NESTA Personal Fitness Trainer Certification PSI Exam Requirements

*An additional $45 proctoring fee applies to students living outside of North America.  

Individuals with Disabilities and Special Accommodation Needs 

Individuals having a disability requiring special accommodations must fill out the “Request for Special Accommodations” form. Requests are decided upon an individual basis. Accommodations usually include an allowance for increased examination time. Accommodation requests will be acknowledged through email and/or phone notification within 7-10 business days of initial request.

For individuals who require a reader, separate accommodations or other requirements please state your needs and requirements in detail on the Request for Special Accommodations Form. Requests will be considered and a response will be delivered within 10 business days.

Additional policy and procedural information regarding individuals with disabilities or in need of special accommodations for exams.

Private Proctoring and Scheduling Hardship 

Scheduling hardship exam candidates will be required to use “Private Proctoring Exam Option” and will not be eligible to test at a PSI facility.  Please visit Private Proctoring Exam Option page for detailed information and instructions. Approval from NESTA is required prior to testing.

Prior to Setting Up an Appointment

REQUIRED READING PRIOR TO EXAMINATION:
PFT Exam Candidate Handbook

Required identification at the examination site

Exam candidates must provide one valid government-issued ID bearing photo & signature.  If the ID does not have either the photo or signature, a secondary ID must be presented.

Candidates MUST provide the following on examination day:

One Form of ID Required. Must be Valid, Non-Expired Government Issued ID bearing Photo & Signature. Allowable forms of identification include:

• A government issued driver’s license
• A government issued identification card
• A current government military-issued identification
• A government issued passport
• A permanent resident card

Must SHOW a current Emergency Cardiac Care (CPR) Certification. Photocopies of current and valid CPR cards/certificate are acceptable. Digital format will not be accepted. 

• Applicant can show EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) card in place of CPR card/certificate.
• Applicant can show BLS (Basic Life Support) card in place of CPR card/certificate.
• A letter from an Agency stating that the applicant has passed their CPR or their BLS (Basic Life Support) course is allowed.

Note: CPR for the Professional Rescuer is an accepted CPR course.

Upon eligibility ID assignment, the candidate will receive an email confirmation from NESTA.  The name listed in the email confirmation will appear in the PSI testing system.  The name given to PSI MUST match the ID presented at the time of the exam. If the legal name, as it was given at the time of ordering, is incorrect, DO NOT proceed in scheduling an appointment.   Please email contact the NESTA Testing Department prior to setting up your appointment and provide the correct spelling, name change or designations (i.e. Jr., III, IV, etc.) required for testing.  Please note, middle name or middle initial is not required.

NOTE: If the name does not match, the exam candidate will not be allowed to enter the exam room.  Expired identification or paper extensions issued by the government will not be accepted.  If you do not have the required identification or require your name to be updated, please contact the NESTA Testing Department prior to setting up your appointment. All requests must be made in writing and we cannot make any changes within 48 hours of an exam appointment.  If the required identification and/or CPR card is not presented at the time of testing, the candidate will not be allowed to test and will be considered as a no-show. Exam fees cannot be refunded and the exam candidate will be responsible for additional testing fees.

Scheduling Appointment

Exam candidate must take the Personal Fitness Trainer proctored exam within 90 days upon receiving their exam eligibility ID.  Exam candidates will be emailed an exam eligibility ID number (from NESTA) and registration link (from PSI) within 24 to 48 business hours of processing an order.  Exam candidates are encouraged to make their appointment 15-30 business days or more in advance to guarantee their date, location and time of choice.

To make an appointment by phone:
Call PSI at 1-800-733-9267

• Have your exam eligibility ID number available
• Confirm chosen date, time and location for your exam

Rescheduling and Cancellations

Missed appointment or late cancellation

Your registration will be invalid, you will not be able to take the examination as scheduled, and you will forfeit your examination fee, if you:

• Do not cancel your appointment 48 hours before the schedule examination date and time;
• Do not appear for your examination appointment;
• Arrive after examination start time;
• Arrive late prior to processing;
• Do not present proper identification when you arrive for the examination;
• Do not present a valid CPR card;

If you do not cancel your appointment on time, do not show up for the test or do not provide the appropriate identification, you will be charged an additional fee and any prior testing fees paid are non-refundable. 

Address Changes

• Address changes can be made by filling out the Address/Information Change Form available at pft.nestacertified.com

NESTA requires exam candidates to maintain current name, mailing address, phone number and email information.

Exam Day

1) Arrive at least 30 minutes prior to actual appointment time to allow for processing and entry into examination room.

Required identification at the examination site

2) Exam candidates must provide one valid government-issued ID bearing photo & signature.  If the ID does not have either the photo or signature, a secondary ID must be presented. Digital format will not be accepted.

Candidates MUST provide the following on examination day:

2a) One Form of ID Required. Must be Valid, Non-Expired Government Issued ID bearing Photo & Signature. Allowable forms of identification include:

• A government issued driver’s license
• A government issued identification card
• A current government military-issued identification
• A government issued passport
• A permanent resident card

2b)  Must SHOW a current Emergency Cardiac Care (CPR) Certification. Photocopies of current and valid CPR cards/certificate are acceptable. Digital format will not be accepted.

• Applicant can show EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) card in place of CPR card/certificate.
• Applicant can show BLS (Basic Life Support) card in place of CPR card/certificate.
• A letter from an Agency stating that the applicant has passed their CPR or their BLS (Basic Life Support) course is allowed.

Note: CPR for the Professional Rescuer is an accepted CPR course.

3) Computer-based testing (PSI):

Personal items other than those provided by PSI will not be allowed into the computer based exam room

No food or drink is allowed into exam room.

4) Security procedures

The following security procedures will apply during the examination:

Scratch paper and a pencil will be provided at the test site.  The online calculator will be enabled for candidates use.

• While at an examination site, you are considered to be a professional and shall be treated as such. In turn, you must conduct yourself in a professional manner at all times.  While at the site, you shall not use words or take actions that are vulgar, obscene, libelous, or that would denigrate the staff or other candidates.
  • NO conversing or any other form of communication among candidates is permitted once you enter the examination area.
• Cell phones, pagers, and children are not allowed in the examination center. NO personal items are to enter the testing center. Candidates are encouraged to leave all personal belongings except their keys in their car.
• No smoking, eating, or drinking will be allowed at the examination site.
• Copying or communicating examination content is a violation of security policy.  Either one may result in the disqualification of examination results and may lead to legal action.

5) Exam candidates who miss their scheduled appointment will lose their exam opportunity and forfeit their examination fees.  Exam candidates arriving late will not be admitted to take their exam and will forfeit their examination fees.  At least 48 hour prior notice to PSI at  1-800-733-9267 (USA) is required for rescheduling or canceling an exam in order to avoid loss of examination fees and purchased exam opportunity.

Note:  A voice mail message is not an acceptable form of cancellation.  Please use the telephone system and speak to a Customer Service Representative or cancel using the PSI website. 

All rescheduled exams will be scheduled through PSI.  Missed exams and retakes must be purchased through NESTA and an ID must be provided from NESTA prior to exam scheduling with PSI.

6) In the event of PSI site closure the day of the exam or weather emergency preventing an exam candidate from making their exam appointment, an extension opportunity will be provided by NESTA following the required filing of a request for an extension by the exam candidate. This request must be submitted and received by NESTA within 5 business days following scheduled exam appointment.

If you require other special accommodations at a PSI testing center, please submit your request and proper documentation PRIOR to making an appointment by downloading and submitting the following application:  https://www.dropbox.com/s/klhpqgqrwf7lwjm/Request%20for%20Special%20Accommodations.pdf

NOTE: All applications must be reviewed and approved prior to moving forward with the exam.