NCCA-accredited certification · August 2023 outline
ACE-CPT exam prep and study resources
These resources cover the American Council on Exercise’s accredited, proctored Certified Personal Trainer exam. The certification exam has 150 questions in three hours. ACE sets a scaled passing score of 500 and publishes a four-domain outline you can use to plan what to study.
Which ACE credential are you preparing for?
The ACE Certified Personal Trainer exam is the closed-book, live-proctored route to the NCCA-accredited certification. Candidates can test at a site or use live remote proctoring where eligible. ACE also offers a separate online, open-book Personal Training Certificate exam. Confirm which credential you want and check the exam name in your ACE account before planning your study.
ACE allows eligible candidates to register for the proctored exam without purchasing an ACE study program. If a gym or another employer requires certification, ask it what credential it accepts before registering. ACE’s pathway comparison shows how the two options differ in delivery and scoring.
Where should you start studying?
Use the four-domain outline that took effect on August 21, 2023. The largest domains are Program Design and Implementation and Program Modification and Progression. Study them as a sequence. Start by matching a client’s goal and starting point to a plan, then decide how you would change the plan in response to new information.
Give onboarding and professional conduct their own practice time. For each outline task, write an example of a choice the trainer would make and the information they would need to explain it. Use the study plan to revisit those decisions after reviewing new material.
Keep a record of explanations you cannot yet give from memory. Tag each with the task it belongs to. That makes it easier to distinguish a gap in assessment knowledge from a gap in choosing what to do with an assessment result.
How can you prepare for video questions?
ACE’s handbook says approximately 10% of the certification exam questions use a short, silent movement video followed by a multiple-choice prompt. Practice describing what you actually see and identifying what the question asks you to do with that observation. The format guide explains how those questions fit into the exam.
Check the official handbook for delivery rules and accessibility arrangements before scheduling. ACE describes different break rules for standard testing-site and remote sessions. If that difference matters for your appointment, choose your testing method after checking the current policy.
Which ACE-CPT materials can you use now?
The format guide, syllabus, and 12-session study plan are available here. Start with the format guide if you are deciding which exam to book. If you already know your pathway, use the syllabus to identify two tasks that need work and schedule them in your next study block.
The TestCertify prep kit contains 10 chapters, 240 drills, a 12-question diagnostic, 160 flashcards, and two 150-question timed text-based practice forms. Use separate observation practice for the silent movement videos on the official exam.
Frequently asked questions
Can you take the ACE-CPT certification exam online?
ACE offers live remote proctoring through Meazure Learning where available. Check your location and delivery eligibility with ACE before registering.
What is the passing score for the accredited ACE-CPT exam?
ACE requires a scaled score of at least 500 on a 200–800 scale for the certification exam.