personal‑trainer exams

International Sports Sciences Association · certification guide

ISSA Certified Personal Trainer: one course, two exams

Buy the ISSA CPT course and you get two different exams. One is an open-note course final that ISSA itself calls not accredited. The other is the proctored NCCPT-CPT, which is the one with NCCA accreditation. This page keeps them apart and links the certifier page behind every number.

  • ≤200questions on the course exam
  • 70%to pass the course exam
  • 140items on the NCCPT-CPT
  • 2 hNCCPT-CPT time limit
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Two exams under one name

The ISSA certified personal trainer course includes two exam options, and guides often mix them up.

  • The ISSA course exam is open-note, untimed and unproctored, taken online with no booking. It has up to 200 questions and you need 70% to pass. ISSA describes it as not accredited.
  • The NCCPT-CPT comes from the National Council for Certified Personal Trainers (NCCPT), a subsidiary of ISSA. It has 140 multiple-choice items in 2 hours, closed-book, and you take it at a Prometric center or online. This is the exam that NCCA accredits.

Pass the course exam and you hold the ISSA CPT. Pass the NCCPT-CPT and you also hold an NCCA-accredited credential, which is what a job ad asking for "NCCA-accredited" means. The NCCPT-CPT is included with the ISSA CPT course, so the choice is about effort, not money. Is ISSA NCCA accredited? has the detail.

Myth: "the ISSA exam has six weighted sections"

Two exams get blended here. ISSA publishes no section split for its course exam. The six weighted domains belong to the NCCPT-CPT, so guides that list ISSA "sections" with percentages are quoting NCCPT's blueprint, not the course exam.

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5 questions from the NCCPT domains

0 / 0 correct
Question 1 of 5 · Applied Science · 25%Not answered

Which definition BEST describes VO2max?

Why each option is right or wrong

Pick an answer. Then tap any option to read its explanation, the wrong ones included.

A — Correct. VO2max is the maximal rate at which the body takes up and uses oxygen, usually given in mL/kg/min; it is the standard marker of cardiorespiratory fitness.

B — Not this one. Maximal heart rate is only one part of oxygen delivery. Two people with the same HRmax can have very different VO2max values.

C — Not this one. The largest volume of air the lungs hold is total lung capacity, a lung volume, not an oxygen-use rate.

D — Not this one. Arterial oxygen content at rest is a blood measure. VO2max is measured during maximal exercise.

Question 2 of 5 · Exercise Technique & Training Instruction · 25%Not answered

During a leg press, when should a client normally exhale?

Why each option is right or wrong

Pick an answer. Then tap any option to read its explanation, the wrong ones included.

A — Not this one. Holding the breath throughout is a Valsalva maneuver that sharply raises blood pressure. It is not taught to general clients.

B — Correct. The standard cue is to exhale through the sticking point of the push (concentric) and inhale while lowering.

C — Not this one. Breathing out only at the bottom leaves the breath held through the hardest part of the push.

D — Not this one. Exhaling on the way down reverses the usual pattern most exam items expect for general clients.

Question 3 of 5 · Nutrition · 8%Not answered

A client taking warfarin, an anticoagulant, plans to start eating large servings of kale and spinach every day. Why should the client check with their physician first?

Why each option is right or wrong

Pick an answer. Then tap any option to read its explanation, the wrong ones included.

A — Not this one. Vitamin K promotes clotting; it does the opposite of thinning the blood.

B — Not this one. Fiber does not block absorption of all drugs; the interaction here is specific to vitamin K.

C — Correct. Vitamin K helps blood clot and works against warfarin. A big jump in leafy-green intake can weaken the drug's effect, so the physician may need to adjust the dose.

D — Not this one. Potassium in greens tends to support healthy blood pressure; it is not the warfarin concern.

Question 4 of 5 · Program Design & Implementation · 25%Not answered

A client with rheumatoid arthritis in the hands finds gripping dumbbells painful. Which modification is MOST appropriate?

Why each option is right or wrong

Pick an answer. Then tap any option to read its explanation, the wrong ones included.

A — Correct. For painful arthritic hands, wider padded handles or wrist cuffs reduce grip force so the client can keep training the target muscles.

B — Not this one. Narrow bars demand a tighter grip, which makes the pain worse.

C — Not this one. Heavier loads raise grip demand and joint stress, especially during a flare.

D — Not this one. Squeezing harder adds stress to inflamed finger and wrist joints.

Question 5 of 5 · Intake & Ongoing Evaluation · 12%Not answered

The current ACSM pre-participation screening algorithm is based on which three factors?

Why each option is right or wrong

Pick an answer. Then tap any option to read its explanation, the wrong ones included.

A — Not this one. Age, sex and a first-session resting heart rate are not the screening factors.

B — Not this one. Counting CVD risk factors (and BMI) was the older risk-stratification model; ACSM removed it as the gate for clearance.

C — Not this one. Family history, blood pressure and cholesterol are still useful for education, but they no longer decide clearance.

D — Correct. Since 2015, ACSM screening rests on three questions: does the client exercise now, do they have known cardiovascular, metabolic or renal disease or its signs and symptoms, and what intensity do they plan to use.

Answer all questions to see your score

These are our own questions with five options each, written to the NCCPT-CPT outline. ISSA's own practice comes as course section quizzes, which must all be submitted and can be retaken as often as you like. Full ISSA practice test.

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Where the NCCPT-CPT points are

NCCPT publishes the weights of its six domains. The three heaviest are Applied Science, Program Design and Exercise Technique, 25% each, so most of the scored items sit in science, programming and coaching technique.

Source: NCCPT Certification Exam Policies & Procedures Manual, Appendix 2.2 (April 2026) · checked 19 Oct 2026

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Key facts, both exams

Checked 19 Oct 2026 against the certifier's own handbook and website. Where a row holds two values, the course exam comes first and the NCCPT-CPT second.
FactISSA CPTSource
AccreditationNCCA on the NCCPT-CPT exam only; the ISSA course exam is not accreditedIC · NF
Items on the examup to 200 · 140 (course exam · NCCPT-CPT, 125 scored + 15 pretest)IF · NE
Time limituntimed · 2 hoursIF · NE
Pass markcourse 70% (one ISSA FAQ answer says 75% on all sections) · NCCPT scaled score (cut score not published)IF · NP
Score reportNCCPT: pass/fail at the end; a fail comes with a report by content areaNE · NP
Where you sit itcourse: online, open-note, unproctored · NCCPT: Prometric center or live remote, closed-bookIF · NE
EligibilityNCCPT: 18+, photo ID, valid CPR card (no digital certificates) · ISSA: current adult CPR/AED to certifyNE · IF
Exam-only feeincluded with the course · $599 alone (+ $79 Prometric delivery fee)NX · NM
Retakecourse: one free resubmission of a failed portion · NCCPT: $99, max 3 attempts in 12 monthsIF · NM
Window to testcourse 6 months · NCCPT 12 months from purchase (+ one free 6-month extension)IF · NE
Renewalevery 2 yrs · 20 CEUs + CPR/AED · ISSA $99 / NCCPT $75IF · NF · NM
Study packagesCPT course $868 paid in full, or $97/mo × 11as of 19 Oct 2026 · promo pricing, check before you buyIC
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What it costs, in one paragraph

The course is $868 paid in full (listed at $1,068, as of Oct 2026), or $1 down, then 11 payments of $97. That price covers both exams. On its own the NCCPT-CPT costs $599, and either way Prometric charges a $79 delivery fee when you book it. ISSA changes course prices with promotions often, so treat the course figure as a snapshot. ISSA certification cost breaks down retakes, bundles and renewal.

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Keeping it: CPR and renewal

ISSA asks for a current adult CPR/AED certification, valid for at least 30 days past the date you submit. The NCCPT-CPT wants a CPR card before you test, and a digital CPR certificate is not accepted. Renewal for the ISSA credential takes 20 CEUs and a $99 fee every 2 years, the fee waived if all 20 CEUs are ISSA courses. The NCCPT credential renews on its own cycle: 20 CEUs plus current CPR every 2 years, $75. ISSA exam facts has the full rules.

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Keep practicing for the ISSA CPT in an app

More ISSA CPT practice questions with explanations, in a study app for your phone. Not affiliated with ISSA.

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More on the ISSA exams

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Compare ISSA with the others

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ISSA CPT, quick answers

How many questions are on the ISSA final exam?

The ISSA course exam has up to 200 questions, depending on the course. It is open-note and untimed. The NCCPT-CPT, the accredited exam that comes with the course, has 140 items (125 scored and 15 unscored pretest items) in 2 hours.

How much is an ISSA personal trainer certification?

At the October 2026 promotion, $868 paid in full, or $1 down, then 11 payments of $97. The NCCPT-CPT is included; Prometric adds $79 when you book it. Cost breakdown.

Is ISSA certification nationally accredited?

Only the NCCPT-CPT exam is NCCA-accredited. The ISSA course exam is not. If you want the accredited credential, you have to sit and pass the NCCPT-CPT. Accreditation.

Can I do the ISSA certification fully online?

Yes. The course and its exam are online, and you can take the NCCPT-CPT at a Prometric center or online. For the remote option you need a webcam and a quiet room with no notes.

How long do I have to finish the ISSA course?

6 months, and you can add up to 4 extra months, paid month to month. ISSA markets finishing in as little as 3 months; that is a self-paced target, not a rule.