RBT Ethics Code 2.0: Every Section Explained, With Exam Practice Scenarios

The RBT Ethics Code (2.0) is the BACB’s code of conduct for Registered Behavior Technicians, in effect since January 1, 2022 (RBT Ethics Code). It has 29 standards in three sections: General Responsibilities (1.01–1.12), Responsibilities in Providing Behavior-Technician Services (2.01–2.10), and Responsibilities to the BACB and BACB-Required Supervisor (3.01–3.07), according to the RBT Handbook (p. 23).

This page is for RBT candidates and new RBTs. It includes every standard in one plain-English line, a map of the code to the 11 ethics questions on the exam, 12 original practice scenarios with explained answers, and a table of reporting deadlines. The same standards come up as common RBT interview questions. More exam guides are in Study Guides & Exam Prep.

What is the RBT Ethics Code 2.0?

The RBT Ethics Code (2.0) is the set of ethics standards every RBT applicant and certificant must follow; it replaced the RBT Ethics Code (2018) on January 1, 2022, according to the code itself (current text updated August 2024). It is still the version in force: the BACB’s ethics codes page lists the RBT Ethics Code (2.0) and announces no newer RBT code (checked October 30, 2026), so there is no separate 2026 edition.

The code’s introduction sets its scope. It applies to all behavior-technician work, in every setting and modality (home, clinic, community; phone, text, video, in person), but not to your personal life “unless that behavior clearly poses a risk to the health and safety of clients, stakeholders, and coworkers.” Not knowing a standard is no excuse. And because RBTs work under close supervision, they bring ethical dilemmas to their supervisor and put the law and the client’s interest first.

The code rests on four core principles shared with the Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts: benefit others; treat others with compassion, dignity, and respect; behave with integrity; and ensure your own competence (exam task F.1). The BACB says it sets these standards “to protect consumers of applied behavior analysis (ABA) services,” and it enforces the code through its Code-Enforcement Procedures.

What are the three sections of the RBT Ethics Code?

The three sections are General Responsibilities, Responsibilities in Providing Behavior-Technician Services, and Responsibilities to the BACB and BACB-Required Supervisor (RBT Ethics Code 2.0, pp. 3–5).

All three sections apply every working day. Section 2 covers the session work itself, so it is the most directly relevant to day-to-day sessions; Sections 1 and 3 cover relationships, honesty, supervision and reporting around it.

Every RBT Ethics Code standard in plain English (1.01 to 3.07)

The RBT Ethics Code (2.0) has 29 standards: 12 in Section 1, 10 in Section 2 and 7 in Section 3. Each line below summarizes one in our own words; the official PDF has the exact text. The last column is our mapping to the closest task in the RBT Test Content Outline (3rd ed.); the BACB does not publish one.

Section 1: General Responsibilities

Section 2: Responsibilities in Providing Behavior-Technician Services

Section 3: Responsibilities to the BACB and BACB-Required Supervisor

How is the RBT code different from the Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts?

The RBT Ethics Code covers RBTs; the Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts covers BCBAs and BCaBAs (the BCBA ethics code, section by section). Both took effect January 1, 2022, and both rest on the same four core principles. The behavior analyst code is longer (six sections, from professional responsibility to research) because BCBAs design assessments and treatment and supervise; its Section 4 sets what supervisors owe their supervisees.

RBTs should be familiar with the behavior analyst code in addition to their own, and the RBT code says why: RBTs “have a duty to inform the BACB of potential ethics violations by other BACB certificants,” and their supervisors’ obligations to them sit in Section 4 of that code. You can only recognize a supervisor’s violation if you know what their code requires.

How many RBT exam questions are on ethics?

Ethics (Domain F) is 11 of the 75 scored questions on the RBT exam, or 15%, according to the RBT Handbook (p. 7). The exam has 85 questions (75 scored, 10 unscored), each with four options and one correct answer, in 90 minutes.

The count of 11 didn’t change when the exam moved to the RBT Test Content Outline (3rd ed.) on January 1, 2026; the detail did. The BACB’s December 2023 newsletter says the domain, retitled Ethics, “now includes 10 specific tasks rather than references to the entire RBT Ethics Code (2.0),” three of them new: F.1, F.8 and F.10.

Ethics questions are scenarios, not recall of standard numbers: one of the three retired sample questions in the Handbook (p. 8) asks how an RBT should answer a friend’s question about a family. Exam content is confidential (Handbook p. 12), so every item on this page is original.

How do you answer RBT exam ethics questions?

Pick the option that keeps the client safe, stays inside the RBT role and brings in the supervisor. That follows the code’s instruction to seek supervisor support and put the law and the client first; the five checks below are our rule of thumb for applying it, not a BACB rule.

1. Is someone at risk right now? Follow the safety plan first, then report (2.01, 2.07).
2. Is it inside my role and training? If not, don’t do it; tell your supervisor (1.03, 1.06, 2.04).
3. Does the plan or my supervisor direct it? RBTs don’t change procedures on their own or at a caregiver’s request (2.02, 2.06).
4. Does it touch privacy, relationships or gifts? Share the minimum through approved channels; decline what blurs roles (1.10, 1.11, 2.08–2.10).
5. Does it need documenting or reporting? Write it down and meet the deadline (1.06, 1.10, 3.04, 3.07).

The usual traps are the “kind” answer that bends a rule, the “helpful” answer that goes beyond the role, and the “wait and see” answer that delays a report.

RBT ethics scenarios: 12 practice questions with answers

These scenarios are original and fictional; each answer names the standard and the exam task we map it to. Tasks F.4, F.7 and F.10 are covered in the Domain F lessons. Answer all 12 before opening the rationales. For the full Domain F question bank, use the RBT ethics practice exam on Praxis Learn.

1. A gift card from a grateful parent (1.11, F.8)

After a hard month, a parent gives you a $25 coffee shop gift card. Your clinic has no gift policy beyond the code. What do you do?

• A. Accept it, because a one-time thank-you counts as occasional gratitude
• B. Accept it, then tell your supervisor about it at your next meeting
• C. Thank the parent warmly and decline, explaining the code’s $10 limit
• D. Accept it and share it with the rest of the team so no one benefits alone

Answer and rationale

C. Standard 1.11 bars gifts worth more than $10, so the amount decides this case. A stretches the “occasional gratitude” exception to a gift over the limit; B and D still accept it. A drawing from the child would be fine. Task F.8. Friend requests, phone numbers and invitations are covered in our guide to professional boundaries in ABA.

2. A photo from a community outing (2.09, F.6)

On a community outing, your client wins a race at the park. You’d like to post your photo of it on Instagram without the client’s name. Is that allowed?

• A. Yes, as long as the client’s face can’t be seen in the photo
• B. Yes, as long as a parent gives written permission first
• C. Yes, as long as your Instagram account is set to private
• D. No, because RBTs never post identifying client information on social media

Answer and rationale

D. Standard 2.09 names photos as identifying information and makes no exception for permission or private accounts; a recognizable place can identify a client without a name or face. Task F.6 (with F.5).

3. A procedure you were never trained on (2.04, F.2)

Your supervisor emails a new plan that includes a functional communication training protocol you haven’t been trained on. The session starts in 15 minutes. What should you do?

• A. Run it as written today and send your questions to your supervisor afterward
• B. Ask your supervisor for training first, and keep running the procedures you know
• C. Watch a training video on the protocol before the session, then run it
• D. Ask an experienced RBT how they run it, then follow their example

Answer and rationale

B. RBTs don’t use unfamiliar interventions without proper training (2.04) and start a service only after their supervisor confirms competence (1.06). A, C and D all put an untrained procedure in front of the client; training comes from the supervisor, who is responsible for your work. Task F.2.

4. A parent asks what assessment scores mean (2.06, F.9)

A parent asks what the scores on their child’s new skills assessment mean and whether their child is “behind.” You helped run parts of it. What do you do?

• A. Explain what the scores mean, since you helped run the assessment
• B. Hand the parent the written report so they can read the results
• C. Say you’ll ask the supervisor to go over the results with them soon
• D. Tell the parent that assessment results are confidential and can’t be shared

Answer and rationale

C. Caregivers’ questions about services go to the supervisor (2.06). In our reading, interpreting results is outside the RBT’s role, so A oversteps. B hands over the report without the supervisor’s direction (2.02) and leaves the question unanswered. D is wrong because results are shared with the family, by the supervisor. Task F.9.

5. A caregiver asks you to drop part of the plan (2.02, F.3)

A caregiver asks you to stop the token board because their child “is bored of it” and to give the tablet freely instead. What should you do?

• A. Make the change today, since the caregiver knows the child best
• B. Try the change for one session and take data to show your supervisor
• C. Refuse and explain that caregivers have no say in the behavior plan
• D. Keep following the plan and pass the request to your supervisor today

Answer and rationale

D. RBTs implement the plan as their supervisor directs (2.02) and pass caregivers’ concerns on (2.06); the supervisor can change the plan with the family. Changing procedures is not the RBT’s responsibility, so A and B are out; C is dismissive and drops the concern. Task F.3.

6. Signs that a client may be at risk (2.07, F.1)

At a home session you notice new bruises on the client’s arms, and the client flinches when a relative raises their voice. What should you do?

• A. Tell your supervisor now, follow mandated reporting law and clinic policy, and document it
• B. Ask the relative how the bruises happened, then decide whether it is serious enough to report
• C. Wait for more signs at future sessions so you don’t report something that turns out false
• D. Record it in your session note only, since your supervisor reads every note you write anyway

Answer and rationale

A. When a client may be at risk of harm, RBTs report to their supervisor, follow organization policies, document, and contact authorities when needed (2.07), and they comply with mandated reporting requirements (2.01). State law, not the supervisor, decides whether you must report to authorities yourself. B investigates, which isn’t the RBT’s job; C delays; D leaves the risk unreported. Task F.1. Our RBT mandated reporting checklist walks through the steps.

7. A coworker who ends sessions early (2.02, F.3)

A coworker ends home sessions about 20 minutes early but records the full scheduled time on session notes. What is your first step?

• A. Tell your supervisor what you saw, and keep dated notes of each instance
• B. Report the coworker to the BACB the same day without telling anyone at work
• C. Confront the coworker in front of the team so the practice stops quickly
• D. Say nothing, because the coworker’s clients are not on your caseload

Answer and rationale

A. Recording time not delivered is inaccurate documentation (2.02) and dishonest (1.01). The code’s introduction says to bring a suspected violation to your supervisor first and document your actions, and to go to another authority, including the BACB, if it isn’t resolved. B skips that first step, C turns it into a public confrontation, and D ignores the duty to act. Task F.3 (with F.1).

8. A supervision log that doesn’t add up (3.01–3.02, F.3)

Your supervisor was out most of the month and you received less than the required 5% supervision. On the last day, you are asked to sign a log showing the requirement was met. What do you do?

• A. Sign it, since next month’s extra supervision will make up the difference
• B. Decline to sign the inaccurate log and raise the shortfall with your supervisor
• C. Sign it, but keep a private note of the real hours in case of an audit
• D. Sign it only after your supervisor has signed it first and taken responsibility

Answer and rationale

B. RBTs are truthful with the BACB and their supervisor (3.02) and comply with supervision and its documentation (3.01). Supervision is counted per calendar month (Handbook p. 16), so it can’t be averaged forward (A), and supervision noncompliance must be self-reported to the BACB “in a timely manner” (p. 23). C and D still put your name on a false record. Task F.3.

9. A friend asks what was on your exam (3.03, F.1)

You passed the RBT exam last week. A friend testing next month asks which topics came up and whether there were graphing questions. What can you share?

• A. General topics that came up, as long as you don’t quote any questions
• B. Only the questions you got wrong, since you can’t recall them exactly
• C. Anything you remember, now that you hold the credential yourself
• D. Nothing about the content; point them to the public outline and sample questions

Answer and rationale

D. Standard 3.03 bars helping others cheat and distributing exam materials, and the Handbook (p. 13) says “it is never appropriate to share, discuss, post, or upload examination content.” A still discloses exam content, just in summary. The outline and the Handbook’s sample questions are public. Task F.1; see also standard 3.05.

10. Writing “RBT” before you’re certified (1.05, F.6)

You finished the 40-hour training and your exam is next month. Can you write “Jordan Lee, RBT” on your résumé?

• A. Yes, because completing the 40-hour training is the main requirement
• B. Yes, as long as you add “exam scheduled” after the RBT title
• C. No; describe your training accurately until you’ve earned the credential
• D. Yes, as long as the employer knows the date of your exam

Answer and rationale

C. Using a title you don’t hold is a misleading statement about your qualifications (1.05) and misuse of a BACB title (3.05). Even after passing, certification is inactive until a qualified supervisor adds you in their BACB account, and you “cannot use your RBT certification under any circumstances” while inactive (Handbook p. 15). Task F.6.

11. A relative asks how therapy is going (2.10, F.5)

At pickup, the client’s uncle, who is not a guardian and not on the release form, asks how therapy is going and whether the meltdowns at school have stopped. What do you say?

• A. Explain kindly that you can’t discuss the child’s services, and tell your supervisor he asked
• B. Share general progress without specifics, since he is part of the family
• C. Answer his questions, since he is picking up the child with the parents’ permission
• D. Tell him to read the session notes, which the parents can forward to him

Answer and rationale

A. RBTs discuss confidential client information only under their supervisor’s direction or when the law allows it for a valid reason such as preventing harm (2.10), and protect the client’s privacy (2.08). Permission to pick up a child is not consent to share health information. B and C share without authorization; D steers him to records the family hasn’t chosen to share with him. Task F.5.

12. An employer investigation names you (3.04, F.1)

Your employer opens an internal investigation into a complaint that names you. You’re sure it will be cleared. When must you self-report to the BACB?

• A. Only if the investigation finds that you were at fault
• B. Within 30 days of learning about it, without waiting for the outcome
• C. At your next annual recertification, when the BACB asks about events
• D. Within 30 days after the employer closes the investigation

Answer and rationale

B. Standard 3.04 lists employer investigations naming the RBT among the events to self-report within 30 days, and the Handbook (p. 25) says, “Do not wait until the conclusion of the investigation to self-report.” A, C and D all wait for something. Task F.1.

Score guide: if you missed item 1 or 2, review gifts and social media (1.11, 2.09) and the boundaries guide; items 3–5, role and competence (1.03, 1.06, 2.02–2.06); 6 or 7, client protection and honest documentation (1.01, 2.01, 2.07); 8–10, honesty, exam security and credentials (1.05, 3.02, 3.03); 11, confidentiality (2.08, 2.10); 12, the reporting table below.

When does an RBT have to report something, and by when?

An RBT has three fixed deadlines: 24 hours to tell their supervisor about a certification status change, 30 days to self-report a critical event to the BACB, and 30 days to correct personal information in their BACB account. The rest are “immediately,” “in a timely manner,” or have no set number of days.

This table covers BACB requirements; your employer’s policy and your state’s law may add duties, so check with your supervisor. Not every life event is reportable: the Handbook (p. 26) excludes parking tickets, traffic tickets up to $750, personal bankruptcy and family court proceedings, among others. File through the BACB’s self-reporting page.

What supervision does an RBT need under the code?

An RBT must be supervised for at least 5% of the hours they spend providing behavior-analytic services each calendar month, with at least two face-to-face, real-time contacts and at least one observation of them working with a client, according to the RBT Handbook (pp. 16–17). The code makes supervision an ethics duty: services only under “close, ongoing supervision” (1.03) and compliance with supervision and its documentation (3.01).

• Contacts: phone calls and email don’t count; video meetings can. At least one contact is individual; the other may be a group of 2–10 RBTs.
• Supervisors: an RBT Supervisor is a BCBA or BCaBA (an RBT Requirements Coordinator must be a BCBA) who has completed training based on the Supervisor Training Curriculum Outline (2.0), and who is not your relative, your subordinate or your employee and is not in a multiple relationship with you (Handbook p. 19).
• Several employers: you need the full 5% at each organization (Handbook p. 19).

To log it each month, see RBT supervision documentation.

Which RBT ethics standards are easiest to mix up?

The pairs most often confused are 1.06 and 2.04 (competence), 2.04 and 2.05 (training and restrictive procedures), 2.08 to 2.10 (confidentiality), and 3.04 and 3.07 (reporting).

Asked which standard applies to a procedure such as extinction, start with competence and direction (1.06, 2.02, 2.04); 2.05 applies only if the plan treats the procedure as restrictive or punishment-based. That is our reading; the code doesn’t name procedures.

Quick answers to standard-number questions that come up in practice quizzes:

• Implementing a procedure without training: 2.04 prohibits it (with 1.06 on confirmed competence).
• Cultural responsiveness: 1.07.
• Assisting with assessments: it is a behavior-technician service, so competence and direction apply (1.06, 2.02), and in our reading the core duty is keeping client information confidential (2.08, 2.10).
• Disclosing confidential information without consent: only when the law allows it for a valid reason, such as protecting the client or others from harm (2.10).
• Making a mistake in a session: tell your supervisor and record what happened accurately (our reading of 1.02 on accountability and 2.02 on accurate documentation).
• RBTs must never be employers of their supervisors: true (1.04).

Practice the rest of Domain F

To work through every Domain F task with more questions, take the RBT ethics practice exam, or study one task at a time in the Domain F lessons, such as multiple relationships, gifts, confidentiality and ongoing supervision. For the other five domains, the RBT exam study guide has a study plan.

Sources

1. Behavior Analyst Certification Board. RBT Ethics Code (2.0). 2021, effective January 1, 2022, updated August 2024. PDF
2. Behavior Analyst Certification Board. Registered Behavior Technician Handbook. Updated October 2026. PDF
3. Behavior Analyst Certification Board. RBT Test Content Outline (3rd ed.). 2023, updated September 2024. PDF
4. Behavior Analyst Certification Board. BACB Newsletter, December 2023 (RBT TCO 3rd ed. crosswalk and start date). PDF
5. Behavior Analyst Certification Board. Ethics Code for Behavior Analysts. 2020, effective January 1, 2022, updated August 2024. PDF
6. Behavior Analyst Certification Board. Ethics Codes and Self-Reporting web pages. Checked October 30, 2026. Ethics codes · Self-reporting

Sources last checked on October 30, 2026.

Reviewed by the Praxis Notes team on October 30, 2026.