BCBA CE Requirements in Washington
This page summarizes the current CE requirements for the BCBA (national) / Washington Licensed Behavior Analyst (LBA) license in Washington — renewal model, mandated topics, live/interactive rules, and home-study limits — with links to the official regulator.
BCBA
- Professional ethics and boundaries of a behavior analyst — 4 hWA requirement under the 32-hour CE route: WAC 246-805-401 requires a minimum of 4 hours in professional ethics and boundaries of a behavior analyst. (Matches, and is not merely borrowed from, the BACB 4-ethics-CEU standard.) Not separately required if the licensee instead maintains a certification, e.g., BACB, that itself requires CE.
- Behavior analytic skill development and current clinical practices — 20 hWAC 246-805-401: at least 20 of the 32 hours; no more than 8 hours may be business-practice professional development.
- Health equity — 2 hWAC 246-805-401: 2 hours of health equity CE every four years as described in WAC 246-12-800 through 246-12-830 (first due in the first full CE reporting period after Jan 1, 2024). DOH's ABA CE webpage phrases this as 'per reporting period'; the rule text says every four years.
- Supervision — 3 hBACB national standard for those who supervise (3 supervision CEUs per 2-year cycle; rises to 4 effective Jan 1, 2027); not a Washington requirement.
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How many CE hours does a BCBA need in Washington?
A BCBA must complete 32 CE / continuing-education hours every 2 years in Washington. That total includes 4 hours of ethics.
Are there required CE topics for BCBA in Washington?
Yes. Washington requires the following CE topics for BCBA: Professional ethics and boundaries of a behavior analyst (4 h); Behavior analytic skill development and current clinical practices (20 h); Health equity (2 h); Supervision (3 h).
Can BCBA CE be completed online in Washington?
Generally yes — Washington does not require live or interactive hours for BCBA, so approved online / home-study CE can typically satisfy the requirement. Home-study note: WA rule sets no distance-learning cap; online CE is allowed (CE activities must meet the standards in WAC 246-805-400). Under the BACB, CEUs may be earned online. Maintaining an active certification (e.g., BACB) that itself requires CE satisfies the WA biennial requirement in lieu of the 32 hours..
What else should BCBA renewals know in Washington?
WA licenses behavior analysts through DOH (LBA and Licensed Assistant Behavior Analyst, LABA). Per WAC 246-805-401, every two years an LBA must EITHER maintain certification from a professional credentialing entity that requires CE as part of certification (e.g., BACB), OR complete at least 32 hours of CE related to the practice of applied behavior analysis - of which at least 20 hours must cover behavior analytic skill development and current clinical practices, at least 4 hours must be professional ethics and boundaries of a behavior analyst, and no more than 8 hours may be business-practice professional development. LABAs need 20 hours (WAC 246-805-402). Separately, an LBA must complete 2 hours of health equity CE every four years per WAC 246-12-800 through 246-12-830 (phased in from Jan 1, 2024). Washington does NOT mandate supervision CEUs - that 3-CEU requirement (rising to 4 on Jan 1, 2027) is BACB certification-level only. No WA suicide-training requirement for behavior analysts.