Thank you for being an integral part of the CSEP community. Your membership and contributions play a vital role in advancing exercise science to improve the health and fitness of Canadians nationwide. Renewing your membership is not just about maintaining your membership benefits—it’s about staying connected with a network of dedicated professionals and researchers who share your passion for health and fitness.

The membership year for all CSEP memberships runs from April 1 to March 31. Renewing your membership annually ensures uninterrupted access to your membership benefits, including professional liability insurance for professional members. Membership renewals open annually during the second full week of February and run until March 31.

Why Renew Your Membership?

Renewing your membership ensures:

  • Uninterrupted Access to your membership benefits, including exclusive discounts, professional development opportunities.

  • Continuity of Coverage of Individual Professional Liability Insurance & Individual Commercial General Liability Insurance, brokered by BMS Canada Risk Services Ltd (for professional members).

  • Continued Recognition and Advocacy as part of a professional organization setting the gold standard in exercise physiology and personal training.

  • Opportunities to grow your career, network, and stay informed with the latest research and advancements in exercise science.

Professional Members

CSEP Certified Personal Trainer® (CSEP-CPT) and CSEP Clinical Exercise Physiologist™ (CSEP-CEP)

As a professional member, renewing your membership before the March 31 deadline is essential to maintain your professional liability insurance coverage and access to membership benefits. Please note that professional liability insurance coverage ends on March 31 and will not resume until your membership has been renewed.

Late renewals processed through May 31 will incur incremental late fees and result in interruptions to both insurance and membership benefits until completed.

As of 2025, additional insurance coverage (including professional liability insurance for Kinesiology, Business Professional Liability, and Additional Insureds for Commercial General Liability) is administered directly through BMS Canada Risk Services, Ltd. (BMS). For details on obtaining additional coverage, please refer to the “insurance” section of your CSEP Store Account page.

Specializations for professional members automatically renew when you renew your professional membership.

Professional Membership Renewal Fees:

Includes Professional Liability & Commercial General Liability Insurance, brokered by BMS

  • CSEP-CPT: $285 + tax*
  • CSEP-CPT with CSEP High Performance Specialization™: $315 + tax*
  • CSEP-CEP: $325 + tax*

*Fees are for the 2026-2027 membership year. Fees are subject to change.
*Please refer to the section titled Specialization for details regarding the increased fees for CSEP-CPTs with a CSEP High Performance Specialization™

Payment Options

Pay in full or split your professional membership renewal into three monthly payments

Members have the option to pay for their annual membership fee in full or take advantage of CSEP’s flexible payment option to stay on track with your membership. Renew your professional membership with the convenience of three equal monthly payments. When you choose this option, the first payment, which includes the full cost of your Professional Liability & Commercial General Liability Insurance, will be charged when you submit your renewal. The remaining two payments will be automatically charged to your credit card 30 and 60 days later. You may also pay the remaining balance early through your Order History on your CSEP Store Account page. 

Your membership will only be considered active once all three payments have been successfully processed. Missed payments may result in penalties, and partial payments are non-refundable. This payment option is available exclusively to CSEP-CPTs and CSEP-CEPs renewing their membership through the CSEP Store.

Individual Professional Liability Insurance & Individual Commercial General Liability Insurance

Individual Professional Liability Insurance & Individual Commercial General Liability Insurance, brokered by BMS Canada Risk Services Ltd. (BMS), is included in the membership fees for CSEP Certified Personal Trainer® and CSEP Clinical Exercise Physiologist™ certifications. This industry-leading program provides coverage for acts carried out within your Scope of Practice. The Scope of Practice defines the actions and activities that professional members are qualified and insured to perform under their defined certification.

Please log into your CSEP Store Account to view more information about insurance.

Leave of Absence 

CSEP-CEPs and CSEP-CPTs may apply for a Leave of Absence (LOA). Once your LOA is approved by CSEP, it is effective for the current membership year (April 1 to March 31).

Reinstatement Policy 

All professional memberships, including Professional Liability Insurance, expire annually on March 31. Professional members who do not renew by this date have a grace period to renew between April 1 and May 31, and the effective date of your Professional Liability Insurance will be the date your membership is reinstated. If renewal is not completed by the final deadline of May 31, the membership will be considered lapsed.

Professional members whose memberships have lapsed within the past three membership years may appeal for reinstatement, subject to CSEP approval. Specific rules apply; please refer to the full policy details below.

CPR Certification Requirements (Applies to Professional Members Only)

All professional members must maintain valid CPR Level C with AED certification to ensure their membership remains in good standing. CPR certifications must be valid on the date of renewal. Accepted providers include:

  • The Canadian Red Cross
  • Heart & Stroke Foundation
  • St. John Ambulance (CSEP members receive preferred pricing)

Important Update for CSEP-CEPs:
Beginning with the 2026 renewal period (January 1–March 31, 2026), CSEP-CEPs must submit proof of valid Basic Life Support (BLS CPR) certification. CPR-C will no longer be accepted after March 31, 2026.

Your CSEP Professional Liability Insurance will not be valid until BLS CPR certification is submitted at the time of renewal.

This change applies only to CSEP-CEPs. CSEP-CPTs may continue using CPR-C for renewal. BLS CPR is recommended for CPTs working in clinical environments.

For more details on acceptable CPR certifications, please refer to the FAQ’s below.

CSEP SPECIALIZATIONS

When professional members renew their memberships, any specializations they hold will automatically renew as part of the process. Non-certified members with specializations must renew them annually by March 31 to maintain their validity.

Specialization Renewal Fees:
  • CSEP Professional Members: included with annual renewal fee
  • Other Members and Non-Members: $130 + tax.

*Fees are for the 2026-2027 membership year. Fees are subject to change.

Important Update for CSEP-CPT Members with a CSEP High Performance Specialization®

NEW for 2025! Your individual Professional Liability/ Commercial General liability, brokered by BMS now includes coverage for your High Performance Specialization services with a limit of $3M per claim/$5M aggregate-all for an additional $30 per year. This coverage is designed to meet the unique needs and risks associated with your specialized services.

This adjustment reflects a higher insurance premium required to address the unique risks associated with the specialized scope of practice and clientele served by CSEP High Performance Specialists®.

To maintain your CSEP High Performance Specialization®, please ensure you select the CSEP-CPT with CSEP High Performance Specialization® option during renewal. Our team is here to answer any questions or provide additional information to help guide you through this process.

Thank you for your understanding and for the important work you do as part of the CSEP community. For more details or assistance, please contact the Member Services team at info@csep.ca.

Other Membership Categories

CSEP Academic, Postdoctoral Fellow & Research Staff, Supporter, and Industry & Allied Partner members are encouraged to renew by March 31 to avoid interruptions to their membership benefits.

Membership Renewal Fees:
  • CSEP Academic Membership: $250 + tax*
  • CSEP Postdoctoral Fellow & Research Staff Membership: $85 + tax*
  • CSEP Supporter Membership: $100 + tax*
  • CSEP Industry & Allied Partner Membership: $285 + tax*
  • CSEP Certified Fitness Centre Membership: $250 + tax* (plus $100/location for additional locations)

*Fees are for the 2026-2027 membership year. Fees are subject to change.

Questions About Renewals?

If you have any questions or require assistance, please contact the CSEP Member Services team at info@csep.ca. We’re here to help!

You can also visit our FAQ section below for additional information. To stay informed about important updates regarding your membership and renewals, please ensure your contact information is accurate and up to date. Important updates will be shared via email communications, the CSEP monthly newsletter, and the CSEP website.

Renewals FAQs

Go to csep.ca/renew, or log into store.csep.ca and follow the renewal links on your Account page.

Log in to your CSEP Store Account (store.csep.ca/account/login) and go to My Account → Membership.

Yes, to maintain your CSEP membership you must renew annually by March 31st. If you became a member after October 1st, 2025, your initial fee was prorated.

CSEP accepts major credit cards. You can also choose to renew with 3 monthly payments (first payment with insurance, two further monthly charges).

Note: If a missed payment occurs, your membership and insurance (if applicable) immediately become invalid. Missed payments may incur penalties; no refunds on partial payments.

Contact BMS Canada Risk Services Ltd. at 1-844-517-1370 or csep.insurance@bmsgroup.com.

After your renewal processes (typically within a few days), log into the CSEP Store → My Account → Membership to download/print your certificate.

On the CSEP Store, go to Order History and locate your renewal transaction — you can print it from there.

Insurance documents are updated 1-2 weeks after renewal and emailed to the address on your portal profile. Physical copies can be mailed upon request to info@csep.ca.

CSEP no longer routinely mails printed materials to reduce environmental impact. If you need a certificate/ID card, contact info@csep.ca.

You may be eligible for a Leave of Absence (LOA). Apply via the LOA form at www.csep.ca/LOAform. A fee of $137.50 + tax applies for CSEP-CPT and CSEP-CEP members.

Yes, the reinstatement window has expanded to 3 years

  • CSEP-CPT reinstatement fee: $285 + $137.50 admin + tax
  • CSEP-CEP reinstatement fee: $325 + $137.50 admin + tax
    Proof of PDCs is not required for reinstatement, but you may be audited later.

No, reinstatement is a one-time option. If membership lapses again afterward, you must follow the standard re-certification process (application/exams).

If you want to remain connected, please consider Supporter or Academic membership.

No, PDC proof is not required at renewal. You only need to provide proof if selected for a PDC audit. Members selected for audit have until December 31st to submit documentation.

Renew to keep your certification and insurance active. Once you complete the CSEP-CEP process, you’ll pay an upgrade fee of $40, not the full certification fee.

Your CSEP membership supports:

  • National recognition of your credential
  • Included professional liability insurance (membership dependent)
  • Access to professional development and PDC opportunities
  • Advocacy for the profession and scope of practice
  • Networking and events
  • Member discounts and partner benefits
  • Inclusion in the CSEP Member Directory

Your membership helps strengthen not only your own professional standing, but the voice and visibility of exercise science across Canada.

CPR-C

Yes, all professional members must submit valid CPR certification:

  • CSEP-CEP: Only Basic Life Support (BLS CPR) is accepted for 2026 renewals and beyond (CPR-C no longer acceptable after March 31, 2026).
  • CSEP-CPT: CPR-C is still accepted; BLS is recommended in clinical contexts.

Accepted providers include:

  • Heart & Stroke Foundation
  • Canadian Red Cross
  • John Ambulance
  • Lifesaving Society

For CSEP-CEP, BLS CPR is required for 2026 renewals and after; for CSEP-CPT, CPR-C or BLS is accepted.

Your CPR certification must be current and valid on the date of renewal.

You can enter your employer’s credit card information during checkout, or contact info@csep.ca for arrangements.


I have a question that is not covered in this FAQ

For any other questions, please contact memberships@csep.ca