BCBA Certification Examination
The BCBA examination has 185 questions — 175 scored plus 10 unscored pilot items — delivered at Pearson VUE with a 4-hour limit. Questions come from the 6th-edition Test Content Outline's 104 tasks across nine domains, the largest being Behavior-Change Procedures (25 questions, 14%) and Concepts and Principles (24, 14%). Your result reflects overall performance, not per-domain scores.
Content outline and weights
Passing: Result is based on overall performance across the 175 scored questions, not per domain; the BACB does not publish a raw cut score. (Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB))
Format
- 185 questions: 175 scored, 10 unscored pilot items.
- 4 hours, four answer options per question, all questions equally weighted.
- Delivered at Pearson VUE; result is pass/fail on overall performance.
- Up to 8 attempts within the 2-year authorisation period, at least 30 days between appointments.
The nine content areas (6th edition)
| Domain | Questions | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 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% |
Three areas — Concepts and Principles, Behavior Assessment, Behavior-Change Procedures — are 72 of the 175 scored questions on their own. Ethics adds another 22. If you are choosing what to study on a limited schedule, that is the order.
Where candidates lose time
Philosophical Foundations is only 8 questions, so weigh study time against its share. Personnel Supervision and Management is 19 questions; if you have not supervised anyone yet, budget extra time for it.
Exam guides
- BCBA exam cost in 2026: application, retake and appointment fees
The 2026 BCBA fees are $245 for the certification application paid to the BACB, $125 for the examination appointment paid to Pearson VUE, and $140 for each examination retake application plus another appointment fee. BACB fees are non-refundable and non-transferable, and qualifying veterans can claim GI Bill reimbursement for examination fees whether or not they pass.
- BCBA requirements: degree, coursework and 1,500–2,000 fieldwork hours
To sit the BCBA exam you need a qualifying master's degree or higher, behavior-analytic coursework through one of the BACB's eligibility pathways, and supervised fieldwork: either 2,000 hours of Supervised Fieldwork with supervision covering 5% of each period's hours, or 1,500 hours of Concentrated Supervised Fieldwork with 10% supervision. The BACB verifies degrees and coursework through official transcripts.
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Primary references
- BCBA Test Content Outline (6th ed.), in effect since 2025 — Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) · primary · retrieved 2026-09-22, verified 2026-09-22
- BCBA Handbook (updated June 2026) — Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) · primary · retrieved 2026-09-22, verified 2026-09-22
- Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts — Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) · primary · retrieved 2026-09-22, verified 2026-09-22