Which States License Assistant Behavior Analysts?

A BCaBA certificate from the BACB says you met a national standard. It does not say you may practice in a given state. The BACB's September 2026 regulatory brief counts 40 states that regulate behavior analysts and 31 that regulate assistant behavior analysts, and it reports that every one of those 31 offers a pathway for BCaBAs. What it does not publish is a list of which 31. So the practical question for a BCaBA who is moving, taking a telehealth caseload, or working for an agency in more than one state is narrower: what does this particular state call the credential, what does it cost, and who has to supervise me?

BCaBAs are a small group. The BACB's certificant data, as of October 1, 2026, counts 4,931 BCaBAs against 88,013 BCBAs and 259,577 RBTs. That small number is one reason state rules for assistants are easy to overlook, and one reason employers sometimes assume a BCaBA can simply work under the supervising BCBA's license. In a state that licenses assistants, that assumption is wrong.

What does a state assistant license add to BCaBA certification?

Three things, usually. First, legal permission to practice in that state, which BACB certification does not give. The BACB says plainly that it "does not regulate the ability to practice behavior analysis in any jurisdiction" (December 2025 Newsletter). Second, a state-specific supervision rule layered on top of the BACB's own. Third, a state renewal date and fee that run on their own clock, separate from your BACB recertification.

Most states use BCaBA certification as the entry ticket. Texas requires current BCaBA certification (or QABA's Qualified Autism Services Practitioner Supervisor credential) and compliance with the certifying entity's supervision requirements "at all times when practicing behavior analysis," according to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR). Virginia's statute requires current BCaBA certification plus documentation that the applicant's work is supervised by a licensed behavior analyst (Va. Code § 54.1-2957.16(C)). Nevada defines an assistant behavior analyst as someone who holds BCaBA certification and a Nevada license (NRS 641D.020).

How do eight states compare?

These are the states where we have read the statute, rules or board page directly. Fees are the amounts published in the source named; boards change them, so confirm the current figure before you pay.

• Texas: Licensed Assistant Behavior Analyst (LABA). Initial license and renewal are each $110 on TDLR's "at a glance" sheet, and the license runs two years. TDLR counted 228 assistant behavior analysts in fiscal 2025. There is no Texas exam.
• New York: Certified Behavior Analyst Assistant (CBAA). The fee for certification and first registration is $225, and a CBAA limited permit is $70, according to the Office of the Professions. Education Law Article 167 requires the CBAA to work under the supervision of a licensed behavior analyst.
• Illinois: Licensed Assistant Behavior Analyst. The Behavior Analyst Licensing Act says an assistant "shall not engage in the practice of applied behavior analysis unless supervised by a licensed clinical psychologist or licensed behavior analyst" (225 ILCS 6/20(a-5)). Fingerprints are required (225 ILCS 6/35(d)). IDFPR began issuing licenses on January 15, 2025.
• Washington: Licensed Assistant Behavior Analyst (LABA). The application and initial license fee is $160 and renewal is $175 under WAC 246-805-990. The applicant must prove ongoing supervision by a licensed behavior analyst (RCW 18.380.050(2)). There is no exam for the LABA, according to the Department of Health's FAQ.
• Virginia: Licensed Assistant Behavior Analyst. The initial fee is $70 and active renewal is $70, due in your birth month in odd-numbered years (18VAC85-150-40). Renewal requires 20 hours of continuing education, four of them in ethics (18VAC85-150-100).
• Nevada: Licensed Assistant Behavior Analyst (LaBA). The board lists a $100 application fee and a $150 state examination fee. Nevada is one of the few states with its own law exam for assistants (NAC 641D.120). Biennial renewal is $275 under NAC 641D.200.
• Oregon: Licensed Assistant Behavior Analyst. The Health Licensing Office lists a $125 application fee and a $175 license fee, a fingerprint-based nationwide background check, and supervision by a behavior analyst licensed by the Oregon board. Oregon licenses run one year, and assistants need 10 hours of continuing education every licensure year (OAR 824-070-0005).
• Louisiana: State Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst (SCABA). The application fee is $250 and annual renewal is $125, due by July 1 (Louisiana Behavior Analyst Board rules, sections 305 and 401). Applicants pass the Louisiana jurisprudence exam and submit a notarized application and a supervision form for each supervising LBA (section 303).

Which licensing states have no assistant credential?

Ohio is the clearest example. Ohio's law creates one credential, the certified Ohio behavior analyst, and exempts "an individual practicing applied behavior analysis who is supervised by a certified Ohio behavior analyst and acting under the authority and direction of that certified Ohio behavior analyst" (Ohio Rev. Code 4783.02(B)(4)). The supervising analyst must sign an attestation taking responsibility for that person's care (4783.02(C)). A BCaBA in Ohio works under that exemption rather than holding an Ohio license. Do not read that as freedom from supervision: the exemption exists only while a certified Ohio behavior analyst directs the work.

Because the BACB does not name the nine licensing states without an assistant credential, check the state page for each state on your list. Our state license index marks what we have confirmed and what is still unverified.

Why does the supervisor's license matter to a BCaBA?

An assistant license is tied to a supervisor. Louisiana requires both the LBA and the SCABA to notify the board in writing within 10 calendar days when the supervision relationship ends (rule 303(B)). Washington requires a written supervision agreement before the LABA begins any behavior analytic task (WAC 246-805-240). Georgia's board page, as archived in April 2026, told assistants not to apply until their supervisor held a Georgia license.

The BACB adds a warning that applies everywhere: "an assistant behavior analyst who is supervised by an individual who was not properly licensed could have actions taken against their license by the licensure board" (December 2025 Newsletter). If your supervisor works remotely from another state, they may need a license where you practice. Our post on supervision rules for licensed assistant behavior analysts goes state by state, and remote supervision across state lines covers the cross-border case.

What happens to a state assistant license when you pass the BCBA exam?

Under the BACB's rule in effect since January 1, 2025, passing the BCBA exam ends any other BACB certification you hold after 180 days or on its expiration date, whichever comes first (BCBA Handbook). A state assistant license that depends on current BCaBA certification can be left resting on a credential that no longer exists. Plan the move to a behavior analyst license in each state before that window closes. See what happens to your RBT or BCaBA after the BCBA exam.

Which application details trip up assistants?

Most assistant files stall on paperwork about the supervisor, not on the assistant's own qualifications. From the rules we have read:

• Supervision proof at application. Washington requires proof of ongoing supervision by a licensed behavior analyst (RCW 18.380.050(2)). Nevada requires evidence of who will supervise before the license issues (NAC 641D.100(2)). Louisiana wants a supervision form for each supervising LBA (rule 303).
• Notarization and originals. Louisiana asks for a notarized application with a photo and says the original must arrive by mail before a license issues, even if a scanned copy starts processing.
• Identification. Oregon asks for two forms of government identification in your current legal name, at least one with a photo.
• References and exams. Nevada asks for three professional reference letters and its own law exam; Louisiana requires its jurisprudence exam.
• Fingerprints. Illinois, Oregon and Louisiana require background checks for assistants, each through its own process.

Where does our assistant license service fit?

Our Assistant Behavior Analyst License service is $399 per state. We confirm whether the state licenses assistants, gather the supervision forms and verifications, prepare the complete application package for your review, coordinate fingerprints where they are required, and track the board until it decides. You review, sign and submit the application yourself; the BACB warns that letting another person or entity complete a licensure application may violate state law. State, BACB and fingerprint vendor fees are separate. If your supervising BCBA also needs a license in the same state, the pricing page lists the behavior analyst services, and a $149 Readiness Review sorts out which credentials a multi-state caseload actually requires.