RBT practice test

Free · Updated for the 2026 exam outline

Free RBT Practice Exam 2026: Diagnose, Drill, and Simulate

Start with a quick diagnostic, study the six current BACB content domains, then take an 85-question, 90-minute mock exam with clear answer explanations and a domain-by-domain score report.

Start the 10-question diagnostic Take the full 85-question exam

Independent study resource. No account required. Not affiliated with or endorsed by the BACB.

85original practice questions
90 minofficial time limit
6content domains
$0to practice here

Choose your practice format

Build confidence in manageable rounds

Use the shorter tests to find gaps without fatigue. Move to the full simulator when you are ready to practice pacing and endurance.

Best first step · 10 questions

Diagnostic

A fast sample across all six domains with immediate scoring after submission.

Find your starting point →
Practice set · 20 questions

Practice Exam 1

Mixed-domain questions covering measurement, assessment, teaching, reduction, reporting, and ethics.

Take Exam 1 →
Practice set · 20 questions

Practice Exam 2

A second balanced set of original scenarios with explanations for every missed item.

Take Exam 2 →
Practice set · 20 questions

Practice Exam 3

Continue spaced practice with a different mix from the same 2026-aligned bank.

Take Exam 3 →
Practice set · 20 questions

Practice Exam 4

Use this final short set before moving to the timed full-length simulation.

Take Exam 4 →

Target weak areas

Drill one content domain at a time

Each drill focuses on one section of the current Test Content Outline. Choose a drill after your score report identifies a domain that needs more review.

AData Collection and Graphing17% of scored exam content BBehavior Assessment11% of scored exam content CBehavior Acquisition25% of scored exam content DBehavior Reduction19% of scored exam content EDocumentation and Reporting13% of scored exam content FEthics15% of scored exam content

Current 2026 blueprint

What the real RBT exam covers

The BACB reports 75 scored questions plus 10 unscored pilot questions. All questions have four answer choices and one correct answer. The percentages below apply to the 75 scored questions.

DomainScored questionsShareStart with
A. Data Collection and Graphing1317%Measurement guide
B. Behavior Assessment811%Assessment guide
C. Behavior Acquisition1925%Skill acquisition guide
D. Behavior Reduction1419%Behavior reduction guide
E. Documentation and Reporting1013%Documentation guide
F. Ethics1115%Ethics guide

A simple study loop

Turn every result into the next action

  1. Diagnose. Take the 10-question sample without notes.
  2. Review. Read the explanation for each missed item and revisit the linked guide.
  3. Drill. Practice the lowest-scoring domain until the reasoning is clear.
  4. Simulate. Take the 85-question exam in one 90-minute sitting.

Transparent methodology

How this practice resource was built

The question bank uses original scenarios mapped to tasks in the BACB RBT Test Content Outline (3rd ed.). The full simulator uses a proportional 85-item practice mix; all 85 practice items are scored so every response produces feedback.

Practice RBT Exam is an independent publisher. It is not the BACB, does not reproduce live examination items, and does not claim endorsement or a guaranteed outcome.

Primary references

RBT Test Content Outline (3rd ed.)

RBT Handbook

BACB Ethics Codes

About the publisher and editorial approach

Common questions

RBT practice exam FAQ

How many questions are on the RBT exam in 2026?

The current RBT exam has 85 multiple-choice questions: 75 scored questions and 10 unscored pilot questions. Candidates have 90 minutes, including the exam interface and review time.

Is this an official BACB practice exam?

No. This is an independent study resource. BACB does not endorse this website, and the questions here are original practice items rather than live exam questions.

What score do I need to pass?

This website does not publish an invented raw passing percentage. The official examination uses BACB’s scoring process. Use your domain results to guide study rather than treating a practice percentage as a guarantee.

Will my answers be saved?

Progress is saved in the current browser using local storage. No quiz account is required. Clearing browser storage or switching devices removes that saved attempt.

The official exam, in numbers

RBT exam at a glance (2026)

The Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) examination is administered by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) and delivered at Pearson VUE testing centres. These are the facts every candidate should know before taking a practice exam, taken from the current RBT Handbook and the 3rd-edition Test Content Outline.

Questions85 multiple-choice items: 75 scored + 10 unscored pilot questions. Four answer options, one correct answer.
Time limit90 minutes (about 63 seconds per question).
Content areasSix: Data Collection and Graphing (17%), Behavior Assessment (11%), Behavior Acquisition (25%), Behavior Reduction (19%), Documentation and Reporting (13%), Ethics (15%).
Delivered byPearson VUE, at authorised testing centres.
EligibilityAge 18+, high-school diploma or equivalent, background check within 180 days, 40-hour training completed over 5–180 days, Initial Competency Assessment within 90 days of applying.
Fees$65 BACB application fee; $45 Pearson VUE exam appointment fee.
ResultsPass/fail, given at the testing centre. The BACB does not publish a percentage cut score.
RetakesUp to 8 attempts within the 12-month authorisation window; 7-day wait between attempts.
After passingAnnual renewal, 5% monthly supervision by an RBT Supervisor, RBT Ethics Code, Recertification Competency Assessment.

Source: BACB RBT Handbook and RBT Test Content Outline (3rd ed.). Verify fees and policies with the BACB before you apply; they change.

Try before you start

10 sample RBT practice questions with answers

One or two original items from each content area, in the same four-option format as the exam. Decide on your answer before you open the explanation. Each rationale names the Test Content Outline task the question assesses so you can jump to the right study guide.

1. During a 90-minute session, a client engaged in 18 instances of hand biting. What was the rate per hour?
  1. 9 per hour
  2. 12 per hour ✓
  3. 18 per hour
  4. 27 per hour

Correct answer: B. Ninety minutes is 1.5 hours. Divide 18 responses by 1.5 hours to get 12 responses per hour.

Content area A · Data Collection and Graphing · Task A.1

2. Which description is observable and measurable?
  1. The client was angry
  2. The client was uncooperative
  3. The client yelled above conversational volume for 12 seconds ✓
  4. The client had a bad attitude

Correct answer: C. Yelling above a defined volume for a measured duration describes observable behavior without inferring an internal state.

Content area A · Data Collection and Graphing · Task A.5

3. A toy ranks first in a preference assessment. What may the RBT conclude?
  1. The toy will always function as a reinforcer
  2. The toy is currently preferred and may be tested as a reinforcer ✓
  3. The toy should be used without supervisor direction
  4. The learner will prefer the toy in every setting

Correct answer: B. Preference assessments identify likely preferences, not guaranteed reinforcers. Reinforcing effects must be demonstrated by increased behavior.

Content area B · Behavior Assessment · Task B.1

4. Which schedule delivers reinforcement after every correct response?
  1. Fixed interval
  2. Continuous reinforcement ✓
  3. Variable ratio
  4. Variable interval

Correct answer: B. Continuous reinforcement provides reinforcement for each occurrence of the target response.

Content area C · Behavior Acquisition · Task C.1

5. Which chaining method gives the learner an opportunity to perform every step of the task analysis on each teaching trial?
  1. Forward chaining
  2. Backward chaining
  3. Total-task presentation ✓
  4. Stimulus fading

Correct answer: C. Total-task presentation teaches and prompts the entire sequence during each opportunity.

Content area C · Behavior Acquisition · Task C.5

6. A learner earns one token for each completed task and may exchange five tokens for a break. After the fifth task, what should the RBT do?
  1. Follow the exchange procedure and offer the planned break ✓
  2. Change the cost to ten tokens
  3. Remove the tokens without an exchange
  4. Delay the exchange until the next day

Correct answer: A. Consistent, timely exchange according to the written rules preserves the value of the token system.

Content area C · Behavior Acquisition · Task C.11

7. A learner is reinforced for keeping both hands in pockets, a response that cannot occur at the same time as scratching. Which procedure is this?
  1. DRA
  2. DRI ✓
  3. DRO
  4. DRL

Correct answer: B. DRI reinforces a behavior that is physically incompatible with the target behavior.

Content area D · Behavior Reduction · Task D.3

8. The RBT does not understand a new prompting procedure. What is the best next step?
  1. Guess during the next session
  2. Seek timely training and direction from the supervisor ✓
  3. Ask the client to choose a procedure
  4. Skip all teaching without reporting it

Correct answer: B. The RBT should seek clarification and competency-based training before implementing an unfamiliar procedure.

Content area E · Documentation and Reporting · Task E.2

9. When should an RBT complete required session documentation?
  1. As soon as practical within workplace requirements ✓
  2. Only when a supervisor reminds them
  3. Several weeks later from memory
  4. Before the session using expected results

Correct answer: A. Timely documentation improves accuracy and must follow applicable workplace, legal, and regulatory requirements.

Content area E · Documentation and Reporting · Task E.4

10. A family offers the RBT an expensive gift. What should the RBT do?
  1. Accept it secretly
  2. Follow the BACB ethics requirements and workplace policy, and consult the supervisor ✓
  3. Exchange it for client data
  4. Accept it if the session went well

Correct answer: B. Gift situations must be handled under current ethics and workplace rules with supervisor guidance; expensive gifts create substantial boundary concerns.

Content area F · Ethics · Task F.8

Take the full 85-question mock exam Start with practice test 1

Study method

How to use an RBT practice exam to actually pass

Practise the way you will be tested

The RBT exam asks you to apply the Test Content Outline to client scenarios, so rereading the 40-hour training slides is not enough. Timed practice tests build three things the real exam rewards: recognising which task a scenario is really about, working measurement calculations quickly, and holding pace for 90 minutes. Take the 10-question diagnostic first, then one 20-question set every study day, and read every explanation. A correct guess is still a gap.

Drill the lowest content area, not your favourite one

Your score report breaks results down by the six content areas. Behavior Acquisition is worth a quarter of the scored exam and Behavior Reduction almost a fifth, so a weak result there costs more than a weak result in Behavior Assessment (11%). Use the domain drills and the linked study guides until the reasoning behind the answer, not just the answer, is clear.

Pacing plan for exam day

63 seconds per question. Answer everything you know on the first pass, mark anything that needs a calculation or a reread, and return to marked items with the time left.

Two full simulations minimum. Sit the 85-question mock exam once early to learn the format and once in the week before your Pearson VUE appointment to confirm pacing.

Common traps. Confusing latency with interresponse time; picking an intervention the RBT is not authorised to design; writing session notes with opinions instead of observable behavior; and forgetting that ethical questions usually resolve to “follow the plan and tell your supervisor.”

Context

Where the exam fits in becoming a Registered Behavior Technician

An RBT is a paraprofessional in applied behavior analysis (ABA) who implements behavior-analytic services under the close supervision of an RBT Supervisor, typically a BCBA or BCaBA. The exam is the final gate in a five-step path: complete the 40-hour training, pass the Initial Competency Assessment, clear the background check, submit the BACB application, then pass the examination within the 12-month authorisation window. Practice exams belong between steps two and five: once you have seen the material in training and demonstrated it in the competency assessment, timed questions turn that knowledge into exam performance.

Study guide

Complete 2026 RBT study guide

All six content areas, task by task, with examples written for technicians rather than analysts.

Roles

ABA assistant vs RBT

How the BACB credential differs from a general job title, and what supervision it requires.

En español

Examen de práctica RBT

Spanish-language practice and guidance for bilingual candidates.

More questions answered

RBT exam requirements, cost, retakes and results

What are the requirements to sit the RBT exam?

You must be at least 18, hold a high school diploma or equivalent, pass a criminal background and abuse-registry check within 180 days of paying the application fee, complete the 40-hour RBT training over no fewer than 5 and no more than 180 days, and pass the Initial Competency Assessment with a qualified assessor no more than 90 days before you apply. Once the BACB approves the application you receive authorisation to schedule the exam with Pearson VUE.

How much does the RBT exam cost in 2026?

The BACB application fee is $65 and the exam appointment fee paid to Pearson VUE is $45, according to the current RBT Handbook. Budget separately for the 40-hour training and the competency assessment, which are provided by third parties. A new exam appointment fee applies to each attempt.

How hard is the RBT exam?

The exam tests application rather than recall: most items describe a client scenario and ask what the technician should do, record or report. Candidates who have only memorised definitions tend to struggle with the measurement calculations and the behavior-reduction decision items. Timing is the other pressure point: 85 questions in 90 minutes leaves about 63 seconds per question, which is why the mock exam here uses the real time limit.

Can I retake the RBT exam if I fail?

Yes. The BACB allows a maximum of 8 attempts within the 12-month authorisation window that starts when your application is approved, and you must wait 7 days between attempts. Use your domain-by-domain result to decide what to study before rebooking.

When and how do I get my RBT exam results?

You receive a pass/fail result at the Pearson VUE testing centre as soon as you finish. The BACB does not publish a percentage cut score, so no practice website can tell you the exact number of questions you need to get right.

Is the RBT exam open book?

No. The exam is delivered under Pearson VUE test-centre rules with no notes, phones or personal items at the workstation. Practise the calculations and the ethics code from memory; that is how you will be tested.

What happens after I pass the RBT exam?

Your RBT certification is issued by the BACB and must be renewed every year. As a certificant you work under an RBT Supervisor, receive supervision for at least 5% of the hours you spend delivering behavior-analytic services each month, follow the RBT Ethics Code, and complete a Recertification Competency Assessment no more than 45 days before your expiry date.

How is a practice exam different from the real RBT exam?

The questions here are original items written to the same Test Content Outline, not live BACB questions, and this site reports a raw percentage rather than the pass/fail decision the BACB issues. Use practice exams to learn the format, find weak content areas and build pacing, then rely on the official RBT Handbook for eligibility, fees and exam-day rules.

Editorial note

How these questions are written and checked

Every item in the bank is an original scenario mapped to a specific task code in the BACB RBT Test Content Outline (3rd ed.), written with one defensible correct answer and a rationale a technician can act on. Items are checked against the current RBT Handbook and RBT Ethics Code, and corrections reported through the contact page are prioritised. Where a credentialed reviewer has checked a set, the reviewer’s name, credential and review date are shown on that page. Practice RBT Exam is an independent publisher and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the BACB.

Last content review

11 September 2026 · aligned to the 3rd-edition Test Content Outline effective 2026.

Read the editorial standards →