In 2017, Michigan joined the growing number of states that regulate the practice and behavior analysts through state licensure, with Senate Bills 1015 and 1016 paving the way for Michigan’s regulation of applied behavior analysts.
In 2019, the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) partnered with the Michigan Board of Behavior Analysts to develop administrative rules regarding the practice of applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy and, on January 7, 2020, LARA began accepting licenses for behavior analysts and assistant behavior analysts.
As of January 2020, all behavior analysts and assistant behavior analysts must be licensed through LARA’s Michigan Board of Behavior Analysts before engaging in the practice of ABA.
Like many other states, Michigan defers to the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) to set the qualifications for licensure in the state. Therefore, to qualify for state licensure and practice ABA in Michigan, behavior analysts and assistant behavior analysts must earn and maintain certification as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst® (BCBA®) or a Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst® (BCaBA®).
Earning a Master’s Degree and Qualifying for the BCBA® Credential and State Licensure in Michigan
Becoming a licensed behavior analyst in Michigan means first earning the BCBA® credential, which requires the following:
 | Earning a Graduate Degree and Completing Specific Coursework in Behavior Analysis |
 | Completing Fieldwork in Behavior Analysis |
 | Passing the National BCBA® Exam |
Education Requirements
To qualify for BCBA® certification, you must first earn a master’s or doctoral degree in behavior analysis or a similar field and complete specific coursework in behavior analysis.
The easiest way to satisfy the educational requirement for certification is to earn an Association for Professional Behavior Analysts (APBA)-accredited master’s degree program or an Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI)-accredited or recognized behavior analysis master’s or doctoral degree. Earning an accredited degree ensures you’ve met all educational standards for BCBA® certification.
But you can also meet the requirements by first earning a master’s or doctoral degree and then completing at least 315 hours of graduate coursework in behavior analysis, which must include:
- 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
Fortunately, there are plenty of schools that offer the above behavior analysis coursework, usually in the form of a graduate certificate. In fact, the ABAI maintains a list of programs they call Verified Course Sequences (VCS) that meet coursework requirements for BCBA® certification. You can find a directory of these programs here.
You can also meet the coursework requirements by completing the required courses independent of a VCS. You’ll need to have your department chair, dean, or BCBA-certified VCS Coordinator complete a Non-Verified Course Content Attestation that signifies that you have satisfied the required courses.
Note: The ABAI announced that it is ending the VCS system on December 31, 2025. As of 2026, if you complete a program that is not accredited/approved by the ABAI or accredited by the APBA, you must submit a Non-Verified Content Attestation to the BACB to demonstrate that the coursework standards have been met.
Experience Requirements
You’ll need to accrue between 1,500 and 2,000 hours of supervised fieldwork hours in behavior analysis to qualify for BCBA® certification. The total number of hours is dependent upon the amount of supervision you receive during your fieldwork period.
You’ll be able to begin satisfying the fieldwork requirements for BCBA® certification once you begin taking graduate-level coursework in behavior analysis. Most ABAI- and APBA-accredited programs include a practicum where you can begin to fulfill these requirements, and your program director will help you secure a site and qualified supervisor (must be a BCBA®; a licensed, registered psychologist who’s certified in behavioral and cognitive psychology; or an ABAI-verified instructor).
During each supervisory month, you must complete between 20 and 150 hours of fieldwork. You’ll have five years to complete all required fieldwork.
In Michigan, a large network of ABA providers ensures plenty of opportunities to earn the required fieldwork hours. Just some of the ABA providers in Michigan where you may be able to satisfy your hours include:
- Leaps and Bounds Therapy Services, Brighton
- Lepak & Associates, Walled Lake
- Lighthouse Autism Center, Kalamazoo
- Little Mittens Autism Center, Novi
- Oxford Recovery Center, Troy
- Mercy Plus Autism Services, Standish
- Arbor Autism Centers, Ypsilanti
- Autism Home Services, Ann Arbor
- Budding Behavior Therapy, Auburn Hills
- Building Bridges Therapy Center, Plymouth
Exam Requirements
After you’ve satisfied the required fieldwork hours for certification, you must apply with the BACB to take the BCBA® exam. Pearson VUE administers the BCBA® exam at testing sites throughout the country.
You can take the exam at one of the following Pearson VUE testing sites in Michigan:
- Pleasant
- Grand Rapids
- East Lansing
- Houghton
- Kalamazoo
- Dearborn
- Marquette
- Southfield
- Troy
- Ann Arbor
Click here for detailed step-by-step instructions on the BCBA® credentialing process.
State Licensure Requirements
Once you’ve earned BCBA® certification, it’s time to apply for state licensure as a Behavior Analyst. All applications must be submitted online through LARA’s Michigan Professional Licensing User System (MiPLUS). You’ll need to first register with the system.
The BACB must send proof of your BCBA® certification directly to LARA by email at [email protected] or by mail at Bureau of Professional Licensing, P.O. Box 30670, Lansing, MI 48909.
Once your online application is completed, LARA will email you an Application Confirmation letter that includes instructions for completing the Criminal Background Check. The average time to receive your license is about 4-6 weeks.
You must also complete two hours of Implicit Bias Training.
Renewal Requirements
Your BCBA® must be renewed every two years. Renewal requires the completion of 32 units of approved continuing education.
Your Behavior Analyst state license must be renewed every four years.
ABA Providers in Michigan
Michigan’s ABA providers are growing in numbers as the practice of ABA becomes more widely recognized. According to the Michigan Behavior Analysis Providers Association (MiBAP), there are now more than 100 providers throughout the state, such as:
Bright Behavior Therapy
With locations in Dearborn, Novi, Troy, and West Bloomfield, Bright Behavior Therapy is becoming a widely recognized ABA provider in Michigan. Bright Behavior Therapy helps children, teens, and young adults with autism through their facilities in southeast Michigan. Known for their customized treatment plans and one-on-one and group ABA sessions, Bright Behavior Therapy is dedicated to providing children and young adults with a better quality of life through therapies focused on behavior planning, pre-academic skills, motor skills, independence skills, social skills/communication, and daily planning strategies. They also provide staff training for schools, daycares, hospitals, pediatric clinics, workplaces, and more.
Caliber Autism LLC
Troy’s Caliber Autism & Pediatric Therapy is a behavior health agency focused on providing community-based mental health services to individuals with autism. Committed to the H3 formula of success: Humility, Honest, and Hard work, Caliber Autism provides individuals and their families with services from the time of diagnosis through adulthood with direct care and social skills programs. They offer their services seven days a week, with appointment times after schools, in the evenings, and throughout the week.
Healing Haven
Healing Haven is a Madison-based ABA therapy services provider that provides comprehensive behavioral health and autism services from age 2 through adult. They also offer speech therapy, occupational therapy, autism testing and evaluation services, and counseling for the entire family.