Washington State passed legislation to enact licensing requirements for three classifications of ABA professional: Applied Behavior Analysts (ABAs), Licensed Assistant Behavior Analysts (LABAs), and Certified Behavior Technicians (CBTs) when the governor signed Senate Bill 5488 into law in 2015.
The law added a new chapter to the Washington Administrative Code, WAC 246-805, which took effect in July of 2017 to define licensing and regulation for the practice of applied behavior analysis.
The code authorizes the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) to oversee the licensing process.
The DOH Offers Three Paths to ABA Licensure in Washington
Although there are technically three paths to becoming a licensed ABA in Washington, all basically require certification as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA®) through the Behavior Analyst Certification Board. The only significant difference is the amount of detail you must provide with your application and whether or not your BCBA® is current.
- If you do not currently hold BCBA® certification at the time of your application, you must have a graduate degree in an approved field, have 1,500 hours of supervised practice as part of your graduate program and/or independent fieldwork, provide proof of completing a minimum of 225 classroom hours of ABA courses, and have a passing score on the BCBA® exam.
OR
- If you already have your Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA®) credential, which also requires a master’s or higher degree and similar experience requirements, you may apply by providing your certificate number, which the DOH will verify with the BACB and accept as proof of qualification.
OR
- If you hold a current, unrestricted credential equivalent to the Washington-state issued LBA in another state with substantially equivalent requirements, you may receive your LBA by endorsement, without providing additional material. There are currently 28 states that Washington considers equivalent for reciprocal licensing purposes.
Licenses are good for two years. The state also offers temporary licensure to applicants who are currently licensed in other jurisdictions, provided the qualifications in that jurisdiction are acceptable to the DOH.
The requirements for LABA and CBT licensing are similar but have different education and experience requirements. In both cases, the corresponding BACB credential stands as an alternative option.
- LABA – Hold the BACB-issued BCaBA® or have 1,000 hours of supervised experience and 135 hours of classroom instruction
- CBT – Hold the BACB-issued RBT® or successful completion of a behavior technician training program
Preparing for Washington State ABA Licensing with a Master’s Degree
A master’s degree in applied behavior analysis specifically, or in a related field (usually education or psychology) along with substantial coursework in ABA is the standard qualification for entering the field.
The Washington State code concerning applied behavior analysis licensing allows for a broader set of degree concentrations than the BACB for the state’s Licensed Behavior Analyst (LBA) designation. Candidates can earn a master’s or doctorate degree in one of the following:
- Behavior Analysis
- Education
- Human Services
- Engineering
- Medicine
- Natural Science
- Others as approved by the Department of Health
Whether as part of the master’s or through an independent post-master’s certificate program, the candidate’s graduate-level education must include a minimum of 225 classroom hours specific to behavior analysis topics.
Increasingly, students are choosing accredited online programs. The ability to time-shift class work makes it easier to complete a degree while still working, and the variety of online options assures you have access to a program that offers the perfect fit for your goals. That can be true whether it means earning a degree in behavior analysis specifically or earning a degree in psychology or education with a minor or concentration in applied behavior analysis.
The Role of the Behavior Analyst Certification Board in Establishing State Licensing Laws and Qualifications
The Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) is almost certainly a familiar name to you by now. As the premier national non-profit credentialing agencies for ABAs, BACB sets widely-recognized professional qualification and practice standards. All states align their licensing standards with BACB certifications, either exclusively, or at least as one viable path to licensure.
The APBA’s (Association of Professional Behavior Analysts) Model Act for Licensing and Regulating Behavior Analysts, (formerly maintained by BACB) has been used as the basis for licensing laws in virtually all states that have already established licensing processes and requirements. Washington is no exception.
BACB certifications that are acceptable for Washington State ABA licensure at the various levels are:
- Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA®) and Board Certified Behavior Analyst-Doctorate (BCBA®-D)
- Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst (BCaBA®)
- Registered Behavior Technician (RBT®)
The BCBA® represents the standard credential used to qualify for state licensing. Even in the absence of licensing laws, earning the credential is a universally-recognized way to meet accepted standards and demonstrate mastery of specialized knowledge in applied behavior analysis.
Earning the BCBA® credential is also a practical matter since it is a standard qualification for employment and often required for ABA services to be covered by insurance.
The BCBA®-D for doctorate-prepared ABAs is only available after first earning the BCBA® and is not considered a separate credential, and it doesn’t have a greater scope of authority. On the other hand, it’s a plus in the job market, since doctoral graduates have considerably greater training behind them than even someone with a master’s degree.
Education, Experience and Exam Requirements for BCBA® Certification
The Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA®) certification requires a master’s degree in behavior analysis, education, or psychology that meets board-specified curriculum requirements. Qualifying degrees in education or psychology typically have a focus or minor in applied behavior analysis.
You can also qualify with a doctoral degree or educational specialist (Ed.S.) degree with a concentration in applied behavior analysis. And other pathways allow essentially any type of master’s program with the appropriate coursework to qualify.
Graduate programs that have been accredited by the ABAI (Association for Behavior Analysis International), or APBA have a pre-approved curriculum that meets board requirements. Similarly, schools recognized as part of ABAI’s new Tiered Model of Education will be automatically accepted for BACB credentialing purposes.
Some schools offer a verified course sequence as part of a non-degree post-graduate program for candidates who already hold a graduate degree but still need to complete coursework in applied behavior analysis in preparation for the certification exam.
And even if your program hasn’t been accredited or recognized, you can still have the BACB evaluate your course syllabus during the application process to ensure you meet the qualifications to take the certification exam.
However, by the end of 2025, all applicants will either need to attend recognized or accredited programs, or have their coursework attested to by a VCS (Verified Course Sequence) coordinator within their school to confirm it meets all curriculum requirements.
Getting The Hands-On Experience Required for Washington State ABA Licensure
Either as part of your degree program or as independent fieldwork after graduation, you will have to complete at least 1500 hours of supervised practical experience before to meet Washington DOH requirements.
That’s also the minimum amount of concentrated supervised fieldwork accepted by BACB for the BCBA® (assistants need only 1000 hours; there’s no similar requirement for CBTs). However, concentrated fieldwork is more intensive than the state standard—you’ll need to spend at least ten percent of those hours in supervision, with six contacts per month with your supervisor.
An alternative is ordinary supervised fieldwork, which requires you to clock 2000 hours (1300 for assistants). This path requires less supervisory time, but in either case your supervisor has to either be a BCBA® or meet other stringent BACB requirements.
A combination of each of these types of experiences is also accepted.
After attaining your master’s degree and fulfilling all the necessary experience requirements, you will be eligible to take the National Behavior Analyst Exam from the BACB. The exam is administered by Pearson VUE and offered in exam centers located in:
- Renton
- Seattle
- Spokane
- Yakima
- Bellingham
- College Place
The exam is a 175-question, multiple-choice test conducted over four hours and covering a variety of practical, professional, and ethical questions on the practice of applied behavior analysis. The BCaBA exam covers the same knowledge base with the same number of questions, but at a skill level more appropriate to assistant ABA services. The RBT® exam is only 85 questions but must be completed in 90 minutes.
Click here for detailed step-by-step instructions on the BCBA® credentialing process.
Obtaining an ABA License in Washington State
You can obtain an application form from the Department of Health website, along with supplementary forms you may need as part of your application process including:
- Out-of-State credential verification
- Supervised experience forms
If you already have your BCBA®, the application process is as simple as filling out the form with the required personal information and your BCBA® certificate number and submitting it with a $250 fee. The fee covers both the application cost and your initial license.
For LABAs, the fee is $160 and for CBTs only $95.
It’s also now possible to apply online through the DOH website as well as through traditional paper forms.
If you do not have a current BCBA®, you will also have to provide transcripts proving that you meet the educational requirements, and supervised experience forms attesting that you meet the required amounts of experience.
For anyone applying for licensure through reciprocity, you’ll need to send a request to the licensing authority in your current state to provide proof directly to Washington’s Department of Health, including that your license remains in good standing.
Applying for a Temporary ABA License
For any practitioner who is currently licensed in another state as an ABA in good standing, and is either in the process of applying to DOH for a full ABA license or will be practicing for fewer than 180 days in Washington, a temporary license may be issued. The cost is $50, and the same verification process required for licensure by endorsement is used to establish your eligibility.
Maintaining and Renewing Your Washington ABA License
Licenses are good for two years, dating from your birthday in the year you receive the license, and cost $350 to renew for an additional two years. For assistants, the fee is only $175, and for techs, only $150.
Your continuing education statement is the same thing as your renewal form, so you’ll provide all that information as part of your renewal filing.
LBAs will need 32 hours of CE every two years and LABAs 20 hours, with four hours in professional ethics and boundaries. These are pretty closely aligned with the BACB requirements, as are the rules for authorized providers. Generally, as long as you are keeping your professional certification current, you will also be in alignment with the requirements for Washington state renewal.
Keeping Up With Developments in Washington State ABA Licensing
Like any other profession, changes and updates are always possible for ABA practitioners. One great venue for remaining informed and contributing input to the rule-making process is through membership in the Washington Association for Behavior Analysis (WABA). WABA was instrumental in pushing forward SB5488 into law, and the organization remains poised to help inform the implementation process by providing feedback from its members.
WABA is an affiliate of ABAI and of APBA and provides other membership benefits such as:
- Access to ABAI job listings
- Annual conferences
- Continuing education opportunities
A student membership is available at a reduced rate if you would like to become a member before completing your degree program.