The Behavior Analyst Certification Board® (BACB®) has announced new RBT renewal requirements for 2026, and these updates are shaping the future of the ABA workforce. The revision creates a clearer pathway for RBT professional development, and it highlights how important it is to support RBTs as growing professionals whose work influences the daily experience of learners and families.

RBTs are often the individuals who connect with learners in the most consistent ways. They model regulation, build routines, and create relational spaces where engagement and communication grow. Understanding the RBT recertification process and the transition to RBT Professional Development Units helps agencies, supervisors, and technicians prepare for the future of service delivery.

What Changes for RBT®s in 2026

RBTs take the RBT Certification Exam only once. During the 2026 renewal cycle, every RBT completes one final renewal competency assessment. This is a temporary requirement that supports the transition into the new system.

After completing the renewal competency assessment in 2026, RBTs begin completing 12 RBT PDUs every two years. These units replace the renewal competency assessment for all renewals moving forward.

Here is an example that aligns with the RBT renewal requirements for 2026.

• An RBT renews on June 15, 2026 and completes the renewal competency assessment.
• Their next renewal is June 15, 2028.
• For that renewal, the RBT submits documentation showing 12 Professional Development Units completed during the two year period.

This update is one of the most meaningful BACB RBT updates in recent years because it sets the stage for more thoughtful and consistent RBT professional growth.

Why This Shift Matters for the ABA Workforce

The role of the RBT® has expanded and diversified over the past decade. The shift toward RBT professional development units indicates the value placed on RBT learning and the need for ongoing skill building. It recognizes that RBTs are essential members of the ABA workforce and that their growth strengthens the field.

This renewal model encourages learning that reflects the realities of RBT work. RBTs need development in communication, active engagement, emotional regulation support, connected relationships, and foundational skills that align with person centered ABA. PDUs make space for training that supports these areas.

The update also signals a broader movement toward relational, neurodiversity affirming, and compassionate ABA practices. When RBTs feel supported and confident, learners experience more consistent, regulated, and connected sessions.

What High Quality RBT Professional Development Should Look Like

The BACB outlined the number of PDUs required but did not prescribe how learning should occur. This gives agencies, supervisors, and training providers an opportunity to create systems that reflect best practices and meaningful participation.

High quality RBT professional development should include:

• Support that strengthens emotional regulation, engagement, and communication
• Training based on neurodiversity affirming and trauma informed principles
• Interactive learning that promotes real world problem solving
• Opportunities to understand connection, safety, and learner readiness
• Guidance that empowers RBTs to communicate and collaborate
• Resources that integrate into daily practice with ease

The field benefits when RBTs have accessible options for RBT workforce development and when learning is designed around connection rather than compliance.

Why This Matters for ABA Organizations

Organizations that rely on RBTs will need systems that track PDUs, offer high quality training, and support RBT retention. This shift presents an opportunity for agencies to elevate their training programs and strengthen their workforce.

When organizations invest in high quality RBT training, they experience:

• Greater staff confidence
• Improved learner engagement
• Higher treatment fidelity
• Stronger relationships with families
• Lower turnover and burnout

The RBT renewal requirements for 2026 create a new pathway for organizations to show meaningful commitment to staff development. The agencies that succeed will be ones that understand RBTs as growing professionals whose learning shapes the quality of ABA services.

How the Do Better Collective Supports RBT Development and PDUs

The Do Better Collective is creating a system of RBT training and professional development that aligns with the 2026 changes and reflects modern ABA values.

Our approach supports RBTs through:

• A forthcoming library of short, interactive professional development lessons that align with the BACB expectations for RBT PDUs
• Training grounded in emotional regulation, assent, active engagement, and connection
• Resources that help RBTs support communication, routines, safety, and learner readiness across settings
• A new 40 hour RBT training that is interactive, reflective, and culturally responsive
• Free RBT accounts for organizations that join the Silver or Gold Business Memberships through 2025.

This gives agencies access to thousands of dollars worth of high quality RBT training at no additional cost. It also creates a strong, sustainable system for RBT workforce development that supports retention and overall program quality.

Looking Toward the Future of ABA Workforce Development

The 2026 BACB update reflects a broader shift in how the field understands quality service delivery. The newsletter emphasized clearer expectations for supervision, stronger documentation practices, and ongoing professional learning. These priorities point toward a future where ABA relies more heavily on relational, thoughtful, and compassionate interactions among practitioners, supervisors, and learners.

RBTs are central to this direction. Their work influences the day to day emotional climate of sessions, the implementation of treatment plans, and the consistency that families experience. The newsletter highlighted the need for RBTs to stay professionally engaged through regular development, which supports the overall stability and effectiveness of the workforce.

When RBTs feel supported and prepared, the effects reach every level of service. Learners experience steady and attuned care. Supervisors experience clearer communication and greater reliability. Families experience predictable routines and regulated support teams. These outcomes mirror the newsletter’s focus on professional accountability, ethical integrity, and quality assurance across the field.

The Do Better Collective is committed to helping ABA organizations prepare for the future with training that honors the complexity of RBT work and reflects the values of modern ABA.

If you want a professional development system that strengthens your RBT team, supports the RBT recertification process, and aligns with the expectations of the BACB RBT updates, explore the Do Better Collective.

Together we can build a workforce grounded in knowledge, supported through connection, and guided by compassion.

Recommended Reading:

BACB 2025 December Newsletter