Steps to Becoming Registered as a Personal Trainer

Individuals must complete the following steps to become a BCRPA Registered Personal Trainer.

Fitness Leaders who are currently registered with BCRPA in Fitness Theory, Group Fitness, Yoga Fitness, Pilates Fitness or Aquatic Fitness are able to skip Steps 1, 2 and 3.

Fitness Leaders who are currently registered with BCRPA in Weight Training are able to skip Steps 1 through 7.

Step 1

Pass the BCRPA Fitness Theory Examination
($70.00 fee)

Exams can be arranged through BCRPA approved Fitness Theory course conductors, through the BCRPA office or through special arrangements with an exam proctor.

For more information about the exam follow this link.

For more information about exam proctoring follow this link.

If you pass the BCRPA Fitness Theory Examination you will have one year from your Fitness Theory exam date to complete steps 2 and 3. If you do not complete these steps within this year you will need to rewrite the BCRPA Fitness Theory Examination and pay the $70.00 exam fee again.

 

Step 2

Obtain CPR and First Aid Certifications
BCRPA Registered Fitness Leaders and registration candidates are required to have current CPR and First Aid certifications at all times. These certifications must come from the following organizations or from companies who are authorized to provide these certifications by these organizations: Red Cross, St. John’s Ambulance, Canadian Ski Patrol, the Lifesaving Society or the Heart and Stroke Foundation.

Note: BCRPA does NOT accept online CPR or First Aid certifications

Fitness Leaders are required to have a minimum of CPR-A certification and either Emergency First Aid or Standard First Aid certification.

 

Step 3

Submit BCRPA Fitness Leader – Fitness Theory Registration Form ($95.00 fee)
This form can be found here. Please read through the form and submit all required paperwork and payments. This must be completed within one year of your Fitness Theory exam date and before you register for any specialty module course.

The $95.00 initial registration fee provides you with one year of registration with BCRPA. You will be sent a certificate of registration and a wallet card. These will both list your registration expiration date which will be one year from your initial registration date. You have until that date to complete steps 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9. If you do not complete these steps prior to your registration expiration date, you will have to repeat all steps from Step 1 again.

Your registration with BCRPA also provides you with a number of benefits. For a list of benefits, please go here.

 

Step 4

Enroll in a Weight Training Specialty Module with a BCRPA Approved Course Provider
For your convenience, the BCRPA maintains an ongoing list of approved courses across all specialty modules. Choose a Weight Training course provider from the list and contact them for more information about course length, dates, times, pre-requisites and fees. Let your course provider know what your registration expiration date is and make sure that you are choosing a course that allows you sufficient time to complete all requirements, including document processing time at the BCRPA office, before you expire.

There are pre-requisites for each specialty module and it is your responsibility to make sure you have met all pre-requisites before beginning your selected specialty module. Your BCRPA Approved Course Provider should be able to answer any questions you may have about the pre-requisites or you can email BCRPA staff directly.


To see the current course listings, please go here.

 

Step 5

Complete All Weight Training Course Requirements
Approved courses have both classroom theory components and practical, hands on components. Depending on the course and/or the instructor, there are quizzes, exams and projects that must be completed as well. Check with your Approved BCRPA Course Provider regarding the requirements for your chosen course.

You will have 120 days from the completion date of your course to do Steps 7, 8 and 9. Keep in mind that you also must complete these steps prior to your registration expiration date.

 

Step 6

Complete All Weight Training practicum and Instructor Competency Evaluation (ICE) Requirements
Following the completion of your specialty module course, you are provided with 120 days of temporary insurance in order to complete the practicum requirements for your chosen module.

To download your ICE Package, go here.

Please note: If you do not complete all practicum components and submit all required documentation to the BCRPA for registration in your new specialty within 120 days of your course completion date as mentioned in Step 7, you will have to repeat steps 6, 7, 8 and 9 again. If you do not complete all registration steps in a Specialty Module before the registration expiration date on your BCRPA Registered Fitness Leader – Fitness Theory certificate/wallet card, then you will have to repeat all steps from Step 1. There are no exceptions to these time limits because of insurance provider policies.

 

Step 7

Register with BCRPA in Weight Training
To become registered in Weight Training, you must submit proof (copies, not originals) of the following to BCRPA before your registration expiration date:

  • Current BCRPA Registration Certificate in Fitness Theory
  • Current CPR and First Aid Certificates
  • Weight Training Course Completion Certificate from your course conductor
  • Completed Weight Training ICE package with instructor/evaluator signatures and dates

Provided all documents are in order, you will receive a new BCRPA registration certificate and wallet card in the mail as well as instructions on how to maintain your Registration with BCRPA.

 

Step 8

Complete 20 Beginner Level Programs
Following your registration as a Weight Training Leader with BCRPA, you must complete 20 basic programs for clients. You can submit resistance training programs, flexibility training programs or cardio training programs to satisfy this Personal Training course pre-requisite. It is recommended, by not required, that you submit 20 programs that have a mixture of all 3 program types.

While some leaders submit 20 programs for 20 different people, it is also permissible to submit 3 programs (cardio, resistance and flexibility) for a single person.

For information on the Scope of Practice for specialty modules click here.

 

Step 9

Enroll in a Personal Training Specialty Module with a BCRPA Approved Course Provider
For your convenience, the BCRPA maintains an ongoing list of approved courses across all specialty modules. Choose a Personal Training course provider from the list and contact them for more information about course length, dates, times, pre-requisites and fees. Let your course provider know what your registration expiration date is and make sure that you are choosing a course that allows you sufficient time to complete all requirements, including document processing time at the BCRPA office, before you expire.

There are pre-requisites for each specialty module and it is your responsibility to make sure you have met all pre-requisites before beginning your selected specialty module. Your BCRPA Approved Course Provider should be able to answer any questions you may have about the pre-requisites or you can email BCRPA staff directly.

To see the current course listings, please go here.

 

Step 10

Complete All Personal Training Course Requirements
Approved courses have both classroom theory components and practical, hands on components. Depending on the course and/or the instructor, there are quizzes, exams and projects that must be completed as well. Check with your Approved BCRPA Course Provider regarding the requirements for your chosen course.

You will have 120 days from the completion date of your course to do Steps 7, 8 and 9. Keep in mind that you also must complete these steps prior to your registration expiration date.

 

Step 11

Pass the BCRPA Personal Training Exam ($65.00 fee)
A passing mark on the BCRPA Personal Training Exam is 70%. Your Personal Training Course provider will be able to assist you in making arrangements to write this exam. Alternatively, you can write the exam at the BCRPA office in Burnaby or make arrangements to have the exam proctored.

 

Step 12 Complete All Personal Training Instructor Competency Evaluation (ICE) Requirements
Following the completion of your Personal Training course, you are provided with 120 days of temporary insurance in order to complete the practicum requirements for your chosen module.

To download your ICE Package, go here.

Please note: If you do not complete all practicum components and submit all required documentation to the BCRPA for registration in your new specialty within 120 days of your course completion date as mentioned in Step 7, you will have to repeat steps 6, 7, 8 and 9 again. If you do not complete all registration steps in a Specialty Module before the registration expiration date on your BCRPA Registered Fitness Leader – Fitness Theory certificate/wallet card, then you will have to repeat all steps from Step 1. There are no exceptions to these time limits because of insurance provider policies.

 

Step 13 Register with BCRPA in Personal Training
To become registered in Personal Training, you must submit proof (copies, not originals) of the following to BCRPA before your registration expiration date:
  • Current BCRPA Registration Certificate in Weight Training
  • Current CPR and First Aid Certificates
  • Personal Training Course Completion Certificate from your course conductor
  • Completed Personal Training ICE package with instructor/evaluator signatures and dates
  • Personal Training Exam score letter

Provided all documents are in order, you will receive a new BCRPA registration certificate and wallet card in the mail as well as instructions on how to maintain your Registration with BCRPA.