The NCCPT, a subsidiary of ISSA, focuses solely on the development, maintenance, and oversight of its nationally accredited NCCPT-CPT personal training certification exam, while ISSA offers a broader range of health and fitness courses and certifications. The NCCPT is managed by an independent board of directors and operates separately from ISSA.

To provide the most flexibility for students and to accommodate different learning styles and career objectives, ISSA offers both accredited (through its subsidiary the NCCPT) and non-accredited pathways by which students can obtain their personal training certification.

• The NCCPT personal trainer certification exam, accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) assess knowledge of personal training and fitness while also providing third-party affirmation to the credential. There is no associated course, and the proctored test has a two-hour time limit. Using books or notes during the exam is prohibited.

• The ISSA Certified Personal Trainer course is a comprehensive program designed to prepare students for success as a certified fitness professional. It features video and audio lessons, a clear and searchable online textbook, practice quizzes, a study workbook, and the option for live classroom learning with instructors. The ISSA certification exam is open note, can be completed without time constraints, and is not proctored.

Yes. The NCCPT Certified Personal Trainer Certification Exam is accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA), the leading accreditation body for health and wellness related certifications.

NCCPT no longer offers the NCCA-accredited examinations for Certified Group Exercise Instructor, Certified Indoor Cycling Instructor, Certified Yoga Instructor, and Certified Strength Training Specialist. However, these certifications still hold status in the fitness industry and must be renewed every two years.

The NCCPT Certified Personal Trainer Exam assesses knowledge on industry standards, and as such the foundational ISSA Certified Personal Training Course is one of many ways to help you prepare. However, preparation for the exam is not exclusive to any single study material, study guide, and/or preparatory courses or certification.

Candidates may find it helpful to review the NCCP-CPT exam content outline and bibliography references listed in the NCCPT Certification Exam Policies and Procedures Manual. There are also numerous educational exam study packages available to candidates through NCCPT’s relationship with ISSA, and throughout the marketplace at large.

Candidates must be at least 18 years old, have a government-issued photo ID, and a valid CPR card or certificate of completion. Additional information can be found here.

No. The enrollment, participation, completion, or purchase of any course, exam preparatory study packages or materials are not required to sit for the NCCPT personal training certification exam, nor do any such items guarantee the earning of a passing score on the exam.

The NCCPT-CPT certification exam can be purchased as a stand-alone item but most often it is included for free, or at a reduced cost with the ISSA Certified Personal Trainer Course, or as part of an ISSA course bundle. However, a separate fee is charged by the testing vendor, Prometric.

Fee details are available here.

Please submit the Reasonable Accommodation form to support@nccpt.com.

Candidates should first log in to their ISSA Student Portal to obtain their Eligibility ID.

Exam scheduling for both on site and remote testing using that ID may then be done here.

Rescheduling or canceling a future exam may be done here. A candidate who misses their exam date and still desires to sit for the exam should contact support@nccpt.com.

Rescheduling and cancellation fees may apply. Fee details are available here.

Candidates have 12 months from the purchase date to take their exam. This eligibility period can be extended once for an additional six months at no cost.

If more time is needed, candidates can pay a fee for a further six-month extension. The exam voucher must be repurchased after two years from the initial purchase. Details on exam fees are available here.

Candidates can take the NCCPT exam at a Prometric testing facility or online with live remote proctoring. The exam administration fee is the same.

Candidates preferring a controlled environment may find a testing facility more suitable, while remote testing offers flexibility for those who cannot easily access a testing center.

Candidates considering live remote proctoring should review Prometric’s ProProctor User Guide for technical and environmental requirements.

Prometric is a global leader in assessment and credentialing and serves as the testing provider for NCCPT.

Candidates are required to provide government issued photo identification and a valid CPR card or certificate of completion. A digital CPR certificate will not be accepted.

The name on both your government issued ID and proof of CPR must match the name in your student account.

The exam contains 140 multiple-choice items, 125 are scored as part of the candidate’s overall results and 15 are considered pre-test item and are not scored. Pre-test items are interspersed throughout the exam and used for research and development.

The exam must be completed in two hours.

No. The exam is not open book/open note.

Yes. All exams are proctored by Prometric staff. A separate fee is charged by Prometric, and candidates cannot provide their own proctor.

Candidates will receive their results immediately from Prometric via the email they used for exam registration.

Candidates have 12 months from the purchase date to take or repeat the exam. Retakes require a waiting period; 14 days after the first attempt, 90 days after the second, and one year after the third.

If the retake waiting period extends beyond the initial 12 months, a free six-month extension is available upon request. Further six-month extensions can be purchased. More information on retakes is available here.

An extension purchase does not guarantee exam eligibility. Contact support@nccpt.com if you have questions about exam eligibility.

To access your certification:

• Log in to your ISSA Student Portal

• Navigate to the Certification Courses section, select Optional NCCPT Exams and click on NCCPT CPT Exam.

• You will then see a link to your certificate near the bottom of the page

Scaled scores are reported on NCCPT's examinations to ensure fairness and consistency across different versions of the tests. Because each exam form may vary slightly in difficulty, raw scores (the number of correct answers) are converted to a common scale so that the passing standard (set through a research-based method involving expert review of exam content) remains the same regardless of which test version a candidate takes. This allows all test-takers to be evaluated by the same level of competence, even if the examination questions differ. A candidate whose scaled score equals or exceeds the passing standard will successfully pass the exam.

NCCPT accredited certifications must be renewed every two years.

Renewing your certification requires:

• The accumulation of 20 continuing education (CEUS) units, which equates to 2.0 CEUs at a rate of one hour per 0.1 CEU.

• Proof of current CPR certification.

• Submission of the renewal form.

• Submission of the CEU petition form (if applicable).

• Payment of any applicable fees.

Please be aware that all continuing education credits must be completed within the credential’s original two-year renewal period.

Approved continuing education units used for renewing a non-accredited ISSA certification can be applied toward renewing an NCCPT accredited certification. However, the required renewal form must still be submitted and all requirements met.

Certificants are allowed 30 days after the certification expiration date to complete their recertification. A late fee will be applied.

Email the completed renewal form, proof of current CPR certification, and the CEU petition form (if applicable) to support@nccpt.com. Once approved, you will be contacted to pay the renewal fees.

The renewal form may be found here. Click here for the CEU petition form.