RBT requirements by state
RBT certification is national: the BACB's requirements are the same everywhere. Some states add their own credential for behavior technicians on top of it, and many license behavior analysts. Of the 50 states and DC, 5 have a state credential for technicians and 42 license behavior analysts.
States with their own technician credential
| State | Credential | Issued by |
|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | Registered Line Technician (RLT) | Louisiana Behavior Analyst Board |
| Mississippi | Registered Behavior Technician (registration with the Mississippi Autism Board) | Mississippi Autism Board |
| Nevada | Registered Behavior Technician (state registration) | Nevada Board of Applied Behavior Analysis (NV ABA Board) |
| Oregon | Registered Behavior Analysis Interventionist | Oregon Health Licensing Office, Behavior Analysis Regulatory Board (Oregon Health Authority) |
| Washington | Certified Behavior Technician (CBT) | Washington State Department of Health (Secretary of Health, with the Applied Behavior Analysis Advisory Committee) |
Every state
| State | Technician credential | Behavior analyst license |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | None beyond BACB certification | Licensed Behavior Analyst; also Licensed Assistant Behavior AnalystAlabama Department of Mental Health, advised by the Alabama Behavior Analyst Advisory Council (formerly the Alabama Behavior Analyst Licensing Board) |
| Alaska | None beyond BACB certification | Behavior Analyst license; also Assistant Behavior Analyst licenseAlaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development, Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing |
| Arizona | None beyond BACB certification | Licensed Behavior AnalystArizona Board of Psychologist Examiners |
| Arkansas | None beyond BACB certification | Registered Behavior Analyst (state title registration, not a license; requires BACB BCBA or BCBA-D certification, or QABA Qualified Behavior Analyst certification under Act 869 of 2025)Arkansas Psychology Board |
| California | None beyond BACB certification | No state license |
| Colorado | None beyond BACB certification | Licensed Behavior Analyst; also Licensed Assistant Behavior Analyst (law enacted 2026; license required from July 1, 2028)Colorado Behavior Analyst Licensing Board (created by HB26-1425 as a Type 1 board within the Division of Professions and Occupations, Department of Regulatory Agencies) |
| Connecticut | None beyond BACB certification | Licensed Behavior AnalystConnecticut Department of Public Health |
| Delaware | None beyond BACB certification | No state license |
| District of Columbia | None beyond BACB certification | Licensed Behavior Analyst (in statute since July 19, 2024; implementation by DC Health unconfirmed)DC Board of Psychology (DC Health) |
| Florida | None beyond BACB certification | No state license |
| Georgia | None beyond BACB certification | Licensed Behavior Analyst (LBA); also Licensed Assistant Behavior AnalystGeorgia Behavior Analyst Licensing Board (Secretary of State, Professional Licensing Boards Division) |
| Hawaii | None beyond BACB certification | Licensed Behavior AnalystHawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Professional and Vocational Licensing Division, Behavior Analyst Program |
| Idaho | None beyond BACB certification | No state license |
| Illinois | None beyond BACB certification | Licensed Behavior Analyst; also Licensed Assistant Behavior AnalystIllinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) |
| Indiana | None beyond BACB certification | Licensed Behavior Analyst (LBA); also Licensed Assistant Behavior Analyst (LABA)Indiana Professional Licensing Agency, Behavior Analyst Committee |
| Iowa | None beyond BACB certification | Licensed Behavior Analyst; also Licensed Assistant Behavior AnalystIowa Board of Behavioral Health Professionals (Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing) |
| Kansas | None beyond BACB certification | Licensed Behavior Analyst (LBA); also Licensed Assistant Behavior Analyst (LaBA)Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board |
| Kentucky | None beyond BACB certification | Licensed Behavior Analyst; also Licensed Assistant Behavior AnalystKentucky Applied Behavior Analysis Licensing Board (Department of Professional Licensing) |
| Louisiana | Registered Line Technician (RLT) | Licensed Behavior Analyst (LBA); also State-Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst (SCaBA)Louisiana Behavior Analyst Board |
| Maine | None beyond BACB certification | No state license |
| Maryland | None beyond BACB certification | Licensed Behavior AnalystMaryland State Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists (Behavior Analyst Advisory Committee) |
| Massachusetts | None beyond BACB certification | Licensed Applied Behavior Analyst; also Licensed Assistant Applied Behavior AnalystMassachusetts Board of Registration of Allied Mental Health and Human Services Professions |
| Michigan | None beyond BACB certification | Licensed Behavior Analyst; also Licensed Assistant Behavior AnalystMichigan Board of Behavior Analysts (Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, LARA) |
| Minnesota | None beyond BACB certification | Licensed Behavior AnalystMinnesota Board of Psychology |
| Mississippi | Registered Behavior Technician (registration with the Mississippi Autism Board) | Licensed Behavior Analyst; also Licensed Assistant Behavior AnalystMississippi Autism Board |
| Missouri | None beyond BACB certification | Licensed Behavior Analyst (LBA); also Licensed Assistant Behavior Analyst (LaBA)Missouri Behavior Analyst Advisory Board, State Committee of Psychologists, Division of Professional Registration |
| Montana | None beyond BACB certification | Licensed Behavior Analyst; also Licensed Assistant Behavior AnalystMontana Board of Psychologists (Department of Labor and Industry) |
| Nebraska | None beyond BACB certification | Licensed Behavior Analyst; also Licensed Assistant Behavior AnalystNebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Licensure Unit |
| Nevada | Registered Behavior Technician (state registration) | Licensed Behavior Analyst (LBA); also Licensed Assistant Behavior Analyst (LaBA)Nevada Board of Applied Behavior Analysis |
| New Hampshire | None beyond BACB certification | No state license |
| New Jersey | None beyond BACB certification | Licensed Applied Behavior Analyst; also Licensed Assistant Applied Behavior AnalystNew Jersey State Board of Applied Behavior Analyst Examiners (Division of Consumer Affairs) |
| New Mexico | None beyond BACB certification | No state license |
| New York | None beyond BACB certification | Licensed Behavior Analyst (LBA); also Certified Behavior Analyst Assistant (CBAA)New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions (State Board for Applied Behavior Analysis) |
| North Carolina | None beyond BACB certification | Licensed Behavior Analyst; also Licensed Assistant Behavior AnalystNorth Carolina Behavior Analysis Board (listed by the BACB as the NC Behavior Analyst Licensure Board) |
| North Dakota | None beyond BACB certification | Licensed Behavior Analyst; also Licensed Assistant Behavior AnalystNorth Dakota State Board of Integrative Health Care |
| Ohio | None beyond BACB certification | Certified Ohio Behavior Analyst (state certificate to practice applied behavior analysis)Ohio State Board of Psychology |
| Oklahoma | None beyond BACB certification | Licensed Behavior Analyst; also Certified Assistant Behavior AnalystOklahoma Department of Human Services, Developmental Disabilities Services Division (with the Licensed Behavior Analyst Board), moving to the State Board of Examiners of Psychologists on November 1, 2026 under SB 1557 |
| Oregon | Registered Behavior Analysis Interventionist | Licensed Behavior Analyst; also Licensed Assistant Behavior AnalystBehavior Analysis Regulatory Board, Oregon Health Licensing Office |
| Pennsylvania | None beyond BACB certification | Behavior Specialist license (not specific to behavior analysts; a master's degree in one of several fields, including behavior analysis, qualifies)Pennsylvania State Board of Medicine (Department of State, Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs) |
| Rhode Island | None beyond BACB certification | Licensed Applied Behavior Analyst; also Licensed Applied Behavior Assistant AnalystRhode Island Department of Health, with the Rhode Island Applied Behavior Analyst Licensing Board (R.I. Gen. Laws 5-86-4) |
| South Carolina | None beyond BACB certification | No state license |
| South Dakota | None beyond BACB certification | Licensed Behavior AnalystSouth Dakota Board of Social Work Examiners (SDCL 36-38-1(3)), with a three-member Applied Behavior Analyst Advisory Committee appointed by the Governor (SDCL 36-38-4) |
| Tennessee | None beyond BACB certification | Licensed Behavior Analyst; also Licensed Assistant Behavior AnalystTennessee Applied Behavior Analyst Licensing Committee (of the Board of Examiners in Psychology, Department of Health) |
| Texas | None beyond BACB certification | Licensed Behavior Analyst; also Licensed Assistant Behavior AnalystTexas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) |
| Utah | None beyond BACB certification | Licensed Behavior Analyst; also Licensed Assistant Behavior Analyst (plus closed registrations for Registered Behavior Specialist and Registered Assistant Behavior Specialist)Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL) |
| Vermont | None beyond BACB certification | Licensed Applied Behavior Analyst; also Licensed Assistant Behavior AnalystVermont Secretary of State, Office of Professional Regulation (with Applied Behavior Analysis advisors) |
| Virginia | None beyond BACB certification | Licensed Behavior Analyst; also Licensed Assistant Behavior AnalystVirginia Board of Medicine (Department of Health Professions) |
| Washington | Certified Behavior Technician (CBT) | Licensed Behavior Analyst (LBA); also Licensed Assistant Behavior Analyst (LABA)Washington State Department of Health |
| West Virginia | None beyond BACB certification | No state license |
| Wisconsin | None beyond BACB certification | Licensed Behavior AnalystWisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) |
| Wyoming | None beyond BACB certification | Licensed Behavior Analyst; also Licensed Assistant Behavior AnalystWyoming State Board of Psychology |
From each state's statutes, rules and licensing board, checked in October 2026. Each state's page lists its sources and the rules in detail. Laws change: check with the state board before you rely on this, and ask your employer what your role requires. Funders such as Medicaid programs and insurers can also have their own technician requirements.
What this means for you
- You still need BACB certification as an RBT to call yourself an RBT anywhere; a state credential is in addition to it, not instead of it.
- In states with a technician credential, you may need it before you can provide services, and some accept RBT certification as the route to it.
- Your supervisor's license matters too: in states that license behavior analysts, your BCBA supervisor must hold the state license.