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NASM-CPT vs NPCP NCPT
NASM Certified Personal Trainer from National Academy of Sports Medicine and NCPT Comprehensive Certification from National Pilates Certification Program, side by side: accreditation, eligibility, exam, cost and renewal, each fact from its cited source.
Key differences
- NASM-CPT requires 2 continuing-education units per cycle versus 16 for NCPT — 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
Credential type
certification
certification
Verification
verified
verified
Accreditation
accreditedNCCA(directory-confirmed)
accreditedNCCA(directory-confirmed)
Accredited through
2031-11-30
2027-05-31
Target professional
Personal trainers
Pilates teachers who completed comprehensive Pilates education
Minimum age
18
18
Education requirement
High school diploma or GED
Completion of Comprehensive Pilates education (program minimum 450 hours)
Degree required
no
unknown
Experience requirement
None; no prior fitness certification or professional fitness experience required
unknown
CPR/AED to enroll
yes
unknown
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.
unknown
Exam format
Closed-book, proctored exam administered by PSI; available at 500+ in-person testing centers or online via remote proctor
125 multiple-choice questions (100 scored)
Question count
120
unknown
Time limit
120 minutes
180 minutes
Passing score
Scaled score of 70 or better (120 questions = 100 scored plus 20 unscored pretest items)
78 out of 100 scored
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.
unknown
Exam / application fees
unknown
$300 exam fee
Renewal required
yes
yes
Renewal cycle
2 years
2 years
CEUs per cycle
2
16
CEU unit system
NASM-approved CEU (2.0 CEUs ≈ 20 contact hours of approved continuing education)
CEC
Renewal fees
unknown
unknown
Ethics requirement
unknown
unknown
CPR/AED at renewal
yes
unknown
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.
unknown
Reinstatement
unknown
unknown
Credential status
active
active
Last verified
2026-09-03
2026-09-12
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)
unknown
Categories
Personal Training
Personal Training, Mobility, Movement Assessment
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Full records: NASM Certified Personal Trainer · NCPT Comprehensive Certification
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