RBT Supervision Requirements
Every month you provide behavior-analytic services as a Registered Behavior Technician, at least 5% of those hours must be supervised, across real-time contacts with a direct observation. Here is exactly what each month requires, and how ABA Fieldwork Tracker tracks it for you, free.
Compliance Requirements
Monthly Supervision
5% of service hours
Real-Time Contacts
2+ per month, 1 individual
Direct Observation
1+ with a client
Monthly Record
Signed, kept 7 years
Compliance Rules Explained
Every rule for this pathway broken down. What it means, how it's calculated, and common mistakes to avoid.
The Monthly 5% Minimum
What this means
Each calendar month you provide services, at least 5% of your behavior-analytic service hours must be supervised. It is based on service hours only, not payroll or admin time, and it resets every month. There is no cumulative credit and no completion date, and a month with zero service hours requires no supervision.
How it's calculated
Behavior-analytic service hours for the month x 5% = supervision hours required. Example: 60 service hours x 5% = 3 supervision hours.
Common mistakes
Counting paperwork or drive time in the total, or assuming extra supervision from last month carries over. Each month stands on its own.
How ABA FT handles this
ABA Fieldwork Tracker computes the 5% for you in real time as you log the month, separately for each organization, and shows how much supervision you still need.
Two Real-Time Contacts, One Individual
What this means
Supervision must happen across at least two contacts each month, and they must be face-to-face and real-time, in person or over live video. Phone and email do not count. At least one of the two must be individual, with no other RBTs present; the other may be a small-group meeting of up to ten RBTs.
How it's calculated
Count real-time supervision contacts for the month. You need at least 2, with at least 1 individual.
Common mistakes
Logging a phone check-in or email exchange as a contact, or holding both contacts as group meetings with no individual session.
How ABA FT handles this
You mark each contact as individual or group when you log it, and ABA FT confirms you have at least two contacts and at least one individual for the month.
A Direct Observation With a Client
What this means
In at least one monthly contact, your supervisor must directly observe you providing services to a client. Live video observation counts, but passive or recorded video with no real-time interaction or feedback does not.
How it's calculated
At least one supervision contact each month must include a live observation of you working with a client.
Common mistakes
Assuming a recorded session your supervisor watches later counts. The observation has to be real-time, with interaction.
How ABA FT handles this
A single checkbox marks a contact as an observation, and the monthly checks confirm at least one observation happened.
Per Organization, Documented, Kept 7 Years
What this means
Every requirement is met separately at each organization you work for. They cannot be pooled or averaged across employers. Your record must document service days, supervision dates and durations, formats, observation dates, and supervisor names, and both you and your supervisor keep it for at least seven years.
How it's calculated
Each organization has its own monthly 5%, contacts, and observation. Records are retained at least 7 years by both parties.
Common mistakes
Averaging supervision across two clinics to reach 5%, or discarding records after certification. They are audit records for seven years.
How ABA FT handles this
ABA FT keeps each organization on its own monthly record and produces a signed monthly supervision record, stored in your account, that you and your supervisor sign in the app.
How ABA FT handles RBT supervision
Before the monthly tracking: becoming an RBT
Ongoing supervision begins once you are a certified RBT and providing services. To get there: complete the 40-hour training with a qualified provider (over 5 to 180 days), pass the Initial Competency Assessment with a responsible assessor, clear a background and abuse-registry check, and pass the RBT exam.
Your training provider documents the 40 hours. ABA Fieldwork Tracker picks up the day you start working, with the monthly supervision tracking above.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much supervision does an RBT need each month?
At least 5% of the behavior-analytic service hours you provide that calendar month. For example, 60 service hours in a month requires at least 3 hours of supervision. The requirement resets every month, and a month with no service hours requires no supervision.
How is the RBT 5% supervision requirement calculated?
Multiply your behavior-analytic service hours for the month by 5%. Only service hours count, not admin or paperwork time. ABA Fieldwork Tracker runs this math for you automatically, separately for each organization.
What are the RBT supervision requirements besides the 5%?
At least two real-time supervision contacts each month (in person or live video, not phone or email), at least one of them individual, and at least one contact where your supervisor directly observes you working with a client.
Do phone or email check-ins count toward RBT supervision?
No. RBT supervision contacts must be face-to-face and real-time, in person or over live video. Phone calls and email do not count toward the monthly requirement.
How do I track RBT supervision across two organizations?
Each organization has its own monthly 5%, contacts, and observation, and they cannot be combined. ABA Fieldwork Tracker keeps a separate monthly record for each organization, so every workplace stays compliant on its own.
Is there a free app to track RBT supervision?
Yes. ABA Fieldwork Tracker tracks RBT ongoing supervision free, with no ads: the monthly 5%, contacts, observations, and a signed monthly supervision record, for every organization. Your supervisor's account is free too.
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