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NASM-CPT vs NCSF-CPT
NASM Certified Personal Trainer from National Academy of Sports Medicine 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
- NASM-CPT requires current CPR/AED certification to enroll; NCSF-CPT does not.
- NASM-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
NASM Certified Personal Trainer
NASM-CPT
NCSF Certified Personal Trainer
NCSF-CPT
Credential type
certification
certification
Verification
verified
verified
Accreditation
accreditedNCCA(directory-confirmed)
accreditedNCCA(directory-confirmed)
Accredited through
2031-11-30
2030-03-31
Target professional
Personal trainers
Personal trainers
Minimum age
18
18
Education requirement
High school diploma or GED
Must possess a high school diploma or equivalent
Degree required
no
no
Experience requirement
None; no prior fitness certification or professional fitness experience required
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
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.
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
Closed-book, proctored exam administered by PSI; available at 500+ in-person testing centers or online via remote proctor
Computer-based multiple choice, proctored at Prometric testing centers or online via Prometric ProProctor remote testing
Question count
120
150
Time limit
120 minutes
180 minutes
Passing score
Scaled score of 70 or better (120 questions = 100 scored plus 20 unscored pretest items)
Scaled score of 70 or greater (scale 0-100)
Retake policy
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.
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
unknown
$349 exam fee
Renewal required
yes
yes
Renewal cycle
2 years
2 years
CEUs per cycle
2
10
CEU unit system
NASM-approved CEU (2.0 CEUs ≈ 20 contact hours of approved continuing education)
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
yes
yes
Renewal deadline rule
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.
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
2026-09-03
2026-09-03
CEU recognition
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)
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
Personal Training
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Full records: NASM Certified Personal Trainer · NCSF Certified Personal Trainer
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