Scored vs. unscored questions
The current BCBA exam is built on the BCBA Test Content Outline (6th ed.), which the BACB put into effect on January 1, 2025. Under that outline, 175 questions are scored, and 10 questions are unscored. The BACB calls them pilot questions. They are being tested for future forms of the exam.
- The BACB doesn't publish which 10 are the pilot questions, so don't try to guess. Answer every question like it counts.
- Every scored question counts the same.
How much time you get per question
You have 4 hours (240 minutes) for 185 questions. That's about 1 minute and 18 seconds per question if you spread the time evenly. The BCBA Handbook says the 4 hours also covers the terms and conditions, the navigation tutorial, and any time you spend reviewing answers at the end. The clock keeps running during breaks.
- 1 hour: You should be near question 46.
- 2 hours: You should be near question 93.
- 3 hours: You should be near question 139.
- 4 hours: You should be at question 185, with review time if you banked any.
BCBA exam domain breakdown (6th edition)
The 175 scored questions are split across 9 content areas. These counts come straight from the BACB's 6th edition Test Content Outline. Percentages are rounded, as in the BACB's own table.
What BCBA exam questions look like
According to the BACB, every question is multiple choice, with 4 answer options and exactly 1 correct answer. The exam is computer-based, taken in person at a Pearson VUE testing center, and offered only in English. Pearson VUE has a free demo test so you can get used to the testing screen before exam day. The BCBA Handbook includes four retired sample questions that show the style. Three of the four are short scenarios: you read what a behavior analyst or trainee is facing, then pick the best answer.
How to practice for 185 questions
Knowing the number is step one. Sitting through 185 questions is a different skill. Find your weakest area first with the free BCBA exam practice questions (9-question diagnostic) from Behavior Study Tools. It has one question from each 6th edition content area, takes about seven minutes, and you don't need to sign up. Then build stamina with the free BCBA mock exam questions, a 185-question timed mock exam. It follows the 6th edition outline and requires a free account before you start. Your results are saved there.
- Do the diagnostic this week.
- Save the full mock for a day you can protect a real 4-hour block.
What changes in 2027
On January 1, 2027, new BACB rules take effect for people applying for BCBA certification: only 2 eligibility pathways, restructured pathway 2 coursework, and new fieldwork rules. The exam isn't one of the changes. The BACB says there are no upcoming changes to the BCBA examination or the Test Content Outline, so the question count above still applies. Sources: 2027 Transition Guidance, 2027 BCBA Requirements, and BACB Newsletter Dec 2025.
| Content area | Scored questions | Share of exam |
|---|---|---|
| A. Behaviorism and Philosophical Foundations | 8 | 5% |
| B. Concepts and Principles | 24 | 14% |
| C. Measurement, Data Display, and Interpretation | 21 | 12% |
| D. Experimental Design | 13 | 7% |
| E. Ethical and Professional Issues | 22 | 13% |
| F. Behavior Assessment | 23 | 13% |
| G. Behavior-Change Procedures | 25 | 14% |
| H. Selecting and Implementing Interventions | 20 | 11% |
| I. Personnel Supervision and Management | 19 | 11% |
| Total | 175 | 100% |
You pass or fail on your overall score, not on each content area. No area is small enough to skip. Six of the nine are worth 20 or more questions each.
Answer-first exam prep
Behavior Study Tools gives you a short diagnostic before a longer timed session. The free 9-question diagnostic needs no signup. The free 185-question mock requires a free account before starting and no credit card.
Frequently asked questions
How many questions is the BCBA exam in 2026?
185 multiple-choice questions. 175 are scored and 10 are unscored pilot questions.
How long is the BCBA exam?
4 hours. That time also covers the terms and conditions, the navigation tutorial, and any review at the end, and the clock keeps running if you take a break. Spread evenly, that's about 1 minute and 18 seconds per question.
How many questions do you need to get right to pass the BCBA exam?
There is no fixed public number. The BACB sets the passing score with the modified Angoff method, a criterion-referenced process where BACB-certified subject matter experts decide what an entry-level behavior analyst should know. Each exam form is statistically equated, so the number of correct answers needed can vary a little from form to form. That's why the BACB reports a pass/fail result and scaled scores instead of your raw number correct.
Do I have to pass every domain?
No. Your result is based on your overall performance on the exam, not your performance in each content area.
Did the 6th edition change the number of BCBA exam questions?
Not the scored count. The 5th edition blueprint also had 175 scored questions. The 6th edition, in effect since January 1, 2025, changed how those questions are spread out. For example, Behavior-Change Procedures dropped from 35 to 25 questions, while Behavior Assessment rose from 18 to 23 and Ethical and Professional Issues rose from 18 to 22.
Is the BCBA exam changing in 2027?
No. New BCBA eligibility, coursework, and fieldwork rules take effect January 1, 2027, but the BACB says there are no upcoming changes to the BCBA exam or its test content outline. 2027 applicants still test on the 6th edition outline: 185 questions, 175 scored, 4 hours.