Self-reporting to the certifying board
What you must report about your own conduct, and when
- RBT
- BCaBA
- BCBA
What the obligation is
Certificants must tell the board about certain events concerning themselves, generally within 30 days of becoming aware of them. The categories are broadly: violations of the ethics code; supervision non-compliance; investigations naming you or a company you own or run; certain legal and disciplinary outcomes; and health conditions or substance use disorders that genuinely affect your ability to practise safely. Changes to your name, address and email are also required within 30 days. Two things people get wrong: this is separate from reporting someone else's alleged violation, which is a different process; and the board's published guidance says that when you are unsure whether something qualifies, the better course is to report it.
In plain language
Tell the board within 30 days about things like an investigation, a supervision lapse, or a health condition that affects safe practice. When in doubt, report it.
What this looks like
- Reporting a month without required supervision as soon as you notice it.
- Updating your portal account within 30 days of moving or changing your name.
- Self-reporting an employer investigation without waiting for its outcome.
- Checking the board's self-reporting guidance rather than guessing.
Where people get caught
- Waiting for an investigation to conclude before reporting it.
- Assuming your employer reported it on your behalf.
- Treating a supervision gap as an administrative matter rather than a reportable one.
- Reading the categories narrowly to avoid a report you dread making.
If you are not sure
Read the board's self-reporting page and, if it is still unclear, report. A report that turns out to be unnecessary is dismissed; an unreported event that surfaces later is a separate violation on top of the original one.
In the codes
- RBT Ethics Code (2.0) Section 3 — What you owe the board and your supervisor
- 3.02 Be accurate with the board and with your supervisor
- 3.04 Self-report the events that have to be reported, within 30 days
- 3.06 Share board notices with your supervisor immediately
- 3.07 Keep your own record current, and report status changes within a day
- Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts Section 1 — Your conduct as a professional
- 1.15 Respond to requests and meet deadlines
- 1.16 Know what you are required to self-report
On the exam
Terms used here
Related topics
Written from
- bacb-rbt-handbook-2026 — Ethics and Self-Reporting, p. 23
- bacb-bcba-handbook-2026 — Self-Reporting, pp. 46-48
Requirements restated from the self-reporting sections of the 06/2026 RBT and BCBA handbooks, in our own words.
This entry has not yet been through independent review. Treat it as a draft, and read the official code for anything that matters.