{"id":47016,"date":"2018-12-20T14:18:30","date_gmt":"2018-12-20T14:18:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/?page_id=47016"},"modified":"2026-03-14T16:49:12","modified_gmt":"2026-03-14T21:49:12","slug":"acsm-cpt-exam","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/acsm-cpt-exam\/","title":{"rendered":"ACSM<sup>&reg;<\/sup>-CPT Practice Test"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>If you are seeking certification as an ACSM<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> Certified Personal Trainer (CPT), you will have to take the ACSM-CPT exam to assess the practice-related knowledge you will be expected to use in this professional field.<\/p>\n<p>Click \u201cStart Test\u201d above to take a free ACSM-CPT practice test, and check out our premium-quality ACSM-CPT test prep resources by clicking the links below!<\/p>\n<div class=\"buttonlinks\">\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/studyguides\/acsm\/\" class=\"class_names\" style=\"color:black;\" onclick=\"_paq.push(['trackEvent', 'Guide Button', 'Guide Click', 'ACSMR Guide Click']);\">ACSM CPT Study Guide<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.flashcardsecrets.com\/acsm\/\" class=\"class_names\" style=\"color:black;\" onclick=\"_paq.push(['trackEvent', 'Flashcard Button', 'Flashcard Button Click', 'ACSM Flashcard Click']);\">ACSM CPT Flashcards<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"pt-page\"><span id=\"Exam_Eligibility\" class=\"m-toc-anchor\"><\/span>Exam Eligibility<\/h2>\n<p>To be eligible for this exam, you must meet the following requirements:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>You must be at least 18 years old<\/li>\n<li>You must have earned your high school diploma (or an equivalent)<\/li>\n<li>You must have earned your adult CPR\/AED certification<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 class=\"pt-page\"><span id=\"ACSMCPT_Exam_Outline\" class=\"m-toc-anchor\"><\/span>ACSM-CPT Exam Outline<\/h2>\n<p>The ACSM-CPT exam contains 135 multiple-choice questions, and you will be given a time limit of 2.5 hours. The questions are designed to evaluate you on three cognitive areas: recall, application, and synthesis:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Recall:<\/strong> Recall or recognize specific information<\/li>\n<li><strong>Application:<\/strong> Comprehend, relate, or apply knowledge to new or changing situations<\/li>\n<li><strong>Synthesis:<\/strong> Analyze and synthesize information, determine solutions, or evaluate the usefulness of a solution<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The exam is split into four performance domains:<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"I_Initial_Client_Consultation_and_Assessment_(25%25)\" class=\"m-toc-anchor\"><\/span>I. Initial Client Consultation and Assessment (25%)<\/h3>\n<p>The questions in this domain are grouped into their respective cognitive areas as follows:<\/p>\n<details class=\"togglelist\">\n<summary style=\"margin-top: -0.5em;\">Recall<\/summary>\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: circle; margin-top: 0.5em;\">\n<li>Providing documents and clear instructions to a client in preparation for an initial interview<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/details>\n<details class=\"togglelist\">\n<summary>Application<\/summary>\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: circle; margin-top: 0.5em;\">\n<li>Interviewing a client to gather and provide pertinent information prior to fitness testing and program design<\/li>\n<li>Evaluating behavioral readiness<\/li>\n<li>Developing strategies to optimize exercise adherence<\/li>\n<li>Developing a plan and timeline for reassessing physical goals, fitness, and related behaviors<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/details>\n<details class=\"togglelist\">\n<summary style=\"margin-bottom: 1em;\">Synthesis<\/summary>\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: circle; margin-top: -0.5em;\">\n<li>Reviewing and analyzing client data to identify risk, formulate plans of action, and conduct physical assessments<\/li>\n<li>Assessing the components of health- and skill-related physical fitness to establish baseline values, set goals, and develop individualized programs<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/details>\n<h3><span id=\"II_Exercise_Programming_and_Implementation_(45%25)\" class=\"m-toc-anchor\"><\/span>II. Exercise Programming and Implementation (45%)<\/h3>\n<p>The questions in this domain are grouped into their respective cognitive areas as follows:<\/p>\n<details class=\"togglelist\">\n<summary style=\"margin-top: -0.5em;\">Recall<\/summary>\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: circle; margin-top: 0.5em;\">\n<li>Reviewing a client&#8217;s goals, medical history, and assessment results to determine an exercise prescription<\/li>\n<li>Obtaining client feedback to ensure exercise program satisfaction and adherence<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/details>\n<details class=\"togglelist\">\n<summary>Application<\/summary>\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: circle; margin-top: 0.5em;\">\n<li>Selecting exercise modalities to achieve the desired adaptations based on a client&#8217;s goals, assessment results, medical history, and available resources<\/li>\n<li>Determining initial FITT exercise principle base on a client&#8217;s goals, medical history, and assessment results<\/li>\n<li>Reviewing the proposed program with a client<\/li>\n<li>Demonstrating exercises<\/li>\n<li>Teaching a client how to perform each exercise<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/details>\n<details class=\"togglelist\">\n<summary style=\"margin-bottom: 1em;\">Synthesis<\/summary>\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: circle; margin-top: -0.5em;\">\n<li>Monitoring a client&#8217;s technique and response to exercise<\/li>\n<li>Recommending exercise progressions to improve or maintain a client&#8217;s fitness level<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/details>\n<h3><span id=\"III_Exercise_Leadership_and_Client_Education_(20%25)\" class=\"m-toc-anchor\"><\/span>III. Exercise Leadership and Client Education (20%)<\/h3>\n<p>The questions in this domain are grouped into their respective cognitive areas as follows:<\/p>\n<details class=\"togglelist\">\n<summary style=\"margin-top: -0.5em;\">Recall<\/summary>\n<p style=\"margin-top: 0.5em; margin-left: 2em;\"><em>There are no recall questions in this domain.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/details>\n<details class=\"togglelist\">\n<summary>Application<\/summary>\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: circle; margin-top: 0.5em;\">\n<li>Optimizing participant adherence by using effective communication, motivational techniques, and behavioral strategies<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/details>\n<details class=\"togglelist\">\n<summary style=\"margin-bottom: 1em;\">Synthesis<\/summary>\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: circle; margin-top: -0.5em;\">\n<li>Educating clients using scientifically-sound resources<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/details>\n<h3><span id=\"IV_Legal_and_Professional_Responsibilities_(10%25)\" class=\"m-toc-anchor\"><\/span>IV. Legal and Professional Responsibilities (10%)<\/h3>\n<p>The questions in this domain are grouped into their respective cognitive areas as follows:<\/p>\n<details class=\"togglelist\">\n<summary style=\"margin-top: -0.5em;\">Recall<\/summary>\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: circle; margin-top: 0.5em;\">\n<li>Adhering to ACSM Certification&#8217;s Code of Ethics<\/li>\n<li>Following industry-accepted professional, business, and ethical standards<\/li>\n<li>Respecting copyright laws by obtaining permission before using protected materials and any form of applicable intellectual property<\/li>\n<li>Safeguarding client confidentiality and privacy rights unless formally waived<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/details>\n<details class=\"togglelist\">\n<summary>Application<\/summary>\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: circle; margin-top: 0.5em;\">\n<li>Collaborating with healthcare professionals and organizations to create a network of providers who can assist in maximizing the benefits and minimizing the risk of an exercise program<\/li>\n<li>Implementing a comprehensive risk management program that is consistent with the industry standards of care<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/details>\n<details class=\"togglelist\">\n<summary style=\"margin-bottom: 1em;\">Synthesis<\/summary>\n<p style=\"margin-top: -0.5em; margin-left: 2em;\"><em>There are no synthesis questions in this domain.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"sg-box\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sg-box-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"sg-box-title\">Check Out Mometrix's ACSM Certified Personal Trainer Study Guide<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<p>Get practice questions, video tutorials, and detailed study lessons<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"sg-box-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/studyguides\/acsm\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Get Your Study Guide<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/studyguides\/acsm\/\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"184\" height=\"238\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/acsm.jpg\" alt=\" Study Guide\">\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"pt-page\"><span id=\"Registration\" class=\"m-toc-anchor\"><\/span> Registration<\/h2>\n<p>To register for this exam, you must create an online ACSM account and an online Pearson VUE account. Using these accounts, you will be able to register for an exam appointment and pay the $410 examination fee.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pt-page\"><span id=\"Test_Day\" class=\"m-toc-anchor\"><\/span>Test Day<\/h2>\n<h3><span id=\"Inperson_Testing\" class=\"m-toc-anchor\"><\/span>In-person Testing<\/h3>\n<p>On exam day, you should arrive at the Pearson VUE testing center 30 minutes earlier than the scheduled exam time. This will give you enough time to complete the check-in process.<\/p>\n<p>Once you arrive, you will be asked to sign in and present your photo ID to the proctor. You will be photographed and asked to sign a roster and other rule forms. Personal items (cell phone, wallet, keys, accessories, etc.) are not allowed in the testing room, so they should be left at home or placed in a secure locker outside the testing area.<\/p>\n<p>Just before the exam starts, you will be given a brief tutorial on the testing system and will be asked to sign an NDA.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"Remote_Testing\" class=\"m-toc-anchor\"><\/span>Remote Testing<\/h3>\n<p>Before the day of the exam, you should ensure your equipment meets the minimum requirements. You must have a desktop or laptop with a webcam and microphone, and you should take your exam in a private workspace. The exam cannot be taken on mobile devices, smartphones, or tablets. The technical requirements are detailed on Pearson\u2019s website.<\/p>\n<p>On the day of your exam, you will be asked to show the remote proctor your testing space and submit a valid form of photo ID. The proctor will walk you through the examination process after the check-in process is complete.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pt-page\"><span id=\"How_the_Exam_is_Scored\" class=\"m-toc-anchor\"><\/span>How the Exam is Scored<\/h2>\n<p>Your ACSM-CPT exam score is determined by using a scaled scoring system. This system takes the number of questions you answered correctly, which is called your &#8220;raw score,&#8221; and converts it to a numerical score on a scale from 200 to 800. A minimum scaled score of 550 is what you need to pass the exam.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pt-page\"><span id=\"Retaking_the_Exam\" class=\"m-toc-anchor\"><\/span>Retaking the Exam<\/h2>\n<p>If you fail the exam, you may retake it after a mandatory 15-day waiting period. You will be able to take the exam up to four times in a 12-month period. You will not need to resubmit your eligibility documents for each retake, but you will need to pay the $199 retesting fee.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"sg-box\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sg-box-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"sg-box-title\">Check Out Mometrix's ACSM Certified Personal Trainer Flashcards<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<p>Get complex  subjects broken down into easily understandable concepts<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"sg-box-button blue-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flashcardsecrets.com\/acsm\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Get Your Flashcards<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.flashcardsecrets.com\/acsm\/\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"238\" height=\"184\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/acsmflash.jpg\" alt=\" Flashcards\">\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"pt-page\"><span id=\"FAQs\" class=\"m-toc-anchor\"><\/span>FAQs<\/h2>\n<div class=\"faq-list\">\n<div class=\"qa_wrap\">\n<div class=\"q_item text_bold\">\n<h4 class=\"letter\">Q<\/h4>\n<p style=\"line-height: unset;\">How many questions are on the ACSM-CPT exam?<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"a_item\">\n<h4 class=\"letter text_bold\">A<\/h4>\n<p>There are 135 multiple-choice questions on the exam.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"qa_wrap\">\n<div class=\"q_item text_bold\">\n<h4 class=\"letter\">Q<\/h4>\n<p style=\"line-height: unset;\">How long is the ACSM-CPT exam?<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"a_item\">\n<h4 class=\"letter text_bold\">A<\/h4>\n<p>The time limit for the exam is 2.5 hours.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"qa_wrap\">\n<div class=\"q_item text_bold\">\n<h4 class=\"letter\">Q<\/h4>\n<p style=\"line-height: unset;\">What is the passing score for the ACSM-CPT exam?<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"a_item\">\n<h4 class=\"letter text_bold\">A<\/h4>\n<p>To pass the exam, you must achieve a minimum scaled score of 550.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"qa_wrap\">\n<div class=\"q_item text_bold\">\n<h4 class=\"letter\">Q<\/h4>\n<p style=\"line-height: unset;\">How much does the ACSM-CPT exam cost?<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"a_item\">\n<h4 class=\"letter text_bold\">A<\/h4>\n<p>The examination fee is $410.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<p><div itemscope=\"\" itemprop=\"author\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Person\" class=\"author-bio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" itemprop=\"image\" class=\"author-image\" height=\"127\" width=\"127\" alt=\"Headshot of Mometrix associate Peter Rench.\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Peter-Rench-scaled.webp\"><div class=\"author-text\"><p class=\"author-name\">By <span itemprop=\"name\">Peter Rench<\/span><\/p><div class=\"author-desc\"><p>Peter Rench joined Mometrix in 2009 and serves as Vice President of Product Development, responsible for overseeing all new product development and quality improvements. Mr. Rench, a National Merit Scholar, graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and a minor in mathematics from Texas A&amp;M University.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><div itemscope=\"\" itemprop=\"editor\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Person\" class=\"author-bio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" itemprop=\"image\" class=\"author-image\" height=\"127\" width=\"127\" alt=\"Aaron Lanni profile pic\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/image_2024-12-11_124906662.png\"><div class=\"author-text\"><p class=\"author-name\">Edited by <span itemprop=\"name\">Aaron Lanni<\/span><\/p><div class=\"author-desc\"><p>Aaron is the content manager and lead editor for Mometrix Academy. He regularly produces, updates, proofreads, and edits content to ensure it meets Mometrix\u2019s quality and accessibility standards.<\/p>\n<\/div><p class=\"alignright author-desc author-link\"><a class=\"ylist\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/editorial-guidelines\/\">Learn more about our editorial guidelines<\/a> \u2192<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n<div class=\"home-buttons\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/\">Mometrix Academy &#8211; Home<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"disclaimer\">ACSM\u00ae and American College of Sports Medicine\u00ae are registered trademarks of the American College of Sports Medicine, who does not endorse, nor is affiliated in any way with the owner of or any content in this product.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you are seeking certification as an ACSM\u00ae Certified Personal Trainer (CPT), you will have to take the ACSM-CPT exam to assess the practice-related knowledge you will be expected to use in this professional field. Click \u201cStart Test\u201d above to take a free ACSM-CPT practice test, and check out our premium-quality ACSM-CPT test prep resources &#8230; <a title=\"ACSM&reg;-CPT Practice Test\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/acsm-cpt-exam\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about ACSM&reg;-CPT Practice Test\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":278059,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":{"0":"post-47016","1":"page","2":"type-page","3":"status-publish","4":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"page_category-personal-fitness","7":"page_type-exam-overview","8":"page_domain-acsm-cpt"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/47016","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=47016"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/47016\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":284188,"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/47016\/revisions\/284188"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/278059"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mometrix.com\/academy\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=47016"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}