Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) Certification Examination — exam facts
International (testing in the United States, Canada and Australia)
Every source below was read on 2026-09-25
| Administering body | Behavior Analyst Certification Board, Inc. (BACB) — exam delivered by Pearson VUE The exam is taken in person at authorized Pearson VUE testing sites and US military bases in the United States, Canada (except Quebec, and Ontario only until July 1, 2026) and Australia (until January 1, 2027); results are given on site. It follows the BCBA Test Content Outline (6th ed.), in use since January 1, 2025, over 175 scored questions: A. Behaviorism and Philosophical Foundations 8 (5%), B. Concepts and Principles 24 (14%), C. Measurement, Data Display, and Interpretation 21 (12%), D. Experimental Design 13 (7%), E. Ethical and Professional Issues 22 (13%), F. Behavior Assessment 23 (13%), G. Behavior-Change Procedures 25 (14%), H. Selecting and Implementing Interventions 20 (11%), I. Personnel Supervision and Management 19 (11%). BACB notes the percentages are rounded. Source: BACB — Board Certified Behavior Analyst Handbook (Updated 06/2026, PDF) (2026-09-25) |
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| Questions | 185 questions (175 scored, 10 unscored pretest) Every question is multiple choice with 4 possible answers and only 1 correct answer. All scored questions are equally weighted, and the result is based on overall performance, not on each content area. Source: BACB — Board Certified Behavior Analyst Handbook (Updated 06/2026, PDF) (2026-09-25) |
| Time limit | 240 minutes The 4 hours include reviewing the terms and conditions, the navigation tutorial and load time as well as the examination itself. Source: BACB — Board Certified Behavior Analyst Handbook (Updated 06/2026, PDF) (2026-09-25) |
| Passing score | Not published by BACB BACB sets the passing score with the modified Angoff method, a criterion-referenced method in which a panel of BACB-certified subject matter experts sets the score and the BACB Board of Directors approves it. A new passing score is set when the exam content changes significantly. BACB does not publish the number. What we read and found nothing in: BACB — Board Certified Behavior Analyst Handbook (Updated 06/2026, PDF) (2026-09-25) · BACB — BCBA Test Content Outline (6th ed.) (Updated 09/2024, PDF) (2026-09-25) |
| Fees |
Every retake needs a new retake application and a new examination appointment. BACB fees are nonrefundable and nontransferable; Pearson VUE may add applicable taxes when you schedule. Source: BACB — Board Certified Behavior Analyst Handbook (Updated 06/2026, PDF) (2026-09-25) |
| Languages offered | English Source: BACB — Board Certified Behavior Analyst Handbook (Updated 06/2026, PDF) (2026-09-25) |
Change log
- 2026-09-25Fact sheet created from BACB's BCBA Handbook (updated 06/2026) and the BCBA Test Content Outline (6th ed.), dated by BACB's December 2023 newsletter as in effect from January 1, 2025. The passing score is recorded as not published.