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NSCA-Certified Personal Trainer — Requirements & Free Practice

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NSCA-Certified Personal Trainer

Licensing authority: National Strength and Conditioning Association · Application information

Initial by examination
NSCA-Certified Personal Trainer® (NSCA-CPT®) exam
Cpr Aed
Current CPR/AED with hands-on skills performance assessment is required for certification. Applicants without current CPR/AED may register and sit, but must submit acceptable proof within one year of exam date.
Education
High school diploma or equivalent
Experience
No separate experience prerequisite appears in the complete NSCA-CPT requirements; other certifications' experience criteria are not imported.
Minimum Age
18
Registration
Online NSCA registration and individual Pearson VUE scheduling, with sitting within 120 days of registration.
Timing
Age requirement applies before registration; other requirements must be met within one year of a passing exam score. Certification is withheld until all eligibility criteria and required documentation are satisfied; exam results become invalid if acceptable documentation is not received within one year.

NSCA-Certified Personal Trainer® (NSCA-CPT®) exam

Provider
Pearson VUE
Format
Multiple-choice selected-response questions, including video and/or image questions
Exam questions
Total questions: 155; Scored questions: 140; Unscored questions: 15; The total includes the scored and unscored questions.
Time limit
3 hours
Passing score
Scaled score of 70 or higher
Exam fee
NSCA member USD 300; non-member USD 435
Examination outline
  • Client Consultation & Assessment (23%)
    • Initial Interview
    • Medical History and Health Appraisal
    • Performance Evaluation
    • Basic Wellness Review
  • Program Planning (29%)
    • Program Design
    • Special Populations
  • Program Execution (36%)
    • Exercise Instruction
    • Evaluation Exercise Technique
    • Training Adaptations
  • Safety, Emergency Procedures, and Legal Issues (12%)
    • Safety Procedures
    • Emergency Response
    • Professional, Legal, and Ethical Responsibility
Examination sources