Ashleigh
- Feb 6
- 4 min read

RBT Exam: What to Expect

Updated: May 8

If you've landed on this article, you're likely preparing for your RBT final exam. This is the last component required to become certified as a registered behavior technician (RBT) through the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB). To best prepare for your exam, be sure you have a thorough understanding of what the RBT exam will entail.

Read on to learn more about the RBT exam, including the following

What is the format of the RBT exam?
What content does the RBT exam cover?
How long does the RBT exam last?
What score do you need to pass the RBT exam?
How do you prepare for the RBT exam?
And more!

How much does the RBT exam cost?

There are two fees associated with taking the RBT exam. The first fee is a $50 application processing fee. When applying for your RBT examination, a $50 fee is due to the BACB. Once you are approved to sit for the RBT exam, another fee is due in order to schedule your examination appointment. A $45 fee is required to schedule your exam, which you will pay to Pearson Vue.

If you are currently employed in the ABA field, ask your employer about exam reimbursement. While not all companies reimburse the costs associated with the exam, many do. It's worth asking!

What is the format of the RBT exam?

The RBT exam consists of 85 total questions. Each question includes four possible responses. 10 of the questions are not scored as they are pilot questions for future exams. However, there is no indication of which 10 questions are not scored. Therefore, you'll want to dedicate your full attention and effort to each of the 85 questions.

How long does the RBT exam last?

You have a total of 90 minutes to take your exam. This equates to roughly 1 minute per question. As you're preparing for the exam, keep this time requirement in mind. You'll want to not only answer accurately but also quickly. Developing fluency in the terms will help ensure you can complete the exam in the allotted time.

What content does the RBT exam cover?

The RBT exam entails questions related to the 2nd edition RBT task list.

RBT Exam Breakdown

The questions on your RBT exam will include the following distribution of the RBT task list.

Task List Section	Number of Exam Questions	Percentage of Exam
A. Measurement	12	16%
B. Assessment	6	8%
C. Skill Acquisition	24	32%
D. Behavior Reduction	12	16%
E. Documentation & Reporting	10	13%
F. Professional Conduct & Scope of Practice	11	15%

This breakdown includes 75 questions. As previously mentioned, there are 85 total questions, but you won't know which 10 of them are pilot questions.

You will need to have a strong handle on the concepts and how to apply them. Questions may be concept-based or scenario-based. Anything covered under the RBT task list may potentially be on your exam.

Sample exam question

Julie records 7 occurrences of her client banging his head. What type of measurement is this? A. Partial interval recording B. Duration C. Count

D. Permanent product recording

Answer at the bottom of the article!

What score do you need to pass the RBT exam?

Your exam is scored on a scale of 0-250 points. You need a score of 200 to pass the exam. Many people take comfort in knowing exactly how many questions they need to correctly answer to pass the exam (or the reverse-how many questions they can get wrong without failing). Unfortunately, it's not quite a black-and-white answer. Each exam has a specific passing score developed based on the modified Angoff method.

What percentage of test takers pass on their 1st try?

The BACB annual data reports show a decreased trend in first-time pass rates, with significantly fewer RBT exam takers passing on their first try. This indicates people are considerably less prepared for the exam than in previous years--whether due to ineffective training, lack of study efforts, or perhaps a combination of the two. When choosing a 40-hour training program, be sure to pay attention to the program's pass rate.

Year	First-Time Pass Rate
2022	77%
2021	83%
2020	84%
2019	87%

What happens if you fail the exam?

If you don't pass on your first try, don't sweat it. You can retake the exam 7 times in a 12-month period (8 total tries). However, you will have to pay another $45 fee to Pearson Vue for each retake. It should also be noted that the re-take pass rate is significantly lower, with 44% of people passing on subsequent tries.

If you do not pass your exam, you will receive an exam score, including a breakdown of how you scored in each section of the task list. Use this to guide your study efforts in preparing for your test retake. If you pass your exam, you will simply get a passing score. They will not provide you with your exact score.