ACSM-CEP · cost · prices checked Oct 27, 2026
What the ACSM-CEP costs, audit included
The fee is paid with the application: $350 for ACSM members and $460 for everyone else (Oct 2026 prices). Because every application is audited before you can book, you pay before you know you are eligible, so the refund rule matters as much as the price.
ACSM-CEP practice test Study guide
Updated Oct 27, 2026 · Not affiliated with NSCA, ACSM, BOC, CSCCa, ISSA or USAW.
- $350 / $460member / nonmember
- $235per retest
- $70renewal, every 3 years
One attempt, well prepared
ACSM-CEP practice questions with every answer explained, in a study app. Not affiliated with NSCA, ACSM, BOC, CSCCa, ISSA or USAW.
CEP fees, with sources
| Fact | Detail | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Member price, first attempt | $350 for ACSM members, including the $50 nonrefundable application fee | ACSM Candidate Handbook, July 2025 (PDF) · ACSM: Certified Clinical Exercise Physiologist [1][2] | |
| Nonmember price, first attempt | $460 for nonmembers, including the $50 nonrefundable application fee | ACSM Candidate Handbook, July 2025 (PDF) · ACSM: Certified Clinical Exercise Physiologist [1][2] | |
| Application fee | $50, nonrefundable, included in the exam price | ACSM Candidate Handbook, July 2025 (PDF) [1] | |
| Refunds | If your application is found ineligible, the exam fee is refunded and the $50 application fee is kept | ACSM Candidate Handbook, July 2025 (PDF) [1] | |
| Retake price | $235 per retest | ACSM Candidate Handbook, July 2025 (PDF) · ACSM: Certified Clinical Exercise Physiologist [1][2] | |
| Renewal fee | $70 per certification; late fee $80 within the 6-month grace period, reinstatement $225 | ACSM: recertification [3] | |
| Eligibility extension | $50 for each 3-month extension of the testing window, up to 3 per application (1 year in total) | Candidate Handbook, p. 11 | — |
| Exam + prep course bundle | Exam and online ACSM-CEP prep course $499 member / $629 nonmember | ACSM-CEP page | — |
If the audit says no
Refund rule: if your application is found ineligible, the exam fee is refunded and the $50 application fee is kept. The board checks the transcript and the clinical-hours log, and hours that do not count are the part to check: the cheapest mistake is the one you catch before applying (what counts).
If the first attempt fails
Member prices as of Oct 2026:
Calculation steps
- 1Application and exam, member$350
- 2One retest$235
- =Two attempts, member$585
Source: Candidate Handbook · ACSM-CEP page
For a nonmember the same path is $695. The retest price is one figure for everyone, and a retest needs no new eligibility documents unless your life-support card has lapsed (retake rules).
Other costs on the way
- More time to book. $50 for each 3-month extension of the testing window, up to 3 per application (1 year in total). An application that expires has to be filed and paid again (handbook, p. 11).
- Late changes. Reschedule or cancel in the MyACSM portal at least one business day (24 hours) ahead; a later change, a no-show or arriving more than 15 minutes late forfeits all fees.
- Life support. BLS Provider, ACLS, or CPR for the Professional Rescuer, with a live in-person skills check; current first aid also required from August 15, 2027. These courses are priced by their providers, not by the certifying body.
- Prep, only if you want it. The exam-plus-course bundle is $499 for members and $629 for nonmembers (Oct 2026 prices); buying nothing is allowed (study guide).
- The clinical hours. 600 h or 1,200 h, earned through internships, volunteering or paid work (handbook, p. 6). Budget the months, not only the fee.
Renewal
Renewal is $70 per certification every 3 years, plus the credits: 60 continuing education credits (CECs) every 3 years; CPR/AED and first-aid courses count for up to 5 CECs a year.
The EP exam has the same price ($350 / $460), and the CEP page lists no discount for EP holders: moving up the ladder is a second full fee. Both prices in one place: ACSM-EP cost.
More on the CEP
- ACSM-CEP overviewWho the credential is for, the six domains, the route to the exam
- ACSM-CEP practice testA mixed set across all six domains, weighted like the July 2025 outline
- ACSM-CEP exam factsFormat, scaled scoring, the 2023–2025 pass rates, retakes and renewal, from the handbook
- ACSM-CEP requirementsTwo degree pathways, clinical hours, the audit, the 2027 rule
- ACSM-CEP study guideThe two texts, how to split the hours, ECG and drug skills
Sources
- ACSM Candidate Handbook, July 2025 (PDF) acsm.org · checked Oct 27, 2026
- ACSM: Certified Clinical Exercise Physiologist acsm.org · checked Oct 27, 2026
- ACSM: recertification acsm.org · checked Oct 27, 2026
Fee questions
How much is the ACSM-CEP exam?
As of Oct 2026: $350 with ACSM membership, $460 without, and both prices include the nonrefundable application fee.
Is the application fee refundable?
No. If the audit finds you ineligible, the exam part comes back and the application fee is kept.
What does a retest cost?
$235 as of Oct 2026, once 15 days have passed since the failed attempt.