Free RBT Practice Exam 2026: Full 85-Question Test

85 questions in 90 minutes, split across the six domains in the same proportions as the real exam and written to the RBT Test Content Outline (3rd ed.) that every exam has used since 1 January 2026. Every answer comes with the reason it is right.

  • 85 questions
  • 90-minute timer
  • Weighted like the real exam
  • No sign-up

The timed exam shows your score and every explanation at the end, like the real test. Practice mode checks each answer as you go.

How the questions are split across the six domains

The real exam scores 75 of its 85 questions. This practice exam gives each domain the same share of its 85 questions, and each attempt draws a new set from a bank of 454, so a retake is a different exam.

Sample RBT exam questions with answers

One question from each domain, as they appear in the exam. The 75-question mock examuses the same bank.

  1. Question 1 · Data Collection and Graphing

    During a session, the RBT gives the instruction to clean up the toys and starts a stopwatch immediately. The RBT stops the watch the moment the client picks up the first toy. What is the RBT measuring?

    1. A. Frequency
    2. B. Duration
    3. C. Latency
    4. D. Interresponse time
    Show the answer

    C. Latency

    Latency is the time between an instruction and the start of the response, which is exactly what the stopwatch is timing here. Duration would instead time how long the cleaning itself takes once it starts.

  2. Question 2 · Behavior Assessment

    After running a multiple stimulus without replacement assessment across an array of six items, what does the order in which the client selected items tell the team?

    1. A. A ranked hierarchy of the client's relative preference for the items
    2. B. Which items are confirmed to function as reinforcers for behavior
    3. C. The exact percentage of session time the client will engage with each item
    4. D. Which items should be permanently removed from the client's environment
    Show the answer

    A. A ranked hierarchy of the client's relative preference for the items

    The selection order in a multiple stimulus without replacement assessment produces a ranked hierarchy showing relative preference, from most to least preferred. It identifies likely reinforcers to test further, but selection order alone does not confirm an item actually functions as a reinforcer.

  3. Question 3 · Behavior Acquisition

    An RBT wants to strengthen a client's independent requesting. Which delivery of a preferred snack best demonstrates contingent reinforcement?

    1. A. Giving the snack only right after the client makes an independent request
    2. B. Giving the snack at the same time every session regardless of behavior
    3. C. Giving the snack before the session starts to build rapport
    4. D. Giving the snack whenever the client appears calm
    Show the answer

    A. Giving the snack only right after the client makes an independent request

    Contingent reinforcement means the reinforcer is delivered only when the target behavior occurs. Delivering the snack on a fixed schedule or for an unrelated state like calmness does not depend on the requesting response.

  4. Question 4 · Behavior Reduction

    Whenever an RBT presents a matching task, a client drops to the floor, and the RBT pauses the task until he gets up. Dropping has increased across sessions. It does not occur when the RBT is busy with paperwork and not talking to him, as long as no task is presented. What function does this behavior most likely serve?

    1. A. Escape from demands
    2. B. Access to attention
    3. C. Access to a tangible item
    4. D. Automatic reinforcement
    Show the answer

    A. Escape from demands

    Dropping happens when a task is presented and pauses that task, which fits escape. It does not happen when the RBT is busy and not attending to him, which is exactly when attention-maintained behavior would be most likely, so attention fits poorly.

  5. Question 5 · Documentation and Reporting

    A client's teacher tells the RBT that the client has started crying and refusing to enter the classroom every morning this week. The RBT's next scheduled meeting with the supervisor is in five days. What should the RBT do?

    1. A. Contact the supervisor about the teacher's report well before that meeting
    2. B. Save the teacher's report for the scheduled meeting in five days
    3. C. Suggest that the teacher offer a reward for entering the classroom
    4. D. Wait to see whether the refusal also happens during the RBT's sessions
    Show the answer

    A. Contact the supervisor about the teacher's report well before that meeting

    A new concern from a team member should reach the supervisor in a timely way, not wait days for the next scheduled meeting. Holding the report, waiting to see the behavior firsthand, or advising the teacher on a reward all delay the report or step outside the RBT's role.

  6. Question 6 · Ethics

    An RBT greets a nonverbal client by name, explains what is about to happen before starting each activity, and waits for the client to settle before beginning. Which core principle does this best reflect?

    1. A. Benefit others, putting the client's welfare first
    2. B. Behave with integrity, being honest and accountable
    3. C. Ensure their own competence for the work they do
    4. D. Treat others with compassion, dignity, and respect
    Show the answer

    D. Treat others with compassion, dignity, and respect

    Addressing the client directly, explaining what is happening, and waiting until the client is ready treats the client as a full person, which reflects compassion, dignity, and respect. The scene is about how the client is treated, not about honesty, the RBT's own skills, or protecting the client from a risk.

RBT exam FAQ

How many questions are on the RBT exam?

85. 75 are scored and 10 are unscored pilot questions, and every question has four options with one correct answer. All scored questions count the same, and the result is pass or fail on the whole exam, not per domain.

How long is the RBT exam?

90 minutes for all 85 questions, taken in person at a Pearson VUE test center. That is just over a minute per question, the pace the timer on this practice exam holds you to.

How much does the RBT exam cost in 2026?

$110 for a first attempt: a $65 certification application fee paid to the BACB, plus $45 paid to Pearson VUE for each exam appointment. A retake needs a new $45 appointment.

What score do you need to pass the RBT exam?

There is no published percentage. The exam is pass or fail, and the BACB sets the passing score with a panel of certified experts (the modified Angoff method), setting a new one whenever the outline changes. You get your result at the test center as soon as you finish.

What changed on the RBT exam in 2026?

Since 1 January 2026 the exam follows the RBT Test Content Outline (3rd ed.), which lists 43 tasks in six domains, up from 37. Most domains were renamed, and the ethics tasks doubled from 5 to 10.

How many times can you retake the RBT exam?

Up to 8 attempts in the 12 months after your application is approved, with at least 7 days between attempts. Each retake needs a retake application in your BACB account.