Compare
ACTION-CPT vs NCSF-CPT
ACTION Certified Personal Trainer from ACTION Certification LLC and NCSF Certified Personal Trainer from National Council on Strength & Fitness, side by side: accreditation, eligibility, exam, cost and renewal, each fact from its cited source.
Key differences
- ACTION-CPT requires current CPR/AED certification to enroll; NCSF-CPT does not.
- The exam fee differs: $99 for ACTION-CPT versus $349 for NCSF-CPT.
- ACTION-CPT requires 2 continuing-education units per cycle versus 10 for NCSF-CPT — note the providers use different CEU unit systems, so these figures are not directly comparable.
Differences are stated only where both credentials have a known value on record — never inferred against an unknown. No winner is declared; which credential fits depends on your goals. Methodology
ACTION Certified Personal Trainer
ACTION-CPT
NCSF Certified Personal Trainer
NCSF-CPT
Credential type
certification
certification
Verification
verified
verified
Accreditation
accreditedNCCA(directory-confirmed)
accreditedNCCA(directory-confirmed)
Accredited through
2029-07-31
2030-03-31
Target professional
Entry-level personal trainers working in individual and group settings with healthy clients
Personal trainers
Minimum age
unknown
18
Education requirement
unknown
Must possess a high school diploma or equivalent
Degree required
unknown
no
Experience requirement
unknown
None required; "Although not required, it is beneficial if you have a minimum level of practical experience working in the health and fitness field."
CPR/AED to enroll
yes
no
Other prerequisites
unknown
No NCSF educational program required to sit for the Board Examination; candidates may prepare with materials from other organizations, colleges or universities. Government-issued photo ID required at testing.
Exam format
130 multiple choice questions (100 scored, up to 30 non-scored research); online with live proctors (ProctorU)
Computer-based multiple choice, proctored at Prometric testing centers or online via Prometric ProProctor remote testing
Question count
unknown
150
Time limit
150 minutes
180 minutes
Passing score
72%
Scaled score of 70 or greater (scale 0-100)
Retake policy
May re-test after a 90-day waiting period following the previous exam date.
May re-apply after failing; $99 retake fee; must wait 30 days between attempts; retake fee rate available for six months after first exam, after which first-time candidate fee applies; no limit on number of attempts.
Exam / application fees
$99 exam fee
$349 exam fee
Renewal required
yes
yes
Renewal cycle
2 years
2 years
CEUs per cycle
2
10
CEU unit system
CEC
NCSF CEU (1 CEU = 2 hours of educational learning; 1 contact hour = 0.5 NCSF CEUs)
Renewal fees
unknown
$85 standard
Ethics requirement
unknown
yes
CPR/AED at renewal
unknown
yes
Renewal deadline rule
unknown
Two-year certification period begins the day you pass the NCSF exam and ends on the last day of the month in which the certification began, 2 years later. All 10 CEUs must be earned during the most recent two-year period of active status; applications postmarked after the expiration date are not accepted.
Reinstatement
unknown
unknown
Credential status
active
active
Last verified
2026-09-12
2026-09-03
CEU recognition
unknown
Any reputable CPR certification organization (accepts ceus from) · External education providers (seminars, workshops, conferences, home study, college/university courses, employer-based training) (accepts ceus from) · NCSF (verification for unlisted subject categories) (petition accepted)
Categories
Personal Training, Movement Assessment, Nutrition Coaching, Special Populations
Personal Training
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Full records: ACTION Certified Personal Trainer · NCSF Certified Personal Trainer
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