Monthly Hour Cap

The monthly hour cap is the maximum number of fieldwork hours that the BACB will count in any single supervision period. Under pre-2027 standards, this cap is set at 130 hours per month. The 2027 standards raised it to 160 hours per month, reflecting feedback that the original cap was too restrictive for candidates in full-time clinical positions.

Any hours you log beyond the cap in a given month simply do not count. They are not carried over to the next month, and they cannot be applied retroactively. If you work 150 hours in a month under pre-2027 standards, only 130 will be credited toward your total. The remaining 20 hours are effectively lost from a certification standpoint, even though you performed the work.

Understanding the monthly cap is essential for planning your fieldwork pace. If you are on a supervised fieldwork track requiring 2,000 hours with a 130-hour monthly cap, you need a minimum of approximately 16 months to complete your hours — even if your schedule would allow you to log more. The cap prevents candidates from rushing through fieldwork and ensures a sustained period of professional development. For candidates under 2027 standards, the higher 160-hour cap provides more flexibility, potentially shortening the minimum timeline by several months.