ACE CPT · what it costs, checked 20 Oct 2026
ACE certification cost, exam, programs and renewal
Two prices decide most of the bill: $499 for the accredited exam on its own, or a study program plus a $99 exam registration. Program prices move with sales, so they carry a date. The fees after that, from retakes to renewal, are fixed and listed with the page each one came from.
- $499NCCA exam alone
- $99exam registration with a study program
- from $494.50 on salestudy programs, as of 20 Oct 2026
- $129renewal every two years, on time
Every ACE CPT fee in one table
| Fact | ACE CPT | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Exam-only fee | $499 | AS · AO |
| Exam fee with a study program | $99 registration fee when bought with an ACE Personal Trainer study program | AO |
| Study packages | Basic $494.50 · Plus $584.50 · Advantage $874.50 during a 50%-off sale (list $989 / $1,169 / $1,749; promo prices change)as of 20 Oct 2026 · promo pricing, check before you buy | AP |
| Payment plan | Plus and Advantage: 4 payments, $49 today, then $178.50 or $275.17 a month at sale pricesas of 20 Oct 2026 · tied to the current sale | AP |
| Retake | $249 within 1 year of the first attempt (earliest retake: 4 days after a fail per ACE; one ACE page says 10 days) | AS · AO · AH |
| Rescheduling | $149, once; remote exams move free inside their 60-day window | AH · AS |
| CPR/AED course | $65 for ACE's ResusciTech CPR/AED app (US, Canada and Mexico); any adult CPR/AED course with a hands-on (in-person or virtual) skills check is acceptedas of 20 Oct 2026 · one option; other providers' prices vary | AC · AP |
| Textbook price | $149.95 for the print textbook aloneas of 20 Oct 2026 · ACE Store price, may change | AT |
| Renewal | every 2 yrs · 2.0 CEC (20 h) · $129 on time | AR · AH |
| Late renewal | $169 up to 3 months late, $199 up to 6 months; past that, contact ACE | AR |
| Certificate exam (open-book) | included with every Personal Trainer study program | AO |
| Manual rescore | $50, requested within 30 days of the exam | AH |
| Renewing several ACE credentials | $69 each for two credentials, $59 each for three, $49 each for four (on time) | AR |
Which fee buys which credential
The certifier sells two personal-training credentials, and the price tags follow them.
- The Certificate (online, open-book, not accredited): its exam is included with every Personal Trainer study program, and attempts are unlimited at no extra cost. If you buy a program and stop there, this is what you hold.
- The Certified Personal Trainer (NCCA-accredited, closed-book, live proctor): its exam is $499 on its own, or $99 as an add-on to any Personal Trainer study program. Retakes, rescheduling and rescoring apply here; both credentials renew every two years.
Gyms that ask for an NCCA-accredited credential mean the second one. How the two exams differ in format: Certificate vs certification.
Myth: a study program includes the accredited exam
Every program comes with an exam, but it is the open-book Certificate exam. The NCCA exam is a separate $99 registration on top of the program price, so budget for both.
Exam only or a study program
Exam only ($499) gets you one attempt at the accredited exam and nothing else. The handbook states that study materials are optional: buying them is not required to register or to pass.
Study programs cost from $494.50 on sale as of 20 Oct 2026 (list $989 / $1,169 / $1,749; promo prices change). Add the $99 exam registration and a CPR/AED card to the program price. The three tiers differ mainly in format and practice tests:
- Basic: a digital textbook and 1 practice test.
- Plus: a print and digital textbook and 2 practice tests.
- Advantage: print, digital and audiobook versions and 4 practice tests.
Even at sale prices, any tier plus the registration costs more than the exam alone. The program buys you the course, the textbook and the Certificate exam. If you only want the textbook, the print copy is $149.95 in the ACE Store. What it covers: the ACE study guide.
The cheapest way to the accredited credential
The lowest fixed cost is the exam alone at $499, a CPR/AED card, and free preparation: the exam content outline, the candidate handbook and our practice test. The risk is a fail: each retake within the first year costs $249.
To see the other CPT certifications priced the same way, use personal trainer certification cost.
More on the ACE CPT
- ACE CPTExam format, domains, cost and the Certificate mix-up, sourced
- ACE CPT practice testFree questions by domain, every option explained
- ACE CPT exam factsFormat, scoring, fees, retakes, CPR rules and renewal
- ACE CPT study guideThe current ACE textbook, free official PDFs and a study order by weight
- ACE CPT IFT modelTwo training components, three phases each, and the three intensity zones
ACE cost: quick answers
Is the ACE certification exam included in the study programs?
Only the open-book Certificate exam is. The NCCA-accredited exam is a $99 add-on to any Personal Trainer study program, or $499 without one (exam options page, checked 20 Oct 2026).
How much does ACE personal trainer certification cost in total?
At minimum, $499 for the exam plus a CPR/AED course. With a study program, it is the program (from $494.50 on sale as of 20 Oct 2026) plus $99 for the exam. Retakes and renewal come on top.
How much is the ACE retake?
$249, if you retake within a year of your first attempt. After that, you pay the full $499 again.
Does ACE offer payment plans?
Yes. Plus and Advantage: 4 payments, $49 today, then $178.50 or $275.17 a month at sale prices (as of 20 Oct 2026). The program page shows no plan for Basic.
How much is ACE renewal?
You renew every 2 years with 2.0 CECs (20 hours) and a $129 on-time fee. Holding several ACE credentials lowers it to $69 to $49 each on time. Late renewal costs $169 up to 3 months late and $199 up to 6 months.