To earn an NCCA-accredited ACE Certification, you must pass the ACE Certification Exam. The exam is specific to the ACE Certification you seek. Each exam assesses if you meet the level of competence necessary to earn that certification. Prior to taking the exam, you must meet certain prerequisites. After passing the exam, you will earn a respected credential that can set you on a compelling new career path.
For a limited time, you can now take the ACE Certification Exam from the comfort of your home.
Learn MoreACE Certification exams are administered at over 800 proctored testing centers in over 110 countries. Exam dates, times and locations can be found in our exam scheduler. Each ACE Certification Exam consist of 150 multiple choice questions. All candidates must earn the passing point of 500 or greater to earn the mark of certification.
Eligibility requirements vary based on the certification program.
†A list of NCCA-accredited certification programs can be found at: credentialingexcellence.org
††A list of NBHWC-approved training and education programs can be found at: nbhwc.org/approved-program
Note: Candidates must submit supporting documentation of current NCCA-accredited certifications, degrees and/or work experience prior to registering for the ACE Health Coach exam.
You can register for computer-based testing through the ACE website, by phone, mail or fax. Health Coach pre-approval required for all non-ACE Certified Professionals. Medical Exercise Specialist requires pre-approval prior to registration. All eligibility requirements must be met prior to registering for any ACE Certification Exam.
Register Online Register By MailCandidates should familiarize themselves with the exam site location, parking instructions, and time it may take to arrive there. Candidates should arrive 10-15 minutes prior to the scheduled exam time. Candidates who arrive after the scheduled exam time may be turned away. A current government-issued photo ID with signature (driver’s license, passport, military ID) must be presented. The first and last name on your ID must be an exact match to your admission ticket.
Exam LocationsExam candidates who receive a passing mark can immediately print a Proof of Certification letter from their My ACE Account. The official certificate and card will be mailed to each candidate, along with a welcome packet within 4-6 weeks from the exam date.
ACE Certifications are valid for 2 years. To maintain your certification, you must complete 2.0 (20 hours) of ACE-approved Continuing Education Credits (CECs), hold a current CPR/AED with live skills check and pay the recertification fee.
Visit the ACE Career Center to jumpstart your career.
Exam candidates who do not receive a passing mark are eligible to retake the exam.
If a retest voucher was purchased along with a study program, an email notification will be sent informing you that the retake voucher has been added to your My ACE Account. The voucher must be redeemed for registration within 60 days of your failed exam score. The exam itself may be scheduled beyond the 60-day registration window.
If a retest voucher was not purchased along with a study program, you may retake the exam at a discounted rate of $249, for a period of one year from the first exam attempt.
A retake exam can take place as soon as 10 days from the first attempt, but it is recommended to schedule the retake within a realistic timeframe based on how close or far away you were from the passing point.
Visit ACE Answers for helpful study tools, blogs and live webinar events.
While each of our certification exams have similar eligibility requirements, they do differ slightly. Please see a complete list below.
ACE Personal Trainer and Group Fitness Instructor†A list of NCCA-accredited certification programs can be found at: credentialingexcellence.org
‡A list of ICHWC-approved training and education programs can be found at: ichwc.org/organizations
Note: Candidates must submit supporting documentation of current NCCA-accredited certifications, degrees and/or work experience prior to registering for the ACE Health Coach exam.
Medical Exercise Specialist* Candidates taking computer-based ACE exam must hold a current CPR / AED certificate at the time of registration, and it cannot expire prior to the exam date. Online CPR/AED courses will not be accepted.
To update your name on your My ACE Account, please email ExamRegistration@ACEfitness.org with your request and the required documentation outlined below:
If you are NOT yet an ACE certified Professional, please submit a copy of your current government-issued photo ID.
If you are currently an ACE certified Professional, please submit a copy of your current government-issued photo ID as well as documentation of your name change (e.g., court order for name change, marriage license/certificate, divorce decree).
Exam Registration
If you are NOT yet an ACE certified Professional, please submit a copy of your current government-issued photo ID.
If you are currently an ACE certified Professional, please submit a copy of your current government-issued photo ID as well as documentation of your name change (e.g., court order for name change, marriage license/certificate, divorce decree).
Computer-Based
|
PT |
GFI |
Health |
CMES |
First Time |
$499 |
$249 |
$499 |
$499 |
Retake |
$249 |
$199 |
$249 |
$249 |
2nd ACE Certification |
$249 |
$199 |
$249 |
$249 |
Formerly ACE Certified Professional |
$199 |
$199 |
$199 |
$199 |
Reschedule |
$149 |
$149 |
$149 |
$149 |
Computer-Based Format
|
PT |
GFI |
Health |
CMES |
First Time |
$499 |
$249 |
$499 |
$499 |
Retake |
$249 |
$199 |
$249 |
$249 |
2nd ACE Certification |
$249 |
$199 |
$249 |
$249 |
Formerly ACE Certified Professional |
$199 |
$199 |
$199 |
$199 |
Reschedule |
$149 |
$149 |
$149 |
$149 |
Simplified Chinese Language Exam
|
PT |
GFI |
Health |
CMES |
First Time |
$599 |
$599 |
||
Retake |
$299 |
$299 |
||
2nd ACE Certification |
$299 |
$299 |
||
Reschedule |
$249 |
$249 |
Post Registration to Exam Day
To update the name on your exam registration, please email ExamRegistration@ACEfitness.org with your request and the required documentation outlined below:
If you are NOT yet an ACE certified Professional, please submit a copy of your current government-issued photo ID.
If you are currently an ACE certified Professional, please submit a copy of your current government-issued photo ID as well as documentation of your name change (e.g., court order for name change, marriage license/certificate, divorce decree).
Live Site/CBT Exam Day
Please report to the reporting room on time for your scheduled ACE Exam.
Be advised: Electronic devices (iPods, MP3 players, headphones, pagers, computers, PDAs, other electronic devices with memory, cameras, smart phones, cell phones, and optical readers) are prohibited. Food and beverages are not allowed in the exam room and smoking is not permitted at the exam site at any time. Personal writing utensils including paper, pencils, and books are not permitted. Coats, large jackets, hats, hoods, or any other headgear are not permitted in the exam room unless required for religious purposes. Please contact ExamRegistration@acefitness.org prior to your exam if you require accommodations for religious purposes. All other items are subject to the proctor's inspection. Sweaters and jackets without pockets are acceptable. Medicine, including cough drops, are not permitted unless permission is provided in advance. Weapons of any kind are not permitted. It is recommended you dress in layers as the temperature in the room may be unpredictable.
Note: Computer-based sites offer exam services to multiple agencies. There may be other individuals in the exam room who are sitting for alternate exams. The rules for those candidates sitting for alternate exams may be slightly different than the rules for your exam in terms of exam time, and what is and is not allowed at their computer station.
If you happen to experience any technical difficulties or have questions/concerns while testing, be sure to speak with the proctor IMMEDIATELY regarding your issue(s).
Note: The proctor is not permitted to assist you with any content-related questions, but is permitted to assist with technical issues. Please do NOT wait until your exam is complete to alert your proctor of any technical difficulties.
Post-Live Site/CBT Exam Day
The soonest you may retake your ACE Exam is ten days following your failed exam date, unless special testing accommodations are required. However, candidates have up to one year from their first attempt to retake their exam at a discounted price point.
Note: Retake vouchers are included in select ACE Study Programs. If your study program includes a retake voucher, it will drop into your My ACE Account immediately after your first exam attempt. The retake voucher gives candidates 60 days to register for a retake exam.
Computer-Based
|
PT |
GFI |
Health |
CMES |
Retake |
$249 |
$199 |
$249 |
$249 |
Computer-Based Format
|
PT |
GFI |
Health |
CMES |
Retake |
$249 |
$199 |
$249 |
$249 |
Simplified Chinese Language Exam
|
PT |
GFI |
Health |
CMES |
Retake |
$299 |
$299 |
Exam content outlines for ACE Certification Programs are updated each time ACE conducts a Role Delineation Study for the certification program, which occurs on a five-year rotating basis for the ACE Personal Trainer, Group Fitness Instructor, and Health Coach Certification Programs, and every five to seven years for the ACE Medical Exercise Specialist Certification Program. This is a critical step to ensure that professional certification programs stay relevant and current, with examinations that reflect the composition and focus as established and validated through the Role Delineation Study. Exam content outlines serve as blueprints for the development of each exam for a given certification program. ACE Certification Exam content outlines are typically divided into major areas of responsibility called Domains. Each Domain represents a logical grouping of Task Statements that detail the job-related functions under each domain. Each Task Statement has associated knowledge and skills deemed necessary to perform the task in a practical setting.
Detailed exam content outlines with complete knowledge and skill statements for each ACE Certification Program can be found below:
During this COVID-19 crisis, ACE recognizes there is extremely limited availability of live skills-checks for CPR/AED in response to the CDC's social distancing recommendations. To accommodate ACE Certification Candidates and ACE Certified Professionals who need to recertify, we are temporarily waiving the live skills-check requirement through June 30, 2021.
If you enroll in a blended CPR/AED course that includes online and live (or in-person components) we will accept a certificate of completion for just the online portion to satisfy your CPR/AED requirements to sit for the exam or renew your certification. Please view CPR/AED course options here.
General Information
During a live remote proctored exam, candidates are expected to display the same testing behaviors as they would during an exam offered at an exam site with an in-person proctor. Please report on time for your scheduled ACE Exam.
Be advised: Electronic devices (iPods, MP3 players, headphones, pagers, computers, PDAs, other electronic devices with memory, cameras, smart phones, cell phones, and optical readers) are prohibited. Food and beverages are not allowed during your exam, and smoking is not permitted at any time. Personal writing utensils including paper, pencils, and books are not permitted. Coats, large jackets, hats, hoods, or any other headgear are not permitted in the exam room unless required for religious purposes. Please contact ExamRegistration@acefitness.org prior to your exam if you require accommodations for religious purposes. All other items are subject to the proctor's inspection. Sweaters and jackets without pockets are acceptable. Medicine, including cough drops, are not permitted unless permission is provided in advance. If the temperature of the room you will be testing in could be unpredictable, then it is recommended you dress in layers for your exam.
Registration for live remote proctored (LRP) exams
LRP Exam Day
Post-LRP Exam Day
Computer-Based
|
PT |
GFI |
Health |
CMES |
Retake |
$249 |
$199 |
$249 |
$249 |
Computer-Based Format
|
PT |
GFI |
Health |
CMES |
Retake |
$249 |
$199 |
$249 |
$249 |
Simplified Chinese Language Exam
|
PT |
GFI |
Health |
CMES |
Retake |
$299 |
$299 |
Requirements for live remote proctor (LRP) testing
Take your exam from the comfort of your home! For a limited time, we are pleased to offer you the option to take your ACE Certification Exam through a Live Remote Proctor.