The Applied Behavior Analyst Licensing Committee (ABALC), under the Tennessee Department of Health, is responsible for issuing licenses to applied behavior analysts in the state.
To earn the Licensed Behavior Analyst or Licensed Assistant Behavior Analyst designation in Tennessee, you must first earn a credential through the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB):
- Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA®) (master’s level credential universally recognized for full-authority ABAs)
- Board Certified Behavior Analyst – Doctoral (BCBA®-D) (considered an extension of the BCBA® credential and grants the same level of authority; requires holding the BCBA® first)
- Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst (BCaBA®)
This guide outlines the process of becoming a Licensed Behavior Analyst in Tennessee, with instructions for the Licensed Assistant Behavior Analyst following below each step.
Follow these steps to earn BACB certification and become licensed in Tennessee:
Step 1. Earn a Master’s or Higher Degree in Behavior Analysis or a Similar Field and Meet Behavior Analysis Coursework Requirements
To earn the BCBA® credential, you’ll need to first earn a master’s or doctoral degree in behavioral analysis or in a similar field like education or psychology and complete specific, graduate-level coursework in behavior analysis.
The easiest way to meet BACB educational requirements is by earning an Association for Professional Behavior Analysts (APBA)-accredited master’s degree or an Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI)-accredited or recognized master’s or doctoral degree. Both APBA- and ABAI-accredited programs meet all educational and coursework requirements for BCBA® certification.
However, you can also meet BACB educational requirements by earning a master’s degree in behavior analysis or in a similar field and then completing the following specific, graduate-level coursework in behavior analysis:
- 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
The ABAI maintains a list of approved programs called Verified Course Sequences (VCS) that meet the above coursework requirements. You can also meet coursework requirements independent of a VCS, but your department chair, dean, or BCBA-certified VCS Coordinator will need to conduct a course-by-course review and complete a Non-Verified Course Content Attestation to be sent to the BACB.
*Note: The VCS system is ending 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 Program Coursework and Prerequisites
Behavior analysis master’s degree programs include coursework such as:
- Legal issues
- Behavior change theories and methodologies
- Single subject research designs
- Ethical issues
- Skinner’s writings on applied and theoretical behavior analysis
- Conducting behavioral assessments
- Applied behavior analysis introduction
- Advanced behavior analysis
The most comprehensive ABA master’s programs require a thesis and include a practicum.
Some behavior analyst master’s programs accept a bachelor’s degree in any field, while others may require an undergraduate degree in a related field like:
- Education
- Counseling
- Psychology
- Special education
- Social work
Examples of undergraduate course prerequisites include:
- Research methods
- General psychology
- Applied behavior analysis
- Conditioning and learning
- Developmental psychology
Education Requirements for Assistant Applied Behavior Analysts
Assistant ABAs must earn the BACB’s Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst (BCaBA®) credential by passing the BCaBA® exam. Qualified exam candidates must earn a bachelor’s degree in behavior analysis, psychology, or education.
Undergraduate degrees must adhere to the BACB’s coursework requirements.
Step 2. Complete an Approved Period of Supervised Experience
You must also complete between 1,500 and 2,000 hours of supervised fieldwork to qualify for the BCBA® credential.
Qualifying supervised experience will include these elements:
- Development of performance expectations
- Behavioral skills training, observation, and delivery of performance feedback
- Modeling of ethical, professional, and technical behavior
- Guidance of behavioral case decision making, conceptualization, and problem solving
- Review of written materials like reports, behavior programs, and data sheets
- Evaluation and oversight regarding the effects of the behavioral service delivery and supervision
- Up to half of the supervision can be conducted in small groups
- The supervised experience must be conducted according to a written contract pre-established between you and your supervisor
- The supervised experience must be well documented, including hours and activities
The total number of required fieldwork hours will depend on the amount of supervision you receive during this time:
- Supervised Independent Fieldwork: Requires 2,000 hours of fieldwork, 5% of which must be supervised by a qualified BCBA; licensed, registered psychologist certified in behavioral and cognitive psychology; or ABAI-verified instructor
- Concentrated Supervised Fieldwork: Requires 1,500 hours of fieldwork, 10% of which must be supervised by a qualified BCBA; licensed, registered psychologist certified in behavioral and cognitive psychology; or ABAI-verified instructor
During each supervisory month, you must complete between 20 and 130 hours of supervised fieldwork experience.
You can begin earning the required experience as soon as you begin taking graduate-level behavior analysis coursework. If you are earning an ABAI- or APBA-accredited program, you’ll begin earning these fieldwork hours as part of your program’s practicum. Many students of these programs are able to complete most or all of the required fieldwork requirements before graduation.
Supervised Experience Requirements for Assistant Behavior Analysts
If you are working toward BCaBA® certification, you’ll need to complete at least 1,300 hours of supervised fieldwork or 1,000 hours of concentrated supervised fieldwork.
Step 3. Pass the BCBA® Certification Exam
Once you have an appropriate graduate degree and fulfill the experience requirement, you’ll need to apply with the BACB. Once the BACB has approved your application, you’ll receive an email from Pearson VUE, the exam administrator, with instructions for registering to take the BCBA® exam. You’ll choose a Pearson VUE testing center location, date, and time for taking the exam.
There are Pearson VUE testing centers located throughout Tennessee, including:
- Brentwood
- Nashville
- Chattanooga
- Martin
- Memphis
- Johnson City
- Knoxville
Board Certified Behavioral Analyst (BCBA®) Exam Content
You’ll have four hours to complete this computer-based exam, which consists of 175 graded multiple-choice questions.
The BCBA® exam includes 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%
Examination Requirements for Assistant Behavior Analysts
The process of applying for, scheduling, and taking the BCaBA® exam is similar to that of the BCBA® exam. You are eligible for this once you complete your requisite education and supervised experience.
Step 4. Apply for State Licensure with the Applied Behavior Analyst Licensing Committee
Once you’ve received your BACB certification, you’ll be ready to apply for state licensure with the TN Department of Health as a Licensed Behavior Analyst (LBA) or a Licensed Assistant Behavior Analyst (LABA).
All Applicants – Applied Behavior Analysts and Assistant ABAs
You can apply online through the TN License and Regulatory System (LARS) portal or by submitting a paper application.
Your application must include:
- Two letters of recommendation from applied behavior analyst professionals or professionals of a related field. The letters must be on letterhead, include an original signature, and dated within the last 12 months.
- Verification of Licensure if you’re licensed in another state, regardless of the status of your license
You’ll need to complete materials for a criminal background check.
The Administrative Office will request proof of your BACB certification directly from the BACB.
Any and all application materials and documentation must be sent to:
Applied Behavior Analyst Licensing Committee
665 Mainstream Drive
Nashville, Tennessee 37243
Out-of-State License by Reciprocity
If you are an applied behavior analyst or assistant ABA licensed in another state, you are not required to obtain two letters of recommendation if you are applying for a license based on reciprocity.
License Renewal – ABAs and Assistant ABAs
All licenses are valid for two years. The Applied Behavior Analyst Licensing Committee
(ABALC) will mail you a renewal form before your license expires. To be eligible for renewal, you must have maintained a clean criminal record and ethical practice history. Assistant ABAs must show proof of ongoing supervision.
All applicants for renewal must complete at least 3 continuing education hours on cultural diversity.
You must also show proof that your BACB certification – BCBA® or BCaBA® – is current. That means renewing your BACB license every two years through that agency. Doing this requires completing the following amounts of continuing education biannually:
- Applied behavior analysts (those with BCBA® certification) – 32 units of approved continuing education
- Assistant behavior analyst (those with BCaBA® certification) – 20 units of approved continuing education and maintenance of supervision requirements
At least four hours of continuing education must relate to ethics. Approved continuing education can include:
- College and university coursework
- Scholarly activities
- Retaking and passing the certification exam
- Education from approved providers
- Teaching or instruction activities
ABA Providers Leading Change in Tennessee
A growing number of ABA providers throughout Tennessee means greater access to essential services and resources for children, adolescents, and adults with autism and other developmental disorders. Just some of the big names in ABA services leading the charge include:
Total Care ABA Therapy, Memphis
Total Care ABA Therapy provides at-home ABA services to help children with autism improve their social and communication skills. They currently provide services in Georgia, Arizona, Indiana, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Maine, and they’re constantly expanding into new locations to ensure that children on the autism spectrum, particularly those in rural communities, have access to ABA services.
ABA Centers of TN, Franklin and Goodlettsville
ABA Centers of TN, which currently has locations in Frankin and Goodlettsville, along with new centers soon opening in Knoxville and Murfreesboro, provides comprehensive ABA therapy in home settings. Their ABA therapy options for children include:
- Testing and diagnosis
- In-home ABA therapy
- Parent training
- Life, school, and community integration skills
They also provide ABA services for teenagers, ages 13-18, which are designed to help teenagers with autism grow into self-reliant, successful adults.
Grateful Care ABA, Knoxville
Grateful Care ABA, which has locations in Indiana, Georgia, Arizona, North Carolina, and Virginia, along with Knoxville in Tennessee, offers home-, school-, and center-based ABA services. They offer one-on-one work with children in home settings and also work closely with teachers and administrators to ensure that children have the resources they need to succeed. They also provide parent training to allow caregivers to continue the child’s learning in the home environment.