Applicants for BCBA certification on or after January 1, 2027 follow an updated set of supervised-fieldwork rules. The good news: the big pillars — the hour totals and the 60/40 unrestricted rule — don’t change. What changes is how supervision and observation are measured. Everything below comes from the BACB’s own 2027 Requirements document, Fieldwork Requirements, and newsletters (linked at the bottom).
2022 vs. 2027 at a glance
| Requirement | 2022 (current) | 2027 (from Jan 1) |
|---|---|---|
| Hours to qualify | 2,000 Supervised / 1,500 Concentrated | 2,000 / 1,500 same |
| 60% unrestricted rule | At least 60% of total hours unrestricted | At least 60% same |
| Hours per month | 20–130 | 20–160 changed |
| Supervision % | 5% Supervised / 10% Concentrated | 5% / 7.5% Concentrated changed |
| Supervisory contacts / month | 4 (Supervised) / 6 (Concentrated), each ≥15 min | No fixed contact count removed |
| Observation with a client | 1 observation per month | 60 min Supervised / 90 min Concentrated, cumulative changed |
| Individual supervision | At least 50% of supervised hours | At least 50% same |
| Who may supervise | BCBA/BCBA-D, qualifying psychologist, or ABAI Verified Instructor | Active BCBA only changed |
| Verification forms | 2022 Monthly & Final forms | 2027 Monthly & Final forms changed |
What stays the same, what changes
Stays the same
- 2,000 / 1,500 total hours
- The 60/40 unrestricted rule, measured over your total fieldwork
- 20-hour monthly minimum to count
- At least 50% of supervision must be individual
- The 5-year window and 7-year record retention
- A signed supervision contract and work with multiple clients
Changes in 2027
- Monthly cap rises 130 → 160 hours
- Concentrated supervision drops 10% → 7.5%
- Fixed monthly contact counts are removed
- Observation becomes cumulative minutes (60 / 90), not one event
- Supervisors must be active BCBAs
- New 2027 verification forms; activities tie to a specific client
- Eligibility Pathways 3 & 4 end (Pathway 2 ends 2032)
Do my current hours carry over?
Hours you’ve already accrued still count as hours — but the standard in effect on your application date governs your fieldwork. The place this bites is observation: under 2022 it’s “one contact that includes observing you with a client,” while under 2027 it’s a minutes target that differs by pathway. A month that satisfied the 2022 observation rule may not add up to the 2027 minutes.
The dates that matter
Official sources
Don’t take our word for it — these are the primary BACB documents this guide is built from:
Read it from the BACB
2027 BCBA Requirements (BACB) “Fieldwork: Getting It Right” blog post (BACB) FAQs about supervised fieldwork (BACB) BACB Newsletters (Feb 2026, Mar 2025)This guide is educational and independent. FieldworkABA is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the BACB. Requirements can change — always confirm against the current BCBA Handbook. BCBA, BCaBA, RBT, and BACB are registered trademarks of the BACB.
Track the 2022 or 2027 rules automatically
FieldworkABA checks the ratio, supervision, and monthly rules as you log — and the ratio planner supports both standards. Free for 14 days, no card.
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