It’s been more than ten years (2014) since Alabama incorporated laws specifically defining the practice of behavior analysis. The Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) serves as the official national certifying agency for Alabama professionals in this field. Professionals who have been certified through this national body are eligible for licensure in Alabama.
The Alabama Behavior Analyst Licensing Board, which is under the auspices of the Alabama Department of Mental Health’s Division of Developmental Disabilities, offers licenses that correspond with each level of BACB certification (note: with the following designations, “Board” refers to the BACB and all certification options named here are granted through the BACB):
- Licensed behavior analyst – A professional who holds BCBA® certification (Board Certified Behavior Analyst)
- Licensed assistant behavior analyst – A professional who holds BCaBA® certification (Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst)
- Applied behavior analyst direct contact technician – A professional who holds RBT® (Registered Behavior Technician) certification
To work in any of these roles, you (1) must achieve national certification from the BACB and (2) be licensed by the Alabama Behavior Analyst Licensing Board.
This process is explained in detail specifically for licensed behavior analysts in these steps (processes and requirements for assistants and technicians are included at the end of each step):
 | Earn at Least a Master’s Degree in Behavior Analysis |
 | Complete a Period of Supervised Practice |
 | Pass the BCBA® Certification Exam |
 | Apply for Licensure with the Alabama Behavior Analyst Licensing Board |
Step 1. Earn at Least a Master’s Degree in Behavior Analysis
You can meet the educational requirements for BCBA® certification in one of two ways:
- Earn a master’s degree from an Association for Professional Behavior Analysts (APBA)-accredited program or an Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAIYour ABAI-accredited or recognized program must have been earned in 2015 or later and must have been accredited during this time. The APBA has begun creating a new accreditation program and will begin accrediting degrees in 2026.
OR
- Earn a master’s degree or above in behavior analysis or a similar field like psychology or education and complete 315 hours of graduate coursework in behavior analysis that includes:
- BACB Ethics Code and Code-Enforcement System; Professionalism: 45 hours
- Philosophical Underpinnings; Concepts and Principles: 90 hours
- Measurement, Data Display and Interpretation; Experimental Design: 45 hours
- Behavior Assessment: 45 hours
- Behavior-Change Procedures; Selecting and Implementing Interventions: 60 hours
- Personnel Supervision and Management: 60 hours
If you are applying based on coursework, you must provide proof that you have met the above coursework requirements in one of two ways:
- Course-by-Course Review: Your department chair, dean, or BCBA-certified VCS Coordinator reviews your course materials and completes a Non-Verified Course Content Attestation.
- Verified Course Sequence (VCS): Complete the required coursework through an ABAI-Verified Course Sequence (verify through the ABAI Verified Course Sequence Directory)*
*The ABAI announced that it is ending the VCS system on December 31, 2025. Beginning in 2026, verification must occur through the student’s university to demonstrate that the coursework standards have been met.
Master’s Prerequisites
Enrolling in a master’s program in behavior analysis means you’ll need to meet degree and course prerequisite requirements. Some master’s ABA programs admit students who have a bachelor’s degree in any field. Programs with more stringent admission standards may prefer or require you to have an undergraduate degree in fields like:
- Education
- Counselling
- Psychology
- Special education
- Social work
Examples of undergraduate course prerequisites:
- Research methods
- General psychology
- Applied behavior analysis
- Conditioning and learning
- Developmental psychology
Master’s Program in Behavior Analysis
A competitive master’s degree program in behavior analysis has several key elements:
In-Depth Advanced Courses – Examples of these types of courses include those that cover:
- Applied behavior analysis introduction
- Single subject research designs
- Behavioral assessments
- Behavior change methodologies
- Ethical issues
- Legal issues
- Advanced behavior analysis
- Skinner’s writings: theoretical and applied
Master’s Thesis – This is a capstone paper that is based on research you conduct throughout the program and should contribute to the field of behavior analysis as an in-depth exploration of a single topic.
Mentoring and Supervision – This is the chance for you to apply what you’ve learned in the classroom. Details are provided in Step 2.
Education Requirements for Assistants and Technicians
- Licensed assistant behavior analyst – Eligibility for the BCaBA® (Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst) Exam requires a bachelor’s degree from an accredited school
- Applied behavior analyst direct contact technician – Eligibility for the RBT® (Registered Behavior Technician) Competency Assessment requires a high school diploma or equivalent
Step 2. Complete a Period of Supervised Practice
To qualify to take the BCBA® examination, applicants must satisfy specific fieldwork requirements within a five-year period. The BACB recognizes two different types of fieldwork, each of which has its own set of requirements:
- Supervised Independent Fieldwork: Requires 2,000 hours of fieldwork, 5% of which must be supervised by a qualified BCBA or licensed, registered psychologist certified in behavioral and cognitive psychology, or an ABAI-verified instructor
- Concentrated Supervised Fieldwork: Requires 1,500 hours of fieldwork, 10% of which must be supervised by a qualified BCBA or licensed, registered psychologist certified in behavioral and cognitive psychology, or ABAI-verified instructor
Note: Your supervised fieldwork can begin as soon as you start your qualifying graduate-level behavior-analytic coursework and have secured a qualifying supervisor.
Supervised independent fieldwork offers more flexibility and is therefore usually chosen by working professionals or those with other commitments, whereas concentrated supervised fieldwork allows students to complete their fieldwork in less time but requires more intensive supervision.
Most ABAI-accredited/approved and APBA-accredited programs include a practicum that satisfies all or most of the required fieldwork hours. Your program director will help you locate and secure a supervisor and fieldwork site where you can begin earning your required hours.
Each supervisory period equals one month. During this time, you must complete between 20 hours (minimum) or 130 hours (maximum) of fieldwork.
During the supervisory period, at least 50% of your supervised hours must be individual, and at least 60% of your supervised hours must be spent engaged in unrestricted activities (not implementing therapeutic procedures) related to behavior analysis/behavioral intervention, such as:
- Observation and data collection
- Training staff and caregivers
- Conducting assessments
- Meeting with clients
- Data graphing and analysis
- Research literature relevant to a client’s programming
- Writing and revising programs
A sampling of some of the ABA therapy providers throughout Alabama where you can accrue supervision hours include:
- US Autism Spectrum Disorders Clinic, Tuscaloosa
- Bright Futures ABA Therapy, Enterprise
- Behavioral ONE, Vestavia Hills
- Child’s Play Therapy Center, Hoover
- Mitchell’s Place, Birmingham
- Alabama Autism Assistance Program, Birmingham
- Everything on the Spectrum, Huntsville
- Simplified Behavioral Health, Trussville
- Madison Behavior Therapy, Huntsville
- Beacon of Hope ABA, Ozark
Supervision Requirements for Assistants and Technicians
- Licensed assistant behavior analysts – Must complete at least 1,300 hours of supervised fieldwork or 1,000 hours of concentrated supervised fieldwork
- Applied behavior analyst direct contact technicians – Must complete a 40-hour training period
Step 3. Pass the BCBA® Certification Exam
All candidates must pass BCBA® exam.. You can find more information about applying for the BCBA® examination and exam dates on the BCBA® exam information section of the BACB’s website.
The exam is administered by Pearson VUE, which has testing centers throughout the U.S. Alabama testing center locations include:
- Montgomery
- Tuscaloosa (University of Alabama)
- Birmingham
- Auburn (Auburn University)
BCBA® Examination Content
The BCBA exam includes 175 scored questions and 104 tasks that are divided into the following domains:
- Behaviorism and Philosophical Foundations: 5%
- Concepts and Principles: 14%
- Measurement, Data Display, and Interpretation: 12%
- Experimental Design: 7%
- Ethical and Professional Issues: 13%
- Behavior Assessment: 13%
- Behavior-Change Procedures: 14%
- Selecting and Implementing Interventions: 11%
- Personnel Supervision and Management: 11%
You will be notified of your test results at the testing site as soon as you complete the exam. Your exam results will appear in your BACB account within 24 hours. You should receive your BACB certificate in the mail within 4-6 weeks. You may retake the exam up to eight times in two years (you must wait at least 30 days to retake the exam following your previous attempt).
Examination Requirements for Assistants and Technicians
- Licensed assistant behavior analyst – BCaBA® certification (Board Certified assistant Behavior Analyst) requires passing the BCaBA® exam
- Applied behavior analyst direct contact technician – RBT® certification (Registered Behavior Technician) requires passing the RBT® Competency Assessment
Step 4. Apply for Licensure with the Alabama Behavior Analyst Licensing Board
Once you earn BCBA® certification, you’re eligible to apply for licensure with the Alabama Behavior Analyst Licensing Board.
Upon completing the online application, you’ll receive an email confirmation. The Board will submit a background check request, at which time you’ll receive an email from AccuSource with a link so initiate your background check. After reviewing your background check results and verifying your BCBA® certification, the Board will approve your application (usually takes about one week) and send you a confirmation email.
You’ll need to renew your license every two years by maintaining your BCBA certification and completing the renewal form with the Alabama Behavior Analyst Licensing Board.
Maintaining Your BACB Certification – Your BCBA® must be renewed every two years. Renewal requires the completion of 32 units of approved continuing education.
Licensed assistant behavior analyst (those holding the BCaBA® certification) – 20 units of approved continuing education and maintenance of supervision requirements
Applied behavior analyst direct contact technician (those holding RBT® certification) – must pass the annual RBT® Competency Assessment and maintain supervision requirements.
Approved continuing education for the BACB can include:
- College and university coursework
- Scholarly activities
- Retaking and passing the certification exam
- Education from approved providers
- Teaching or instruction activities
Out-of-State Reciprocity License – If you already work in the behavior analysis field and your home state has the same requirements as Alabama, then you can apply for a license based on reciprocity with the Alabama Behavior Analyst Licensing Board. See the application contact information above.
Temporary License – If you hold certification from the BACB and you live outside Alabama, you may be allowed to temporarily practice in Alabama for a defined amount of time. See the application contact information above.
Legislative Updates – As of 2017, ABA services are covered under Alabama’s autism insurance bill (House Bill 284). Under Alabama law, behavioral health treatment, including applied behavior analysis, must be covered.
Coverage for ABA is limited to children 0-18, with a cap of $40,000 per year for children ages 0-9; $30,000 per year for children ages 10-13; and $20,000 per year for children ages 14-18.
Make sure to check with the Alabama Behavior Analyst Licensing Board via the Division of Developmental Disabilities and the Alabama Association for Behavior Analysts for any legislative updates in this field.