RBT requirements in California

The rules that affect RBTs

• California issues no state credential for behavior technicians and does not license behavior analysts.
• For health plan coverage of autism treatment, Business and Professions Code 4999.202 (as moved there by SB 402, Statutes of 2025) defines a "qualified autism service paraprofessional" as an unlicensed and uncertified individual.
• A paraprofessional must be supervised by a qualified autism service provider or professional, implement a treatment plan approved by the provider, and be employed by that provider or its employing entity.
• A paraprofessional must meet the education and training qualifications in 17 CCR 54342 and have adequate education, training and experience as certified by the provider or its employing entity.
• BACB certification (or another NCCA-accredited national certification), or one of several existing state health licenses, qualifies a person as a "qualified autism service provider" for insurance purposes (Business and Professions Code 4999.200).

BACB requirements apply everywhere

Whatever the state adds, RBT certification itself is the same in every state: the 40-hour training, the Initial Competency Assessment, the BACB exam, and ongoing supervision of at least 5% of your service hours each month. Your employer and the programs that pay for services, such as Medicaid or insurers, can have their own requirements too. See how to become an RBT.