The RBT exam format
The RBT exam is a 90-minute, computer-based, multiple-choice test of 85 questions taken at a Pearson VUE test center. 75 questions are scored, spread across six content areas; 10 are unscored.
The basics
- 85 questions: 75 scored and 10 unscored. The unscored questions are new questions being tried out; they look like the others and you can't tell which they are.
- Four options, one correct answer for every question.
- 90 minutes, which includes reading the terms and conditions, the navigation tutorial, a load-time prompt and any time you spend reviewing.
- Computer-based, in person, at Pearson VUE test centers and approved US military bases.
- English only.
- Pass or fail, with the result given at the test center.
What the 75 scored questions cover
The exam follows the RBT Test Content Outline (3rd ed.), which has applied to every RBT exam since January 1, 2026. If a new edition takes effect while you're authorized to test, you must take the new version.
| Content area | Questions | Share |
|---|---|---|
| A. Data Collection and Graphing | 13 | 17% |
| B. Behavior Assessment | 8 | 11% |
| C. Behavior Acquisition | 19 | 25% |
| D. Behavior Reduction | 14 | 19% |
| E. Documentation and Reporting | 10 | 13% |
| F. Ethics | 11 | 15% |
All questions are worth the same, and your result depends on your overall performance, not on each content area. The three biggest areas, behavior acquisition, behavior reduction and data collection, make up 46 of the 75 questions.
What the questions are like
Most questions describe a short situation and ask you to identify a procedure, record or calculate something, or choose what an RBT should do. The BACB's handbook includes three retired sample questions: one asks for a rate per hour from a count and a session length, one is a confidentiality scenario with a friend, and one asks which differential reinforcement procedure is being used. They show the style: applied, specific, and with distractors from the same family of terms.
Questions are written for an entry-level behavior technician working under supervision. When a question asks what an RBT should do, the right answer usually follows the plan as written and involves the supervisor, rather than the RBT changing the plan or deciding something on their own.
At the test center
You get a dry-erase board, and earplugs on request; you don't get a calculator. You can take breaks, but the clock doesn't stop. See exam day.
Practise in the real format
Our mock exams follow this format: 85 questions, 10 of them unscored, in 90 minutes, with the scored questions spread across the content areas at the same weights.
Common questions
How many questions are on the RBT exam?
85: 75 scored questions and 10 unscored pilot questions, all multiple choice with four options.
How long is the RBT exam?
90 minutes. That time includes the terms and conditions, the navigation tutorial and any review at the end, and the clock keeps running during breaks.
Can I take the RBT exam online?
No. The RBT exam is given in person at Pearson VUE test centers and approved US military bases.
Is the RBT exam available in Spanish?
No. The RBT exam is offered only in English, and translators are not allowed at the test center unless you have an approved accommodation.
Sources
- BACB, Registered Behavior Technician Handbook (updated 06/2026)
- BACB, RBT Test Content Outline (3rd ed.)
Checked October 27, 2026. The BACB updates its requirements from time to time; your BACB portal account and the current RBT Handbook are the final word.