Pennsylvania's Behavior Specialist License

Pennsylvania does not license behavior analysts. It is one of the ten states the BACB lists without a behavior analyst licensure law. What Pennsylvania does have is a Behavior Specialist license, issued by the State Board of Medicine, and anyone working in ABA there will run into it.

The two are easy to confuse because the Behavior Specialist license covers work that overlaps heavily with applied behavior analysis. But it is a different credential with different requirements, and holding a BCBA does not by itself make you a licensed behavior specialist.

Who is a behavior specialist under Pennsylvania's definition?

The State Board of Medicine's licensure snapshot describes a behavior specialist as "an individual who designs, implements or evaluates a behavior modification intervention component of a treatment plan, including those based on applied behavioral analysis, to produce socially significant improvements in human behavior or to prevent loss of attained skill or function, through skill acquisition and the reduction of problematic behavior."

That language explicitly includes interventions based on applied behavior analysis, which is why BCBAs in Pennsylvania pay attention to it.

What does the license require?

According to the Board's snapshot:

• Degree. A master's or higher from a Board-approved, accredited college or university, with a major course of study in school, clinical, developmental or counseling psychology; special education; social work; speech therapy; occupational therapy; professional counseling; behavioral analysis; nursing; or another related field.
• No examination. The Board lists "No Examination Required."
• Experience. At least one year of experience involving functional behavior assessments of individuals under 21, including developing and implementing behavioral supports or treatment plans, plus 1,000 hours of in-person clinical experience with individuals with behavioral challenges or at least 1,000 hours of experience in a related field with individuals with autism spectrum disorders.
• Coursework. 90 hours of evidence-based coursework: 3 in professional ethics, 16 in assessment, 8 in crisis intervention, 5 in family collaboration, 18 autism-specific, 16 in instructional strategies and best practices, 8 in co-morbidity and medications, and 16 in addressing specific skill deficits.
• Child abuse training. 3 hours of Board-approved continuing education in child abuse recognition and reporting for the initial license.
• Fees. $75 initial and $75 renewal.

Renewal is biennial and requires 2 hours of Board-approved continuing education in child abuse recognition and reporting.

How does it differ from BCBA certification?

The comparison matters in both directions. A BCBA does not automatically meet the Pennsylvania requirements, for example the specific coursework mix and the FBA experience with people under 21. And a licensed behavior specialist is not a BCBA, so the license does not count as BCBA certification in a state that licenses behavior analysts on that basis.

Can out-of-state licensees get the Pennsylvania license?

The Board's snapshot lists two endorsement routes:

• Section 27 of the Medical Practice Act. The Board "will grant a license without restriction to an applicant who does not meet the standard license requirements if the applicant has achieved cumulative qualifications that are endorsed by the Board as being equivalent to the standard requirements."
• Act 41. Pennsylvania's licensure portability law lets boards endorse licenses from other states if the applicant holds a current, active license in good standing from a jurisdiction whose requirements are substantially equivalent to or exceed Pennsylvania's, has no disciplinary action or criminal convictions, has actively practiced for at least two of the last five years, demonstrates competence as the Board determines, and meets administrative requirements such as fees.

Act 41 needs a comparable license from another state. Because the Behavior Specialist license is unusual, whether an out-of-state behavior analyst license counts as substantially equivalent is a question for the Board.

Does the BACB treat Pennsylvania as a licensing state?

No. The BACB's US Licensure table, last updated September 16, 2026, does not include Pennsylvania, and its map shows Pennsylvania among the ten states without a behavior analyst licensure law. For counting purposes, and for any claim about where a "behavior analyst license" exists, Pennsylvania is a non-licensing state.

For practice purposes, check the Behavior Specialist rules and your payers before assuming BACB certification is all you need in Pennsylvania.

What about Pennsylvania BCBAs who work in neighboring states?

New York, New Jersey, Maryland and Ohio all license behavior analysts. Serving clients or supervising staff there, even by telehealth, likely needs those states' licenses; the BACB says services to someone in another jurisdiction "may require a behavior analyst to be licensed in that jurisdiction." New York also requires its license whenever the practitioner is located in New York. See ABA telehealth across state lines.

How can we help in Pennsylvania?

We focus on behavior analyst licenses in the 40 licensing states and DC, which is where most Pennsylvania-based BCBAs need help: New Jersey, New York, Maryland and Ohio licenses for cross-border work. License by Endorsement (BCBA) is $599 per state and a Full State License Application is $749 per state; you review, sign and submit. For a Behavior Specialist question, start with the ABA Licensure Readiness Review, $149, and we will tell you which credentials your work requires. See pricing and the Pennsylvania page.