If you earn CE after July 1, 2026, one question matters for every course: does it meet the BACB participation-monitoring standard?
This guide explains what compliant CE looks like under the July 2026 standard, how to verify a provider meets it, and what to do if you have CE from providers that have not updated their courses.
The ACE Provider Handbook effective July 1, 2026 requires ACE Coordinators to ensure attendees are present and participating for the entire event. For asynchronous events — the handbook’s term for content you work through independently, at your own pace — it gives two example measures, in its own words: “answering questions designed to evaluate knowledge from the event (at least 3 per CEU/PDU)” and “completing other activities that require active responding”.
This is called participation monitoring. The BACB requires it to confirm that learners are actively engaging with course content — not simply clicking through to a certificate.
The fastest check: does the course embed questions throughout the content, with at least 3 questions per CEU? Or does it only have a quiz at the very end?
What the handbook does not say, which matters if someone has told you otherwise: it does not state where in a course those questions must sit. It gives a count, not a placement. The phrase about embedding active responding within the presentation appears under synchronous events, which are a different format. What the handbook does rule out for asynchronous events is named explicitly: code words embedded in a recorded presentation, time logged in to the platform as the sole measure, and a written attestation that you engaged with the content. A final quiz is not on that list.
The second check: is the provider a current BACB ACE Provider? Only an authorized provider can issue ACE continuing education, and status is verifiable at BACB.com in the ACE Provider Verification Registry. Your own recertification requirements live in your certificant handbook rather than in the provider handbook — and when we first wrote this we said we would not tell you what counts from a document that governs providers. We have since read the certificant handbook, so here is the answer instead of the deferral.
An ACE event is one of several ways to earn a CEU, not the only way. The BCBA Handbook (Updated 06/2026) sets three activity types and says plainly that “there are no restrictions or limitations on the number of non-repeating CEUs you can earn through each activity type”:
So a graduate course, a class you taught, or a paper you published can carry CEUs with no ACE Provider involved at all. What an ACE Provider is uniquely for is issuing ACE continuing education — that part does require authorization, and it is the part this page is about. If anyone tells you that only ACE-provider CE counts toward recertification, the handbook does not say that.
BACB, Board Certified Behavior Analyst Handbook (Updated 06/2026), “CEU Types” and “CEU Requirements”: “You can earn CEUs via three activity types” · “As a BCBA, you are required to obtain 32 continuing education units (CEUs) within each 2-year recertification cycle, including 4 CEUs in ethics and 3 CEUs in supervision (for supervisors).” Read at source on September 13, 2026.
Both yes means the two things you can check from outside a course are in order. Whether a particular event satisfies the handbook is the ACE Coordinator’s responsibility under it, and ultimately the BACB’s call — not something a checklist, ours included, can settle for you.
Some providers are still updating their libraries to meet the July 2026 standard. Here is what to consider:
Does the July 2026 change require live sessions instead of recorded video?
No. The handbook permits both live and online events, synchronous and asynchronous, and names conference presentation recordings as an example format. Recorded video can be compliant if participation is measured — the handbook’s example is at least 3 knowledge questions per CEU, or other activities requiring active responding.
When does the July 2026 standard apply?
July 1, 2026. CE earned after that date must meet the participation-monitoring standard to count toward BCBA recertification.
Does the July 2026 change affect how many CEUs I need?
No. The total remains 32 CEUs per 2-year cycle, including 4 Ethics CEUs and 3 Supervision CEUs for BCBAs who supervised. The change is in how CE is delivered, not how many hours are required.
Can I use CE from before July 2026 toward my renewal?
CE earned before July 1, 2026 from a BACB ACE Provider under the standards in effect at that time is generally still eligible for your current cycle. Confirm specifics with BACB for your individual situation.
What is a BACB ACE Provider?
BACB ACE Providers are organizations authorized by the BACB to offer CE that counts toward BCBA recertification. Authorization as an ACE Provider does not imply endorsement or approval of the ACE event content by the BACB. Verify a provider's ACE status at BACB.com.
Special Learning is a BACB ACE Provider (#OP-14-2437). Every course in the CE Library includes knowledge checks throughout, at least 3 per CEU. It's $199 for 12 months of access.
Special Learning is a QABA-approved CE provider. Special Learning is an IBAO-approved CE provider.
Explore the CE Library →ACE Non-Endorsement: Special Learning is a BACB ACE Provider (#OP-14-2437). Authorization as an ACE Provider does not imply endorsement or approval of the ACE event content by the BACB. BACB ACE Provider status does not imply BACB endorsement of specific course content, individual courses, products, or services of ACE providers.
Note: It is intended for informational purposes only. For questions specific to your recertification cycle, consult your BACB account portal or contact BACB directly.