Certification Terms and Conditions
Read this important information before applying to become an NFPT Certified Personal Trainer.ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
All applicants must meet the following prerequisite requirements before applying to take the certification exam:
1. Be at least 18 years old. This NFPT requirement assures that the applicant, choosing to enter into agreement with the NFPT certification program, is a recognized legal adult. A legal adult, or an individual age 18 or older, is legally accountable for their actions and at the legal age to enter into enforceable agreements. NFPT applicants enter into agreement with NFPT.
2. Have a high school diploma or equivalent. This NFPT requirement assures that the applicant has completed the academic education that is federally mandated and required for high school grading qualification achievement. The completion of a high school diploma or general education degree (GED) demonstrates the applicant’s minimum competency in subjects relatable to the foundational knowledge that is required for personal trainer specific skills. These subjects include math, science, English and physical education/health.
3. Agree to adhere to the NFPT Codes of Conduct. This requirement assures that the applicant understands his/her obligation to adhere to professional ethics and safety standards before, during and after the pursuit of the personal trainer certification qualification.
Codes of Conduct for Personal Fitness Trainers
Professional Standards for the NFPT Certified Personal Trainer:
- Provide safe and effective fitness program design through appropriate screening, consultation and evaluation of the apparently healthy client’s physical fitness goals and limitations
- Uphold professional courtesy and consistency by implementing standards for client confidentiality, client to trainer relationships and allied health professional references
- Maintain clear business standards and an understanding of limitations and responsibilities as they pertain to best business practices, client and public safety, and legal and professional liabilities
- Comply with certification renewal and continuing education requirements for trainer maintenance and advancement
- Represent the certification credential, organization and industry in a way that furthers health and fitness efforts and initiatives
- Complete all documents, applications or declarations made to NFPT truthfully
- Protect the confidentiality of NFPT certification material including, but not limited to, certification exam material, exam questions and score reporting documentation
- Follow NFPT policy for the appropriate use of the NFPT Certified Personal Trainer certification mark or other logos (also known as “NFPT Branding”). NFPT branding may only be used by currently active certificants and never associated with activities that are illegal, obscene or inappropriately construed
- Never knowingly provide trainer services to individuals who are at risk and/or not apparently healthy, or without proper medical release and/or without the performance of proper screening and evaluation procedures
- Refrain from the performance of unethical and/or negligent activities to include lewd and immoral conduct, inappropriate sexual advances or abuses, misuse of trainer/client confidence, reckless exercise instruction or unprofessional behavior that mentally or physically harms the client or general public
- Refrain from any substance that may cause mental or physical impairment that impedes the trainer’s ability to safely and effectively evaluate, implement and perform an appropriate fitness training program
- Comply fully with all certification renewal requirements
- Refrain from any liable, slanderous or damaging remarks or literature that discredits the personal trainer profession and/or certification organizations that appropriately certify the personal fitness training professional
In addition, Applicants, Test Candidates and Certificants must report any conviction of a felony. This must be reported to the human resources director at [email protected]. Reports of felonies will be reviewed under the disciplinary and complaints policy on a case-by-case basis.
Felony offenses that have occurred within seven (7) years before application submission and are grounds for applicant ineligibility will include, but are not limited to, all sexually based crimes and/or the intent or actual use of a weapon to cause or threaten harm to another person. Felony offenses that have occurred seven (7) or more years prior to application submission will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, with an eligibility decision that is at the sole discretion of NFPT.
Felony offenses that occur after application eligibility or certification award and are grounds for applicant ineligibility or certification revocation include, but are not limited to, all sexually based crimes and/or the intent or actual use of a weapon to cause or threaten harm to another person and/or the involvement in the illegal use, sale or distribution of anabolic or controlled substances.
Investigation and disciplinary action will occur in compliance with the NFPT Certification Council’s Complaints and Disciplinary Actions Policy.
SEE ALL POLICY AND PROCEDURE RELATED TO THE CERTIFICATION PROGRAM AND RECERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS IN THE CERTIFICATION HANDBOOK.
Click here for Certification Handbook
When applying to the NFPT Personal Trainer Certification Program, you are agreeing that you have read and understand the policy provisions of the NFPT Personal Trainer Certification Handbook, which defines certification application eligibility, refund requests, test administration and responsibilities, membership renewal and recertification requirements, professional standards for codes of conduct and subsequent disciplinary action and all other statements and disclosures of the NFPT Personal Trainer Certification Handbook.
REFUND POLICY
NFPT has adopted a simple refund policy that allows a full refund minus a $50 processing fee within the first 30 days of the original date of Premier Certification Packages, Standard Certification Packages, and Exam Voucher enrollments. No refund is provided after 30 days from the original application date or if the exam has already been scheduled and/or completed, regardless of a passing or failing score.
All hard copy and digital resources are non-refundable.
Exam extension fees, re-scheduling fees, and re-test fees are non-refundable.
NFPT Membership Renewal Fee is non-refundable.
NFPT Advanced Continuing Education Courses, the refund policy allows for a full refund minus a $30 processing fee within the first 30 days of the original enrollment. After 30 days, no refund is provided or if the exam has been completed, regardless of a passing or failing score.
NFPT Introductory Continuing Education Courses are non-refundable.
CONDITIONS OF USE FOR NFPT-CERTIFIED PERSONAL TRAINER DESIGNATION
The NFPT Certified Personal Trainer designation is a certification mark that distinguishes the NFPT certificant’s fitness training services as being compliant with the fitness industry’s standard of quality. This standard of quality is demonstrated by the certification program’s accreditation through the NCCA (National Commission for Certifying Agencies). Since 2005, NCCA accreditation has been used as the compliance and professional standards’ measure by fitness industry stakeholders.
Herein are the terms and conditions for the use of the title NFPT Certified Personal Trainer or NFPT-CPT designation. Certified Personal Trainer, CPT, is the generally stated title and accompanying acronym that is most commonly used in the personal fitness training industry for an individual who has been appropriately assessed and who has successfully demonstrated necessary skill sets of the certified personal trainer by a national certifiying body. After becoming certified by NFPT, through NFPT certification examination assessment, the specific title “NFPT-CPT” or “NFPT Certified Personal Trainer” is used to identify the industry designation with the NFPT specific certification distinction.
A NFPT Certified Personal Trainer certification is issued to an individual who has met all eligibility requirements and has successfully completed the certification examination approved by NFPT. To distinguish the industry title from the various organizations that provide personal trainer certification, identify your certification as being completed through National Federation of Professional Trainers, NFPT.
Upon successful completion of the NFPT Certified Personal Trainer examination, the NFPT-CPT designation may be used in order that you, as the NFPT-CPT certificant, may be identified as meeting the standards set forth by the NFPT Certification Program. This certification mark is used to distinguish yourself, the NFPT-CPT certificant, as being compliant with the fitness industry-wide standard for certification through a program that is accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies.
The NFPT-CPT certificant shall:
- Advise his/her fitness training client(s) and/or employer(s) of the appropriate scope of practice and limitations that apply to the certificant
- Advise his/her fitness training client(s) and/or employer(s) of the certification organization that issued the Certified Personal Trainer certification. Use the organizational acronym in front of the industry professional title, e.g. “NFPT-CPT” or “NFPT Certified Personal Trainer”
- Only perform personal trainer duties designated by the scope of practice of the certification organization issuing Certified Personal Trainer certification
A job title, issued by an employer, may be different than this NFPT-CPT distinction. This professional distinction, NFPT Certified Personal Trainer, may be used to accompany a job title that has been issued by an employer. The NFPT-CPT designation is an abbreviation of the full professional title as it relates to the organization from which you received this distinction. These titles are not protected under law as personal fitness trainer certification is an industry-regulated credentialing profession; however, the assessment that is used to issue this professional NFPT-CPT distinction is a legally defensible assessment upheld as a viable and protected assessment for the award of the credential.
All active NFPT-CPTs are included in the online personal trainer database at www.nfpt.com/trainers. Only the NFPT Certified Personal Trainer’s name, city, state and ZIP/postal code will be provided to the public when accessing this database (all other NFPT-CPT information is deemed private and confidential). NFPT-CPTs have the option to add additional personal or other information to their online database listing. This listing is available to the public in an effort to provide for consumer safety and regulation of the use of this NFPT-CPT title. The NFPT-CPT database allows potential clients and/or employers to verify the certification status of the NFPT-CPT.
Upon an NFPT-CPT’s inactive status, followed by the expiration of the certification that arises from lack of acquiring continuing education credits and/or renewal fee payment, the database listing is removed and the individual must immediately remove and refrain from the use of the NFPT-CPT designation and Certified Personal Trainer professional title or other combinations thereof that reflect a current/active personal trainer certification status. An inactive certificant may not engage in the activities of a NFPT Certified Personal Trainer nor make publicly or privately available the title NFPT-CPT or any variation thereof that indicates or implies an active/current NFPT Certified Personal Trainer status. A violation of these terms will be pursued in accordance with the disciplinary actions available to the NFPT Certification Council described in the NFPT Personal Trainer Certification Handbook.
CONDITIONS OF USE FOR NFPT BRANDING
Herein are the conditions for the use of the NFPT Certification Logo/Mark (referred to as the NFPT Branding). Copyright 2011. All rights reserved. These guidelines have been created by NFPT to ensure consistency in the manner by which the NFPT Branding is used and displayed. NFPT Branding may refer to the NFPT Certification Mark, the NFPT logo, the NFPT Certification Badge or any other representation of NFPT Certification status that identifies you as an active NFPT Certificant. Unless otherwise expressed in writing and in accordance with agreements made by and between NFPT partners, the NFPT Branding can only be used by individuals who are currently certified by the National Federation of Professional Trainers, NFPT Inc.
1. ACCEPTANCE OF CONDITIONS OF USE
1.1. By using NFPT Branding, you acknowledge having read and understood these conditions of use and the disciplinary actions for misuse of NFPT’s intellectual property. Disciplinary action may include eligibility status or certification status revocation and/or action taken by NFPT Certification in accordance with intellectual property rights governed by the laws of the state of Indiana. Accordingly, you agree to abide by these conditions as well as any future modifications that may be made. These conditions of use represent an agreement between you and NFPT.
1.2. These conditions of use may be subject to change, addition or deletion at any time. Any such change will be posted on this page and/or you will be notified directly.
1.3. If you do not agree to be bound by these conditions of use, you should not use NFPT Branding.
2. PREMISES
2.1. Use of NFPT Branding is only permitted for as long as you are currently/actively certified. The removal of all NFPT Branding must take place immediately following your certification expiration date, if your certification has not been renewed.
2.2. As an active/current NFPT certificant, you may use language such as “NFPT Certified Personal Trainer,” “I have been a NFPT certified personal trainer since ______ ,” “I am a NFPT Certified Personal Trainer.” Do not use language that implies that your company, staff or other related people or services are “certified by NFPT” or “accredited by NFPT.” No language that speaks to ‘Accreditation’ as it relates to your NFPT certification or NFPT company or service affiliation is permitted.
2.3. You are only permitted to use the NFPT company logo in the format that NFPT provides it. The NFPT Certification Badge is available as a download or HTML code format only through your NFPT secure online account. It may not be copied from NFPT or other online sources. It may not be broken up, retouched or in any way manipulated that alters, skews or distorts the proportions, integrity or value of NFPT Branding or the individual components comprised of NFPT Branding.
2.4. NFPT Branding may be displayed in combination with trainer- or company-specific other proprietary marks or logos as long as this is done in a way that does not confuse the public display of such marks. There must be a clear distinction between your services and NFPT Certification. In no way should NFPT Branding be misleading or convey a message of false advertising or endorsement by NFPT Certification. Do not integrate the NFPT Branding with any trainer or company specific mark or logo that creates an impression of one single mark.