Continuing education is a foundational element in many professional fields—but for Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs) in applied behavior analysis, the rules about what qualifies (and who can provide it) have often been less clear. With the July 2025 release of “RBT Professional Development for ACE Providers,” the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) offers much-needed clarity about how RBTs can earn their professional development units (PDUs)—and how training programs must be structured.
Here’s what you really need to know—and how it may affect your planning, participation, or delivery of RBT continuing education.
Key Changes & Requirements
1. 12 PDUs needed every two years
To maintain certification, RBTs must complete 12 professional development units (PDUs) during their two-year recertification cycle. One approved pathway to earn PDUs is via events delivered by ACE Providers (i.e., providers recognized by the BACB to offer RBT-level PD). Behavior Analyst Certification Board
2. Appropriate content is defined and delimited
PD events for RBTs must relate to or build upon topics from:
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The RBT 2026 40-Hour Training curriculum
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The RBT Ethics Code (2.0)
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Other BACB requirements
They may also include ancillary but relevant topics (for example: communicating with clients, managing stress, working with supervisors). Importantly, RBT PD content is only for RBTs—BCBAs and BCaBAs cannot count these events toward their CEUs, and RBTs cannot count BCBA-level CE events toward their PDUs. Behavior Analyst Certification Board
3. Instructor and event structure standards
The guidance lays out several stipulations:
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Instructors must hold BCaBA, BCBA, or BCBA-D credentials.
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Co-presenters (if used) must be under direct oversight of a qualified instructor present at the event.
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Learning objectives are required for each presentation.
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Minimum “chunk” size: Each event must include at least 25 minutes of instruction (worth 0.5 PDU). Additional PDUs must come in 0.5 or 1.0 PDU increments—rounding up is not allowed.
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Formats can vary—live, synchronous online, or asynchronous—but organizers must ensure participants remain engaged, and attendance must be verified. Behavior Analyst Certification Board
4. Strict documentation & retention rules
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Programs must use the BACB’s fillable PDU documentation form; alternative forms are prohibited.
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Participants must receive their PDU documentation within 45 days of the event.
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Providers must retain records (attendance, learning objectives, etc.) for three years.
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Providers also need to adhere to policies around marketing, event fees, monitoring participation, feedback, and complaint resolution. Behavior Analyst Certification Board
Why These Updates Are Important
✅ Better clarity & standardization
One of the biggest benefits of this update is it reduces confusion. Previously, different providers used widely varying formats and tracking systems. Now there’s a uniform standard for how much instruction earns how many PDUs, how documentation must be handled, and what content is acceptable.
✅ Focused, relevant continuing education
Because the BACB explicitly limits RBT PD content to topics aligned with the RBT role (training fundamentals, ethics, supervisory interaction, etc.), RBTs are more likely to engage in PD that directly enhances their day-to-day effectiveness. No more being saddled with CE hours that feel irrelevant.
✅ Quality assurance & accountability
Credentialed instructors and the strict requirements around documentation and verification help ensure that RBTs aren’t paying for low-quality or shady training. The 45-day delivery of documentation and 3-year record retention provide protections for both participants and regulators.
⚠️ Some challenges to watch
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The no rounding up rule means providers need to plan time carefully; they can’t fudge their durations.
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Online and asynchronous formats must include reliable participation tracking to prevent “just logging in” without engaging.
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RBTs may have assumed that certain BCBA-level CE events automatically count—but under the new rules, those may not qualify toward RBT PDUs. That could lead to confusion if supervisors or training departments don’t clearly communicate.
What You Should Do (Depending on Your Role)
If you’re an RBT
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Before registering for a PD event, verify it’s being offered by a BACB-approved ACE Provider.
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Check that the advertised PDUs make sense relative to actual instructional minutes (e.g. 0.5 PDU = 25 min).
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After completion, ensure you receive your official PDU documentation within the 45-day window.
If you’re a PD or training provider
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Use the BACB’s fillable PDU form—don’t substitute your own.
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Ensure you are calculating PDUs based exactly on instructional minutes (meeting the 25-min minimum and increments).
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Use credentialed instructors (or supervise co-presenters).
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Maintain rigorous records for the required 3 years.
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Align your content with RBT-relevant domains, not tangential topics.
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Build in mechanisms for verifying attendance, handling complaints, collecting feedback, and marketing events appropriately.
Bottom Line
This July 2025 update from the BACB is a significant step forward in systematizing continuing education for RBTs. It ensures that:
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training is relevant and accountable,
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providers are held to consistent standards, and
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participants receive meaningful value for the time invested.
For RBTs, the changes help ensure every PDU counts. For providers, they create a clearer framework for delivering high-quality, compliant training.