How Long Does It Take to Become an RBT?

A Registered Behavior Technician, or RBT, is an integral part of supporting children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other developmental disabilities. RBTs often have the most hands-on role with children during applied behavior analysis (ABA therapy) treatments, meaning they are the front-line workers who are helping their patients build skills.

In order to become an RBT, one must go through a rigorous process to gain certification. Once they do, they work underneath Board Certified Behavior Analysts, or BCBAs, who serve as the manager of the entire process.

One of the biggest questions people have about this is how long it takes to become an RBT. In most cases, it will take about three months to complete, but much of that depends on the availability of training for the certification as well as scheduling and taking the assessments.

If you’re interested in working in the exciting and rewarding field of ABA therapy, you might be wondering how long it takes to become an RBT and what’s involved. We will break down that process below so you understand all that’s involved.

Step	Estimated Timeframe	Notes
High School Diploma / GED	Varies (if not already completed)	Required before beginning process
Background Check	1–3 weeks	Depends on processing time
40-Hour Training Course	1–3 weeks	Self-paced; can be completed faster if done full-time
Competency Assessment	1–2 weeks (scheduling + assessment day)	Must be completed with a BCBA
RBT Certification Exam	1–2 weeks (scheduling + exam day)	In-person test; results available immediately
Total Time Estimate	2–3 months	Can vary based on availability and personal pace

Table Of Contents

Are There Prerequisites to Gain RBT Certification?

RBT certification is administered and managed by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB). By having one respected entity handle the certification, it ensures consistency in the process and that the people who become RBTs have met the highest standards of the industry.

Before you can gain RBT certification, you must first pass a few prerequisites. First, you must be at least 18 years old and have at least a high school diploma or equivalent. You do not need to have a college degree to become an RBT, though having a college degree in a related field such as child psychology could certainly help you in your work.

Next, you must pass a background check, which will look into your criminal history as well as your credit — in most cases. This is to ensure that you are safe to work around children and that you are responsible.

Once you have met these prerequisites, you will be allowed to start the official process of becoming an RBT.

If you already have your high school diploma when you turn 18, or if you obtain it shortly after, there will be no additional time added to the process. If you need to obtain a GED or other equivalent degree, there will be time associated with doing so.

Also keep in mind that the background check may take a few weeks to complete.

Requirement	Description	Impact on Timeline
Minimum Age	Must be at least 18 years old	Immediate if already 18
Education	High school diploma or equivalent (GED)	May require additional time if not completed
Background Check	Criminal and sometimes credit history review	Typically 1–3 weeks
Legal & Ethical Standing	Must be deemed fit to work with vulnerable populations	Must pass all checks

Are There Courses for RBT Certification?

The BACB requires all RBT hopefuls to complete certification coursework, which totals 40 hours. This is a training program that covers all of the basics and essentials of behavior analysis, which gives RBTs-to-be a solid understanding and foundation of the techniques and principles of ABA therapy.

Throughout the course, students will learn things such as data collection and analysis, strategies they can use in behavior intervention, behavior assessments, ethical considerations and much more.

RBT training courses are available both in person and online, and candidates can choose whichever format works best for them and their schedule. There are also many different companies that provide these courses, so just make sure that you enroll with one that is reputable and certified to provide the courses.

Another thing to keep in mind is that it’s possible to become employed at a company that provides ABA therapy before you have your official RBT certification. While you may be considered a probationary employee until you receive your certification — or be restricted as to what you can do until that time — you may also be able to get your RBT coursework and exam paid for this way.

Either way, it will take at least one week to complete all of the required certification coursework. Of course, that assumes that you approach it as a full-time job, taking eight hours of the class per day.

A more realistic timeframe here may be two or three weeks.

Is There an RBT Certification Exam?

After you have completed the required 40-hour training course, there are two final tests you must go through — the RBT competency assessment as well as the RBT certification exam.

The assessment will evaluate your competency in the different skills that you learned throughout the course, and how you would use them in ABA therapy sessions. It requires you to find a BCBA who is approved to provide the assessment, so make sure to look around if you don’t already have a job at an ABA therapy provider.

There is an application fee for the competency assessment, and you must be able to prove that you completed the training coursework before you can take it. Keep in mind that it may take a while to schedule this, depending on availability, so make sure to plan ahead.

The final step is to pass the RBT certification exam. This on-paper exam is held at official testing centers, much like ACT or SAT tests in high school are.

There is again an application fee for the exam, and you must schedule it in advance. Once you have taken the test, you will immediately receive your results.

The assessment and the exam will each be done in one day. What can add to the timeline to become an RBT, though, is scheduling these to be completed.

How long that takes will depend a lot on where you live, the accessibility to these services for you as well as the availability. For most people, it may take a month from start to finish to schedule, take and pass both of these assessments.

Are There Ongoing Requirements?

RBTs must renew their certification regularly to ensure that they are up-to-date on all the skills needed to perform ABA therapy. This also ensures that RBTs adhere to the highest ethical standards of the industry and remain committed to their own professional development.

It’s essential that you stay on top of your renewal date and all the things that you must do in order to pass it.

Requirement	Description	Frequency
Certification Renewal	Must renew to remain active	Annually
Supervision Requirements	Must be supervised by a BCBA	Ongoing
Continued Competency	Must maintain and demonstrate ABA skills	Ongoing
Adherence to Ethics Code	Must follow BACB’s RBT Ethics Code	Always

Blue Gems ABA Has Experienced RBTs and BCBAs to Support Children with ASD

How long it takes to become an RBT will really vary from one person to the next. It should take two to three months, considering the 40-hour coursework, competency assessment and certification exam that must be completed, but could easily take longer depending on your pace, and the availability and accessibility of training, assessments and exams.

This timeline can be condensed or stretched out based on a number of factors, including candidate preference, availability and more.

At Blue Gems ABA, we hire certified RBTs and BCBAs to administer ABA therapy to children with ASD. This helps ensure that we provide only the best therapy for your child, helping them build communication and social skills while also modifying certain behaviors to help them live more independently.

To learn more, please contact us today.