ACSM’s credentialing programs encourage ongoing competency and continuing education and strive to maintain a high standard for our certified and registered professionals. Therefore, all ACSM credentialed professionals are required to recertify or renew their credentials.
The requirements for maintaining an ACSM credential vary by level, but ACSM certified professionals are required to earn a specific amount of continuing education credits (CECs) during their 3-year certification cycle. Along with this educational component, ACSM charges a nominal administrative fee for recertification/renewal.
ACSM does NOT award CECs for auditing college courses, job role duties (personal training or teaching a group exercise class), job shadowing, reading books/articles, CPR/BLS courses, EMT training or lifeguarding.
ACSM currently accepts Continuing Education Credits (CECs) that are directly relevant to your ACSM certification. If another recognized fitness organization offers CECs for a particular event, ACSM will honor the same credit amount. To be eligible, the event must be endorsed by a governing body or a reputable fitness organization—such as ACE, NASM, or NSCA—even if ACSM is not explicitly listed.
Please contact the organization to inquire about how many CECs they award or how many contact hours it is worth. Typically, there is a listing of organizations that award CECs for the event, or the organization that puts on the event will award CECs, we will match that amount. The CEC equivalency is always 1.0 = 1.0, but if the organization uses the decimal system, then its 0.1 = 1.0. If there is any doubt, it typically equates to 1 CEC per hour of learning/participation.
Do not contact ACSM to request an extension. Certified professionals who fail to complete recertification during their scheduled cycle are automatically granted a six-month grace period. During the six-month grace period, the certification is considered expired and inactive.
While the certification is in inactive status, you are not entitled to any associated benefits and must refrain from representing yourself as ACSM certified. Once CECs are reported in the CEC Dashboard and both the recertification and late fees are paid, the next recertification cycle will proceed according to the original schedule.
During inactive status, CECs can be earned during the six-month grace period. CECs earned during the grace period may not be applied to the next recertification cycle. Exceptions to the grace period policy are considered on a case-by-case basis for documented cases of serious illness, bereavement, military deployment, natural disasters and other emergencies.
After the six-month grace period has ended and the certification has lapsed, you are no longer ACSM certified. Your certification can only be reinstated. Reinstatement is not available through the CEC Dashboard. It is only available by emailing certification@acsm.org.
Upon earning certification, you will have three (3) years to accumulate the required number of Continuing Education Credits (CECs), Continuing Education Units (CEUs), Continuing Medical Education (CMEs), or their equivalent, as specified by your certification type.
Additionally, you must submit the applicable recertification fee and maintain the appropriate CPR/AED/First Aid certification throughout the certification cycle.
Certification | CEC Required | Fees |
ACSM-GEI | 45 | $60 |
ACSM-CPT | 45 | $60 |
ACSM-EP | 60 | $70 |
ACSM-CEP | 60 | $70 |
Late fee (6-mo grace period) | $80 | |
Reinstatement Fee | $225 | |
ACSM offers a variety of opportunities to earn Continuing Education Credits (CECs). One such opportunity is through our network of Approved Providers. These programs are carefully reviewed by ACSM’s Education Department to ensure they meet established educational standards. Once approved, they are recognized as official ACSM Approved Providers.
You can earn CECs through these programs in flexible formats, including online courses, workshops, meetings, and conferences. To explore available options, visit our Continuing Education page.
If you earned CECs through an ACSM Approved Provider, please note that these credits will not automatically appear on your CEC Dashboard. You are responsible for obtaining and retaining documentation from the program organizer for your records. Credits earned outside of ACSM must be manually reported using the Self-Reporting tool available in your CEC Dashboard. Please do not send documentation to ACSM.
ACSM automatically tracks all continuing education credits (CECs) and continuing medical education credits (CMEs) earned through ACSM online courses and official ACSM events including the ACSM Health & Fitness Summit; ACSM Annual Meeting; Integrative Physiology of Exercise; Sports Medicine Essentials; and the Advanced Team Physician Course. These credits will appear directly in your CEC Dashboard.
Credits earned outside of ACSM must be manually reported using the Self-Reporting tool available in your CEC Dashboard.
ACSM automatically tracks all continuing education credits (CECs) and continuing medical education credits (CMEs) earned through ACSM online courses and official ACSM events. These credits will appear directly in your CEC Dashboard.
Credits earned outside of ACSM must be manually reported using the Self-Reporting tool available in your CEC Dashboard.
ACSM awards 10 Continuing Education Credits (CECs) per college credit hour for eligible coursework that meets the following criteria:
Examples of qualifying subjects include Principles of Exercise Science, Nutrition Education, Health Promotion Education, Exercise Testing and Assessment, Exercise Programming and Training, Exercise Psychology, Leadership and Business Basics.
To determine whether a course aligns with your certification, please refer to the exam content outline associated with your credential.
CEC Reporting Instructions:
College course CECs must be self-reported via your CEC Dashboard. Enter the CECs at the converted rate (credit hours × 10). Do not send documentation to ACSM. Retain all CEC documentation for a minimum of one calendar year following certification renewal, in the event of an audit.
Up to 15 CECs can be earned by teaching and lecturing per three-year recertification cycle, with a maximum of 5 CECs per year. Support documentation examples include course catalog, course syllabus, letter from supervisor or meeting brochure showing the certified professional as a lecturer.
Teaching: academic teaching at the college level if the content is consistent with the knowledge and/or skills of the ACSM certification(s) and the course is taught at an accredited institution.
Lecturing: lecture given at the state, regional or national level and/or if CECs are offered for the lecture attendees.
You may earn up to 10 CECs for authoring or co-authoring publications in peer-reviewed professional journals, books, or accepted abstracts.
Effective January 1, 2025, ACSM will allow certified professionals to earn and report a maximum of 5 CECs per year when completing CPR, AED, and/or First Aid certifications. Only CPR/AED/First Aid courses completed within the recertification window can be applied.
Yes, if you earn a new ACSM certification during your current renewal cycle, you may apply ACSM CECs toward your recertification. CECs are awarded based on the level of the new certification as follows:
Only new ACSM certifications earned during the renewal period are eligible for CEC credit. To receive CECs, the new certification must be at a higher level than your current one. Certifications earned from other organizations cannot be applied toward ACSM certification renewal.
Please self-report CECs at the CEC Dashboard. Do not send your documentation to ACSM.
Retain all CEC documentation for a minimum of one calendar year following your certification renewal, in the event of an audit.
No, CECs do not carry over into the next recertification cycle. Upon successful recertification, your CEC speedometer will reset to 0% and all required CECs need to be earned within your new cycle to maintain certified status. This approach supports continuous learning and helps ensure you stay up to date with the latest industry advancements.
To uphold the highest standards of professional competency and continuing education, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) conducts audits on ten percent (10%) of all recertification submissions for each certification type. Individuals selected for audit are required to submit documentation verifying all Continuing Education Credits (CECs) to the ACSM National Office within thirty (30) days of receiving notification. Failure to provide the required documentation within the specified timeframe will result in the certification being designated as inactive.
If the recertification is complete and the appropriate number of CECs are self-reported, the credential is valid until the next recertification due date.
If the submission of CECs is determined to be insufficient, an appropriate amount of time will be allowed for the professional to earn additional, acceptable CECs.
Certified professionals who fail to complete recertification during their scheduled cycle are automatically granted a six-month grace period. During the six-month grace period, the certification is considered expired and inactive.
While the certification is in inactive status, you are not entitled to any associated benefits and must refrain from representing yourself as ACSM certified. Once CECs are reported in the CEC Dashboard and both the recertification and late fees are paid, the next recertification cycle will proceed according to the original schedule.
During inactive status, CECs can be earned during the six-month grace period. CECs earned during the grace period may not be applied to the next recertification cycle. Exceptions to the grace period policy are considered on a case-by-case basis for documented cases of serious illness, bereavement, military deployment, natural disasters and other emergencies.
After the six-month grace period has ended and the certification has lapsed, you are no longer ACSM certified. Your certification can only be reinstated. Reinstatement is not available through the CEC Dashboard. It is only available by emailing certification@acsm.org.
Various professional organizations offer continuing education opportunities, commonly referred to as CECs (Continuing Education Credits), CEUs (Continuing Education Units), or CMEs (Continuing Medical Education Credits). While the required contact hours may vary by organization, most CECs equate one credit to one hour of qualifying professional activity.
A certificate of attendance simply confirms participation in a workshop or event; it does not guarantee that the event offered substantial educational content or awarded continuing education credits.
ACSM only recognizes workshops and conferences that have been formally approved for Continuing Education Credits (CECs), whether offered by ACSM or another organization. Approval indicates that the program has been reviewed by a qualified external body and determined to provide substantial educational value.
Do not send your documentation to ACSM.
ACSM automatically tracks all continuing education credits (CECs) and continuing medical education credits (CMEs) earned through ACSM online courses and official ACSM events. These credits will appear directly in your CEC Dashboard.
Credits earned outside of ACSM must be manually reported using the Self-Reporting tool available in your CEC Dashboard.
Retain all CEC documentation for a minimum of one calendar year following your certification renewal, in the event of an audit.
Digital credentials are downloadable by clicking the icon in the lower right-hand corner at the top of the CEC dashboard. Clicking the icon will automatically start the download process. Once the download has completed, access the digital credential in the downloads of the computer.
Options to purchase professional display versions of your certificate are available through the American Registry.
Emeritus Certification Status allows a certified professional to retain a professional title without the need to meet future recertification requirements.
Completed ACSM Emeritus Certification Status applications will be reviewed by the ACSM CCRB Committee.
An emeritus status is available for those who meet the following criteria:
Certified Professionals who achieve ACSM Emeritus Certification Status will use the designation “Emeritus” in their certification credentials e.g. “ACSM Certified Personal Trainer – Emeritus” or “ACSM-CPT-E”.
If an emeritus professional re-enters the workforce, they must reinstate to active status; the cost of reinstatement is $165 USD per certification.
