The Certified Health Coach (CHC) credential from the National Society of Health Coaches (NSHC) is open only to licensed medical professionals. This page gives you free practice sets grouped by coaching topic, worked explanations of sample questions, a study plan, and the main exam facts, each checked against the NSHC website. Our questions are written with AI tools for practice. They are not real exam items.
The CHC has 125 questions and costs $875[1][2] (National Society of Health Coaches, verified Oct 25, 2026).
Numbers in brackets link to the official sources listed under Sources & last verified. Dates that have passed are removed automatically.
| Item | Detail | Source · Verified |
|---|---|---|
| Number of questions | 125 timed items (Part 1) + Skills Competency (Part 2)[1] | National Society of Health Coaches · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Exam fee | $875 (program, first-year membership, one free test attempt)[2] | National Society of Health Coaches · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Retake policy | Re-test after 30 days[1] | National Society of Health Coaches · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Validity | 5 years from the date the exam is passed[3] | National Society of Health Coaches · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Renewal | Re-test every 5 years[1] | National Society of Health Coaches · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Delivery | Online, self-paced[1] | National Society of Health Coaches · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Eligibility | Licensed medical professionals only for the CHC credential[2] | National Society of Health Coaches · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Testing window | Free attempt within 12 months of purchase[1] | National Society of Health Coaches · Oct 25, 2026 |
According to National Society of Health Coaches, “Part 1 contains 125 items and is timed.”[1]
The CHC is the health coach certification offered by the National Society of Health Coaches. NSHC states that only licensed medical professionals are eligible to receive the formal certification. NSHC decides which licenses count, so check your own license against its rules on nshcoa.com before you pay.
The program costs $875. That covers the training program, first-year membership and one free test attempt. The whole program is online and self-paced.
The assessment has Part 1 and Part 2. Part 1 contains 125 items and is timed. Part 2 is a Skills Competency assessment. The passing standard and the exact time limit are not in the facts we could verify, so read the current details on the NSHC FAQ page rather than relying on any other site, including this one.
You have 12 months from purchase to use the free attempt. If you do not pass, you may re-test in 30 days. The credential is valid for 5 years from the date you pass the exam. Recertification is done only by re-testing, not by collecting continuing education credit. NSHC can change any of these rules, and this page does not cover fees for extra attempts, so check with NSHC directly before you schedule.
Prepare for the CHC - Certified Health Coach exam with our free practice test modules. Each quiz covers key topics to help you pass on your first try.
These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.
Question: How does the autonomic nervous system's response relate to stress management coaching?
Answer: B. Understanding fight-or-flight versus rest-and-digest responses helps coaches teach clients to activate relaxation responses
Explanation:
B is correct. The sympathetic branch drives fight-or-flight: faster heart rate, tense muscles, shallow breathing. The parasympathetic branch drives rest-and-digest. Coaches who understand this can explain why slow breathing, relaxation practice and good sleep routines calm the body, and can teach clients to use those tools on purpose.
A is wrong because coaches only need the basic idea, not detailed physiology. C is wrong because simple nervous system education is well within health coaching, and diagnosis or treatment is what stays outside it. D is wrong because breathing, mindfulness and lifestyle habits do shift the body toward the relaxation response.
Rule to remember: watch for answers that call a topic too complex or off-limits for coaches. Usually the right answer is the one that turns science into a practical skill the client can use.
Question: Which technique reflects the client’s statement to show understanding and build trust?
Answer: C. Reflective listening
Explanation:
C is correct. In reflective listening, the coach puts the client's words or feelings back in their own words. For example: "It sounds like evenings are when the cravings hit hardest." This shows the coach heard the client, checks that the coach understood, and invites the client to say more. That is how trust builds.
A is wrong because closed questions get short yes-or-no answers and don't show understanding. B is wrong because goal setting is a later step that depends on rapport already being there. D is wrong because lecturing puts the coach in charge and can make clients defensive, which is the opposite of motivational interviewing.
Rule to remember: if a question asks how to show understanding or build trust, pick the answer that reflects the client's own words back to them, not one that directs, teaches or decides for them.
Question: Which sleep stage is most associated with physical restoration, immune function, and hormone release?
Answer: D. Stage 3 NREM (slow-wave sleep)
Explanation:
D is correct. Stage 3 NREM, also called slow-wave or deep sleep, is when the body does most of its physical repair. Tissue is rebuilt, immune function gets support, and growth hormone is released. This is why short or broken sleep often leaves people feeling physically run down.
A is wrong because REM sleep is mainly linked to dreaming, emotional processing and memory, not physical restoration. B is wrong because Stage 1 NREM is light, transitional sleep and easy to wake from. C is wrong because Stage 2 NREM is deeper than Stage 1 but still lighter than slow-wave sleep, and it is linked more with memory and sensory gating than with tissue repair.
Rule to remember: deep, slow-wave sleep restores the body, and REM supports the mind. When a question mentions repair, immunity or growth hormone, look for slow-wave sleep.
Start with the official material. Your NSHC program is the main source for the exam, so work through it in order and take notes on the terms and models it stresses. Use our sets to check what you have learned, not to replace the program.
Practise the core coaching skills early. Do Behavior Change & Motivational Interviewing, Health Behavior Theories & Models and Client-Centered Health Planning & Communication first, because many questions in other topics depend on these ideas.
Then work by lifestyle area. Move to Nutrition, Physical Activity, Sleep, Stress Management and Chronic Disease Prevention. Finish with Wellness Assessment & Goal Setting, Ethics & Scope of Practice and Business & Program Development.
Review every miss. For each wrong answer, write down why the right option fits and what made the wrong one tempting. Repeat a set only after you have looked over those notes.
Before test day, confirm the current Part 1 timing and Part 2 requirements on the NSHC site, and make sure you are still inside your 12 months to use the free attempt.
Only licensed medical professionals. NSHC states that only licensed medical professionals are eligible to receive the formal certification. NSHC decides which licenses qualify, so check your license against the eligibility details on nshcoa.com before you buy the program. If you are not licensed, ask NSHC what options, if any, it offers you.
The NSHC Health Coach Certification costs $875. That price includes the self-paced online program, first-year membership and one free test attempt. This page does not cover the cost of extra attempts or later membership years, so check the NSHC store or contact NSHC for current pricing before you plan your budget.
The assessment has Part 1 and Part 2. Part 1 contains 125 items and is timed. Part 2 is a Skills Competency assessment. The exact time limit and passing standard are not in the facts we verified, so read the current details on the NSHC FAQ page before test day.
You can re-test in 30 days. Your purchase includes one free test attempt, which you must use within 12 months of buying the program. Use the waiting period to review the topics you found hardest, and check with NSHC about the cost of any further attempts.
The credential is valid for 5 years from the date you pass the exam. NSHC requires recertification every 5 years, and the only way to recertify is to take the test again. Continuing education does not count toward renewal, so plan to review the material again before your credential expires.
No. We wrote all of our practice questions with AI tools to help you study the coaching topics the credential covers. They are not taken from the NSHC exam and are not endorsed by NSHC. Use them to find weak areas, and rely on the official NSHC program as your main study source.
How we verify: editorial & fact-checking policy. Report an error: contact us.