News
BCBA · Supervised and concentrated
BCBA fieldwork requirements
Under the 2027 standards, BCBA® fieldwork is 2,000 hours of supervised fieldwork or 1,500 hours of concentrated supervised fieldwork, logged at 20 to 160 hours a month, with at least 5% of each month supervised (7.5% for concentrated) and 60 minutes of observation a month (90 for concentrated).
Applying before January 1, 2027? See the pre-2027 standards
Two ways to the BCBA
Supervised or concentrated?
Both lead to the BCBA. Concentrated supervised fieldwork takes fewer hours, 1,500 instead of 2,000, in exchange for more supervision and more observation each month, and a concentrated month that falls short can't be prorated.
BCBA supervised fieldwork
20272,000 total hours
- Supervised
- 5% of monthly hours
- Observation
- 60 minutes a month
- Hours a month
- 20 to 160 hours
- Unrestricted
- At least 60%, overall
A month short on supervision can count fewer of its hours, so that the 5% is met.
Plan it in the hour calculatorBCBA concentrated supervised fieldwork
20271,500 total hours
- Supervised
- 7.5% of monthly hours
- Observation
- 90 minutes a month
- Hours a month
- 20 to 160 hours
- Unrestricted
- At least 60%, overall
A month short on supervision is lost: a concentrated month can't be prorated.
Plan it in the hour calculatorMixing the two? Each month's type is decided on that month's Monthly Fieldwork Verification Form: if the month meets the higher concentrated requirements, its hours may count as concentrated. Concentrated hours count for more toward the total (the BACB puts it at approximately 1.33 times), but every form records your actual hours.
The rules, 2027 standards
Every rule, one at a time
What it means for both fieldwork types, the math, what to watch out for, and how the app checks it.
Supervision each month
5% supervised · 7.5% concentrated
At least 5% of each month's BCBA fieldwork hours must be supervised on supervised fieldwork, and at least 7.5% on concentrated supervised fieldwork. It is measured month by month (a supervisory period is one calendar month), never as a running total. The 7.5% is for BCBA only: BCaBA concentrated supervised fieldwork stays at 10%.
The mathsupervised hours ÷ the month's fieldwork hours × 100 ≥ 5% (7.5% concentrated)
Watch out
A strong month can't make up for a short one. A supervised fieldwork month that falls short can count fewer of its hours, so that the 5% is met; a concentrated month can't be prorated, so a month short on supervision is lost.
How the app checks it
Your supervision rate updates after every entry, and the month is flagged the moment it is under your pathway's percentage.
Hours each month
20 to 160 hours
Each month of BCBA fieldwork needs at least 20 hours, and the monthly hour cap is 160 hours on both fieldwork types: you can log more, but hours over 160 don't count toward your BCBA total that month.
The math20 ≤ the month's fieldwork hours, counted up to 160
Watch out
A month under 20 hours earns no eligible hours at all, so a quiet month needs a plan.
How the app checks it
The month's total shows against the 20 to 160 range, and a month over the cap is flagged. Your entries always save.
Observation each month
60 min supervised · 90 min concentrated
Your supervisor observes you working with a client for at least 60 minutes each month in total on supervised fieldwork, and at least 90 minutes on concentrated supervised fieldwork. Shorter observations add up: two observations of 30 minutes make 60.
The maththe month's observation minutes, added together ≥ 60 (90 concentrated)
Watch out
It is a total for the month, not a length each observation has to reach, and one quick check-in won't get you there.
How the app checks it
Mark an entry as an observation with its minutes, and the month adds them up for you.
Supervision contacts
Not required
From 2027, the monthly count of contacts is gone. The BACB® announced it in its March 2022 newsletter, because the count repeated what the supervision percentage already measures.
The mathnothing to count: your supervision percentage covers it
Watch out
The handbook's wording hasn't fully caught up with the change yet. If the BACB receives your complete application by December 31, 2026, the pre-2027 count applies: 4 contacts a month on supervised fieldwork and 6 on concentrated.
How the app checks it
On a 2027 pathway, contacts are left out of your monthly checks.
Individual and group supervision
Group: up to half
Supervision can be individual or in a group of 2 to 10 trainees. Group supervision hours may not exceed half of your total supervised hours, and at least 50% of supervision meeting time must be individual.
The mathgroup supervision hours ÷ total supervised hours × 100 ≤ 50%
Watch out
Unless your organization has several supervisors, your group supervision must come from the same supervisor who gives your individual supervision.
How the app checks it
The month checks your group hours against half of your supervised hours.
Unrestricted hours, overall
At least 60%
At least 60% of all your BCBA fieldwork hours must be unrestricted: the analytic work, such as conducting assessments, designing and revising interventions, analyzing data, and training staff. Restricted hours, the hands-on delivery of services, can be up to 40%. It counts across your whole fieldwork, not month by month.
The mathunrestricted hours ÷ all fieldwork hours × 100 ≥ 60%
Watch out
The BCBA asks for more analytic work than the BCaBA (60% against 40%), and it is hard to catch up late: months of mostly running sessions early on can leave you short near the end.
How the app checks it
Every entry records its unrestricted and restricted hours, so the split is always in view.
Applying before January 1, 2027?
The pre-2027 standards
Under them the monthly hour cap is 130 instead of 160, supervision contacts are counted (4 a month on supervised fieldwork, 6 on concentrated), observation is at least one a month instead of a total in minutes, and concentrated supervision is 10% instead of 7.5%.
Which standards apply to you?
It depends on when the BACB receives your complete application, not when you started fieldwork. Received by December 31, 2026: pre-2027. After that: 2027.
Pre-2027 vs 2027, explained| Supervised fieldwork | Pre-2027 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Total hours | 2,000 | 2,000 |
| Supervised each month | 5% | 5% |
| Hours a monthChanged | 20 to 130 | 20 to 160 |
| Supervision contactsChanged | 4 a month | Not required |
| Observation each monthChanged | At least 1 | 60 minutes in total |
| Unrestricted, overall | At least 60% | At least 60% |
| Group supervision | Up to half of supervised hours | Up to half of supervised hours |
| Concentrated | Pre-2027 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Total hours | 1,500 | 1,500 |
| Supervised each monthChanged | 10% | 7.5% |
| Hours a monthChanged | 20 to 130 | 20 to 160 |
| Supervision contactsChanged | 6 a month | Not required |
| Observation each monthChanged | At least 1 | 90 minutes in total |
| Unrestricted, overall | At least 60% | At least 60% |
| Group supervision | Up to half of supervised hours | Up to half of supervised hours |
How many hours do I need for BCBA fieldwork?
2,000 hours of supervised fieldwork or 1,500 of concentrated supervised fieldwork, under both the 2027 and the pre-2027 standards, logged at 20 to 160 hours a month (130 before 2027) within five consecutive years. At least 60% of them must be unrestricted.
What is the difference between supervised and concentrated supervised fieldwork?
Concentrated supervised fieldwork needs fewer total hours and a larger share of each month supervised: 1,500 hours instead of 2,000, with 7.5% of each month supervised instead of 5% (10% before 2027). Under the 2027 standards it asks for 90 minutes of observation a month instead of 60, and a concentrated month that falls short can't be prorated.
How much supervision do I need each month?
At least 5% of each month's BCBA fieldwork hours on supervised fieldwork and 7.5% on concentrated (10% before 2027), measured month by month. A 120-hour month needs at least 6 supervised hours, or 9 on concentrated. Before 2027 you also need 4 supervision contacts a month (6 on concentrated).
How does the observation requirement work?
Under the 2027 standards it is a total for the month: at least 60 minutes on supervised fieldwork and 90 on concentrated. Observations add up, so two observations of 30 minutes meet the 60. Before 2027 it is at least one observation a month, of you working with a client.
What changed for BCBA fieldwork in 2027?
Under the 2027 standards, the monthly hour cap rises from 130 to 160 hours, supervision contacts are no longer counted, observation becomes a monthly total in minutes, and concentrated supervision drops from 10% to 7.5%. Total hours stay 2,000 and 1,500.
Which standards apply to me, pre-2027 or 2027?
It depends on when the BACB receives your complete application, not when you started fieldwork. If your complete application (including payment and all required documents) is received by December 31, 2026, the pre-2027 standards apply. After that, the 2027 standards apply.
What happens if a month falls short?
A month under 20 hours earns no eligible BCBA hours. A supervised fieldwork month short on supervision can count fewer of its hours, so that the 5% is met; a concentrated month can't be prorated, so a month short on supervision is lost.
Can I mix supervised and concentrated fieldwork?
Yes. Each month's type is decided on that month's Monthly Fieldwork Verification Form: if the month meets the higher concentrated requirements, its hours may count as concentrated. With months of both, the app counts your concentrated hours toward the 2,000 at the BACB's 1.33 and shows the math; every form still records your actual hours.
In the app
Your month, checked as you log
Choose your pathway when you sign up, and every entry is checked against its exact rules, pre-2027 or 2027. It flags, it never blocks: your entries always save.
- Supervision rate: 5% supervised, 7.5% concentrated (10% before 2027)
- Monthly hours: 20 to 160 (130 before 2027)
- Observation: 60 or 90 minutes in total (at least one a month before 2027)
- Group supervision: up to half of supervised hours
Other requirements
Not quite your credential?
Guides for BCBA fieldwork
All articles
Every month of your fieldwork, checked
Choose your pathway when you sign up. ABA FT checks each month as you log, and your verification forms fill in from your hours.
- Free for everyone
- No credit card, no ads
- Pre-2027 and 2027 rules
Register for free
Supervisors join free too
Already have an account? Log in