Credentials / American Council on Exercise

ACE Certified Personal Trainer

ACE-CPTcertificationverifiedby American Council on Exercise· Compare
Verified: this record was checked against its official source and the accreditor’s directory. Last verified 2026-09-03. 10 sources on file.

At a glance

Credential type
certification
Status
active
Target professional
Personal trainers
Country
US
Official page
https://www.acefitness.org/fitness-certifications/personal-trainer-certification/b/
Recertification page
unknown
Categories
Personal Training

Accreditation

accreditedNCCAaccredited through 2029-03-31· confirmed in the accreditor’s directory 2026-09-03
Confirmed against NCCA Accredited Program Directory (full listing) on 2026-09-03: American Council on Exercise | ACE-CPT | Personal Trainer | NCCA | Accredited through 3/31/2029

Eligibility & examination

Eligibility

Minimum age
18
Education
Have completed high school diploma (or the equivalent)
Degree required
no
Experience
unknown
CPR/AED
yes
Other prerequisites
Hold a current adult CPR/AED certificate with hands-on (in-person or virtual) live skills check (CPR/AED courses without skills check not accepted; AED only required in USA and Canada); present a current government-issued photo ID with signature (driver's license, passport, military ID); pay the exam/proctoring fee (not included in study program price).

Prerequisites listed apply to the NCCA-accredited ACE Certified Personal Trainer Exam (the separate non-accredited ACE Personal Training Certificate Exam requires only age 16+ and CPR/AED with live skills check). There are no prerequisites to purchase a study program, and purchasing ACE study material is not required to register for or pass the NCCA-accredited exam.

Examination

Format
In-person proctored exam or online exam with a Live Remote Proctor (proctored through Meazure Learning/ProctorU); 150 multiple-choice questions
Online exam
yes
Testing center
yes
Length
180 minutes
Questions
150
Passing score
Score of 500 or greater (out of 800)
Attempts included
unknown
Retake policy
Retake available; ACE recommends allowing about one week of review for every 10 points below the passing score of 500 before rescheduling. After registering for a Live Remote Proctored exam, candidates have 60 days to complete it.

Initial certification costs

  • $1,749 — Advantage Study Program (regular price)
  • $1,169 — Plus Study Program (regular price)
  • $1,049.40 — Advantage Study Program (sale price)
  • $701.40 — Plus Study Program (sale price)
  • $49 — Initial payment to start a study program payment plan ('Starting at $49 today')

$1,749: ACE Certified Pros are eligible for a discount; sale pricing shown on site · $1,169: ACE Certified Pros are eligible for a discount; sale pricing shown on site

Renewal & CEU requirements

2 yr
renewal cycle
2
CEUs per cycle
$129
renewal
Recertification required
yes
CEU unit system
ACE CEC (0.1 CEC = 1 hour of structured learning; 2.0 CECs = 20 hours per 2-year cycle)
Ethics requirement
yes
CPR/AED at renewal
yes
Deadline rule
Credential valid 2 years; CECs must be completed between the start and end dates of the renewal cycle shown in My ACE, then submit renewal and pay fee before expiration. Late renewal permitted up to 6 months past expiration at higher fees; beyond 6 months requires contacting ACE support. Expired certifications without completed CECs require retaking the exam.

Requirements: 20 hours (2.0 CECs) ACE-approved CE, of which 1 hour (0.1 CEC) must be in the Professional Conduct & Ethics category; current adult CPR/AED certificate (live skills check; AED required in US/Canada); renewal fee. Excess CECs do not roll over; the same course cannot be repeated for credit. CPR/AED/First Aid completion earns up to 0.4 CECs (0.2 each). CECs can count toward multiple ACE credentials if completed while each is current, but each credential requires its own renewal fee. CEC Power Pass offers unlimited CECs and free credential renewal.

CEU recognition

  • ACE-Approved Continuing Education Providers (ACE pre-approved course directory) — approved ceu provider
    Courses carry an ACE course code (CEP/CP/CA/CS/CL) that is entered in My ACE; ACE approves courses individually and providers pay annual/application fees.
  • Non-ACE-approved course providers — petition accepted
    Courses not yet ACE-approved may be petitioned for CECs via My ACE for a non-refundable $25 fee; must be within the ACE Scope of Practice, completed within the current renewal cycle, and taught by instructors meeting credential qualifications.
  • Accredited colleges/universities — petition accepted
    College course from an accredited institution completed within the renewal cycle, grade 'C' or higher, within ACE Scope of Practice; max 2.0 CECs per approved petition (0.5 CEC for certification prep courses); 1 semester hour = 1.0 CEC, 1 quarter hour = 0.8 CEC.

Pathway

What this credential requires

All of:
  • AgeAt least 18 years old
  • EducationHigh school diploma or equivalent
  • CPR/AEDCurrent CPR/AED certification with a live skills check
  • OtherCurrent government-issued photo ID with signature

Open in Pathways →

Sources (10)

Latest verification activity: reverification → confirmed (2026-10-03) · reverification → confirmed (2026-10-03) · reverification → confirmed (2026-09-07) · initial verification → confirmed (2026-09-06) · reverification → confirmed (2026-09-06)

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