The ACSM-EP Credential & Current Exam Facts

What Is an ACSM-EP (EP-C)?

The ACSM Certified Exercise Physiologist (ACSM-EP), commonly known as the EP-C credential, is awarded by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) to professionals who work with apparently healthy clients and clients with medically-controlled diseases to establish safe and effective exercise and healthy lifestyle behaviors. Per the ACSM-EP Exam Content Outline (effective July 10, 2025), the EP-C "conducts preparticipation health screenings, submaximal graded exercise tests, strength, flexibility and body composition assessments" and "subsequently develops and administers programs designed to enhance cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength and endurance, balance and range of motion." EP-Cs typically work in commercial, community, studio, worksite health-promotion, university, and hospital-based fitness settings, and are usually self-employed or employed in a fitness/wellness role rather than embedded in a clinical care team.

It is critical to distinguish the EP-C from the ACSM Certified Clinical Exercise Physiologist (ACSM-CEP). The CEP credential serves clients who have been clinically referred for diagnosed cardiovascular, pulmonary, metabolic, orthopedic, or other disease requiring direct medical oversight during exercise testing and programming. The CEP has its own, separate, and more medically intensive exam content outline. The EP-C's scope stops at apparently healthy individuals and those whose disease is already medically controlled — meaning a physician has stabilized the condition and cleared the client for independent or semi-independent exercise. This study guide covers EP-C content only. If you encounter clinical exercise-testing termination protocols, ECG interpretation, or disease-management topics that read as CEP-level, they are out of scope for this exam — do not let CEP content bleed into your EP-C preparation.

Exam Format at a Glance

The ACSM-EP exam is a single, standardized, computer-based exam. Every candidate should memorize these numbers before test day:

The 15 pretest items exist so ACSM's Credentialing Committee can gather statistical performance data on candidate new items before those items become scored questions on future exam forms. Pretest items are randomly interspersed throughout the exam and indistinguishable from scored items — candidates should treat every item as if it counts, because there is no way to identify which 15 are unscored. The scaled score of 550 is not a percentage; ACSM converts each candidate's raw score (the number of items answered correctly) onto a common 200–800 scale using standard psychometric equating, which keeps the passing standard consistent across different exam forms and testing windows. This scaled-score system is used for all ACSM certification exams, not just the EP-C, so a "550 to pass" rule of thumb travels with you if you pursue additional ACSM credentials later.

Eligibility Requirements

Before you can sit for the ACSM-EP exam, ACSM requires:

• A minimum of a bachelor's degree in exercise science, exercise physiology, kinesiology, or a closely related field.
• Current adult CPR/AED certification that includes a live, in-person skills check — an online-only CPR course without a hands-on component does not qualify.
• Candidates must be at least 18 years old.

ACSM has announced a First Aid certification requirement beginning in 2027, in addition to CPR/AED. Confirm the current requirement against ACSM's official eligibility page as your test date approaches, since eligibility rules can be updated between printings of this guide.

Exam Cost & Registration

Under ACSM's current published fee schedule:

• ACSM member price: $350
• Non-member price: $460
• Retest fee (if you do not pass on your first attempt): $235

ACSM also sells bundled packages that combine the exam registration with an official prep course or practice exam. These bundles are optional add-ons and are priced separately from the base exam fee shown above; budget for the base fee first, then decide whether a bundle fits your study plan.

Recertification & Continuing Education

The EP-C credential is not permanent — it must be renewed on a 3-year cycle. To recertify, an EP-C must:

1. Earn 60 continuing education credits (CECs) during the 3-year cycle.
2. Maintain current CPR certification through the renewal date.
3. Pay the recertification fee (currently $65).
4. Retain CEC documentation for at least one calendar year after renewal, in case of an audit.

Since January 1, 2023, ACSM has allowed certified professionals to earn up to 8 CECs per year (24 CECs across the full 3-year cycle) through volunteering on an ACSM committee or working group, giving EP-Cs a non-course pathway toward a meaningful share of their renewal requirement. Passing the exam is only the first milestone in a career-long credential — understanding the recertification cycle now will help you plan continuing education alongside your initial exam preparation, rather than scrambling to find 60 CECs in the final months of your first cycle.

Why These Numbers Matter for Your Study Plan

Every fact above has a direct study-planning consequence. Because pretest items are invisible, treat all 140 items as live rather than trying to guess which ones don't count. Because seat time is fixed at 210 minutes for 140 items, you average 1.5 minutes per item — generous for recall questions but tight for synthesis-level scenarios in Domain II, so practice pacing on scenario questions specifically. Because the passing standard is a scaled score rather than a raw percentage, treat practice-test percentages as a directional confidence signal, not a literal predictor of your scaled result. Finally, since eligibility and recertification both hinge on CPR/AED currency, confirm your certification will not lapse before your test date, and start planning your first 3-year CEC cycle as soon as you pass.