Terms and Conditions

Welcome to this NASM or AFAA website (“Site(s)”), which are owned and operated by the National Academy of Sports Medicine, LLC, located at 355 E. Germann Road, Suite 201, Gilbert, AZ 85297, USA. These Terms concern all products and services of National Academy of Sports Medicine (“NASM”) and Athletics and Fitness Association of America (“AFAA”) (collectively, “NASM/AFAA”).

PLEASE READ THIS AGREEMENT CAREFULLY. IT IS A LEGAL AGREEMENT ("AGREEMENT") BETWEEN YOU AND NASM/AFAA AND GOVERNS YOUR ACCESS TO AND USE OF THIS WEBSITE AND THE PRODUCTS, SERVICES, MATERIALS, COURSES, AND ASSESSMENT (REFERRED TO HEREIN AS “PRODUCTS AND/OR SERVICES”) OFFERED ON THIS WEBSITE. BY ACCESSING OR USING THIS WEBSITE OR BY ORDERING THE PRODUCTS AND SERVICES OFFERED HERE, YOU AGREE TO BE BOUND BY THE TERMS OF THIS AGREEMENT.

Please note: NASM/AFAA is not a school but rather is a provider of certifications for fitness professionals, a provider of self-study and exam prep materials aligned with its certification programs and a provider of continuing education for Credentialed Professionals (as defined in Section 13 below). NASM/AFAA materials, including textbooks and self-study content, are authored by subject matter experts and the NASM-CPT (accredited) and AFAA-CGFI (proctored) certifications are developed by subject matter experts under the oversight of psychometricians. The completion of any self-study materials, when used outside of an academic program, does not lead to credits applicable to a post-secondary degree or diploma.

All Terms and Conditions herein apply to all Products and Services purchased in the United States directly from NASM/AFAA.  The following terms do not apply to purchases made from third parties outside of the United States:  Subsections 2.1-2.3 of the Eligibility Section; Section 5 (Purchasing Options; Payments), including subsection 5.3 concerning refunds; Section 10 (Workshops or Other Live Events); and Section 14 (ADA Accommodations).

1. GETTING STARTED
1.1 By purchasing any Products or Services or registering for an account, examination, course, or membership with or through this Site, you are legally bound to the following terms and conditions. Prices, terms, and offerings on the Sites are subject to change at any time without notice. Users can be:

• Learners: individuals who are on the path to be a Fitness Professional or who are interested in the subject matter as a Prosumer.
• Fitness Professionals: individuals who hold fitness credentials, either from NASM/AFAA or other credential providers.
• NASM/AFAA Fitness Professionals: individuals who hold a NASM/AFAA certification, certificate, or credential.
• Clients of Fitness Professionals: individuals who use Edge as part of the fitness program put together by their Fitness Professional.
• Exercisers: individuals who use Edge without affiliation with a Fitness Professional in order to participate in workouts delivered via Edge.

1.2  Our Products:  We offer (a) self-study online content, exam preparation materials, proctored certification exams (“Certification Programs”) and un-proctored certificate exams (“Certificate Programs”) (collectively “Credential Programs”), (b) online courses for advanced and standard specializations and continuing education (“Specializations & CE”), and (c) business tools for fitness professionals (“Your Fitness Business”).  Please note  the AFAA-GFI (un-proctored) is no longer an option except for purchasers who purchased before March 29, 2024.

• Credentialing Programs: The Certification Programs include the NASM Certified Personal Trainer  (NASM-CPT)  and, AFAA Certified Group Fitness Instructor (AFAA-CGFI),. The Credentialing Programs include the Personal Trainer certificate (CPT), AFAA Group Fitness Instructor certificate  (GFI un-proctored)  (if purchased before 3/29/24), NASM Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), NASM Certified Sports Nutrition Coach (NASM-CSNC), NASM Certified Wellness Coach (NASM-CWC), AFAA Personal Fitness Trainer (AFAA-PFT), AFAA Primary Group Exercise Instructor (AFAA-PGE), and the AFAA Certified Indoor Cycling Instructor (AFAA-CICI).
• Specializations and CE: NASM offers two Advanced Specializations: Performance Enhancement Specialization  (PES)  and Corrective Exercise Specialization (CES). Both NASM and AFAA offer numerous standard specializations. Continuing education units may be awarded upon successful completion of any of the specializations.

Your Fitness Business: NASM offers EDGE, an app that assists fitness professionals and their clients to communicate and share fitness plans. NASM One is a membership subscription where members receive access to the NASM CE Library, discounts, extended access to purchased courses, discounts, and other benefits. NASM Connected provides fitness professionals easy access to the NASM CE Library. NASM also offers CPR/AED courses powered by ASTI to allow you to maintain your required CPR/AED certification. Additionally, NASM offers courses for career development such as Business Basics, Virtual Coaching, and others.

2. CERTIFICATIONS

2.1  Eligibility

• Education. To be eligible for the  NASM-CPT  (accredited),  CPT  (unaccredited),  AFAA-CGFI  (proctored) and/or, if purchased before 3/29/24, the  GFI  (un-proctored) you must have obtained or be within no more than 90 days of successful completion of all requirements needed to obtain a high school diploma or the equivalent, such as the General Education Development test (GED) or other equivalency test recognized by the candidate’s state of residency, or diploma and official transcript reflecting equivalent education as evaluated by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers for secondary education (if documents are not in English, a translation into English from a translation service approved in the United States for legal or government documents must be available upon request).

  • CPR/AED: In order to be eligible for the  NASM-CPT  (accredited),  CPT  (unaccredited),  AFAA-CGFI  (proctored) and, if purchased before 3/29/24, GFI (un-proctored) and to maintain any of those credentials, you must obtain and maintain Adult CPR and AED certifications from an approved CPR/AED provider, such as American Safety Training Institute (ASTI), the American Red Cross, American Heart Association, the Emergency Care & Safety Institution (please contact Member Services to confirm that any other provider has been approved). All CPR/AED courses must have a hands-on training component. During COVID, however, hands-on training has been suspended and likely will be reinstated and required once COVID restrictions are fully lifted. Please see below for information about the ASTI CPR/AED course that is accessible through NASM, AFAA or NASM Connected.
  • Purchase. If you participate in NASM Connected or if you have an active NASM One subscription, the cost of the ASTI CPR/AED or a renewal of your CPR/AED certification is included in your Connected subscription or NASM One subscription. All other users will be required to pay the then-current rate charged by ASTI for the course and exam, whether it is the initial certification or a subsequent renewal. Retakes of the exam will be pursuant to the rates in effect at the time of the exam retake.
  • Refunds. Refunds for an ASTI CPR/AED course purchased through NASM/AFAA will be pursuant to the Refund Policy found below.
  • ASTI Certificate. Upon successful completion of the ASTI exam, you will receive a digital certificate from ASTI. Please note that although the certificate has been issued, it may take up to a month for your certification to appear on ASTI’s verification page.
  • The content of the ASTI CPR/AED course and exam is owned and copyrighted by ASTI. The ASTI CPR/AED course is provided through NASM/AFAA for your convenience. NASM/AFAA is not responsible for any of the content in the course or exam nor any liabilities or damages that may arise due to the ASTI content. Also, please note that if you access the ASTI CPR/AED course or exam through NASM, AFAA or NASM Connected, you agree to the transfer of certain personal information to ASTI. Such personal data will then be subject to the privacy policies of ASTI and NASM shall not be responsible for any misuse of the data held by ASTI.

  2.2  Candidate Handbooks.  In the Candidate Handbooks, you will find essential information about policies and procedures for the accredited certifications (NASM-CPT and the proctored AFAA-CGFI.

  • In addition to these Terms and Conditions, candidates for the accredited NASM Certified Personal Trainer ("NASM-CPT") and Certified NASM-CPTs are subject to the policies and procedures set forth in the NASM Candidate Handbook. The Handbook also includes other, essential information.
  • In addition to these Terms and Conditions, candidates for the proctored AFAA Certified Group Fitness Instructor (“AFAA-CGFI”) and Certified AFAA-CGFIs are subject to the policies and procedures set forth in the AFAA Candidate Handbook. The Handbook also includes other, essential information.
  • Before purchasing any of these products or before the Return Period expiration, you should review the Candidate Handbook that is relevant to you.

  All NASM-CPT, or AFAA-CGFI, candidates and professionals holding those credentials are required to review the Candidate Handbook related to their field prior to examination and recertification.

  3. YOUR ACCOUNT
  In creating an account with NASM or AFAA ("Account"), you will be required to provide certain information and to accept these Terms and Conditions. Upon establishing an Account with NASM/AFAA, you will be provided with a username, access code or product code. When establishing your Account, in addition to accepting these Terms and Conditions, you agree to:

  3.1 Provide complete and accurate information to NASM/AFAA and to permit NASM/AFAA to store and use your registration data for use in maintaining your account and as provided in the Privacy Policy.

  3.2 You agree to protect your username and password, as well as any access codes and product codes provided by NASM/AFAA, and not share them with others or permit any unauthorized use of the Products and Services.

  3.3 You certify and represent that you will be the person using the Products and Services for which you have registered and that any attestations which you are required to complete in connection with the foregoing will be completed only by you.

  3.4 Purchases made under your account are nontransferable.

  NASM/AFAA and its partners need to use and store your data to provide the Products and Services and related material to you.  You understand that the data that NASM/AFAA collects from you, or you provide in your Accounts and when using the Products and Services is stored on systems and data storage operating in the U.S. and is subject to Company’s Privacy Policies posted on its websites.  In providing any data in respect to the Products and Services, you agree to the transfer of your data to NASM/AFAA and its partners, and the processing and storage of your data by NASM/AFAA and its partners in the U.S. to provide the Products and Services to you in accordance with these terms and conditions.  If you do not agree to the transfer and storage of your data to the U.S., do not use NASM/AFAA’s Products and Services.

  4. EXAM REGISTRATION FOR NASM-CPT (accredited) AND AFAA-CGFI (proctored)

  4.1 Along with establishing your account, you may be required to separately register for an examination date, depending on the products you select.  NASM/AFAA recommends that examination candidates register for their exam at least sixty (60) days prior to an anticipated examination date to be better able to select his/her preferred date and to allow time for receipt of materials and self-study. All examination registrations, including registrations from bulk purchases, are nontransferable.

  4.2 Remote Proctoring.  The NASM-CPT and AFAA-CGFI certification exams are proctored exams, whether proctored in-person at an approved test cite or through remote proctoring technology.  If you have elected to use remote proctoring services during the administration of the NASM-CPT or AFAA-CGFI, you agree to allow NASM/AFAA and the remote proctor providers to monitor you by webcam, microphone, browser, desktop, or any other means necessary to uphold NASM’s test security and integrity. This may include recording of video, images, audio, and/or screen activity, and a scan of your surroundings and computer display. The information from the test session, including without limitation recordings, images, audio and other information and data will be available to and viewable by authorized personnel of NASM/AFAA and their respective remote proctor providers.

  You agree to have your identity verified by the remote proctoring vendors using the methodology that is most currently employed by them.  NASM/AFAA and its providers will only use your identifiable information for test security purposes. You give NASM/AFAA a worldwide, royalty-free right to use, transmit, display, and disclose your information and recordings as described herein. You understand that through your use of NASM/AFAA assessment being remotely proctored, you consent to the collection and forwarding (as set forth herein) of this information. In providing the remote proctoring services, we may need to provide you with certain communications, such as technical support messages. These communications are considered part of NASM/AFAA’s remote proctoring services, which you may not be able to opt-out from receiving.  You are prohibited from photographing, or recording, by video or sound, any part of remote proctoring services for any purpose.

  Some NASM/AFAA test takers are sponsored by a school or employer (“Sponsoring Institution)”.  NASM/AFAA may need to share the recording or a snapshot from the program with your Sponsoring Institution.  For example, your employer may request a snapshot to confirm your identity as the test taker.  You authorize NASM/AFAA to share the recordings of your test session or snapshots taken from such recordings with your Sponsoring Institution.  Because of this possibility, NASM/AFAA recommends that you dress and maintain the surroundings for your test in a manner you would find acceptable to be viewed by your Sponsoring Institution.

  You understand and agree that, if you behave in an unacceptable or offensive manner during remote proctoring of any test administration, NASM/AFAA and its remote proctoring vendors reserve the right to immediately stop the test and report your behavior to your Institution.  Unacceptable behavior includes, but is not limited to, behavior that amounts to cheating or is offensive, vulgar, criminal, obscene or otherwise unprofessional or inappropriate. NASM/AFAA reserves the right to disqualify any NASM/AFAA assessment for any of the foregoing, or if NASM/AFAA identifies any suspicious behavior, cheating, or test misconduct during the test administration.

  5. PURCHASING OPTIONS; PAYMENTS

  These Terms and Conditions apply to all purchases unless specifically modified by the contract agreement. All fees are expressed in U.S. dollars. Most products and services are sold on a direct-to-consumer basis.  Full payment is typically made at the time of sale.

  5.1 Purchasing Options

  5.1(a) Promotions and Discounts.  Periodically, NASM/AFAA offers promotions or discounts that, if entered at the time of purchase, will be immediately reflected in the purchase price.  Most promotions and discounts are offered with specific terms and conditions, including eligibility conditions, so customers are advised to review these terms and conditions in advance of purchase.   Please note  that typically promotions and discounts are not stackable – unless specifically stated, only one promotion or discount can be applied to an order and that, after the initial purchase, adjustments to the purchase price for promotions or discounts will only be honored if presented to Customer Service within 7 days of the original purchase.  On occasion, NASM/AFAA may promote an opportunity to apply more than one discount or promotion at time of purchase.  Only on these occasions and only at the time of purchase will stacking of promotions or discounts be allowed.

  5.1(b) Corporate Discounts.  Corporate pricing for products and services may be available for certain business accounts. Please contact a Sales Associate for more details. Corporate discounts and credits may not be combined with other offers and are not transferable. Additional restrictions may apply.  For a corporate discount to apply, the person making the purchase must be employed by the corporate entity, and have proof of employment, on the date of the purchase.  A corporate discount presented within 7 days of the initial purchase will be honored provided that the employment requirements are satisfied.

  5.1(c)   Subscriptions.  Some NASM offerings are subscription based – Edge, NASM One and NASM Connected.  For these products, NASM offers two types of subscriptions, depending on the product: auto renewing and manual renewals.  Please refer to the product descriptions on our website or herein to determine the type of subscriptions available for the product.

  • Auto-renewing subscriptions: Auto-renewing subscriptions will renew automatically for monthly subscriptions on the same day of each month as the day of the month you made your initial purchase. For example, if you purchased your subscription on 8^th of the month, it would renew on the 8^th of each subsequent month. If you purchase an auto-renewing yearly subscription, the subscription will automatically renew on the anniversary of your subscription.
  • Manual Subscriptions: Manual subscriptions will expire at the end of the month (based on the day of the month of the initial purchase), on the anniversary of a yearly subscription, or on the date provided when you purchase the product. When your subscription expires, you need to repurchase a subscription. Depending on the product, your manual renewal may be replaced with an auto-renewal subscription upon repurchasing.
  • To cancel the auto-renewal of a subscription, the subscription must be cancelled prior to your next renewal date. Your subscription will then expire at the end of that monthly or annual term. You will continue to have access to the product until the subscription expires. If you change your mind after cancelling, you can reactivate your subscription up until the end of the term. If you let your subscription expire, you will need to repurchase a subscription: your subscription will not auto-renew once cancelled.
  • NO REFUNDS. Refunds are not available for Subscriptions. Accordingly, the Refund Policy set forth in Section 5.3 is not applicable.

  5.1(d) Bulk Purchases. Bulk purchases may be available for certain business accounts. Please contact a Sales Associate for more details.

  5.2 Payment Options

  5.2(a) NASM/AFAA accepts the following credit and debit card types:  American Express, Discover Card, Visa, and MasterCard.  Additional forms of payment with business checks, cashier’s checks or money order are accepted for paid in full non-installment orders and orders placed within the United States.  For orders placed from outside the United States and when paying by installments (not available for all Products and Services), the only accepted forms of payment are by credit card or debit card.  If for any reason payment is incomplete or untimely (returned check, declined credit card, etc.), your account will be placed on hold and you (or, if you are a fitness or educational partner, your students or employees) will be unable to access or complete any online material, quizzes or exams until full payment of the then due amount, plus any fees, is received, processed and approved.  NASM/AFAA has the right to reject any order and/or to limit quantities on any order, for any reason at its sole discretion.

  5.2(b)   Installment Plans.  For some Products and Services, NASM/AFAA offers installment payment plans.  There are two types of plans: the Flex Plan, which is a traditional, longer term payment plan and the Web Installment Plan

  • Flexible Installment Plan: To obtain our Flexible Installment Plan (“Flex Plan”), you must contact NASM/AFAA by phone. The Flex Plan is not available for all Products and Services. The Flex Plan is an interest-free payment plan of up to, depending on the product or bundle purchased, eighteen installment payments of equal amounts (the final installment may be a smaller amount). You and NASM/AFAA will execute a Retail Installment Contract (RIC), the terms and conditions of which will apply and govern your payment plan. Please note that the RIC may include terms that are inconsistent with terms set forth in these Terms and Conditions but, in all such cases, the terms of the RIC will supersede the terms set forth herein. To enter and maintain an installment plan, a valid form of payment must be provided to NASM/AFAA and, should the payment form subsequently be cancelled, you must immediately provide another valid form of payment to NASM/AFAA.  Cancellation of a payment form does not excuse you from your obligations under the RIC; you are required to make all payments unless you cancel within the 7-day Refund Period (see Section 5.3 below).  Nonpayment will jeopardize your access to Company products and services, your certification status, and your ability to recertify. We reserve the right to report nonpayment or late payments to credit reporting bureaus. We reserve the right to communicate with you about your Flex Plan pursuant to the Communications Consent set forth in the RIC.
  • Web Installment Plan: The Web Installment Plan is for web-based purchases only and may be selected at the time of an online purchase for certain Products and Services (it is not available for all Products and Services). The Web Installment Plan is an interest-free, payment plan for a set number of months depending on the selected products or product bundles and the payment periods offered at the time of purchase. For the purpose of clarity, the purchaser may be able to choose between plans of different lengths offered at the time of purchase but not for periods determined by the purchaser. After the initial payment made at the time of purchase, each following monthly installment will be of equal amounts throughout the payment period (the final installment may be a slightly smaller amount due to rounding).
  • Please note our “Not in Good Standing” status. We offer customers the opportunity to purchase our products and services using a payment plan. The payment plan option is a privilege and not a right. If you have an outstanding balance on a payment plan, you are required to make timely payments pursuant to your payment plan agreement even if you have completed your program or have stopped using the products or services. Without waiving any of our rights set forth in the RIC, if you fail to make a payment on time, we have the right to put you in a “Not in Good Standing” status and to suspend your access to our products and services. While in a Not in Good Standing status, you will not be able to purchase any other products or services from NASM or AFAA and you will not be permitted to recertify. We reserve the right to report to concerned third parties, including employers, your customers who inquire about you, your school, credit bureaus, or any regulatory or licensing body you’re Not in Good Standing status. If you remain in a Not in Good Standing status for a total of ninety (90) days, even if not consecutive, your certification or advanced specialization will be subject to revocation. Both NASM and AFAA have an online credential verification tool, which allows employers and the general public to verify the status of a fitness professional’s credentials. We reserve the right to indicate a Not in Good Standing status in the online credential verification tools. To clear a Not in Good Standing status, you must contact Member Services to arrange to bring your payment plan current.

  5.2(c)   Fitness and Education Partnerships.  Customized packages are available for educational institutions and health clubs that meet certain criteria and seek to implement NASM/AFAA content into their programs.  Pricing is based on volume and level of commitment. If, pursuant to the agreement between NASM/AFAA and the partner, a customized package does not require upfront payment in full, failure by the partner to make complete and timely payments will result in the partner’s account being placed on hold and a suspension of access to NASM/AFAA’s products and services for the partner’s students or employees until full payment of the then due amount, plus any fees, is received, processed and approved. Please contact a Program Advisor Associate for more details.

  5.3 Refund Policy

  This policy is applicable to most Products & Services purchased in the United States directly from NASM/AFAA (no refund is available for Subscriptions, as described in Section 5.1(c) above the cancellation by Company of workshops or live events (see Section 10.3 below); purchases made outside of the US; or under the Job Guarantee programs are explained in Section 5.4 below).    If you purchased NASM/AFAA Products or Services outside of the United States from a distributor, please contact the distributor about its refund policy.    Please note  that any previously published policies concerning returns, refunds or cancellation have been replaced by the policies stated herein and all such earlier policies are no longer applicable.

  To obtain a refund, the following conditions and rules apply:

  • All sales are final seven (7) days after the date of purchase (the “Refund Period”). In other words, as of the 8th day following the date of purchase, NASM/AFAA will not provide refunds or accept returns.
  • • Please note:
      • NASM offers a free demo of its Certified Personal Training self-study online offering. The free demo offers buyers an opportunity to preview the product before purchase.
      • It is not necessary to wait for shipped products to be delivered – you can start your online program without the textbook. Shipped products typically ship within two days of purchase.
      • If you elect to use an installment plan for your purchase, the Refund Period starts on the date of purchase regardless of the date set for the first payment. You must contact the Member Services department within the Refund Period to request a refund.
  • If you have attempted the final test, exam or proctored exam associated with the product or service you purchased, you will not be entitled to a refund.
  • A 10% administration fee is applied to all refunds and is based upon the “Product Price”, which is the total purchase price including applicable taxes minus all Standard Fees charged at the time of purchase.
  • The following Standard Fees are non-refundable: Shipping and/or Handling, Application, Administration, Test Extension, Late Cancellation, Retest, Workshop Transfer, Program Extension, Petition, Recertification, and Recertification Late Fees.
  • Refunds are available only for the Product Price, and then only for the portion of the Product Price that has been paid to NASM/AFAA at the time of the refund request. In other words, if you are making installment payments and you timely seek a refund, the maximum refund would be the amount you had paid to date (excluding any amount paid for Standard Fees), minus the 10% administration fee applied to all refunds.
  • Often products are sold as packages (e.g., hardcopy book, online program, and final exam). Refunds are not available for individual items within a Product Package. If an item within a Product Package is defective, you can request an exchange of that item by contacting the Member Services department within the Return Period.
  • All refunds are issued in the same form as the original payment, except if you elected an installment plan. For example, if a credit card was used for the original full-payment purchase, the refund will be made back to that credit card. Alternatively, if you elected to use an installment plan, the refund will be made to the form of payment you used to make your most recent installment plan payment. Please note, however, that if the rules of the credit card company do not permit a refund be issued to the card (typically because the date of the original transaction is outside the credit card company’s permitted Refund Period), NASM/AFAA instead will first attempt to issue the refund using ACH payment (electronic transfer between banks). If that approach is not viable, the refund will issue a check.

  5.4. Refunds for Job Guarantee Programs.  Candidates for the NASM-CPT or the AFAA-CGFI may purchase a Job Guarantee program (to learn more, please consult the Candidate Handbook). The 10% administration fee will not be applied to guarantee refunds. The guarantee refund will be issued in the same form as your original payment except, if you are making installment payments, the guarantee refund will first be applied to the outstanding balance of your installment plan, if any, and any remaining guarantee refund monies will be returned to you in the same form you used to make you most recent payment on the installment plan.

  6. PATHWAYS TO BECOME A CERTIFIED PERSONAL TRAINER OR GROUP FITNESS INSTRUCTOR

  NASM/AFAA offers two exams for personal trainers and group fitness instructors seeking certification:

  • The accredited NASM-CPT has been the primary certification examination offered by NASM since 2005. It is accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (“NCCA”) and is subject to reaccreditation every five years and annual review every year. It is well recognized by employers of fitness professionals and by clients of fitness professionals and consumers interested in the science and methods underlying NASMs Optimal Performance Training® (“OPT™”) model mastered by NASM-CPTs. The NASM-CPT certification examination is proctored and timed (120 minutes). The proctored AFAA-CGFI is the primary certification offered by AFAA. This certification requires passing a proctored, timed exam that was developed by subject matter experts and overseen by psychometricians.
  • In 2023, NASM/AFAA offered a second pathway to obtaining certification through the unaccredited CPT examination. This pathway provides a less stressful exam experience and is well suited for people who want to earn a credential respected by employers or as a non-professional interested in the science and methods used by top professions. Please note that some employers may require accredited credentials. The CPT (unaccredited) certificate examination is open book, un-proctored and allows 180 minutes to be completed.  Please note  that a similar option had been provided for the AFAA GFI but it is no longer an option for purchases made after March 28, 2024.

  Both pathways are supported by the same self-study online learning content and exam preparation materials.  For example, if you buy a Personal Trainer program (as listed on our website) or a bundle that includes a personal trainer program, you will be provided with access to both exams and you will be able to decide which exam best meets your needs or you may decide to challenge both exams.

  Please note the following:

  • If you purchase a Personal Trainer program that includes the job guarantee or a Gymternship, you will need to have passed the NASM-CPT exam and if instead you elect to take only the CPT (unaccredited) exam, you will forfeit the job guarantee and Gymternship portions of your program.
  • You have 180 days from your date of purchase to take the exam or both exams without requesting an extension and pay the extension fee. The extension fees will be waived for active NASM One subscription members, which covers, while active, extension fees for NASM-CPT or CPT program.

  Regardless of which exam pathway you choose, you are required to recertify every two years.

  Upon successful completion of the certification exam, you will be eligible to print your certificate and you will receive your digital badge. Review the process for printing your certificate here. To learn more about Digital Badging, please see Section 10.1, below.

  7. NASM SPECIALIZATIONS

  Please note that NASM offers both Advanced Specializations and Standard Specializations. If you hold a renewable credential through NASM or AFAA, you will receive continuing education units that may be used for your next recertification after successfully completing a NASM or AFAA specialization program.

  7.1 Advanced Specialization.  This section 7.1 concerns only the Advanced Specializations which are the Performance Enhancement Specialization (PES) and the Corrective Exercise Specialization (CES).  Each Advanced Specialization package comes with online self-study materials and an online exam.

  7.1(a) Eligibility.  Candidates for an Advanced Specialization should hold either a bachelor’s degree in a health and fitness field or have a current NASM-CPT (accredited) and/or CPT (unaccredited) credential. You may also petition for eligibility with a bachelor’s degree in field other than health and fitness if they have extensive health and fitness industry experience.

  7.1(b) You must be current on any financial obligations you have with NASM/AFAA, including any payment plans or outstanding fees for prior purchases, to be eligible for an Advanced Specialization.

  7.1(c) The exam for an Advanced Specialization must be completed within one year (365 days) of the original purchase date. If you do not take your test within the one-year period, you may still schedule your exam at any time after your testing period has expired but you will be subject to a Test Extension Fee.

  7.1.(d) Advanced Specializations Retest Policy.  If you do not successfully pass your Advanced Specialization exam, you may contact NASM one or more business days after the date on which you took the exam to purchase a retest. You will have 365 days from the retest purchase date to take the exam.  You are allowed up to three (3) attempts to pass your exam.

  7.1(e) Upon successful completion of the Advance Specialization, you will be eligible to print your certificate, you will receive your digital badge, and you will be offered continuing education units that may be used in recertifying your NASM or AFAA certifications, if any. Review the process for printing your certificate here. To learn more about Digital Badging, please see Section 10.1, below. Advanced specialization credentials do not expire and do not require renewal.

  7.2 Standard Specializations.  This section 7.2 concerns standard Specializations such as Behavior Change, Virtual Coaching, Weight Loss, and others (please see our website for a full list of standard Specializations at www.nasm.org). Each Specialization package comes with online self-study materials and an online exam.  Unlike the Advanced Specializations, the standard Specializations do not have eligibility requirements.

  7.2(a) You must be current on any financial obligations you have with NASM/AFAA, including any payment plans or outstanding fees for prior purchases, to be eligible for a standard Specialization.

  7.2(b) The exam must be completed within one year (365 days) of the original purchase date.  If you do not take your test within the one-year period, you may still schedule your exam at any time after your testing period has expired but you will be subject to a Test Extension Fee.

  7.2(c) If you do not successfully pass your Standard Specialization exam, you may contact NASM one or more business days after the date on which you took the exam to purchase a retest. You will have 365 days from the retest purchase date to take the exam.  You are allowed up to three (3) attempts to pass your exam.

  7.2(d) If you hold a renewable credential through NASM or AFAA, you will receive continuing education units that may be used for your next recertification after successfully completing a Standard Specialization program. Standard Specializations credentials do not expire and do not require renewal.

  8. NASM COACHING CREDENTIALS

  8.1 NASM offers two credentialling programs for nutrition coaching: The Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC) and Certified Sports Nutrition Coach (NASM-CSNC) programs. NASM also offers the Certified Wellness Coach program (NASM-CWC). These credentialing programs require the completion of an online self-study course and the passing of an examination within a designated enrollment period. The exams for the CNC, CSNC and CWC each allow three attempts and must be completed within one year of your registration date. If you hold a renewable credential through NASM or AFAA, you will receive continuing education units that may be used for your next recertification after successfully completing a Coaching credentialing program.

  8.2 Your NASM-CNC, NASM-CSNC or NASM-CWC credentials must be renewed every two (2) years.

  8.2(a) NASM-CNC Renewal.  To renew your NASM-CNC credential, you must purchase and pass the NASM-CNC renewal exam. The CNC Renewal Exam will offer three exam attempts and will have an enrollment duration of 365 days. The CNC Renewal Exam will recertify the credential for another two years from the new completion date. For more information about the recertification process, please see Certified Nutrition Coach Renewal Guidelines.

  8.2(b) NASM-CSNC or NASM-CWC Renewal.  To renew your NASM-CSNC or NASM-CWC credential, you must earn at least 19 approved hours of continuing education (1.9 CEUs).  CEUs can be obtained from NASM-approved continuing education providers.  Continuing education opportunities can be found on the NASM website, www.nasm.org.  The cost, length and CEUs awarded for continuing education courses vary, so you should carefully review the information about each course before enrolling.  For more information about approved CEUs and the renewal process, please see NASM CSNC or NASM-CWS Renewal Guidelines, posted on our website.

  8.3 The NASM-CNC, NASM-CSNC and NASM-CWC are not accredited certification programs.

  9.  AFAA CREDENTIAL PROGRAMS AND SPECIALIZATIONS

  If you hold a renewable credential through NASM or AFAA, you will receive continuing education units that may be used for your next recertification after successfully completing a

  AFAA credentialing or specialization program.

  9.1 AFAA Certificate Programs:  AFAA offers the following Certificate Programs:  Personal Fitness Trainer and Certified Indoor Cycling Instructor.

  9.1(a) Each Credential Program requires the completion of an online self-study course and passing of an examination within one (1) year of your registration date.  If you do not take your test within the one-year period, you may still schedule your exam at any time after your testing period has expired but you will be subject to a Test Extension Fee.  If you do not successfully pass your exam, you may contact AFAA one or more business days after the date on which you took the exam to purchase a retest. You will have 365 days from the retest purchase date to take the exam.  You are allowed up to three (3) attempts to pass your exam.  Upon successful completion, you will be eligible to print your certificate and receive your digital badge evidencing your new credential. Review the process for printing your certificate here. To learn more about Digital Badging, please see Section 10.1, below. You also will be offered continuing education units that may be applied when recertifying your NASM or AFAA certifications, if any.  The Credential Programs are not accredited.

  9.1(b) Renewal. Your credentials must be renewed every two years.  To renew your credentials, you must earn at least 15 approved hours of continuing education (15 CEUs) and at least 2 hours must be from AFAA continuing education courses. You can select to earn your remaining CEUs by taking additional AFAA courses or courses offered by AFAA-approved providers. If you take coursework that is not pre-approved, you must fill out a petition application for AFAA’s review and, at AFAA’s sole discretion, approval of the course.  If approved, AFAA will determine the number of CEUs to award for the course. Your CPR/AED certification must be current to renew.

  9.2 AFAA Specializations:  This section 9.2 concerns AFAA’s Specializations such as Sunrise Yoga, Group Personal Training, and others (please see our website for a full list of standard Specializations at www.afaa.com).  Each Specialization package comes with online self-study materials and an online exam.

  9.2(a) You must be current on any financial obligations you have with NASM/AFAA, including any payment plans or outstanding fees for prior purchases, to be eligible for an AFAA Specialization.

  9.2(b) The exam must be completed within one year (365 days) of the original purchase date.  If you do not take your test within the one-year period, you may still schedule your exam at any time after your testing period has expired but you will be subject to a Test Extension Fee.

  9.2(c) If you do not successfully pass your AFAA Specialization exam, you may contact NASM one or more business days after the date on which you took the exam to purchase a retest. You will have 365 days from the retest purchase date to take the exam.  You are allowed up to three (3) attempts to pass your exam (please note that some specializations allow unlimited exam attempts, so please consult our website, or contact Member Services).

  9.2(d) If you hold a renewable credential through NASM or AFAA, you will receive continuing education units that may be used for your next recertification after successfully completing an AFAA Specialization program. AFAA Specializations credentials do not expire and do not require renewal.

  10. SUPPORTING YOUR PROFESSIONAL LIFE

  10.1 Digital Badging. Certain credentials include a digital badge that you can use to promote your status on social media or email, embed it on your website or email signature, or download the badge. Please note, you may need to create a free Accredible account for certain Badge functionality. The list of credentials that currently award a badge are found on this webpage: https://credentials.nasm.org/issuer/92624/credentials. Digital Badges will be awarded at the same time as the credential. Each badge is directly tied to a specific credential, so if a credential expires, the badge for that credential also will expire. If the credential does not require renewals, your badge will not expire. In addition to obtaining a digital badge, you can also print a copy of the credential certificate. Review the process for printing your certificate here.

  10.2 NASM One. NASM One is an annual membership subscription available to learners, Fitness Professionals and Clients of Fitness Professionals. As an active subscriber to NASM One, you will have access to the NASM CE Library, fitness blogs and articles, and CPR/AED certification.  You also will be eligible for discounts on Specializations, extended access to purchased courses, exam prep products (through Edge), Recertification for Life and Career Success Toolkit (through Edge).   Please refer to  Section 5.1(c) for more information about subscription payments and rules.

  10.3 Edge.  Edge is a mobile app used by Fitness Professionals, Clients of Fitness Professionals and Exercisers and is available through a monthly subscription.  The following sections of these Terms and Conditions are incorporated into the Edge Terms and Conditions and apply to Edge: Section 16 (Confidentiality); Section 17 (Nondiscrimination Policy); Section 18 (License Terms); Section 19 (Intellectual Property); Section 20 (No Resale); Section 21 (Compliance with Law; Export); Section 22 (Government Use); Section 23 (Use of Links; Section 25 (Disclaimer of Third-Party Content); Section 27 (Disclaimer: No Endorsement or Affiliation); Section 28 (Limitation of Liability); Section 29 (Indemnification); Section 30 (Children); Section 31 (Breach of These Terms); Section 32 (Information You Provide or Post on Our Sites); and Section 33 (Miscellaneous).  All other Terms and Conditions with respect to Edge are available through the Edge App.

  10.4 Continuing Education.  In addition to the continuing education available through the Specializations, Coaching and Certificate programs described above, fitness professionals can receive CEUs from the NASM CE Library available through NASM Connected and the NASM One subscription, or through Workshops or Live Events.   Please note:  Not all continuing education materials in the NASM CE Library may be applied to renewing or recertifying NASM or AFAA credentials or certifications offered by other providers. To determine if an outside provider course in the NASM CE Library is approved by NASM or AFAA for the purpose of renewal or recertification, please visit the “Approved Providers List” on our sites (please note the NASM and AFAA have separate and different Approved Provider Lists).  If your certification is with another provider, please confirm that a specific continuing education offering awards CEUs that are applicable to your certification by visiting your certification provider’s website.

  10.4(a).  Workshops and Live Events

  The purpose of a workshop is to provide participants with a live, practical application of the subject matter. Participation in a workshop is not required and does not guarantee improved performance on the exam.

  • Registration

    • You are responsible for scheduling your own workshop at least one week prior to the desired workshop date.
    • Only those participants who purchased and are enrolled in a workshop through the scheduling portal may attend the workshop.
    • Participants are responsible for their own travel and hotel accommodation, where applicable.
    • Please note you must attend your workshop within the Enrollment Period for the workshop, which is 18 months from your date of purchase.  The end date of the Enrollment Period for any product you purchase is displayed in your course.  If your Enrollment Period has ended, you can extend the Enrollment Period by paying a Workshop Extension Fee.
    • Continuing educations units are awarded for the successful completion of a workshop.

  • Workshop Policy

  In-Person Workshops:

  • If a workshop offers Continuing Education Units ("CEUs"), the CEUs are only awarded to attendees (a) who held a current certification at the time of the workshop and (b) who complete the workshop. To “complete” an in-person workshop you must attend the entire workshop.
  • Multi-day workshops must be taken on concurrent days and no refunds or CEUs will be awarded for “incomplete attendance”. As used here, “incomplete attendance” means less than 8 hours of the in-person workshop.
  • You may request to cancel or reschedule your workshop registration by contacting Member Services at least seven (7) days before the date of the scheduled workshop (excluding the date of the workshop) at no additional charge.
  • NASM/AFAA, in its sole discretion, may allow a cancellation or rescheduling outside the seven (7) day period when it deems the circumstances warrant an exception. You must contact the Member Services Department to make this change whether you are scheduled for an in-person workshop or a virtual workshop. You will be required to pay the Late Workshop Transfer Fee.
  • Please note: Failure to attend or complete (as described above) a scheduled workshop that has not been cancelled or rescheduled (as described above or pursuant to Section 10.3 below) will result in the forfeiture of the cost of the workshop. A replacement workshop will be charged at full price.
  • Under no circumstances will a return for refund or an exchange be made if sought on or after the date of the scheduled workshop.
  • The purchase of a workshop expires 18 months from date of purchase. You must schedule and complete your workshop within the Enrollment Period. If you want to “Extend” your workshop beyond the 18-month Enrollment Period, you will need to purchase the extension and pay the Extension Fee prior to the expiration of the Enrollment Period.  Please note:  If you schedule a workshop and fail to attend or complete (as described above) the workshop, having not cancelled or rescheduled (as described above or pursuant to Section 10.3 below) the workshop, you will not be allowed to Extend your workshop.

  Virtual Workshops:

  • If a workshop offers Continuing Education Units ("CEUs"), the CEUs are only awarded to attendees (a) who held a current certification at the time of the workshop and (b) who complete the workshop. To “complete” a virtual workshop you must complete all the required coursework.
  • Multi-day workshops must be taken on concurrent days and no refunds or CEUs will be awarded for “incomplete attendance”. As used here, “incomplete attendance” means less than 6 hours of the virtual workshop and/or incomplete coursework.
  • You may request to cancel or reschedule your workshop registration from within your NASM/AFAA Customer portal at least seven (7) days before the date of the scheduled workshop (excluding the date of the workshop) at no additional charge.
  • NASM/AFAA, in its sole discretion, may allow an exchange outside the seven (7) day period when it deems the circumstances warrant an exception. You must contact the Member Services Department to make this change. You will be required to pay the Late Workshop Transfer Fee.
  • Please note: Failure to attend or complete (as described above) a scheduled workshop that has not been cancelled or rescheduled (as described above or pursuant to Section 10.3. below) will result in the forfeiture of the cost of the workshop. A replacement workshop will be charged at full price.
  • Under no circumstances will a return for refund or an exchange be made if sought on or after the date of the scheduled workshop.
  • The purchase of a workshop expires 18 months from date of purchase. You must schedule and complete your workshop within the Enrollment Period. If you want to “Extend” your workshop beyond the 18-month Enrollment Period, you will need to purchase the extension and pay the Extension Fee prior to the expiration of the Enrollment Period.  Please note:  If you schedule a workshop and fail to attend or complete (as described above or pursuant to Section 10.3 below) the workshop, having not cancelled or rescheduled (as described above) the workshop, you will not be allowed to Extend your workshop.
  • Optima. Optima is NASM’s annual conference, bringing together fitness professionals from across the world. Optima offers many opportunities to obtain CEUs conducted by leading instructors in the fitness industry.
  • Cancellation of a Workshop or other Live Event

  There are no refunds for failing to attend a workshop or other live event.  If NASM/AFAA cancels a workshop or other live event, you will be notified as soon as practical under the circumstances using the contact information you provided at the time of registration.  In such case, you will be entitled to a full refund, less any merchandise you may choose to keep, and any standard fees associated with the merchandise you choose to keep.  Under no circumstances will NASM/AFAA be liable for reimbursement of expenses incurred by you, if NASM/AFAA notifies you or makes a reasonable effort in good faith to notify you prior to the date of the workshop or live event.  Before incurring additional expenses, you should verify the event at: http://www.nasm.org or http://www.afaa.com.

  Notwithstanding the foregoing, if NASM/AFAA cancels or postpones a workshop or live event due to inclement weather, force of nature or any act of God, NASM/AFAA reserves the right to reschedule another, similar workshop or event  at a convenient venue to the original location, within twelve (12) months from the date of such cancellation or postponement and, in such circumstances, no refund will be due and NASM/AFAA will not be liable for any consequential loss resulting from such cancellation or postponement.

  10.5 NASM Connected

  NASM Connected provides one-stop access to continuing education for fitness professionals.  NASM Connected is a subscription-based product, with annual subscription terms. To learn more about subscriptions, please see Section 5.1(c), above.  For the purpose of clarity, your NASM Connected subscription does not include Recertification Fees or Recertification Late Fees.

  10.5(a) Access to CE Courses. The NASM Connected platform provides members with access to the “NASM CE Library”, a library of Continuing Education materials, each with an assigned number of CEUs (if any), that is free to NASM Connected subscribers.  Not all continuing education materials in NASM Connected may be applied to renewing or recertifying NASM or AFAA certifications or certifications offered by other providers. To determine if an outside provider course available in the NASM CE Library is approved by NASM or AFAA, please visit the Approved Providers Lists on our sites (please note that NASM and AFAA have separate and different Approved Provider Lists).  If your certification is with another provider, please confirm that a specific continuing education offering awards CEUs that are applicable to your certification by visiting your certification provider’s website.  For more information about NASM Connected click here.

  10.5(b) Access. To access NASM Connected, you will use your NASM login through the NASM/AFAA Customer portal.  When you complete a course on NASM Connected, you can download a certificate of completion that will list the organization that developed the course. If you need additional details beyond the course overview, outline, and objectives found on the course page in your account, please contact the organization that developed the course directly.

  Please note that if you hold the NASM-CPT, or AFAA-CGFI certifications, there may be overlap between the Continuing Education offerings available through your NASM and AFAA Accounts and those available through the NASM CE Library. If you take the same CE course twice, once through your Account and again through NASM Connected, you will only receive credit for the purpose of recertification once – you will not get double credit for repeated coursework.

  10.5(c) Recertification.   Your NASM CE Library courses will not transfer automatically to your NASM/AFAA Recertification portal at this time. There are two options to apply them to your recertification:

  • If the courses are on the Approved Provider lists, you can add them as CEUs to your renewal application without the need for a course petition.
  • If the courses are not on the Approved Provider lists, you can petition the courses for approval. For more information, please reference the NASM-CPT or AFAA-CGFI Recertification pages of the Candidate Handbook.

  10.6 Career Success Courses.  These courses are designed to help a Fitness Professional establish and promote his/her/their business, such as our Business Basics, Virtual Coaching, Home Gym Design and Social Media Influencer courses. Some of these courses also award CEUs. The Career Success courses are accessible through Edge.

  12.  RECIPROCAL PROGRAMS (reserved)

  13.  PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT

  Each person who holds a credential or certification issued by NASM/AFAA (“Credentialed Professional”) must comply with all legal requirements of their credentialed profession.

  In practicing the credentialed role, each Credentialed Professional must:

  • Provide optimal professional service and demonstrate excellent client care in their practice;
  • Conduct themselves in a manner that merits the respect of the public and other colleagues;
  • Treat each client with the utmost respect and dignity;
  • Respect the confidentiality of all client and employer information;
  • Practice with honesty, integrity, and lawfulness, obeying all local, state, federal and provincial laws, regulations and professional rules;
  • Accept complete responsibility for their actions; and
  • Respect and uphold all copyright, trademark and intellectual property rights and laws.

  At all times, each Credentialed Professional must behave professionally and not in a manner that undermines NASM/AFAA’s reputation and the reputation of other NASM, or AFAA Credentialed Professionals.  NASM/AFAA reserves the right to suspend or revoke credentials for any of the following reasons:

  • Acts of dishonesty, misrepresentation, or fraud;
  • Behavior that disregards the dignity, safety, or privacy of the client or anyone under the Credentialed Professional’s fitness or training oversight;
  • Unlawful activity, particularly such activity that jeopardizes the life, safety or health of others or calls into question the Credentialed Professional’s ability to practice as a competent fitness professional;
  • Conduct that is discriminatory or harassing, including acts of sexual harassment;
  • Denial or revocation of licensure, registration, or approval by a state board or agency or membership organization with oversight responsibilities for the profession on grounds of gross misconduct, gross negligence of duties, misrepresentation or fraud;
  • Unauthorized use of NASM/AFAA’s proprietary content or materials or any infringement activities with regards to any of NASM/AFAA’s intellectual property rights, including its copyrighted materials, its trademarks, its trade names, including those of any of its products, whether in long name, short name or acronym form, its logos, its trade dress or its science, including the OPT Model; and
  • Material misrepresentation or fraud in any statement to NASM/AFAA, including, but not limited to, statements made to assist oneself or another candidate or Credentialed Professional to apply for, obtain, or retain certification or in applying for, entering into or failing to meet the obligations of a payment plan with NASM/AFAA.

  NASM/AFAA reserves the right to discipline a credential holder who engages in illegal, threatening, or unprofessional behavior in violation of the conduct rules above. NASM/AFAA also reserves the right to discipline a credentialed person who is convicted of or who pleads guilty or nolo contendere (no contest) to a felony or misdemeanor or who is found through legal process to have been negligent or responsible for injury or harm in performing his/her credentialed role or has misrepresented his/her qualifications to provide services, including opinions or advice, to the public.  Discipline may include revoking the credential or reporting unprofessional conduct to concerned third parties, including employers, school, inquiring consumers of the credentialed person’s services, or any regulatory, licensing body or law enforcement.

  Please note that the above guidelines for professional conduct do not apply to those holding the NASM-CPT, CPT (unaccredited), CES or PES, the AFAA-CGFI (proctored), or the  GFI (un-proctored (if purchased before 3/28/24) credentials, each of whom are required to comply with the Code of Professional Conduct and the other rules and requirements set forth in the relevant Candidate Handbook.

  14. ADA ACCOMMODATIONS

  Special accommodations for candidates with documented disabilities pursuant to the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) are available for certification examinations.  NASM/AFAA will provide reasonable testing accommodations to candidates whose documented disabilities or other qualifying medical conditions hinder their ability to take an examination under standard conditions.  NASM/AFAA reserves the right to determine the reasonableness of the accommodation requested and accommodation will be granted only to the extent that such accommodation does not fundamentally alter the examination or cause an undue burden to NASM/AFAA or the testing center.  The cost of excessive accommodation requirements is to be borne by the candidate (i.e., electronic communication equipment, etc.). Your request for an accommodation must be submitted at least 30 days prior to the examination date using the form available at http://www.nasm.org/become-a-personal-trainer/personal-trainer-certification-exam or https://www.afaa.com/exam-information.

  15. SHIPPING; DELIVERY

  15.1 In-stock items normally ship in 2 business days for orders placed before 12:00 p.m. (noon) PST, Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. Access to online courses may take 2 business days to process.

  15.2 International Shipping
  International orders (placed from outside the United States) must be paid for by credit card or wire transfer. Due to the variance of international shipping rates, NASM/AFAA will add the exact shipping charge to your purchase order. If shipping charges exceed $100, you will be contacted for approval.

  16. CONFIDENTIALITY

  Except as permitted by this Agreement, NASM/AFAA’s Privacy Policy posted on this Site and any opt-in elections you have made, no Company employees, committees or panels shall divulge confidential information about you without your express written consent, except that certification status, once earned, will be made available to the public as required by NASM/AFAA’s accreditor or state law. Confidential information consists of your application status, your raw certification examination scores, your phone number(s), your email address(es), and your residential address(es). You acknowledge and agree that NASM/AFAA may de-identify and aggregate your learning data, as kept within its online products, your examination scores, and your product usage data with the same data of others and to use that aggregated data as NASM/AFAA deems appropriate.  You acknowledge and agree that your certification status is not confidential information and that NASM/AFAA may disclose your current certification status, including expiration dates, to third parties. Please reference the Privacy Policy on this Site for more information about the protection and use of data.

  17. NONDISCRIMINATION POLICY

  NASM and AFAA do not discriminate against any individual because of age, disability, gender, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other protected class. NASM and AFAA endorse and adhere to the principles of equal opportunity.

  18. LICENSE TERMS

  Products and services made available to you by NASM/AFAA are licensed, and not sold, to you, subject to the terms of this Agreement and your timely payment of any fees due and payable by you to NASM/AFAA. Your license to use Company’s products and services is subject to your prior acceptance of this Agreement and you agree that these terms will apply to each Company’s product and service, including any updates or enhancements thereto. You are not authorized to assign or transfer this license or your access code, username, or password to any other person or entity. Other than the rights granted to you in this Agreement, NASM/AFAA grants you no other rights. You agree not to copy, modify, rent, lease, loan, sublicense, sell, distribute, disassemble, decompile, reverse engineer, or create any derivative works or translations of or based on NASM/AFAA’s products and services (except as and only to the extent that the foregoing restrictions is not permitted under applicable law or to the extent permitted by the license terms of any open-source components included with NASM/AFAA’s products and services). You agree to use NASM/AFAA’s products and services only as permitted under this Agreement and any terms delivered with NASM/AFAA’s products and services. Any violation of these terms may subject you to civil and criminal penalties, prosecution, monetary damages, and the immediate termination of your license to use NASM/AFAA’s products and services. If NASM/AFAA reasonably suspects that you have violated this Agreement, or if you have not paid the fees that are due and payable by you to NASM/AFAA, then, without notice to you, NASM/AFAA may terminate this Agreement, the license, and your Account and deny you further access to NASM/AFAA’s products and services. Upon termination of this license, you shall cease all use of NASM/AFAA’s products and services and remain liable for paying all amounts that may be due and payable by you to NASM/AFAA. NASM/AFAA reserves the right to modify, suspend, remove, or disable access to any Company products or services at any time without notice and in no event will NASM/AFAA be liable for making any such changes.

  19. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

  19.1 You understand and agree that NASM/AFAA’s products and services constitute intellectual property and proprietary material that is owned by NASM/AFAA, its affiliates, or its licensors and is protected under intellectual property laws in the United States and other countries, which includes, but is not limited to, copyright. All rights not expressly granted to you under this Agreement are reserved by NASM/AFAA and its licensors. NASM/AFAA names and acronyms, including NASM® and AFAA®, and other Company trademarks, service marks, graphics, and logos used in connection with NASM/AFAA’s products and services are trademarks or registered trademarks of NASM/AFAA in the United States and/or other countries. Other trademarks, service marks, graphics, and logos used in connection with NASM/AFAA’s products and services may be the trademarks of their respective owners. NASM/AFAA and its licensors do not grant to you any right or license in connection with any of the foregoing trademarks, service marks, graphics, or logos.

  19.2 You agree to abide by all copyright notices and restrictions contained on this or any website of NASM/AFAA, on NASM/AFAA’s products and services and in accordance with this Agreement. You may not copy, distribute, enter into a database, display, perform, create derivative works, translate, or transmit any content contained in NASM/AFAA’s products or services, except that you may download one copy of any Company materials accessible online so long as you comply with the terms of this Agreement. All Company products and services are provided for your own personal, non-commercial use. You may not alter the text or remove any trademark or other notice displayed on NASM/AFAA’s products or services. All rights are reserved.  NASM/AFAA’s logos, trademarks, and service marks (together, “Marks”) are owned by NASM/AFAA. You may not use the Marks without the prior written approval of NASM/AFAA.

  20. NO RESALE

  NASM/AFAA’s products and services are not provided for redistribution or resale under this Agreement.

  21. COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS; EXPORT

  You agree to comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, including without limitation, all applicable laws in the jurisdiction where you reside, in your use of NASM/AFAA’s products or services. You will not use NASM/AFAA’s products or services in any way that is prohibited by U.S. law or that would violate U.S. export regulations. You may not use or otherwise export or re-export NASM/AFAA’s products or services except as is permitted under U.S. laws and the laws of the jurisdiction where you reside. Neither NASM/AFAA’s products nor its services may be exported into any U.S. embargoed countries or to anyone on the U.S. Government's list of specially designated nationals or denied persons or entities. You warrant that you are not located in any such country or on any such list.

  22. GOVERNMENT USE

  NASM/AFAA’s products and services were developed using private funds and are "Commercial Items" as defined in 48 C.F.R. §2.101, consisting of "Commercial Computer Software" and "Commercial Computer Software Documentation." Consistent with 48 C.F.R. §12.212 or 48 C.F.R. §227.7202-1 through 227.7202-4, as applicable, such Commercial Computer Software and Commercial Computer Software Documentation are being licensed to the U.S. Government solely as Commercial Items and only with those restricted rights granted to all other end-users pursuant to the terms of this Agreement. Unpublished rights reserved under the copyright laws of the United States.

  23. USE OF LINKS

  NASM/AFAA may include material from third parties or include links to third party websites in its products and services. Such material is provided as a convenience to you and NASM/AFAA assumes no liability or responsibility for such third-party materials or websites. Please note that these third-party websites may have privacy policies that differ from those of NASM/AFAA and NASM/AFAA encourages you to carefully read those policies. NASM/AFAA’s Privacy Policy applies only to information collected by this or other Company websites.

  24. DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTIES

  NASM/AFAA’S PRODUCTS AND SERVICES ARE PROVIDED TO YOU "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, AND NASM/AFAA HEREBY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES WITH RESPECT TO ALL PRODUCTS AND SERVICES, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, SATISFACTORY QUALITY OR TITLE, QUIET ENJOYMENT, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT.  No oral or written statement by any Company employee or representative shall create a warranty or modify this section.  Certain jurisdictions do not permit the exclusion of implied warranties, so the forgoing exclusion may not apply to you.

  YOU EXPRESSLY AGREE THAT your use of, or your inability to use, NASM/AFAA’s products or services is at your sole risk.  NASM/AFAA does not warrant for the accuracy or completeness of any information, text, graphic, links or other items contained within NASM/AFAA’s products or services or for any errors, omissions, or any outcomes related to your use of NASM/AFAA’s products and services. NASM/AFAA takes precautions to protect itself against, but makes no warranties respecting, any harm that may be caused by the transmission of a computer virus, worm or other system or network infection or attack. NASM/AFAA does not guarantee that your use of NASM/AFAA’s products or services will be error-free or uninterrupted.

  You and those with whom you work or provide exercise advice should always review the instructions and recommendations of the manufacturer of any exercise equipment before use, even equipment that appears in any Company product, as the manufacturer’s instructions and recommendations may have changed since the publication of NASM/AFAA product.

  YOU EXPRESSLY AGREE that NASM/AFAA is not responsible for harm that may arise from the use or misuse of any exercise equipment by you or any person to whom you provide exercise advice or instruction.

  25. DISCLAIMER OF THIRD-PARTY CONTENT

  NASM/AFAA makes no representations or warranties and assumes no liability regarding the background, suitability, or qualifications of the authors of who provide content, including continuing education or other coursework, such as the ASTI CPR/AED course and exam, that is hosted by or access through NASM/AFAA (“Third-Party Content”). Your use of Third-Party Content is at your sole risk. NASM/AFAA does not warrant for the accuracy or completeness of any information, text, graphic, links or other items contained within the Third-Party Content or for any errors, omissions, or any outcomes related to your use of such Third-Party Content.

  26. DISCLAIMER: NO PROVISION OF PROFESSIONAL ADVICE; NO GUARANTEE

  NASM/AFAA, its licensors and contributors are not engaged in rendering medical, legal, or other professional advice of services and the content of NASM/AFAA’s products or services or its websites and marketing materials are not intended to take the place of such advice.  If such advice or other expert assistance is required, the service of a competent professional should be sought. Please consult a physician or other appropriate professional before using any of the information, services, products, or other resources you may find in the content of NASM/AFAA’s products or services or NASM/AFAA’s websites and marketing materials, or other resources mentioned or made accessible through NASM/AFAA’s websites.  NASM/AFAA does not endorse, sponsor, or guarantee any of the information of others, including advertisers, providers or partners, that may be accessible or made available on its websites or in its marketing materials or posted by any users who are not officers, directors, employees, representatives or agents of NASM/AFAA.  NASM/AFAA does not guarantee that the use of any of its self-study content or preparation materials guarantees success on the certification exam or of future employment.  Use of NASM-CPT study or preparation materials or tools is not required to sit for the NCCA-accredited certification examination.

  27. DISCLAIMER: NO ENDORSEMENT OR AFFILIATION

  Without limiting the forgoing, NASM/AFAA makes no representations or warranties and assumes no liability regarding the background, suitability or qualifications who may participate in Workshops or other live events, whether as providers (independent contractors who serve as instructors or trainers, staff of the facility or other non-employees of NASM/AFAA present at such events) or as recipients of NASM/AFAA’s products or services.  Participants are solely responsible for making their own inquiries regarding the suitability of such individuals.

  28. Limitation of Liability

  IN NO EVENT WILL NASM/AFAA, ITS DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, AFFILIATES, AGENTS, CONTRACTORS, PRINCIPALS, OR LICENSORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, LOST PROFITS, LOSS OF DATA, OR BUSINESS DISRUPTION, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT OR YOUR USE OF THE PRODUCTS AND SERVICES, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION SERVICES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ANY ERRORS OR OMISSIONS IN ANY MATERIALS OR ANY LOSS OR DAMAGE OF ANY KIND, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH LOSS OR DAMAGE. CERTAIN JURISDICTIONS DO NOT PERMIT THE EXCLUSION OF CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES, AND IN SUCH JURISDICTIONS, NASM/AFAA’S LIABILITY SHALL BE LIMITED TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW.

  In no event shall NASM/AFAA's total liability to you for all damages exceed the amount of one hundred dollars ($100.00). The foregoing limitations will apply even if the above stated remedy fails its essential purpose.

  29. INDEMNIFICATION

  By using NASM/AFAA’s products and services and this Site, you accept this Agreement and you agree that you will indemnify and hold NASM/AFAA and its parent companies and affiliated entities, its and their respective directors, officers, employees, agents, contractors, principals, and its licensors and suppliers and their respective parent companies, affiliated entities, directors, officers, employees and agents harmless in connection with any claim arising out of your breach of the terms of this Agreement, your use of NASM/AFAA’s products and services, or any action taken by NASM/AFAA to protect its intellectual property, including, but not limited to, suspension or termination of your access to NASM/AFAA’s products and services.

  30. CHILDREN

  We recognize the importance of protecting the privacy and safety of children. Our Services are not intended for children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are under 13, do not use the Services and do not send any information about yourself to us. If we learn we have collected or received personal information from a child under 13 without verification of parental consent, we will delete that information. If you believe we might have any information from or about a child under 13, pl9.

  31. BREACH OF THESE TERMS

  If you violate any of these Terms, NASM/AFAA reserves the right to terminate or suspend, in whole or in part, without notice, your access to our Sites, Services and Content.

  32. INFORMATION YOU PROVIDE OR POST ON OUR SITES
  Except for information which NASM/AFAA expressly agrees to treat confidential, any communication, material, or information that you transmit or post to our Sites (“User Content”) will be deemed non-confidential. If you post User Content, you agree that your User Content will be accessible and viewed by others. You agree not to post, upload to, transmit, distribute, store, create or otherwise publish through this or our other Sites any of the following:

  • User Content that is unlawful, libelous, defamatory, obscene, pornographic, indecent, lewd, suggestive, harassing, threatening, invasive of privacy or publicity rights, abusive, inflammatory, fraudulent or otherwise objectionable;
  • User Content that would constitute, encourage or provide instructions for a criminal offense, violate the rights of any party, or that would otherwise create liability or violate any local, state, national or international law, including, without limitation, the regulations concerning privacy;
  • User Content that may infringe any patent, trademark, trade secret, copyright or other intellectual or proprietary right of any party;
  • User Content that impersonates any person or entity or otherwise misrepresents your affiliation with a person or entity;
  • Any unauthorized commercial use such as, but not limited to, engaging in unsolicited promotions, political campaigning, advertising, or solicitations, hyperlinking off of the Sites, or collecting names and emails addresses for the purpose of sending unsolicited emails;
  • Private information of any third party, including, without limitation, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, Social Security numbers and credit card numbers;
  • Viruses, corrupted data or other harmful, disruptive or destructive files; and
  • User Content that, in the sole judgment of NASM/AFAA, is objectionable or which restricts or inhibits any other person from using or enjoying the Sites, or which may expose NASM/AFAA or its users to any harm or liability of any type.

  This list of prohibitions provides examples and is not complete or exclusive.

  By posting any User Content, you represent and warrant that you have the lawful right to distribute and reproduce such User Content.  Any use of our Sites, Services or Content in violation of these Terms, including the foregoing, may result in, among other things, termination, or suspension of your rights to use our Sites, Services or Content.

  Also, by posting any information or material on our Sites, Services or Content you grant NHA a perpetual, royalty-free license to use, display, reproduce, distribute, modify, and make publicly available such material or information for any commercial or non-commercial use.

  33. MISCELLANEOUS

  33.1 NASM/AFAA reserves the right to update and modify these Terms and Conditions without advance notice to you and such changes will be effective immediately when posted on this site and will govern your continued use of NASM/AFAA’s products and services.

  33.2 If you are current on all financial obligations to NASM/AFAA, your access to Company products or services typically will expire 180 days from the initial purchase date (provided the version of the purchased Company products or services is still available) unless you purchase a program extension.  This period may vary if your access is through a NASM Academic Partner, in which case access is typically aligned with your school’s program start and end dates.  NASM/AFAA reserves the right to disable access to its products and services temporarily, until all late payments and fees have been made, and permanently for default on payment obligations. The access period described here will not be extended to make up any time lost due to a period of disabled access. Note: Access to the PFT exam purchased through Coursera will expire three (3) after the initial registration for the exam product but it will extend another 3 days each time it is re-accessed before expiration. For example, if the exam product is launched on July 1 it will expire on July 4, unless the product is accessed again before July 3 (e.g. on July 2), in which case another 3 days will be added (e.g., if re-accessed on July 2 the new expiration date will be July 5). If you are successful on the NASM exam, you will be awarded the NASM Personal Fitness Trainer (PFT) credential.

  33.3 This Agreement is governed by the laws of the State of Arizona, U.S.A., without giving effect to its conflict of law provision. Exclusive jurisdiction for any claim arising out of this Agreement will be in the courts of the State of Arizona, U.S.A. The parties each waive any rights to a jury trial for any claim or cause of action arising out of this Agreement. No Company employee or representative has any right or authority to modify, whether orally or in writing, the terms of this Agreement, unless such modification is in a written agreement signed by an authorized representative of each party.

  33.4 This Agreement is the entire and exclusive agreement between NASM/AFAA and you regarding your use of NASM/AFAA’s products and services and replaces any prior agreements between you and NASM/AFAA regarding the subject matter herein. If any part of this Agreement is determined to be invalid or unenforceable, the remaining portions shall remain in full force and effect. NASM/AFAA's failure to enforce any right under this Agreement will not constitute a waiver of such right or of any other right under this Agreement. NASM/AFAA is not responsible for failing to fulfill its obligations hereunder for reasons that are outside of NASM/AFAA's control. This Agreement, and the license rights granted herein, are not assignable by you and any attempt to do so is of no force and effect.

  33.5 NASM/AFAA reserves the right to take steps it believes are reasonably necessary or appropriate to enforce and/or verify compliance with any part of this Agreement. You agree that NASM/AFAA has the right, without liability to you, to disclose any registration data and/or account information to law enforcement authorities, government officials, and/or a third party, as NASM/AFAA believes is reasonably necessary or appropriate to enforce and/or verify compliance with any part of this Agreement (including but not limited to NASM/AFAA's right to cooperate with any legal process relating to your use of NASM/AFAA’s products or services, and/or a third-party claim that your use of the products or services is unlawful and/or infringes such third party's rights).

  34. TERMS AND CONDITIONS
  Your use of NASM/AFAA’s products and services is subject to NASM/AFAA’s Privacy Policy found on this Site, these Terms and Conditions and any additional terms provided during registration with NASM or AFAA or in connection with any NASM or AFAA product, which are incorporated by reference into these Terms. If you do not consent to these Terms or NASM/AFAA’s Privacy Policies, please do not continue to use our Sites and Services.

  Last updated February 2025