How Long Is the RBT Exam And My Proven Passing Tips 2025
How Long Is the RBT Exam?
The RBT exam is 90 minutes with 85 multiple-choice questions, 75 scored and 10 unscored. Passing requires 80%. Based on the BACB RBT Task List, it’s taken at Pearson VUE testing centers.
Let me guess, you are a first timer and wanna know how long, the number of questions, and how to deal with the RBT Exam?
You’re staring down 85 multiple-choice questions and just 90 minutes to prove you know your stuff.
It’s a single, in-person exam administered by the BACB through Pearson VUE with no extra finals waiting on the sidelines.
RBT Exam Essentials You Can’t Ignore
- Total questions: 85
- Scored items: 75
- Pilot items: 10 hidden (it means they don’t count, and you don’t know which ones are which)
- Time limit: 90 minutes (that’s about 65 seconds per question)
- Format: Four-option multiple choice
- Single exam only: No separate final, it’s this one shot to get certified.
What RBT Test Covers
| Domain | Number | % of Scored Qs |
|---|---|---|
| Data Collection & Graphing | 13 | 17% |
| Behavior Assessment | 8 | 11% |
| Behavior Acquisition | 19 | 25% |
| Behavior Reduction | 14 | 19% |
| Documentation & Reporting | 10 | 13% |
| Ethics (Professional Conduct & Scope) | 11 | 15% |
This reflects BACB’s latest (3rd) Test Content Outline launching in 2026.
How to Finish the Exam in 90 Minutes?
- Pace it out: Trust me when I say this, don’t pace it, and no more than 90 seconds per question.
- Answer them all: Another thing most people make mistakes is taking too much time on one question. They might feel like they know it and have read it, but can’t recall it at the moment. Please, that’s gonna derail your exam. No guessing penalty, blank answers are time wasted.
- Read like a detective: You must read the questions very carefully and know the inner meaning, as Questions often hide clues in the wording.
- Flag, then return: Skip tricky ones and come back after the easy wins.
- Mock exams are non-negotiable: Simulate the full 90 minutes until the timing becomes muscle memory.
So, that is why you need to do multiple mocks. If you want, we have a mock test. You can check it out.
By the way, once you get the certification, you need to maintain it.
My Personal Experience With Giving the Exam
When I took the exam, I saw the full 85 questions up front.
I paced two per minute and hit question 50 by halfway.
Some questions felt too easy, others made me second-guess, but the hidden pilot questions never cost me. By halfway, I was flagging about seven for a second look.
I recall a challenging one about discrimination training, but upon careful reading of the questions, I noticed the subtle wording about “prompt fading,” which I’d slowed down to flag.
A lot of questions give you a clue as to what answer they’re wanting.
So, please slow down and read it again, as slowing down actually paid off.
Expert Tips I Adopted in My Preparation for the Exam
- I treated flashcards and real-life scenarios as test prep drills. Written and verbal repetition helped those subtle ABA distinctions stick.
- Trust me, I did around 10+ full-length mocks to build comfort with the 90-minute push.
- I slowed the first read-through and underlined key phrases, like “immediately,” “conditionally,” or “only if.”
Your One-Week Master Plan
- Day 1: Task List Deep Dive
- Read BACB’s outline. Highlight every term and bullet point.
- Days 2–4: Flashcards + Real Scenarios
- Speak aloud definitions and jot down how each task works in real situations.
- Day 5: Timed Mock #1
- Treat it like the real thing: 90 questions, 90 minutes.
- Day 6: Review + Focused Drills
- Target weak spots from mock #1. Drill each flashcard again and again until you are comfortable with it.
- Day 7: Mock #2 + Final Prep
- Another 90-minute practice and review your flagged patterns and test-day checklist.
In this exam, you’re not just memorizing, but you’re also internalizing. You’re not speeding, and you’re pacing smartly.
Use the Real-world scenario drills to make question stems feel familiar, reducing hesitation. And one or two 90-minute mocks give you that exam-day mindset, which will make you calm, practiced, and decisive.
