Free Tool · BCaBA®

BCaBA fieldwork hours & unrestricted ratio planner

BCaBA® fieldwork needs at least 40% unrestricted activities across 1,300 Supervised or 1,000 Concentrated hours (800 from 2027). Enter your hours to see how many unrestricted hours you still need — and whether you’re quietly over the restricted cap.

Your BCaBA® fieldwork

38%Unrestricted
Below 40%
Prioritize unrestricted hours to get above the line.
220
Unrestricted hours still needed
100
Restricted you can still log
400
Total hours remaining
—
Projected finish
The BCaBA® rule: at least 40% of your total hours must be unrestricted (no more than 60% restricted). For 1,300 hours that’s ≥520 unrestricted and ≤780 restricted. Under 2027 standards, count 20–160 hours per month with the required supervision.

Free planning tool — not affiliated with or endorsed by the BACB®. Always confirm against the current BCaBA® Handbook and your supervisor. BCBA®, BCaBA®, and BACB® are registered trademarks of the BACB®.

How BCaBA® fieldwork hours add up

BCaBA® certification takes fewer hours than BCBA® and asks for a different unrestricted ratio. Here are the numbers this calculator uses, drawn from the BACB® BCaBA® Handbook and the 2027 BCaBA® Requirements.

RequirementSupervised FieldworkConcentrated Supervised Fieldwork
Hours to qualify1,3001,000 · 800 from 2027
Concentrated multiplier—×1.3 · ×1.625 from 2027
Unrestricted activitiesAt least 40% of total hours (no more than 60% restricted) — measured over your full fieldwork, not monthly
Hours per monthMinimum 20 — maximum 130 (160 from 2027)
Supervision per month5% of hours10% of hours
Individual supervisionAt least 50% of supervised hours (group may not exceed 50%)
Observation with a clientPre-2027: 1 per month + contacts (4 Supervised / 6 Concentrated). From 2027: 60 min (Supervised) / 90 min (Concentrated) cumulative
Working toward BCBA® instead? Use the BCBA fieldwork hours calculator — 2,000 / 1,500 hours and the 60% unrestricted rule.

Stop guessing at the ratio

FieldworkABA checks your 40/60 balance and BCaBA® hour goals automatically as you log — so you never discover the problem at the finish line. Free for 14 days, no card.

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Muffins the Cat with common BCaBA fieldwork ratio questions
Frequently Asked Questions

BCaBA® fieldwork, answered

What is the 40% unrestricted rule for BCaBA?
At least 40% of your total fieldwork hours must be unrestricted activities, and no more than 60% restricted. For 1,300 Supervised hours that’s ≥520 unrestricted; for 1,000 Concentrated hours, ≥400 (or ≥320 out of 800 under 2027).
How many hours does BCaBA fieldwork require?
1,300 Supervised Fieldwork hours or 1,000 Concentrated hours (800 under the 2027 requirements), or a combination. Concentrated hours are weighted — multiply by 1.3 (or 1.625 under 2027) and add your Supervised hours to reach the 1,300 combined total.
What if I log too many restricted hours?
Restricted hours can’t be removed, and the ratio is measured on your final total. If restricted passes 60% of the goal, you have to keep going until your total reaches restricted ÷ 0.60, and those extra hours must be unrestricted. The planner shows the exact number.
How is BCaBA fieldwork different from BCBA?
BCaBA needs fewer hours (1,300 / 1,000 vs 2,000 / 1,500) and only 40% unrestricted instead of 60%. Under 2027, Concentrated BCaBA supervision stays at 10% while Concentrated BCBA drops to 7.5%. Working toward BCBA? Use the BCBA calculator.
Is this calculator official?
No. It’s a free, independent planning tool and isn’t affiliated with or endorsed by the BACB®. Always confirm your hours against the current BCaBA® Handbook and your supervisor.