NASM-CPT vs NCCPT-CPT

certification

certification

2031-11-30

2031-05-31

Personal trainers

Personal trainers

18

18

High school diploma or GED

no

no

None; no prior fitness certification or professional fitness experience required

yes

yes

Current CPR and AED certification from an approved provider (AHA, American Red Cross, ASHI, St. John Ambulance, ECSI, or EMT; NASM also offers an ASTI-powered online course); may enroll in the self-study course before obtaining CPR/AED but must have them before the exam. Purchase of NASM self-study material is not required to sit for the exam.

Valid, unexpired photo ID with signature (driver's license, state/government-issued ID, passport, school ID, or military ID — military ID for in-person testing only); valid CPR card or certificate of completion (digital CPR certificate not accepted); name on ID and CPR proof must exactly match the student account. No prerequisite courses; purchase of exam preparation materials not required.

Closed-book, proctored exam administered by PSI; available at 500+ in-person testing centers or online via remote proctor

Proctored multiple-choice exam administered by Prometric; not open book/open note; offered at a Prometric testing center or via remote online proctoring

120

140

120 minutes

120 minutes

Scaled score of 70 or better (120 questions = 100 scored plus 20 unscored pretest items)

Scaled score; candidate whose scaled score equals or exceeds the passing standard passes (125 of 140 items scored; 15 unscored pre-test items)

Retest waiting periods: one week after first failure, 30 days after second failure, one year after third or subsequent failures. Retests purchased by calling NASM Member Services; a retest is included with the CPT Premium Self-Study and CPT All-Inclusive programs.

Retakes must occur within the 12-month testing window; waiting periods of 14 days after the first attempt, 90 days after the second, and one year after the third. A retake fee must be purchased to retest. Free six-month extension available if waiting period extends beyond the 12-month window; a further six-month extension can be purchased for a fee.

$79 exam fee

yes

yes

2 years

2 years

2

2

NASM-approved CEU (2.0 CEUs ≈ 20 contact hours of approved continuing education)

NCCPT CEU — "20 continuing education units, which equates to 2.0 CEUs at a rate of one hour per 0.1 CEU" (1 contact hour = 0.1 CEU)

$75 standard

unknown

no

yes

yes

Credential must be renewed by its two-year expiration date. If requirements are not met, the credential expires; renewal applications are accepted up to one year after expiration provided all CE courses were completed before or within 90 days of the expiration date. A late fee applies to applications received up to 90 days post-expiration; after 90 days an additional fee applies.

Renew every 2 years by the certification expiration date; initial renewal applications accepted starting one year before expiration. CEUs must be earned within the credential's original two-year cycle (no carryover, no repeated courses). A 30-day grace period after expiration is allowed with a late fee; renewal dates remain fixed to the original certification date. After the 30-day grace period the credential expires and reinstatement requires retaking the certification exam.

active

active

2026-09-03

2026-09-03

NASM Preferred Providers / NASM-approved course providers (accepts ceus from) · Non-preapproved continuing education providers (petition accepted) · CPR/AED providers (e.g., American Heart Association, American Red Cross, American Safety and Health Institute) (accepts ceus from)

NCCPT (own courses) (accepts ceus from) · International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA) (accepts ceus from) · Third-party / non-NCCPT, non-ISSA CEU providers (petition accepted)

Personal Training

Personal Training