BCBA fieldwork requirements, explained

Key facts at a glance

2,000 supervised hours, or 1,500 concentrated (×1.333 weighted)
Each month must hold 20–130 hours under pre-2027 rules or 20–160 under 2027 rules
Supervision: 5% supervised, 10% concentrated (7.5% from 2027)
At least 60% of hours must be unrestricted
Complete it all within 5 consecutive years

BCBA fieldwork requirements by pathway
Requirement	Supervised Fieldwork	Concentrated Supervised Fieldwork
Total hours	2,000	1,500
Hour value	×1.0	×1.333 (weighted)
Monthly window (pre-2027)	20–130 hours	20–130 hours
Monthly window (2027+)	20–160 hours	20–160 hours
Monthly supervision (pre-2027)	5%	10%
Monthly supervision (2027+)	5%	7.5%
Unrestricted minimum	60% (≥1,200 hrs)	60% (≥900 hrs)
Completion window	5 consecutive years	5 consecutive years

How many hours do you need?

You need 2,000 hours of Supervised Fieldwork or 1,500 hours of Concentrated Supervised Fieldwork. Both pathways lead to the same BCBA credential; concentrated asks for more supervision per month in exchange for a lower total, because each concentrated hour is weighted at roughly 1.333×.

Concentrated hours are weighted ×1.333, so 1,500 reach the same target as 2,000 supervised.

See supervised vs concentrated fieldwork for the hour math, or run the calculator to project your finish date.

Monthly limits: 20–130 or 20–160

Hours are counted per supervisory period, usually a calendar month. A period must contain at least 20 hours. The maximum is 130 hours under pre-2027 rules and 160 hours for applications on or after January 1, 2027.

Pre-2027 rules: months under 20 hours do not count; hours above 130 in a month are not credited. The 2027 cap is 160.

Ripley checks each requirement against your logged hours as you go.

Supervision percentages

Supervised Fieldwork requires supervision of at least 5% of your monthly hours; Concentrated requires 10%.

The 60% unrestricted rule

At least 60% of your total hours must be unrestricted, behavior-analytic activities such as assessment, program design, graphing, and training others. No more than 40% may be restricted (direct treatment).

Based on a 2,000-hour pathway. The 60/40 split applies to total accrued hours.

See restricted vs unrestricted hours for concrete examples.

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The 5-year completion window

All fieldwork must be completed within 5 consecutive years. Within that window you can switch supervisors, organizations, and settings, and take breaks.

One continuous 5-year window. Switching supervisors or organizations and taking breaks are all allowed.

Fieldwork requirements FAQ

How many fieldwork hours do I need for BCBA certification?

2,000 hours of Supervised Fieldwork, or 1,500 hours of Concentrated Supervised Fieldwork. Each concentrated hour counts as about 1.333 supervised-equivalent hours, which is why the concentrated total is lower.

What is the monthly hour limit for BCBA fieldwork?

Under the pre-2027 rules, each supervisory period must contain 20 to 130 hours. For applications on or after January 1, 2027, the range is 20 to 160 hours. Months below 20 do not count, and hours above the applicable cap are not credited.

How much supervision is required?

Supervised Fieldwork requires supervision of at least 5% of monthly hours; Concentrated Supervised Fieldwork requires 10% (dropping to 7.5% for applicants on or after January 1, 2027).

How many unrestricted hours do I need?

At least 60% of your total hours must be unrestricted activities. For a 2,000-hour pathway that is at least 1,200 unrestricted hours; no more than 40% (800 hours) can be restricted.

How long do I have to complete BCBA fieldwork?

Fieldwork must be completed within 5 consecutive years. You can change supervisors, organizations, and settings during that time, and pause as needed.

Primary sources

Requirement claims on this page were reviewed against current BACB publications.

[1]BCBA Handbook · Behavior Analyst Certification Board, accessed Jul 20, 2026
[2]2027 BCBA Eligibility Requirements · Behavior Analyst Certification Board, accessed Jul 20, 2026