BCBA Exam Prep: Free Study Guide and 24 Practice Questions

Use this BCBA exam prep guide to work through 24 original, unofficial questions, a nine-domain review, and a 12-week plan for the BACB’s sixth-edition examination. Start with Question A1 below; this is a focused review, not a full-length mock exam.

Question A1 · Task A.5

A supervisor rewrites a vague program step, “reinforce appropriate play,” into a written procedure that defines the target response, names the consequence, and states exactly when and how staff deliver it. The goal is that any trained staff member could run the program the same way from the document. Which dimension of applied behavior analysis does this revision most directly strengthen?

• A. Applied
• B. Effective
• C. Technological
• D. Generality

What the BCBA exam covers

The BCBA exam has 185 multiple-choice questions (175 scored and 10 unscored pilot questions) and a 4-hour time limit. Each question has four options and one correct answer (BCBA Handbook, p. 37). The content comes from the BCBA Test Content Outline (6th ed.), which the exam has used since January 1, 2025 (BACB 2027 transition guidance, "BCBA Examination").

Source: BCBA Test Content Outline (6th ed.), updated 09/2024, p. 1; task counts from pp. 1–3. The percentages are the BACB's rounded figures.

How to use the map. Give every domain a real pass. The four largest (G, B, F, and E) add up to 94 of the 175 scored questions, just over half, but even Domain A is worth 8. After that first pass, spend extra time wherever your mistakes keep repeating, not only where the numbers are biggest. The map shows what's tested and how many scored questions each domain gets. It isn't a formula for study hours.

Start here

1. Pick a domain below and answer its questions before you open the explanations.
2. Log every miss and every lucky guess in the error log.
3. Build the domains that gave you trouble into the 12-week plan.

Preparing for the BCaBA instead? It's a different exam with its own outline and question counts. The BACB’s examination information separates the credentials; this guide is for the Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) examination.

Nine-domain review with 24 practice questions

These 24 questions are original and unofficial. We wrote them for this guide; none come from a BACB exam. All people, scenarios, and practice data are fictional. Heavier domains get more of them: domains worth 20 or more scored questions get three, and the others get two. That's still a small sample, so use it to find and fix reasoning errors, not to predict your result.

Each section teaches a few distinctions that decide questions, then gives you the questions. This isn't a full course. Each section ends its teaching with the outline tasks it doesn't cover, so you can check them off in your own materials.

A. Behaviorism and Philosophical Foundations

8 scored questions · 5 outline tasks

Task A.5 asks you to identify the dimensions of applied behavior analysis. Baer, Wolf, and Risley described seven of them in 1968 and kept the same seven when they revisited the paper in 1987 (1987 follow-up). The questions below describe a program and ask which dimension it shows or lacks.

Sources: Baer, Wolf & Risley (1968); Original-paper excerpts: seven dimensions.

Two traps: technological has nothing to do with devices or apps, and generality requires evidence of lasting change, transfer to other settings, or spread to related behaviors—not an assumption that success during teaching will carry over.

Also in this domain: the goals of behavior analysis as a science (A.1), its philosophical assumptions (A.2), radical behaviorism (A.3), and how behaviorism, the experimental analysis of behavior, applied behavior analysis, and professional practice differ (A.4).

Return to Question A1 to review the technological dimension, then apply the generality distinction below.

Question A2 · Task A.5

In a clinic room, Maya learns to hand over a break card and uses it reliably there. Several weeks later, her teacher and parents report that she never uses the card at school or at home, where the same problem behavior continues. Based on these reports, which dimension has not been demonstrated across settings?

• A. Generality
• B. Technological
• C. Conceptually systematic
• D. Behavioral

B. Concepts and Principles

24 scored questions · 24 outline tasks

Classify a contingency with two facts. First, was a stimulus added or removed after the behavior? Second, did the behavior get stronger or weaker afterward? Reinforcement strengthens behavior and punishment weakens it; "positive" means something was added and "negative" means something was removed. "Negative" doesn't mean "bad." Negative reinforcement can involve removing, reducing, postponing, or preventing a stimulus, and removing or reducing a stimulus that's already present is usually called escape (Skinner, A Brief Survey of Operant Behavior, p. 2). Don't classify by whether the consequence sounds pleasant.

Motivating operation or discriminative stimulus? A motivating operation (MO) changes how effective a consequence is as a reinforcer or punisher and changes behavior that has produced that consequence. Food deprivation, for example, can increase both food’s reinforcing value and food-seeking. A discriminative stimulus (SD) signals, because of a history of differential reinforcement, that a response is more likely to produce reinforcement in its presence than in its absence. A short way to hold the difference: MOs affect what someone currently wants, and SDs signal what's currently available (Michael, 1982; Laraway et al., 2003). The same event can play different roles in different situations, so the history a question describes decides the answer.

Verbal operants are defined by function, not form. A mand is evoked by an MO and followed by a specific consequence: "juice" when thirsty, followed by juice. A tact is evoked by a nonverbal stimulus and maintained by generalized conditioned reinforcement, such as social praise: "juice" on seeing a picture, followed by "That's right." The same word can be either (Stafford, Sundberg & Braam, 1988).

Also in this domain: behavior, response, and response class (B.1); stimulus and stimulus class (B.2); respondent vs. operant conditioning (B.3); automatic vs. socially mediated contingencies (B.6); unconditioned, conditioned, and generalized reinforcers and punishers (B.7–B.8); simple and complex schedules (B.9–B.10); operant and respondent extinction (B.11); stimulus control, discrimination, and generalization (B.12–B.14); response maintenance (B.15); rule-governed vs. contingency-shaped behavior (B.18); multiple control (B.20); emergent relations (B.21); behavioral momentum (B.22); the matching law (B.23); and imitation vs. observational learning (B.24).

Question B1 · Task B.4

At an office desk, pressing a switch turns off a loud buzzing alarm. Over the next few weeks, the worker presses the switch sooner and more reliably each time the buzzing starts. Which process best describes this?

• A. Positive punishment
• B. Negative punishment
• C. Positive reinforcement
• D. Negative reinforcement

Question B2 · Task B.16, B.17

Leo asks for water after recess on hot days but rarely after recess on cool days. Observations also show that after hot-day recess, water is a more effective reinforcer for a previously learned response. His aide carries the water bottles. With thirst held comparable, asking has produced water when she is in the room but not when she is absent. Which statement correctly identifies the two variables?

• A. Hot-day recess is a discriminative stimulus (SD); the aide's presence is a motivating operation (MO).
• B. Hot-day recess is a motivating operation (MO); the aide's presence is a discriminative stimulus (SD).
• C. Both are reinforcers for asking.
• D. Both are motivating operations, because both come before asking.

Question B3 · Task B.19

Mia has just eaten a salty snack and wants juice. Across repeated observations, her unprompted “juice” requests occur when juice is valuable to her and are maintained by receiving juice. Omar is looking at a picture book. His unprompted “juice” labels occur when the juice picture is shown, including when he does not want a drink, and are maintained by praise such as “That's right!” Which statement is accurate?

• A. Both responses are tacts, because the word is the same.
• B. Both responses are mands, because the teacher responded to each child.
• C. Mia's response is a mand; Omar's is a tact.
• D. Mia's response is a tact; Omar's is an intraverbal.

C. Measurement, Data Display, and Interpretation

21 scored questions · 12 outline tasks

Count isn't rate. Twelve requests during a 30-minute observation is a count of 12 and a rate of 12 ÷ 30 = 0.4 requests per minute. To compare response rates across sessions of different lengths, divide each count by its observation time. Some sources use "frequency" to mean a count and others to mean a rate, so label your numbers clearly (Merbitz, Merbitz & Pennypacker, 2015).

Know each interval method's bias.

Sources: Powell, Martindale & Kulp (1975); Meany-Daboul et al. (2007). In the 1975 study, more frequent samples came closer to the continuous measure.

Latency is the time from a specified starting event to the first target response. In a study of functional analyses, researchers found an inverse relation between latency and response rate; that supports considering latency when repeated responding is undesirable, not treating the measures as interchangeable in every case (Thomason-Sassi et al., 2011).

Also in this domain: operational definitions (C.1); direct, indirect, and product measures (C.2); duration and interresponse time (C.4); efficiency measures (C.7); validity and reliability of measurement (C.8); graphing and interpreting data (C.10–C.11); and measuring procedural integrity (C.12).

Question C1 · Task C.3

An observer records 24 instances of a clearly defined behavior during a 40-minute session on Monday and 18 instances during a 20-minute session on Tuesday. Which statement is correct?

• A. Monday's rate is higher, because 24 is more than 18.
• B. The two rates are equal.
• C. Tuesday's rate is higher: 0.9 per minute versus 0.6 per minute.
• D. The rates can't be compared, because the sessions were different lengths.

Question C2 · Task C.5, C.6

A teacher uses 10-second partial-interval recording to estimate how much of a 20-minute work period a student spends out of his seat. Out-of-seat behavior is scored in 70% of the intervals. How should that figure be interpreted?

• A. The student was out of his seat for about 70% of the period.
• B. The figure likely overestimates the actual time out of seat.
• C. The figure likely underestimates the actual time out of seat.
• D. Partial-interval errors run in both directions about equally.

Question C3 · Task C.4, C.9

A researcher observes how quickly employees begin an optional computer task after a “Begin” signal. Each observation ends when the employee makes the first task-related keypress; later keypresses are not recorded. Which measure directly captures how long it takes to start?

• A. Rate of keypresses per minute across a full 10-minute session
• B. Duration of the completed computer task
• C. Whole-interval recording across the full task
• D. Latency from the “Begin” signal to the first task-related keypress

Worked example: the same mean can hide a different pattern

These fictional series use the same behavior definition and measurement unit: responses per observation.

Both series total 20 responses across five observations, so both means are 4 responses per observation. X never changes; its range is 4 − 4 = 0. Y varies from 0 to 8; its range is 8. Equal means do not establish identical patterns, a trend, or an intervention effect. Describe variability as well as level when reading a graph (WWC handbook, p. 112).

D. Experimental Design

13 scored questions · 9 outline tasks

A design is only as convincing as its replication. An AB comparison (a baseline, then the intervention once) can show that behavior changed, but it doesn't control threats to internal validity, such as history, meaning something else that changed at the same time (What Works Clearinghouse handbook, single-case design standards, pp. 111–116; the outline names history in task D.3). The main single-case designs handle that problem in different ways:

Source: What Works Clearinghouse handbook, version 5.0, pp. 111–120. These are design distinctions, not a claim that any design label alone proves experimental control.

Also in this domain: dependent vs. independent variables (D.1); defining features of single-case designs (D.4); single-case vs. group designs (D.5); comparative, component, and parametric analyses (D.8).

Question D1 · Task D.7, D.9

A behavior analyst will teach three students the same reading-decoding strategy and wants to show that the strategy, not something else, produced any improvement. Once learned, decoding isn't expected to disappear if the teaching stops. Which design fits best?

• A. Multiple baseline across the three students, starting instruction at staggered times
• B. ABAB reversal
• C. AB design with one baseline phase and one intervention phase
• D. Multielement design alternating instruction and no instruction across sessions

Question D2 · Task D.2, D.3, D.6

A team records a student's on-task behavior during baseline, then starts a new self-monitoring procedure, and on-task behavior improves right away. The same week, the student moved to a new seat next to the teacher. The procedure was introduced once and never replicated. What conclusion do the data best support?

• A. The self-monitoring procedure caused the improvement in on-task behavior.
• B. The seat change, not the procedure, caused the improvement.
• C. Behavior improved, but this design can't separate the procedure from the seat change.
• D. The procedure will work for the other students in the class as well.

Worked example: stagger the intervention, then inspect the pattern

This fictional dataset records correct sorts out of 10 opportunities per session. All three learners are observed concurrently. Teaching begins at session 7 for Learner A, session 10 for B, and session 13 for C; it is not withdrawn.

The structure is a multiple baseline across participants. Each learner’s performance increases after that learner’s own teaching starts, while learners still waiting remain near baseline. There is no withdrawal, stepwise performance criterion, or rapid alternation of conditions. That staggered pattern supports the teaching interpretation in this constructed example; the label alone does not guarantee experimental control in a real study (WWC handbook, pp. 115–116).

E. Ethical and Professional Issues

22 scored questions · 12 outline tasks

Ethics questions reward knowing the actual standard, not a general sense of what seems kind. The Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts has been in effect since January 1, 2022. It applies to BCBA and BCaBA certificants and to anyone who has completed an application for either. Its four core principles are to benefit others; treat others with compassion, dignity, and respect; behave with integrity; and ensure your own competence.

These standards resolve the specific situations below:

Source: Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts (document updated 08/2024), pp. 4 and 9–17.

Also in this domain: the risks of unethical behavior (E.2); discontinuing and transitioning services (E.6); multiple relationships (E.7); professional relationship skills (E.8); cultural humility and culturally responsive service (E.9–E.10); personal biases (E.11); and legal, regulatory, and practice requirements (E.12).

Question E1 · Task E.3

A BCBA's experience is entirely with young children. Her employer asks her to begin independently serving a different population, using procedures she has never studied, practiced, or been supervised on, starting next week. Under the Ethics Code, what should she do?

• A. Before starting, get and document appropriate training, supervised experience, or consultation, or refer the services.
• B. Accept, because BCBA certification already qualifies her to serve any population with any procedure.
• C. Accept, start next week as planned, and arrange consultation only if problems come up.
• D. Accept, as long as the client's family understands her background and agrees in writing.

Question E2 · Task E.4

A behavior analyst wants to show her exam study group screenshots of a current client's graphs and session notes to discuss a hard case. The screenshots show the client's name, and the notes mention the client's school and family members. She has no consent to share them, there's no safety concern, and no law requires disclosure. What should she do?

• A. Share them, because everyone in the group is studying behavior analysis.
• B. Crop out the client's name and share the rest.
• C. Share them now and ask the family for permission afterward.
• D. Keep the screenshots private and build a wholly fictional example that illustrates the same concept.

Question E3 · Task E.5

A clinic director asks a BCBA to film short testimonials from parents of children currently receiving services, for the clinic's new advertising campaign. What is the most appropriate response?

• A. Film them, as long as each parent signs a release describing how the video will be used.
• B. Explain that the Code bars soliciting current clients' testimonials for ads, and try to address the request.
• C. Film only families whose children have met their goals, so the testimonials are accurate.
• D. Film them, but blur the children's faces and leave out their names to protect privacy.

F. Behavior Assessment

23 scored questions · 8 outline tasks

Descriptive data suggest; functional analyses test. Antecedent–behavior–consequence (ABC) records show what tends to happen together in the natural setting. They're useful for forming a hypothesis, but a consequence that often follows a behavior hasn't necessarily been shown to maintain it. In one comparison, descriptive results differed substantially from functional-analysis results for five of six participants (Pence et al., 2009, abstract). A functional analysis arranges test conditions in which a suspected consequence, such as escape from demands or adult attention, follows problem behavior, then compares responding across conditions (Pence et al., functional-analysis method and results).

A preferred item isn't yet a proven reinforcer. Preference assessments identify likely reinforcers; whether an item actually strengthens a response is a separate test. Roane and colleagues, for example, ran reinforcer assessments on the items their brief preference assessment identified (Roane et al., 1998). Format matters too. When items are taken away during the assessment, as in paired-stimulus and MSWO (multiple-stimulus without replacement) formats, problem behavior has been observed at removal (Kang et al., 2011).

Consider medical causes. Under Ethics Code standard 2.12, when a behavior may be influenced by medical or biological variables, make sure medical needs are assessed and addressed, and document the referral and follow-up. That's part of deciding whether a case needs referral to others (task F.7).

Also in this domain: reviewing records at the start of a case (F.1); cultural variables in assessment (F.2); assessing skill strengths and needs (F.3); and using assessment data to prioritize goals (F.8).

Question F1 · Task F.4

A behavior analyst is comparing preference-assessment formats for a child whose aggression often occurs when preferred items are taken away. Which format avoids repeated withdrawal of the available items during the observation period?

• A. Paired-stimulus assessment
• B. Free-operant assessment
• C. Multiple-stimulus without replacement (MSWO) assessment
• D. Single-stimulus assessment that removes the item after each 30-second trial

Question F2 · Task F.6

In this fictional functional analysis, problem behavior produces a brief break from tasks in the demand condition and brief adult attention in the attention condition. In the alone condition, no social consequences are delivered. The play control provides attention and preferred activities without task demands. Across repeated observations of each condition, demand-session rates are consistently elevated while the other conditions stay low; the table shows the condition means. Which tested function is best supported?

• A. Automatic reinforcement
• B. Social positive reinforcement (attention)
• C. Undifferentiated; the function can't be determined
• D. Social negative reinforcement (escape from demands)

Question F3 · Task F.5

ABC (antecedent–behavior–consequence) records from a classroom show that nearly every episode of a student's screaming is followed by teacher attention. No consequences have been tested experimentally. Which conclusion is best supported?

• A. Attention is a reasonable hypothesis to test, but these records don't show that it maintains the screaming.
• B. Attention maintains the screaming, so treatment should target attention.
• C. Attention can't be involved, because the teacher attends to every student.
• D. Descriptive records from the real classroom are more conclusive than a functional analysis.

G. Behavior-Change Procedures

25 scored questions · 19 outline tasks

Keep these reinforcement-based procedures straight.

Sources: Vollmer et al. (1993), abstract and treatment definitions, for interval DRO and NCR; discussion, p. 18, for momentary DRO; Carr & Durand (1985), abstract, for reinforcement of alternative communication.

Prompting is a tradeoff. Most-to-least prompting starts with a prompt sufficient to produce the response and fades that help. Least-to-most prompting starts with the least help and adds more only as needed. In one comparison, most-to-least produced fewer errors, while some learners acquired the skill faster with least-to-most (Libby et al., 2008). That comparison also showed learner differences; it does not establish one universally best prompting method.

Group contingencies. In an independent group contingency, each person earns the reward by meeting the criterion individually. In an interdependent one, the group earns the reward only if the group, or every member, meets the criterion. In a dependent one, the group's reward depends on one or a few selected members (Group Contingencies Tip Sheet, p. 1).

Also in this domain: reinforcement procedures (G.1); conditioned reinforcers and token economies (G.4); building MOs and SDs into procedures (G.5); discrimination training (G.6); fading prompts (G.8); modeling (G.9); instructions and rules (G.10); shaping (G.11); chaining (G.12); trial-based vs. free-operant procedures (G.13); generalization (G.15); maintenance (G.16); punishment procedures (G.17); emotional and elicited effects (G.18); and emergent relations (G.19).

Question G1 · Task G.2, G.3

A home plan for a child's attention-maintained yelling tells caregivers: “Every 2 minutes, give 10 seconds of attention, no matter what your child is doing.” Which procedure is this?

• A. Differential reinforcement of other behavior (DRO)
• B. Differential reinforcement of alternative behavior (DRA)
• C. Noncontingent reinforcement (NCR) on a fixed-time schedule
• D. Extinction

Question G2 · Task G.7

A learner is starting a new eight-step play routine. For each step, the teacher initially supplies a prompt known to produce the correct response, then systematically reduces assistance as the learner succeeds. Which prompting approach is described?

• A. Most-to-least prompting
• B. Least-to-most prompting
• C. No prompts until the learner makes an error
• D. Independent trials with error correction only

Question G3 · Task G.14

A teacher tells her class: “If every student turns in homework every day this week, the whole class gets 15 extra minutes of recess on Friday.” Which type of group contingency is this?

• A. Independent
• B. Dependent
• C. Token economy
• D. Interdependent

H. Selecting and Implementing Interventions

20 scored questions · 8 outline tasks

Match the intervention to the assessment. Ethics Code standard 2.14 calls for interventions that are based on assessment results, prioritize positive reinforcement, and fit the client's needs, context, and resources. Functional communication training (FCT) is a common example: the person learns an appropriate way to get the same kind of reinforcer that has maintained the problem behavior (Carr & Durand, 1985).

Anticipate side effects that follow from function. Time-out from positive reinforcement temporarily removes access to reinforcement; it does not always involve moving the person. If a proposed removal also gives a break from demands that maintain the behavior through escape, it can strengthen the behavior instead of reducing it (University of Washington, time-out definition, p. 1; Skinner, negative reinforcement, p. 2).

Check implementation before judging effectiveness. If staff aren't delivering a plan as written, the outcome data don't isolate how the plan would perform with the specified implementation. Experimental work shows that outcomes can vary with treatment integrity (Wilder, Atwell & Wine, 2006). The Ethics Code (2.17–2.18) also calls for ongoing, data-based evaluation and corrective action when outcomes aren't being reached.

Also in this domain: writing observable, measurable goals (H.1); planning for relapse (H.5); and collaborating with others (H.8).

Question H1 · Task H.2, H.3

A functional analysis shows that a student's loud interrupting is maintained by adult attention. Which replacement behavior best matches that function?

• A. Raising a hand or saying “excuse me” to get the teacher's attention
• B. Asking for a break from work
• C. Sitting quietly to earn a sticker at the end of the day
• D. Apologizing after interrupting

Question H2 · Task H.6, H.7

A plan to reduce calling out during group lessons shows little change after three weeks. Integrity checks show staff delivered the planned praise and withheld attention for call-outs correctly on only 40% of observed opportunities. There's no safety concern. What should the BCBA do next?

• A. Switch to a more restrictive procedure, since the current plan isn't working.
• B. Conclude that the plan doesn't work and discontinue it.
• C. Identify and address implementation barriers, retrain where needed, and keep measuring integrity and outcomes before judging the plan.
• D. Change nothing and collect three more weeks of outcome data.

Question H3 · Task H.2, H.4

A functional analysis shows that a student's hitting is maintained by escape from difficult tasks. A staff member proposes removing the student from the work area for three minutes after each hit. What is the main concern with this proposal?

• A. There's no concern, because time-out reduces problem behavior whatever its function.
• B. Removal gives the student a break from the task after each hit, which could strengthen hitting.
• C. The main concern is the extra staff time that a time-out procedure requires.
• D. There's no concern, as long as every staff member applies the time-out consistently.

I. Personnel Supervision and Management

19 scored questions · 7 outline tasks

Behavioral skills training (BST) teaches performance skills through instructions, modeling, rehearsal, and feedback. Traditional lecture-style staff training generally hasn't proven very effective for performance skills (Parsons, Rollyson & Reid, 2012). BST is also part of the BACB's Supervisor Training Curriculum Outline (2.0).

Diagnose a performance problem before fixing it. The Performance Diagnostic Checklist–Human Services (PDC-HS) organizes potential performance barriers into four areas: training; task clarification and prompting; resources, materials, and processes; and performance consequences, effort, and competition (corrected PDC-HS, pp. 1–2; Brand et al., 2022). The point is to match the fix to the cause. In one study, posted reminders that the assessment didn't indicate failed to improve performance, while the indicated intervention, behavioral skills training, worked (Bowe & Sellers, 2018).

Measure what supervision changes. Ethics Code standards 4.08 and 4.10 call for ongoing performance monitoring and for evaluating the effects of your own supervision. Attendance records and confidence ratings don't show that a supervisee's performance improved. Direct observation of the skill does.

Also in this domain: the benefits of behavior-analytic supervision (I.1); building effective supervisory relationships (I.2); equity in supervision (I.3); setting supervision goals (I.4); and data-based decisions about supervision (I.7).

Question I1 · Task I.5

A supervisor has explained a new data-recording procedure to a group of technicians and demonstrated it. The technicians haven't yet performed it themselves while being observed. What should the supervisor add to complete behavioral skills training?

• A. A second, more detailed explanation of each step of the procedure
• B. Observed practice with specific feedback until each technician does it correctly
• C. A satisfaction survey asking how well the training went
• D. Emailing the written procedure for every technician to sign

Question I2 · Task I.6

Technicians rarely record session data on time. A Performance Diagnostic Checklist–Human Services (PDC-HS) interview is followed by direct checks: the technicians demonstrate accurate recording when a device is available, but six technicians share one working tablet. Which intervention is indicated?

• A. Repeat behavioral skills training on the data-collection procedure
• B. Post reminder signs about data deadlines in each therapy room
• C. Issue written warnings to technicians whose data are late
• D. Provide enough working devices, or another way to record, for every technician

Your 12-week BCBA study plan

This plan assumes about 10 hours a week: five 90-minute sessions and one 2½-hour weekend block, with one day off. It's our editorial plan, not a BACB requirement, and 12 weeks isn't enough for everyone. Your coursework, fieldwork, and time since training all matter. The two largest domains, B and G, each get about a week and a half, and Domain A shares a week.

Every 90-minute session

1. Recall (15 min). Without notes, write down what you remember from the last session.
2. Study (40 min). Work through the week's outline tasks in your course notes or textbook.
3. Practice (25 min). Answer the week's questions on this page before opening the explanations, explain each distractor, and create a new example of the same concept. Repeated questions are for explanation practice, not a fresh readiness score.
4. Log (10 min). Add every miss and lucky guess to your error log.

Weekend block (2½ hours): 60 minutes of mixed practice from every week so far, 45 minutes reworking error-log entries, and 45 minutes reading the week's tasks in the official outline and marking any you can't explain yet.

The Week 12 timing comes from 24 × (240 ÷ 185) = about 31.1 minutes. Use 31 minutes as a study timer, then use the rest of the weekend block to review explanations and unresolved tasks. Familiarity with these questions makes this a pacing-and-reasoning exercise, not a full-length simulation or an estimate of your exam result. The other scheduled sessions remain available for targeted review.

Adjust the plan

• Exam in about four weeks? Compress it: Week 1 covers Domains A–D, Week 2 covers E and F, Week 3 covers G, H, and I, and Week 4 is mixed review, the on-page pacing exercise, and logistics. You'll cover each task more briefly. If a domain's tasks don't fit, list the ones you skipped and keep moving rather than dropping the domain.
• More time? Add a second pass through your two weakest domains before Week 11.
• Retaking? Re-rate all nine domains, not only the ones your score report flagged. The BACB cautions that studying only weak areas can cost you elsewhere (BACB scoring FAQ). You must wait at least 30 days between attempts; treat that as a minimum, not a target date.

Turn wrong answers into your next study session

Your mistakes tell you more than a practice score does. For each miss or lucky guess, fill in one row:

Then run a three-step loop. Name the exact misconception. Check the rule against the source linked in the explanation. Apply it to a new example of your own. When you retry a question, explain why each wrong option fails before you look at the answer. Remembering a letter isn't the same as understanding the concept.

Exam format, scoring, and retakes

The listed application and appointment fees total $245 + $125 = $370 for a first attempt and $140 + $125 = $265 for a retake. These are base exam fees, not the full cost of obtaining certification; applicable taxes and other charges are separate.

The official rescheduling tables conflict: the BACB’s table and June 2026 handbook, p. 34, list $59 for 30–5 days before an appointment and $69 for 5 days–48 hours; Pearson’s current page reverses those two amounts. The published windows also both mention day 5. Check the amount and cutoff shown for your appointment before confirming a change, and ask Pearson VUE to resolve a discrepancy rather than assuming either table supplies a definitive charge. Pearson advises arriving about 30 minutes early; check-in includes a photograph and a palm-vein scan. If you need testing accommodations, request them through the BACB's accommodation process. Candidates who request accommodations get separate scheduling instructions from the BACB.

Pacing

Four hours for 185 questions works out to about 78 seconds per question (240 × 60 ÷ 185). At an even pace, you'd be near question 46 after one hour, 93 after two, and 139 after three. That's arithmetic, not a rule, and some questions will take longer. The four-hour allowance also includes preliminary screens and answer review, so budget for those rather than treating all 240 minutes as question-answering time. The exam clock keeps running if you take a break (BCBA Handbook, examination section). Treat every question as if it's scored.

What score do you need to pass?

The BACB doesn't publish a fixed number or percentage of correct answers. A panel of BACB-certified subject matter experts sets the passing score for each base exam form using the modified Angoff method, and the BACB's Board of Directors approves it. The standard is criterion-referenced: you're measured against it, not against the other people testing that day. The BACB uses multiple exam forms and statistically equates them for small differences in difficulty, so the number of correct answers needed can vary by form. That's why your raw number correct isn't reported (BACB scoring FAQ).

So a "76%" or "80%" target from a prep site isn't a BACB passing standard, and neither is any scaled-score cutoff the BACB's current scoring page doesn't state. Your score on this page's 24 questions is feedback on these items only.

If you don't pass, your report shows the percentage correct within each content area and the number of questions in that area—not a conversion to an overall published passing percentage. Passing candidates get only a pass notice (BACB scoring FAQ).

BCBA pass rates

Source: BACB examination information, "Historical BCBA Examination Results."

In 2025, the retake count was about 57% of the sum of the two reported counts: 13,196 ÷ (9,955 + 13,196) = 57.0%. That is a share of reported category counts, not an estimate of the share of unique people who retook the exam; these categories must not be assumed to be mutually exclusive people. Retake candidates outnumbered first-time candidates every year from 2022 through 2025. The 2025 first-time rate of 51% was the lowest in this five-year table, and 2025 was the first year of the 6th-edition exam. The BACB doesn't attribute a cause to that change, and neither do we. These are the BACB’s reported examination groups, not a U.S.-only dataset or a prediction for any one person. The published pass percentages are rounded; they do not establish exact numbers of passing candidates.

If you didn't pass

Use your score report as a starting point, not a complete diagnosis. The BACB notes that each task has relatively few questions, so a low area may not pinpoint what you missed, and studying only those areas can cost you elsewhere (BACB scoring FAQ). Re-rate all nine domains, rebuild your plan using the retake adjustment above, and use the 30-day wait to change how you study, not just to repeat the same questions. Even at the minimum spacing, eight attempts would span at least 210 days from the first to the last: seven gaps × 30 days. That arithmetic does not guarantee appointment availability.

Does 2027 change the BCBA exam?

No new exam has been announced. The BACB's transition guidance says the exam has used the 6th-edition outline since January 1, 2025, that there are currently no upcoming changes to the exam or outline, and that future exam updates will happen separately from changes to eligibility rules (2027 transition guidance, "BCBA Examination"). The BACB's list of upcoming changes, updated in August 2026, doesn't include an exam change either (Recent & Upcoming Changes).

For applicants, key eligibility changes on January 1, 2027 are below; the published requirements also include maintenance changes:

• Deadline for the current rules. To be reviewed under the current (2022) requirements, the BACB must receive your complete application, including payment and every required document, by December 31, 2026 (BACB notice, August 11, 2026).
• Pathways. Starting in 2027, only Pathway 1 (an accredited or recognized degree program) and Pathway 2 (behavior-analytic coursework) remain. Pathways 3 and 4 end.
• Coursework and fieldwork. The requirements change in several ways, including a 160-hour monthly fieldwork maximum and client observations counted in minutes (2027 BCBA requirements; BCBA Handbook, pp. 25–28).

If you're not sure which rules apply to you, work from the transition guidance or contact the BACB. This page doesn't determine eligibility.

Check any study material before you trust it

• Edition: It should say BCBA Test Content Outline (6th ed.) and use the nine domain names in the map above. Material organized around the 5th Edition Task List follows an outline the exam no longer uses.
• "Real" questions: Skip anything sold as actual, recalled, or real exam questions. The BACB can cancel or withhold scores for testing misconduct (BACB exam information, "Examination Scoring").
• Pass promises: Treat pass guarantees and "score X% here and you'll pass" claims with caution. The BACB doesn't publish a percentage target.

Common questions

Is the BCBA-D a separate exam? No. BCBA-D is a designation for BCBAs with doctoral training. It isn't a separate certification and doesn't grant any privileges beyond BCBA certification (BCBA Handbook, p. 1).

Can I take the BCBA exam online? No. It's delivered in person at Pearson VUE test centers (Pearson VUE).

How long does application review take? Up to 45 days once the BACB has your payment and all your documents, and you have 90 days from payment to get your supplemental documents in. Missing or updated documentation requires additional processing time. After approval, scheduling instructions arrive within 24–48 hours (BCBA Handbook, pp. 29–31).

Does passing make me a licensed behavior analyst? Not by itself. BACB certification and state licensure are separate. Check with the licensing board in the state where you plan to practice; the BACB also keeps a U.S. licensure page.

Sources and how we checked them

Last verified September 16, 2026: BACB examination format, outline, fees, retake and scoring rules, published historical results, cited ethics standards, and 2027 guidance; Pearson VUE appointment and ID information. The rescheduling-table disagreement is described above. The pacing, cost, and share figures are our arithmetic, with the inputs shown. Each practice explanation links to the published research or Ethics Code standard behind its answer.

Official documents

1. BCBA Test Content Outline (6th ed.), updated 09/2024: domains, question counts, and tasks, pp. 1–3.
2. BACB Examination Information: format, results, rescheduling fees, scoring, accommodations, and historical pass rates.
3. BCBA Handbook, updated 06/2026: BCBA-D (p. 1), 2027 requirements (pp. 25–28), application timing (pp. 29–30), authorization, attempts, and fees (p. 31), and the examination section.
4. Pearson VUE: BACB Certification Examinations, updated August 27, 2026: scheduling and rescheduling fees, ID, and check-in.
5. Guidance for Meeting the BCBA Requirements During the 2027 Transition, updated 01/2026.
6. 2027 BCBA Requirements.
7. 2027 BCBA and BCaBA Requirements: What You Need to Know, BACB, August 11, 2026.
8. Recent & Upcoming Changes to BACB Requirements, updated August 2026.
9. Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts, effective January 1, 2022 (document updated 08/2024): standards 1.05, 1.12, 2.03–2.04, 2.12, 2.14–2.15, 2.17–2.18, 3.03, 4.06, 4.08, 4.10, and 5.07–5.09.
10. BACB Supervisor Training Curriculum Outline (2.0).

Research and teaching sources

• Baer, Wolf & Risley (1968), original-paper excerpts, especially original pp. 95–96; original DOI.
• Baer, Wolf & Risley (1987), JABA 20, 313–327, abstract.
• Skinner, A Brief Survey of Operant Behavior, pp. 1–2; consequence effects, extinction, and negative reinforcement.
• Michael (1982), JEAB 37, 149–155, abstract.
• Laraway et al. (2003), JABA 36, 407–414, abstract.
• Stafford, Sundberg & Braam (1988), The Analysis of Verbal Behavior 6, 61–71, abstract.
• Merbitz, Merbitz & Pennypacker, abstract; online 2015, journal issue 2016, 39, 333–338.
• Powell, Martindale & Kulp (1975), JABA 8, 463–469, abstract.
• Meany-Daboul et al. (2007), JABA 40, 501–514, abstract.
• Thomason-Sassi et al. (2011), JABA 44, 51–67, author-provided copy: abstract and introduction.
• What Works Clearinghouse Procedures and Standards Handbook, version 5.0, August 2022, revised December 2022; pp. 109–120, single-case design standards.
• Pence et al. (2009), JABA 42, 425–446, author-provided copy: abstract, functional-analysis method/results, and discussion.
• Roane et al. (1998), JABA 31, 605–620, abstract.
• Kang et al. (2011), JABA 44, 835–846, author-provided copy: results and discussion.
• Vollmer et al. (1993), JABA 26, 9–21, author-provided copy: abstract, treatment definitions, and momentary-DRO discussion.
• Libby et al. (2008), Behavior Analysis in Practice 1(1), 37–43, author-provided copy: abstract and prompting definitions.
• Tennessee Behavior Supports Project, Group Contingencies Tip Sheet, hosted by Minnesota Department of Education; p. 1 definitions table.
• Carr & Durand (1985), JABA 18, 111–126, abstract.
• University of Washington, Time Out From Positive Reinforcement, 2017 intervention guide, p. 1 definition and function limits.
• Wilder, Atwell & Wine (2006), JABA 39, 369–373, abstract.
• Parsons, Rollyson & Reid (2012), Behavior Analysis in Practice 5(2), 2–11, abstract.
• Bowe & Sellers (2018), JABA 51, 166–176, abstract.
• Brand et al. (2022), Behavior Analysis in Practice 15, 951–957, abstract.
• Carr & Wilder, corrected PDC-HS, 2015 correction, 2016 issue; instrument pp. 1–2, observation instructions and four performance areas.

Written by the Castleport Test Prep Editorial Team. AI tools assisted drafting and source checking. This page does not carry a completed review by a named credentialed professional. Our methodology and editorial standards explain how we verify exam claims, and our reviewers page shows professional review status. Found an error? Tell us through our corrections process.

Castleport Test Prep is an independent exam prep publisher. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or approved by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) or Pearson VUE. The practice questions on this page are original and unofficial. Exam and credential names are used only to identify their subjects; trademarks belong to their respective owners. This page is study material, not legal, clinical, or licensing advice.

More behavior-analysis guides: Behavior analysis certification exams.