Continuing Education

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.

32CE hours / cycle
2 yrrenewal cycle
0 hlive / interactive required
4 hethics required
Full Washington BCBA requirements
Confirm with board

BCBA

BCBA (national) / Washington Licensed Behavior Analyst (LBA)
32hours / 2-year renewal cycle
No live / interactive hours required — all hours may be self-study
Mandated topics
  • Health Equity — 2 hWA state requirement: 2 hours per two-year reporting period, effective Jan 1, 2024 (WAC 246-805-401); this is the only WA-specific CE topic mandate
  • Ethics — 4 hBACB national standard (4 ethics CEUs per 2-year cycle), not a separate WA requirement
  • Supervision — 3 hBACB national standard for those who supervise (3 supervision CEUs per 2-year cycle); not a separate WA requirement

Home study: WA rule sets no distance-learning cap; online CE is allowed. Under BACB, CEUs may be earned online. Maintaining an active BACB (or comparable) certification that itself requires CE satisfies the WA 32-hour requirement.

Board notes: 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 a certification (e.g., BACB) that requires CE, OR complete at least 32 hours of CE in applied behavior analysis; LABAs need 20 hours. Regardless of route, WA adds a mandatory 2 hours of health-equity CE per two-year reporting period (effective Jan 1, 2024). WA does not itself mandate ethics or supervision hours - those (4 ethics, 3 supervision-for-supervisors) come from the BACB national standard and are listed for reference. No WA suicide-training requirement for behavior analysts.

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Frequently asked questions
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: Health Equity (2 h); Ethics (4 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. Under BACB, CEUs may be earned online. Maintaining an active BACB (or comparable) certification that itself requires CE satisfies the WA 32-hour requirement..

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 a certification (e.g., BACB) that requires CE, OR complete at least 32 hours of CE in applied behavior analysis; LABAs need 20 hours. Regardless of route, WA adds a mandatory 2 hours of health-equity CE per two-year reporting period (effective Jan 1, 2024). WA does not itself mandate ethics or supervision hours - those (4 ethics, 3 supervision-for-supervisors) come from the BACB national standard and are listed for reference. No WA suicide-training requirement for behavior analysts.

Other Washington licenses
BCBA CE requirements in other states
Updated July 2026 from official licensing-board, regulatory-college, and government sources. CE / CPD requirements change often — always confirm current rules directly with your licensing board or regulator before you renew. Informational only, not legal advice.