A little structure can make your next study session easier to begin. Use these guides alongside your training and official BACB materials.
40-hour training and exam prep: where to begin.
The training course develops foundational knowledge for behavior technician work. Exam preparation helps you review concepts and practice answering exam-style questions. They serve different purposes. The course includes 30 days of exam prep after you finish, and exam prep is also available on its own.
Build your foundation.
Look through the training curriculum, the required learning activities, and what it takes to complete the course, then enroll online.
After training come the Initial Competency Assessment, background checks, and the BACB’s application and exam. Check the current requirements as you plan.
Use your last session to pick a content area. Write down one idea you want to understand more clearly.
8 min
Work through a short set.
Commit to an answer before checking it. Notice when you are unsure and which alternatives seem plausible.
8 min
Review the reasoning.
Read the explanation for every option. Name the detail that makes the strongest answer fit.
2 min
Choose tomorrow’s starting point.
Save one question to revisit or identify a concept for your flashcard queue.
Make a missed answer useful.
Before moving on, separate a knowledge gap from a reading mistake. These three prompts can help you organize the review.
What did I miss?
Was the unfamiliar part a term, a sequence, or the detail the question asked you to prioritize?
Why did my answer feel right?
Compare it with the strongest answer. Look for a choice that could be reasonable in a different situation.
What would I notice next time?
Write one short distinction in your own words, then check it against your training materials.
Example distinction
Frequency asks how many times a behavior occurs. Duration asks how long it lasts. Identify what the question asks you to measure before choosing a term.
The RBT exam uses the 2026 RBT Test Content Outline (3rd edition). It includes 85 questions, with 90 minutes to complete the exam. Of those questions, 75 are scored and 10 are unscored.
Check the BACB’s current materials for eligibility, applications, scheduling, and exam-day requirements.
Exam details checked September 4, 2026 against the BACB RBT Handbook. Meridian is an independent preparation platform.