Question 1B.1 · Preference assessments
In an MSWO, a client chose ball, then music, then slime, then crayons, and made no choice when only blocks remained. Which statement about this assessment is accurate?
RBT exam format
85 multiple-choice questions in 90 minutes at a Pearson VUE test center. 75 are scored and 10 are unscored pilot questions. Each has four options and one correct answer.
| Questions | 85 multiple choice: 75 scored and 10 unscored |
|---|---|
| Options | 4 per question, 1 correct |
| Time | 90 minutes |
| Result | Pass or fail, given at the test center |
| Outline | RBT Test Content Outline (3rd ed.), 43 tasks |
| Where | In person at Pearson VUE test centers, in English |
The six domains
Questions come from the 43 tasks of the 3rd edition outline, in use for exams from 2026.
| Domain | Scored questions | Share |
|---|---|---|
| A. Data collection and graphing | 13 | 17% |
| B. Behavior assessment | 8 | 11% |
| C. Behavior acquisition | 19 | 25% |
| D. Behavior reduction | 14 | 19% |
| E. Documentation and reporting | 10 | 13% |
| F. Ethics | 11 | 15% |
On the day
- The 90 minutes include the terms and conditions, a navigation tutorial and any review time.
- Arrive about 30 minutes early with one valid government photo ID whose name matches your BACB account exactly.
- A dry-erase board is provided. Phones, notes, calculators and scratch paper are not allowed.
- Breaks are on your own time: the clock keeps running.
- You get your pass or fail result at the test center when you finish.
Answer every question
You cannot tell the 10 unscored questions from the scored ones, so treat each as if it counts. A blank answer can never be right.
Try 3 questions
Question 2C.5 · Chaining
In backward chaining for a 4-step task, the client has mastered step 4. What is the next teaching target?
Question 3E.4 · Objective session notes
A session note reads: "Client completed 12 of 15 trials, threw the card on the floor, probably because they were bored, then sat at the table for 5 minutes." Which phrase should be removed to keep the note objective?
Next step
Questions people ask
How long is the RBT exam?
90 minutes, which includes the terms and conditions, the tutorial and any review.
How many questions do you need to get right on the RBT exam?
The BACB reports pass or fail and does not publish a number of questions to get right. All questions are equally weighted.
Which domain has the most questions?
Behavior acquisition: 19 of the 75 scored questions, or 25%.
Is the RBT exam online?
No. It is computer-based, taken in person at Pearson VUE test centers in the US, Canada (except Quebec and Ontario) and, until January 1, 2027, Australia.