Credentials / National Council on Strength & Fitness

NCSF Certified Personal Trainer

NCSF-CPTcertificationverifiedby National Council on Strength & Fitness· Compare
Verified: this record was checked against its official source and the accreditor’s directory. Last verified 2026-09-03. 14 sources on file.

At a glance

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

Accreditation

accreditedNCCAaccredited through 2030-03-31· confirmed in the accreditor’s directory 2026-09-03
Confirmed against NCCA Accredited Program Directory (full listing) on 2026-09-03: National Council on Strength and Fitness | NCSF-CPT | Certified Personal Trainer | NCCA | Accredited through 3/31/2030

Eligibility & examination

Eligibility

Minimum age
18
Education
Must possess a high school diploma or equivalent
Degree required
no
Experience
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
no
Other prerequisites
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.

Requirements: be 18 years old, have a high school diploma or equivalent, and successfully pass the NCSF Certification Exam. CPR/AED not required to enroll or test, but recommended and required for recertification every two years.

Examination

Format
Computer-based multiple choice, proctored at Prometric testing centers or online via Prometric ProProctor remote testing
Online exam
yes
Testing center
yes
Length
180 minutes
Questions
150
Passing score
Scaled score of 70 or greater (scale 0-100)
Attempts included
unknown
Retake policy
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.

Initial certification costs

$349
exam fee
$99
exam retake fee
$399
exam fee
  • $449 — Certified Personal Trainer program (e-learning, textbook, one-year membership, NCCA accredited exam) — sale price, regularly $899.00
  • $749 — Personal Trainer + Sport Nutrition bundle — sale price, regularly $1,499.00
  • $749 — Personal Trainer + Strength Coach bundle — sale price, regularly $1,499.00
  • $999 — NCSF Master Trainer (CPT + SNS + CSC) — sale price, regularly $2,199.00

Renewal & CEU requirements

2 yr
renewal cycle
10
CEUs per cycle
$85
renewal
Recertification required
yes
CEU unit system
NCSF CEU (1 CEU = 2 hours of educational learning; 1 contact hour = 0.5 NCSF CEUs)
Ethics requirement
yes
CPR/AED at renewal
yes
Deadline rule
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.

10 CEUs per two-year cycle: 2 CEUs CPR (any reputable CPR provider accepted, proof of current CPR required), 1 CEU Ethics and Professional Practice, 7 general CEUs from qualifying subject areas (seminars, home study, conferences, college courses, etc.). Holding multiple NCSF credentials does not increase the 10-CEU requirement. All 10 CEUs must be submitted at once with the application; excess CEUs do not carry over. Submission via NCSF Recertification Portal or by mail (no fax/email).

CEU recognition

  • Any reputable CPR certification organization — accepts ceus from
    All reputable organizations offering CPR certifications are accepted; CPR counts for 2 of the 10 required CEUs with proof of current certification
  • External education providers (seminars, workshops, conferences, home study, college/university courses, employer-based training) — accepts ceus from
    CEUs may be earned outside NCSF; contact hours convert at 1 contact hour = 0.5 NCSF CEUs; approved categories and maximum values listed in the NCSF Recertification Handbook; several courses are pre-approved by NCSF
  • NCSF (verification for unlisted subject categories) — petition accepted
    Professionals completing coursework in categories not listed may contact NCSF for verification of qualification

Pathway

What this credential requires

All of:
  • AgeAt least 18 years old
  • EducationHigh school diploma or equivalent

Leads to

Credentials that formally require this credential.

Open in Pathways →

Sources (14)

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

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