Credentials / National Strength and Conditioning Association

Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist

CSCScertificationverifiedby National Strength and Conditioning Association· Compare

Verified: this record was checked against its official source and the accreditor’s directory. Last verified 2026-09-03.

At a glance

Credential type

certification

Status

active

Target professional

Strength and conditioning coaches

Country

Official page

https://www.nsca.com/certification/cscs/

Recertification page

unknown

Accreditation

accreditedNCCAaccredited through 2029-03-31

Confirmed against NCCA Accredited Program Directory (full listing) on 2026-09-03: National Strength and Conditioning Association | CSCS | Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist | NCCA | Accredited through 3/31/2029

Renewal & CEU requirements

3 yr

renewal cycle

CEUs per cycle

$65

renewal member

$90

renewal nonmember

Recertification required

yes

CEU unit system

NSCA CEU (1 contact hour = 0.1 CEU; 10 contact hours = 1.0 CEU; college coursework: 0.5 CEU per semester credit hour, 0.4 per trimester, 0.3 per quarter)

Ethics requirement

CPR/AED at renewal

yes

Deadline rule

Fixed three-year cycle ending December 31 of the cycle's final year; current 2024-2026 cycle deadline is December 31, 2026. All requirements must be completed between January 1, 2024 (or the certification date, whichever is later) and December 31, 2026.

Two pathways: (1) report required CEUs + maintain CPR/AED + pay recertification fee, or (2) retake and pass the certification exam + maintain CPR/AED. CEUs are prorated by original certification date: 6.0 if certified before 2024, 4.0 if during 2024, 2.0 if during 2025, 1.0 if Jan 1-Jun 30 2026, 0 if Jul 1-Dec 31 2026. CEUs must come from at least two of four categories (A Attendance, B Share Your Expertise, C Educational Activities, D NSCA Quizzes/Assessments), each with category maximums (e.g., for 6.0 CEUs: A 5.5, B 4.0, C 5.5, D 4.0). Holders of multiple NSCA credentials submit one CEU total but pay the fee per credential. Recertify with Distinction (*D) requires 10.0 CEUs from NSCA activities plus standard requirements. Random audits require documentation within 45 days. Failure to recertify results in revocation and requires retaking the exam; reinstatement fee is $200 plus unpaid recertification fees; appeal fee $50.

CEU recognition

NSCA pre-approved third-party CE providers (e.g., Human Kinetics) — approved ceu provider
Home study courses from other organizations count only if listed on NSCA's pre-approved list (CEU values per listing); non-pre-approved home studies may be reported only under Category C Personal Development (0.5 CEU per year).
National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) — accepts ceus from
NSCA awards 2.0 CEUs (Category C) when a certificant passes a fitness, sport, or exercise certification exam from an NCCA-accredited program; awarded only at original certification, not for recertifying that credential.

Sources (6)

Accredited Certificationstier 1 primary
official provider page · retrieved 2026-09-02
https://www.nsca.com/certification/cscs/tier 1 primary
official recertification handbook · retrieved 2026-09-03
https://www.nsca.com/certification/recertification/tier 1 primary
official recertification handbook · retrieved 2026-09-03
https://www.nsca.com/globalassets/certification/certification-pdfs/how-to-maintain-your-certification.pdftier 1 primary
official recertification handbook · retrieved 2026-09-03
https://www.nsca.com/certification/continuing-education/tier 1 primary
official recertification handbook · retrieved 2026-09-03
NCCA Accredited Certification Programs Directory — full listing (311 programs), Institute for Credentialing Excellencetier 2 authoritative registry
accreditation directory · retrieved 2026-09-03

Latest verification activity: initial verification → confirmed (2026-09-03) · reverification → confirmed (2026-09-03) · correction → changed (2026-09-03) · scheduled review → flagged (2026-09-03) · reverification → confirmed (2026-09-03)