUs from RBT PD events. These are entirely separate systems. If you're an ACE Provider, you cannot simply repurpose your existing BCBA content and offer it to RBTs for PDUs. The content must be specifically designed for RBTs.
The third pathway is behavior-analytic university coursework completed with a grade of C or better. This is the least operationally relevant pathway for most clinics, but it's worth knowing for RBTs who are pursuing further education.
Whether the training is delivered in-house or through an ACE Provider, the content must be appropriate for RBTs. The BACB specifies that PDU content should cover or expand upon material from the RBT 2026 40-Hour Training Requirements and Curriculum Outline, the RBT Ethics Code (2.0), other BACB requirements, or additional content that is appropriate for RBTs.
Examples of appropriate content include advanced skill acquisition techniques, behavior reduction strategies, data collection and graphing skills, ethical decision-making, communication with supervisors and families, cultural humility in service delivery, and stress management for behavior technicians. The common thread is that the content must be relevant to the RBT's role, not repurposed BCBA-level content delivered to a different audience.
The 2028 deadline is real, and the two-year window moves faster than it looks. Here is a practical framework for getting ahead of it.
Start the conversation with your supervisors now. BCBAs and BCaBAs who supervise RBTs are the natural architects of in-service professional development. Identify which supervisors are interested in leading internal PD sessions, and start thinking about what topics would be most valuable for your specific RBT staff.
Audit your current internal training activities. Many clinics are already running activities that could qualify as in-service PDUs. The question is whether they're being documented in a way that would support PDU credit. Start building that documentation habit now.
Identify ACE Providers developing RBT-specific content. Not all ACE Providers are building RBT PD events. Many are focused exclusively on BCBA/BCaBA CE. Look for providers who are explicitly developing RBT-specific programming, and evaluate whether their content aligns with what your staff actually needs.
Think about competency alignment, not just hour accumulation. Twelve PDUs over two years is not a high bar in terms of hours. The more meaningful question is whether those PDUs are actually developing the skills your RBTs need to grow. Clinics that connect professional development to specific competency gaps will see better outcomes for their staff and for their clients.
We're developing our platform specifically to support clinics navigating this transition. We're actively adding PDU-eligible content to our platform you can track and document those hours in one place.
We're also rolling out a competency tracking system that connects PDUs to actual skill development. Instead of just logging hours, you'll be able to align the professional development your RBTs complete, whether through our content or your own in-service training, directly to the competencies your staff needs to grow. More details are coming soon, but if you're a training manager thinking about how to make PDUs meaningful rather than just compliant, this is built for you.
The PDU recertification system is a genuine improvement for the field. It creates a pathway for RBTs to grow professionally over time, rather than simply demonstrating baseline competency once a year. But it also creates a new operational responsibility for clinics, one that requires planning, infrastructure, and intentionality.
The clinics that start building that infrastructure now will be the ones whose RBTs arrive at their 2028 recertification date with their PDUs documented, their skills sharpened, and their confidence intact.
Don't wait until 2027 to start thinking about this.
PDUs (Professional Development Units) are the new continuing education requirements for RBT recertification. Starting with RBTs who certify or recertify in 2026, RBTs must earn 12 PDUs over a two-year recertification cycle instead of completing an annual competency assessment. PDUs are earned through in-service training, ACE Provider events, or university coursework.
RBTs who certify or recertify in 2026 begin their two-year PDU cycle immediately. Their first PDU-based recertification application will be due in 2028. Current RBTs who recertify in 2026 will not need to recertify in 2027- their next recertification date moves to two years from their 2026 recertification.
RBTs need 12 PDUs over their two-year recertification cycle. PDUs can be earned through in-service training at their employer, professional development events from ACE Providers, or behavior-analytic university coursework with a grade of C or better.
No. RBTs cannot earn PDUs by attending CE events designed for BCBAs or BCaBAs. The PDU system for RBTs is entirely separate from the CE system for BCBAs and BCaBAs. RBT PDU content must be specifically designed for RBTs.
ACE Provider PDU events must include at least 25 minutes of instruction, for which 0.5 PDUs are awarded. Additional PDUs are awarded in increments of 0.5 (25 minutes) or 1.0 (50 minutes). Rounding up is not permitted.
Yes. In-service training provided by the RBT's employer is one of the three approved PDU pathways. The training must cover content appropriate for RBTs and must be properly documented. See the BACB's RBT Professional Development: In-Service Training Requirements for documentation requirements.
This post reflects our interpretation of publicly available BACB documents and is intended for informational purposes only. It does not represent the BACB. Always refer to bacb.com for the most current and authoritative guidance.
Behavior Analyst Certification Board. (2025). Guidance for Meeting RBT Requirements During the 2026 Transition. https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/RBT-2026-Requirements_250723-a.pdf
Behavior Analyst Certification Board. (2025 ). RBT Professional Development for ACE Providers. https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/RBT-Professional-Development-ACE-Providers
Behavior Analyst Certification Board. (2025 ). RBT Professional Development: In-Service Training Requirements. https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/RBT-Professional-Development-In-Service-Training-250718-a.pdf
Behavior Analyst Certification Board. (2025 ). ACE Provider Handbook: Effective July 1, 2026. https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/ACE-Provider-Handbook-2026_250820-a.pdf
Behavior Analyst Certification Board. RBT Handbook. https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/RBTHandbook_260116-a.pdf
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