Stay Certified
NSCA recertification follows a three-year cycle, ensuring certified individuals stay on top of industry trends, technology, regulations, and laws. Three years also gives you enough time to gain continuing education units without causing significant disruption or difficulty.
2024-2026 ReportING Period
We are currently in the 2024-2026 recertification cycle. The recertification deadline for all certified individuals is December 31, 2026. All recertification requirements must be completed between January 1, 2024 (or your certification date, whichever is later) and December 31, 2026.
REPORTING DEADLINE | December 31, 2026
We strongly recommend you download and read How to Maintain Your Certification. This comprehensive guide covers the policies and procedures for maintaining your credentials and will answer the majority of questions you may have about recertifying.
Two Paths to Recertification
The process to maintain your certification consists of two main pathways:
Pathway 1
Engage in Continuing Education + Maintain CPR/AED Certification
Pathway 2
Retake and pass the exam + Maintain CPR/AED Certification
Engage in Continuing Education | Pathway 1
This common pathway requires continuing education to earn CEUs (Continuing Education Units) over the course of the three-year recertification cycle. You will need to follow these basic steps to fully maintain your credential:
- Maintain your CPR/AED certification as a requirement for recertification
- Complete a certain number of CEUs based on your certification
- Report CEUs on “My Account” on the NSCA website
- Pay the recertification fee
View RECERTIFICATION PLANNING TOOL>> Get tips and tools to create a plan for recertification by understanding how many CEUs are needed, what type of activities count as CEUs, and key information to help you navigate continuing education and recertification.
Below is a table to determine how many CEU's you are required to report based on the certification date.
| Original Certification Date (Shown on Certificate) | CEUs Required* |
Member Fee Per Credential |
Non-Member Fee Per Credential |
| If certification was earned before 2024 | 6.0 | $65 | $90 |
| If certification was earned during 2024 | 4.0 | $55 | $80 |
| If certification was earned during 2025 | 2.0 | $45 | $70 |
| If certification was earned Jan 1, 2026 to June 30, 2026 | 1.0 | $35 | $60 |
| If certification was earned July 1, 2026 to December 31, 2026 | 0 | $0 | $0 |
*Each category will have a maximum amount of CEUs allowed, and CEUs will need to be reported in at least 2 different categories.
Note: Be sure to keep documentation of CEUs in case you are selected for the random audit
Retake & Pass the Exam | Pathway 2
If you prefer to retake and pass the appropriate certification exam, instead of earning CEUs, you must receive your passing score before the deadline. Keep in mind, the exams are updated each cycle, so we recommend a review of the Detailed Content Outline (DCO) to ensure you are prepared for the current version of the certification exam.
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- Maintain your CPR/AED certification as a requirement for recertification
- Purchase the appropriate exam registration through the NSCA website
- Pass the exam before December 31, 2026
- Send an e-mail to recertify@nsca.com after the exam has been passed
Check Your CEU Status
To find out how many CEUs you have already reported, watch the how-to video on the recertification FAQ video page, or follow the steps below.
1. Log in to your account at nsca.com (top right of this page), then click "Report CEUs" in the top utility menu. This will open your account, on the certifications tab, showing each certification you hold.
2. Click "Report CEUs" to the right of any of your certifications listed.
3. Scroll to find your Recert CEU application for the certification you want to check and click either “Create new application” if it's available, OR click the “Details” button on the right.
4. Click "Category A" in the side menu. Then scroll down until you see "Summary". This chart shows how many CEUs you have reported, and how many have been allowed per the category maximum.
5. Click through each Category, and tally your total CEUs allowed. Keep in mind, you must report CEUs in at least 2 categories.
Once you know how many CEUs you still need (refer to the chart above to determine how many total you need), you can begin adding CEU activity by clicking the "Add" button in each category.
Recertify with Distinction (*D)
Recertifying with distinction (*D) is available to everyone, it’s one of the ways the NSCA acknowledges members who volunteer, contribute, and play a significant role in fulfilling the NSCA’s mission and also meet the criteria of getting 10 CEUs from NSCA activities.
Reinstatement
Individuals with expired certifications may petition NSCA for reinstatement of their certifications at any time. Reinstatement will be granted upon fulfillment of the following conditions:
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- All CEUs must have been earned within each missed reporting period(s). CEUs cannot be "made up" after the missed reporting period has passed.
- Presentation of documentation that all required CEUs were earned sine the last successful recertification, and earned in accordance with the requirements of the recertification policy in effect at that time.
- Verification of current CPR/AED certification.
- Payment of reinstatement and all related recertification fees of previous recertification period(s).
If reinstatement is granted, certificants will maintain their initial certification date. Certificants who are denied reinstatement may appeal to the Certification Committee. The Certification Committee will review appeals at the Committee’s next scheduled meeting and render a final decision.
