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Renewal & RecertificationThe RBT Recertification Competency Assessment: What 2026, 2027 and 2028 Actually Require
Most guides say the renewal competency assessment disappeared in 2026. It did not — it was phased out on a schedule, and your 2026 renewal still needs one. Here is the year-by-year detail.
If you have searched for the RBT renewal competency assessment in the last few months you have probably read that it was abolished in 2026. That is not quite right, and the difference matters if you are recertifying this year.
The renewal assessment is being phased out on a schedule, not switched off. RBTs recertifying in 2026 still complete an RBT Recertification Competency Assessment. The professional-development model replaces it from the 2028 recertification onwards.
Year by year, what you actually have to do
| Year | If you are already an RBT | If you certify as a new RBT |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Recertify using the RBT Recertification Competency Assessment. Your next recertification date becomes two years from your 2026 recertification date. A new tab appears in your BACB account for uploading PDUs. | You get a two-year recertification window from the start, and a PDU tab in your BACB account. |
| 2027 | You do not need to recertify in 2027. The PDU tab is available in your account. | Two-year recertification window, PDU tab available. |
| 2028 | If you certified or recertified in 2026: complete 12 PDUs before your recertification date and submit a recertification application. No competency assessment is required. | Two-year recertification window, PDU tab available. |
Two things changed at once, which is why this confuses people
The BACB made two separate changes that landed together, and coverage has tended to blur them:
- The recertification cycle went from one year to two. That is why nothing is due in 2027 — your 2026 renewal carried you through to 2028.
- The renewal requirement changed from a competency assessment to professional development. That change applies to the recertification at the end of the new two-year cycle, not the one at the start of it.
So the 2026 renewal is the last one under the old requirement, and it is also the renewal that starts your two-year clock.
What counts as a PDU
From the 2028 recertification onwards you need 12 professional development units per two-year cycle. The BACB allows three routes:
| Route | What it means |
|---|---|
| In-service training | Training provided by the same organization where the RBT is employed. |
| ACE providers | Professional development events offered by ACE Coordinators. |
| University coursework | Behavior-analytic university coursework completed with a grade of C or better. |
Returning from voluntary inactive status
This is the corner of the rules with the least coverage anywhere, and it still involves a competency assessment.
RBTs returning from voluntary inactive status must complete a Reentry Competency Assessment, which is identical to the RBT Recertification Competency Assessment. Which requirements apply on your return depends on when you went inactive:
- Applied for VIS before your 2026 recertification: your one-year cycle pauses and resumes when you return. At that recertification you meet the pre-2026 requirements, including the RBT Recertification Competency Assessment. After that, you move to the two-year cycle and the updated requirements.
- Applied for VIS after your 2026 recertification: your two-year cycle pauses and resumes when you return. At that recertification you meet all 2026 recertification requirements, including the 12 PDUs.
What did not change
Your ongoing supervision requirement is untouched: a minimum of 5% of the hours you spend providing behavior-analytic services in a calendar month, including two face-to-face contacts, at least one of which must be an individual meeting. That applies throughout, regardless of which recertification model you are on.
If you are not yet certified
None of the above applies to you yet. Your route in is the Initial Competency Assessment — a different, 19-task form completed after your 40-hour training and before you apply. We cover it in full in the 2026 RBT competency assessment guide.
New RBT? See all 19 tasks on the initial assessment →Frequently Asked Questions
Was the RBT renewal competency assessment eliminated in 2026?
Do I need to recertify as an RBT in 2027?
How many PDUs do RBTs need?
What is the RBT Reentry Competency Assessment?
Is the renewal competency assessment the same as the initial one?
Did the RBT supervision requirement change?
Primary sources: BACB — RBT Initial Competency Assessment Packet, effective January 1, 2026; BACB — Guidance for Meeting RBT Requirements During the 2026 Transition; BACB — Registered Behavior Technician. Task names and assessment-type options on this page are quoted from the BACB’s own assessment form. Requirements change; always confirm against the current BACB documents before you apply.
RBT®, BCBA®, BCaBA® and BACB® are registered trademarks of the Behavior Analyst Certification Board®. FlashGenius is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the BACB. FlashGenius does not administer the RBT Initial Competency Assessment; only a qualified assessor can.