The NASM-CPT exam has 120 questions: 100 count
Facts checked against support.nasm.orgLast checked Nov 4, 2026
The exam asks 120 multiple-choice questions; 100 are scored and the rest are trial items. The time limit is 2 hours, and results come on a scale where 70 is the cut.
On this page
The format, row by row
| Fact | NASM-CPT | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Question format | Multiple choice, closed book, proctored, computer-based20 of the 120 questions are unscored pretest items mixed in without a label.NASM Candidate Handbook, updated 9/2025…, Nov 2026 | NASM Candidate Handbook, updated 9/2025…, Nov 2026 |
| Questions | 120 questionsNASM Candidate Handbook, updated 9/2025…, Nov 2026 | NASM Candidate Handbook, updated 9/2025…, Nov 2026 |
| Scored questions | 100 scored questionsNASM Candidate Handbook, updated 9/2025…, Nov 2026 | NASM Candidate Handbook, updated 9/2025…, Nov 2026 |
| Unscored questions | 20 unscored pretest questions, not identifiedNASM Candidate Handbook, updated 9/2025…, Nov 2026 | NASM Candidate Handbook, updated 9/2025…, Nov 2026 |
| Exam time | 2 hoursCandidates with an approved accommodation get 150% of the standard time.NASM Candidate Handbook, updated 9/2025…, Nov 2026 | NASM Candidate Handbook, updated 9/2025…, Nov 2026 |
| Score scale | 0–100 (scaled)NASM Candidate Handbook, updated 9/2025, Nov 2026 | NASM Candidate Handbook, updated 9/2025, Nov 2026 |
| Passing score | A scaled score of 70 or higherA scaled 70 is not the same as 70% correct; the cut is set by a modified Angoff study.NASM Candidate Handbook, updated 9/2025…, Nov 2026 | NASM Candidate Handbook, updated 9/2025…, Nov 2026 |
| Results | Pass or fail at the end of the exam; a passing candidate gets no number, a failing candidate gets the score and a breakdown by domainNASM Candidate Handbook, updated 9/2025, Nov 2026 | NASM Candidate Handbook, updated 9/2025, Nov 2026 |
| Wait before a retake | 1 week after the first fail, 30 days after the second, 1 year after the third and each later failNASM: CPT exam info +1, Nov 2026 | NASM: CPT exam info +1, Nov 2026 |
| Retake limit | No cap on attempts; the waiting period grows to one year from the third failNASM: CPT exam info +1, Nov 2026 | NASM: CPT exam info +1, Nov 2026 |
| Retake fee | $199 per retestPremium Self-Study and All-Inclusive programs include one retest; an active NASM One membership waives the fee.NASM support: administrative fees +1, Oct 2026 | NASM support: administrative fees +1, Oct 2026 |
| Content outline in force | 2021 blueprint (from the 2019 job task analysis), built on the 7th edition NASM textbookAn "8th edition" seen in search results is a third-party study book, not a NASM edition.NASM CPT exam blueprint, updated Feb 10,…, Nov 2026 | NASM CPT exam blueprint, updated Feb 10,…, Nov 2026 |
| Next change | No new exam version announced as of November 4, 2026NASM CPT exam blueprint, updated Feb 10,…, Nov 2026 | NASM CPT exam blueprint, updated Feb 10,…, Nov 2026 |
All facts: support.nasm.org, nasm.org, checked Nov 4, 2026.
Scored and unscored questions
20 of the 120 are pretest items: they are there for data collection, so they carry no points, and they look like every other question. Pace yourself as if all of them count.
What the passing score means
Think of the 70 as a converted figure, not a share of questions right. The cut comes from a standard-setting study, and the raw number behind it is not published.
A pass shows no number; a fail comes with your scaled score and a domain breakdown.
Is the NASM-CPT hard?
The certifier's own blog puts the 2025 pass rate at 85%, as of Nov 4, 2026; the handbook gives no rate. Expect plenty of form, cueing and regression decisions: exercise technique carries the most weight (24%). The study guide shows where those points go.
Retesting at NASM
Each extra fail stretches the wait before the next try; the wait steps and the fee sit in the table, and some study programs bundle a retest. The domain breakdown that comes with a fail is the best map for the second attempt.
If a guide quotes a different question count
It is probably describing the brand's Personal Trainer Certificate, a separate online test taken open-book, without a proctor and without NCCA accreditation. Its question count, time limit and pass mark are its own; none of them apply to the CPT exam.
Related NASM-CPT pages
- NASM-CPTWhat the NASM-CPT is, who can sit it, and how renewal works
- NASM-CPT practice testA free NASM-CPT set across all six blueprint domains
- NASM-CPT registrationNASM certification cost, how to book with PSI, and the deadlines
- NASM-CPT study guideSix NASM-CPT domains: what each asks, OPT model, and the traps
Sources
- [1]NASM Candidate Handbook, updated 9/2025 (PDF) support.nasm.org. Checked Nov 4, 2026.
- [2]NASM: CPT exam info nasm.org. Checked Nov 4, 2026.
- [3]NASM FAQs nasm.org. Checked Nov 4, 2026.
- [4]NASM support: administrative fees support.nasm.org. Checked Oct 19, 2026.
- [5]NASM CPT exam blueprint, updated Feb 10, 2021 (PDF) nasm.org. Checked Nov 4, 2026.
Exam format, quick answers
How long is the NASM-CPT exam?
2 hours for all 120 questions; an approved accommodation extends it.
How many times can you take the NASM exam?
There is no cap. The wait between attempts grows with each fail; the table above lists the steps.
How much is the NASM retest?
$199, unless your program bundles a retest or you hold an active NASM One membership.
Is the NASM exam open book?
No. You sit the CPT exam without notes, under a proctor; the open-book test sold under the same brand is the separate Personal Trainer Certificate.