Credentials / National Academy of Sports Medicine

NASM Certified Personal Trainer

NASM-CPTcertificationverifiedby National Academy of Sports Medicine· Compare
Verified: this record was checked against its official source and the accreditor’s directory. Last verified 2026-09-03. 11 sources on file.

At a glance

Credential type
certification
Status
active
Target professional
Personal trainers
Country
US
Official page
https://www.nasm.org/products/become-a-personal-trainer
Recertification page
unknown
Categories
Personal Training

Accreditation

accreditedNCCAaccredited through 2031-11-30· confirmed in the accreditor’s directory 2026-10-03
Confirmed against NCCA Accredited Program Directory (full listing) on 2026-10-03: National Academy of Sports Medicine | CPT | Certified Personal Trainer | NCCA | Accredited through 11/30/2031 (renewed; previously accredited through 11/23/2026 per the 2026-09-03/09-05 snapshots - superseded record retained).

Eligibility & examination

Eligibility

Minimum age
18
Education
High school diploma or GED
Degree required
no
Experience
None; no prior fitness certification or professional fitness experience required
CPR/AED
yes
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.

Candidates may begin the program before turning 18 but must be 18 at the time of the exam. Exam must be taken within 180 days of purchase.

Examination

Format
Closed-book, proctored exam administered by PSI; available at 500+ in-person testing centers or online via remote proctor
Online exam
yes
Testing center
yes
Length
120 minutes
Questions
120
Passing score
Scaled score of 70 or better (120 questions = 100 scored plus 20 unscored pretest items)
Attempts included
unknown
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.

Initial certification costs

  • $47 — NASM-CPT program (advertised monthly payment plan price)

Renewal & CEU requirements

2 yr
renewal cycle
2
CEUs per cycle
Recertification required
yes
CEU unit system
NASM-approved CEU (2.0 CEUs ≈ 20 contact hours of approved continuing education)
Ethics requirement
unknown
CPR/AED at renewal
yes
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.

2.0 NASM-approved CEUs per two-year cycle, of which 0.1 CEU comes from the mandatory current CPR/AED certification. Renewal is submitted through the NASM Customer Portal / Recertification Portal (upload CEUs, complete application, pay fees). Applications are subject to random audit, with 30 days to submit supporting documentation. NASM One™ membership waives recertification/renewal fees and includes 350+ CEU courses plus a complimentary CPR/AED course. Reference: NASM-AFAA Recertification Handbook.

CEU recognition

  • NASM Preferred Providers / NASM-approved course providers — accepts ceus from
    CEUs from NASM's Preferred Providers and NASM-approved providers count toward the 2.0 CEU requirement.
  • Non-preapproved continuing education providers — petition accepted
    Courses not preapproved by NASM are reviewed by petition only; $25 non-refundable administrative fee per course/event petitioned.
  • CPR/AED providers (e.g., American Heart Association, American Red Cross, American Safety and Health Institute) — accepts ceus from
    Certified Professionals must hold a current CPR/AED card when applying for recertification (worth 0.1 CEU); providers not listed should be confirmed with Member Services.

Pathway

What this credential requires

All of:
  • AgeAt least 18 years old before taking the NASM-CPT exam
  • EducationHigh school diploma or GED
  • CPR/AEDCurrent CPR/AED certification from an approved provider before sitting for the exam

Open in Pathways →

Sources (11)

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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