RBTs must receive supervision for at least 5% of the hours they spend providing behavior-analytic services each calendar month. That supervision must include at least two face-to-face, real-time contacts, one of them individual, and the supervisor must observe the RBT providing services in at least one. Phone or email alone does not count.



This guide covers the monthly math, the contacts, who can supervise, and what changed in 2026. If you are looking for trainee fieldwork rules, see our guide to BCBA fieldwork supervision requirements, or read about the BCBA vs. RBT roles.

What Is the 5% Rule for RBT Supervision?

The 5% rule comes straight from the BACB's RBT Handbook. It says you must get ongoing supervision for "a minimum of 5% of the hours you spend providing behavior-analytic services each calendar month."

To find your minimum, multiply your monthly service hours by 0.05:

A few details that trip people up:

• These are minimums. More supervision is always allowed.
• Each organization counts separately. Requirements apply at each organization where you work, and you cannot combine percentages, such as 3% at one employer and 2% at another.
• Not practicing? No monthly supervision. The BACB says RBTs who are not providing services do not need monthly supervision to maintain certification, though other maintenance requirements still apply.



A Worked Example

Say you provide 30 hours of services a week for four weeks. That is 120 service hours in the month, so your minimum is 6 hours of supervision (120 x 0.05). However your employer schedules it, you need 6 hours in total, and the month must include at least two real-time contacts, one of them individual, with an observation in at least one.

The BACB does not define "hours spent providing behavior-analytic services" beyond that phrase, and its records list refers to the days and times you provided services. Keep your own weekly tally. The BACB's supervisor checklist suggests the same habit for supervisors: track weekly service hours so you can see mid-month whether an RBT needs more supervision.

Numbers You May Have Seen Elsewhere

Some guides, including older versions of our own pages, list figures that we could not find in the current Handbook. The Handbook sets the 5% minimum and two contacts per month. It does not set a separate "minimum of 2 hours per month," a rule that 2.5% of hours must be "direct," a requirement that individual supervision be 5% of hours, or a window such as one contact within the first 90 days. Employers and payers can add their own rules, so check your own policies too.

How Many Supervision Contacts Does an RBT Need Each Month?

At least two. The BACB requires "at least two face-to-face, real-time contacts per month." At least one of the two must be an individual meeting. The other can be a second individual meeting or a small group meeting.



The contacts and the 5% work together. Your total supervision time has to reach 5% of your service hours, and it has to include at least two qualifying contacts. The BACB sets no minimum-hours threshold for the 5%, so the only fixed monthly count is the two contacts.

Does the Supervisor Have to Observe the RBT With a Client?

Yes, at least once a month. The BACB says your supervisor "must observe you providing services in at least one of the monthly meetings." Its record-keeping list refers to "direct observations of you working with a client." The BACB also "encourages direct observation of service delivery as much as possible," so one observation is the floor, not the goal.

Video footage alone is not enough. The BACB says video monitoring without real-time interaction or feedback may not count as supervision.

What About "Direct" and "Indirect" Supervision?

You will see these labels in other guides and in some employer policies. The Handbook does not use "direct supervision" or "indirect supervision" as defined categories for RBTs. What matters is the BACB's actual list: the 5% minimum, two real-time contacts, one individual meeting, and one observation. Reviewing session notes and data with your supervisor is useful work, but it does not replace the required contacts.

Can RBT Supervision Be Done Remotely?

Partly, and the rules have limits:

• Phone and email are out. The BACB says supervision "may not occur over the phone or via email."
• Video observation is allowed. The observation "may be conducted via web cameras, video-conferencing, or similar means," though in-person observation is preferred.
• Internet-based supervision must follow the law. The BACB says it needs to comply with all applicable laws.
• The other contacts are less clear. The Handbook requires "face-to-face, real-time" contacts but does not spell out whether each one may be by video. Ask your RBT Requirements Coordinator or employer before you rely on it.

Who Can Supervise an RBT?

RBT Supervisors

The Handbook lists two credentials: a BCBA or a BCaBA. Before providing any supervision, the supervisor must also complete training based on the BACB's Supervisor Training Curriculum Outline (2.0) and upload it to their BACB account.

They need enough client-specific knowledge to inform the RBT's clinical direction. The supervisor and RBT should work for the same organization, or the supervisor should have a contractual relationship with the client.

The RBT Requirements Coordinator

Every RBT needs a supervisor or RBT Requirements Coordinator on record with the BACB. The Handbook says you may only practice if you have one. A coordinator must be a BCBA. The coordinator makes sure the RBT's supervisors meet all supervision requirements, and may also supervise. An RBT can have only one coordinator per organization.

Who Cannot Supervise You

The BACB says an RBT "may not be related to, superior to, an employer of, or in a multiple relationship with" the supervisor or coordinator. That rules out relatives, and it is why a family member cannot be your supervisor. Paying for supervision does not make you the supervisor's employer.

Tips for Finding a Compatible Supervisor

A supervisor you trust makes the month go smoothly. Before you commit:

• Confirm credentials. Ask whether they hold BCBA or BCaBA certification and have completed the supervisor training.
• Ask how contacts work. How often will you meet, who schedules the observation, and what happens when a month gets busy?
• Ask about feedback. Some supervisors give notes after every session, others save them for meetings.
• Check logistics. Ask whether observations happen in person or by video, and who keeps the records.
• Ask colleagues and local ABA groups about supervisors they have worked with.

Individual vs. Group Supervision for RBTs

At least one of your two monthly contacts must be individual, which means no other RBTs or trainees are present. The other can be a group meeting. A group may not exceed 10 RBTs, regardless of how many supervisors are present. Anyone who is not an RBT should be limited so the RBTs can interact. Group supervision must be client-focused, and it cannot double as professional development.

What Good RBT Supervision Looks Like

The BACB sets the minimums, but the quality of the hour matters as much as the count. According to the BACB's supervisor checklist, supervisors should use their observations to plan training and to review how well their supervision is working, for example by looking at procedural integrity results. Supervision should stay client-focused.

You can help make it count:

• Bring data and questions. Graphs, session notes and specific moments from sessions give your supervisor something concrete to work with.
• Ask for feedback on the observed session. Since at least one contact includes an observation, treat it as your chance to get coaching on live work.
• Raise concerns early. If a month is slipping and the two contacts or the 5% are at risk, say so before the month ends rather than after.
• Confirm the plan for next month. Agree on dates for the individual meeting, the observation and any group meeting.

How Do You Document RBT Supervision?

Both the RBT and the supervisor should keep records. This sample log shows the format:

The BACB's record list also includes the days and times you provided services, the dates and length of supervision, the format (such as one-on-one or group), the dates of direct observations, the names of supervisors, and documentation of the supervisor's relationship to the client. Keep records for at least seven years, even after the supervisory relationship ends. The BACB can audit at any time, and late documents will not be reviewed.



Did RBT Supervision Change in 2026?

No. BACB's 2026 transition guidance, updated in August 2025, says supervision requirements are unchanged. The Handbook page we reviewed for this update shows a June 2026 date.

What is changing is how RBTs qualify and renew:

• New RBTs: Requirements took effect January 1, 2026. Those who train under the 2026 requirements complete the updated RBT Initial Competency Assessment after their 40-hour training.
• 2026 recertification: Current RBTs recertifying this year complete the RBT Recertification Competency Assessment.
• 2028 and after: RBTs submit an application and 12 professional development units (PDUs), with no competency assessment.

For the full pathway, read our guides to what an RBT is, the RBT competency assessment, and the RBT renewal application. To see what the role involves day to day, start with RBT job duties.

RBT Supervision at All Star ABA (Maryland & Virginia)

Good supervision is what turns a new RBT into a confident one. All Star ABA is an ABA provider in Maryland and Virginia, and our RBTs are supervised under the BACB framework described above: the 5% minimum, at least two real-time contacts, and an observation of live work. If you are an RBT, or want to become one, see current openings on our careers page.

If you are a parent, the same structure protects your child. Supervised RBTs deliver plans written by a BCBA, and regular observation helps keep sessions consistent. To learn how our ABA therapy services work, or to ask about care for your child, contact us.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources:

• BACB, RBT Handbook (supervision requirements; page updated 06/2026): https://www.bacb.com/rbt-handbook/
• BACB, Supervision Checklist for RBT Supervisors and RBT Requirements Coordinators (version 6/2026): https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/RBT-Supervisor-RBT-Requirements-Coordinator-Supervision-Checklist-250709-a.pdf
• BACB, Guidance for Meeting RBT Requirements During the 2026 Transition (updated 08/2025): https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/Guidance-RBT-Requirements-2026-Transition
• BACB, RBT 2026 Requirements (updated 08/2025): https://www.bacb.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/RBT-2026-Requirements_250723-a.pdf
• BACB, 7 FAQs for RBTs Pursuing BCBA or BCaBA Certification (2023): https://www.bacb.com/7-faqs-for-rbts-pursuing-bcba-or-bcaba-certification/