Arizona Licensure 

• Pursuant to A.R.S. Section 32-2091.12, it is a class 2 misdemeanor to practice behavior analysis, including providing supervision, in Arizona without a license. 
• With very few exceptions, Behavior Analysts are required to be licensed (or authorized through the Telehealth Registry) by the Board of Psychologist Examiners (Board) to provide behavior analytic services independently to clients who are in Arizona.
• All supervisors, remote or in-person, must be licensed in Arizona if providing supervision to an Arizona-located trainee or unlicensed individual.  
• Supervision occurs in the state where the trainee is delivering behavior analytic services, regardless of the state in which the supervisor is located.  
• How do I evaluate whether I qualify for licensure?

• Zakiya Mallas is the Behavior Analyst Licensing Specialist: [email protected] 

• Application Process Overview for Behavior Analysts
  Review this overview of the application process, including which application to submit, and how an application is reviewed and approved. 

Forms & Applications

1.  Behavior Analyst Application for Licensure ($350) 

Arizona Revised Statutes (A.R.S.) § 32-2091.02, A.R.S. § 32-2091.03 and Arizona Administrative Code (A.A.C.) R4-26-203 through R4-26-406 establish licensure requirements. (see the Statutes and Rules page).

RECIPROCITY: The requirements to apply by reciprocity are on the Board's Application Basics page. Both the general application for licensure as a behavior analyst (authorized under A.R.S. § 32-2091.02 & A.R.S. § 32-2091.03) and the reciprocity application (authorized under A.R.S. § 32-2091.04) are submitted using the same application. 

Use the Applicant Portal to submit a behavior analyst application for licensure. Please use Chrome on a desktop or laptop computer as other browsers and mobile devices are less compatible and may result in errors. 

• Supervisors shall submit experience verification documentation to [email protected]. 
• Applicants are not required to live in Arizona to apply for a license. 
• Applicants are not required to be licensed in another state to qualify for approval. However, applicants who hold or have ever held a license, regardless of status (e.g., active, inactive, expired, revoked, etc.) must be primary source verified. 

Supporting Documents & Verification Forms 

Supporting documents and forms linked below may be downloaded for both the general and reciprocity pathways using the Behavior Analyst Application for Licensure. 

Verification an applicant passed the Behavior Analyst Certification Board's (BACB's) examination will be independently confirmed. 

• Statement of Citizenship or Alien Status Form (SOC):  All applicants are required to complete and submit this form. U.S. citizens must complete Sections I, II and IV.  Citizens of other countries must complete all four sections. This form needs to be uploaded to your online application where indicated.
• Current Government Issued ID:  Federal and state laws require applicants to provide proof of lawful status in the United States in order to receive a "public benefit" such as a professional license. Not all IDs are the same. See the Evidence List (page 3 of the SOC form) for accepted forms of ID. After uploading the SOC, please use the same upload button to upload a color photo or PDF of an appropriate ID per the evidence list. The upload must be high resolution, in color and readable. 
• Appropriate Documentation for "Yes" Answers
  • For professional conduct declaration application questions, if the answer is "yes", review this list of the required documentation or evidence that must be submitted to the Board.
• Supervised Work Experience or Independent Fieldwork Verification
  • Applicants applying the same experience hours towards licensure used for BACB certification may supply this form to supervisors for completion and submission ([email protected]). Alternatively, supervisor may submit a copy of the BACB Final Experience Verification form.
  • R4-26-403(C)(2) requires verifications be submitted directly from supervisors to the Board's office. Verifications submitted by applicants will not be accepted.
• Supervised Experience Summary Form
  • Completion and submission of this form and all associated documents is required for purposes of the Board determining whether an applicant's supervised experience meets Arizona's statutory requirements at A.R.S. § 32-2091.03. It is the applicant's responsibility to submit all of the documents that are associated with each supervisor listed on the form. 
• Checklist - Am I Ready to Submit My Application for Licensure? 
  • Please use this checklist to determine if you have completed all requirements for your license application as a Behavior Analyst. 
• Are You Eligible for an Application Fee Waiver?
   

2. Behavior Analyst Application for Licensure by Universal Recognition ($350)

 A.R.S. § 32-4302 establishes eligibility for licensure by "Universal Recognition". An applicant shall:

• Submit documentation establishing residence in Arizona (See the Board's Substantive Policy Statement for a list of acceptable evidence). 
• Be currently licensed or certified for at least one year in another U.S. state or territory in the discipline applied for and at the same level of practice as recognized in Arizona. BCBA certification is NOT a license; it is a certification.  Visit the BACB's website for a current list of states that require licensure for behavior analysts. 
• Be in good standing in all states where currently or previously licensed or certified. Verification is required directly from the licensing board to the Board for all licenses and certifications ever held regardless of the status of the license or certification. If the state board's online license director states that it is a primary source verification, upload a copy of the online verification when requested in the application. Otherwise, contact the licensing board(s) for their instructions to request to have verification sent to the Arizona Board of Psychologist Examiners. Email is preferred to [email protected]. 
• Have met all applicable education, work, exam, and/or clinical supervision requirements in the other state where originally licensed or certified. 

Use the Applicant Portal to submit the application. Please use Chrome on a desktop or laptop computer. Other browsers and mobile devices are not compatible and may result in errors. 

Appropriate Documentation for "Yes" Answers:  For questions 6-11 in this application, if the answer is "yes", appropriate documentation is required. Please see the PDF "Appropriate Documentation for "Yes" Answers" for a list of the associated documentation or evidence that the applicant must submit to the Board if the applicant’s answer to the question is “yes”.  Please note, your application will not be administratively complete until all associated documentation and a written detailed explanation are received in the Board's office. 
 

3. Telehealth Registry ($600)

A.R.S. § 36-3606 authorizes the Board to evaluate Telehealth Registry applications for out-of-state licensed behavior analysts who are not licensed in Arizona. Qualifying Board-approved applicants are authorized only to provide direct healthcare services via telehealth to a client located in Arizona. This authorization is not a license. This authorization does not allow for the provision of any supervision to any person -- trainees, behavior technicians, or other behavior analysts (see A.R.S. § 32-2091.03).   

• The Registry is authorized by A.R.S. § 36-3606.  
• Use the Registry Application page to apply.  The application fee is $600. 
• The registration must be renewed annually. There is no cost to renew the registration.
• See A.R.S. § 36-3606 for requirements. 

Application Fees

Payment of the application fee (credit and debit cards are accepted) is the required final step for each application submission process. Staff cannot process credit or debit cards.

Application for Fee Waiver

Arizona Revised Statutes § 41-1080.01 provides for a waiver of application fees in certain specific circumstances: 

A. … An agency shall waive any fee charged for an initial license for any of the following individuals if the individual is applying for that specific license in this state for the first time:

1.  Any individual applicant whose family income does not exceed two hundred percent of the federal poverty guidelines [refer to the annual update of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Poverty Guidelines for 2021 and 2022].
2. Any active duty military service member's spouse.
3. Any honorably discharged veteran who has been discharged not more than two years before application.

If you believe that you qualify for any of the above listed waivers, complete this online application and submit the appropriate documentation:

• For A.R.S. §41-1080.01(A)(1), a copy of your most recent federal tax return.
• For A.R.S. §41-1080.01(A)(2) or (3), documentation that establishes your eligibility.

DO NOT submit an online application for licensure until receiving notification that this fee waiver application has been approved or denied. Applicant will be notified by email, which will include instructions for how to proceed. 

Fee waiver applications are generally processed within 7 business days. Applicants will receive an email notification from the Board office that indicates whether the fee waiver is approved; do not submit an application until receiving the fee waiver authorization email.