PFT Certification Exam |
$349 |
NCCA accredited PFT Exam - only 4-year accredited credential in the fitness industry (Price includes one attempt). No study materials are included with this option. |
EXAM DETAILS |
Exam candidates must complete the 125 question, multiple choice, facilitated proctored exam within 90 days of receiving exam eligibility ID |
Exam candidates must take the NESTA proctored exam at a PSI testing center |
Exam candidates must be 18 years of age or older |
Exam candidates must have high school diploma or equivalent |
In order to verify identity and age, exam candidates must provide a valid Driver’s License, Passport or other form of government-issued photo ID at the time of testing |
Exam candidates must have an Emergency Cardiac Care (CPR) Certification card or BLS (Basic Life Support) card in place of CPR card or equivalent. Must show at the time of testing |
A $45 proctor (per exam attempt) fee applies to exam candidates living outside of North America. Fee is payable upon requesting exam eligibility ID |
Additional shipping fees & delivery times applies to students living outside of North America. Refer to shipping fees at checkout. |
Not eligible for additional discounts. |
The exam will include the following subject domains:

NESTA Personal Fitness Trainer Certification Details
Requirements for you to become an Accredited NESTA Personal Fitness Trainer:
– Must have paid in full prior to scheduling the exam
– Must be at least 18 years of age
– Must have a valid government issued Driver’s License or Passport
– Must have a minimum high school level or equivalent education
– Must have current Emergency Cardiac Care (CPR) Certification card/certificate or BLS (Basic Life Support) card/certificate in place of CPR card or equivalent
– Must to maintain the confidentiality of the exam content and abide by exam policies as stated in the candidate handbook
– Must agree to adher to the NESTA Code of Ethics
– Exam candidate may be subject to an audit to verify proof of documentation requirements (show proof of valid CPR card/certification, Driver’s License or Passport, High School Diploma or equivalent)
– Must complete the 125 question, multiple choice, facilitated proctored exam within 90 days of requesting exam eligibility ID
– PFT exam candidates must take the NESTA proctored exam at a PSI testing center
Personal Fitness Trainer Exam Details
- 125 question, 2-hour proctored multiple choice computer web based exam
- The exam candidate must take the Personal Fitness Trainer proctored exam within 90 days upon requesting their exam eligibility ID.
- One exam attempt per purchase.
- Exam results are shown immediately upon completing the exam. All passing exams, receive a temporary certificate at the time of completion.
Exam Locations
NESTA Personal Fitness Trainer exam candidates will take the exam at a PSI testing center in their local area. PSI is the proctored exam provider with one of hundreds of testing sites throughout the world.
- Click here to locate a PSI testing facility in your area.
- For more information about NESTA’s PFT exam locations, requirements, scheduling, and procedures, please visit PFT Exam Requirements page.
- An additional $45 proctoring fee is applicable to all students living outside of North America. This fee is due upon requesting exam eligibility ID.
Private Proctoring Exam Option for 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.
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. Not all PSI facilities are equipped to provide special accommodations requests.
Additional policy and procedural information regarding individuals with disabilities or in need of special accommodations for exams.
Additional Examination Fees
- $199 Retest Fee: Students who did not meet the exam passing requirements can purchase a $199 retest 30 days from the date of the exam by visiting Exam Retest, Extensions and Administrative Fee page , or by calling our offices at 866-348-6692.
- $95 Extension Fee: 90-day extension can requested by the exam candidate at any time. Please refer to the NESTA Policies page and click on the “Fees” tab at the top of the page.
- Extension requests to due medical issues must be provided in writing and a signed physician’s note must be provided. The request will then be reviewed by the NESTA Executive Board. Candidate will be notified by email of the decision. Please refer to the Personal Fitness Trainer Exam Candidate Handbook for details.
- $45 Proctor Fee: An additional $45 proctoring fee is applicable to all PFT exam candidates living outside of North America. This fee is due upon requesting exam eligibility ID.
- $45 Private Proctor Fee: An additional $45 proctoring fee is applicable to PFT exam candidates requiring to apply for private proctoring. Details and application is listed here: Private Proctoring Exam Option
NESTA ECB Policies and Reports:
NESTA PFT Exam Candidate Handbook
NESTA ECB Policies and Procedures
NESTA ECB Exam Reports
Recertification and Continuing Education Process
The NESTA ECB requires its certified personal fitness trainer (PFT) to complete 4.0 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) over a four year period. Each 0.1 CEU is worth one hour of study time or one contact hour in a live training format.
For details on the recertification requirements and process, please click here.