The IAHC exam is taken by graduates of health coach training programs who want the Certified International Health Coach (CIHC) title. This page gives you the published exam facts, free practice sets by topic, three worked questions with full explanations, a study plan and answers to common questions.
The IAHC has 71 questions, takes about 1.5 hours and costs $150[1] (International Association for Health Coaches, verified Oct 29, 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 | 71 questions[1] | iahcnow.org · Oct 29, 2026 |
| Time limit | 90 minutes[1] | iahcnow.org · Oct 29, 2026 |
| Passing score | Pass/fail (numerical passing score not publicly disclosed)[1] | iahcnow.org · Oct 29, 2026 |
| Exam fee | $150 USD[1] | iahcnow.org · Oct 29, 2026 |
| Retake policy | 30-day waiting period; cannot retake a passed exam[1] | iahcnow.org · Oct 29, 2026 |
| Validity (Certified International Health Coach (CIHC)) | 3 years[1] | iahcnow.org · Oct 29, 2026 |
| Renewal (Certified International Health Coach (CIHC)) | Continuing education courses[1] | iahcnow.org · Oct 29, 2026 |
| Delivery | In person at Pearson VUE testing centers (discontinued by Pearson)[1] | iahcnow.org · Oct 29, 2026 |
| Eligibility (Certified International Health Coach (CIHC)) | Graduation from IIN Health Coach Training Program or comparable program[2] | International Association for Health Coaches · Oct 29, 2026 |
| Score release | Immediately after completing the exam[1] | iahcnow.org · Oct 29, 2026 |
According to International Association for Health Coaches, “The exam is 90 minutes long and consists of 71 questions.”[1]
The International Association for Health Coaches (IAHC) offers the Certified International Health Coach (CIHC) credential. Eligibility is based on graduating from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN) Health Coach Training Program or a comparable program.
According to the candidate handbook, the exam is 90 minutes long and has 71 questions. The fee is $150 USD. The handbook describes delivery in person at a Pearson VUE testing center, but Pearson has since discontinued that arrangement, so check the IAHC website for how and where the exam is currently offered before you plan anything.
Scoring is pass or fail. Immediately after you finish, you receive an official score report stating whether you passed or failed. IAHC does not publicly disclose a numerical passing score, so do not trust any site that quotes one.
If you do not pass, there is a 30-day waiting period before you can retake the exam. Candidates are not permitted to retake an exam they have already passed.
The CIHC title is valid for 3 years. To renew, certified coaches take continuing education courses. Details can change, so confirm current requirements with the official source, the International Association for Health Coaches, before you register.
Prepare for the IAHC - International Association for Health Coaches 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: An IAHC health coach recognizes that a client's presenting issue exceeds coaching scope and requires mental health care. The ethical action is:
Answer: B. Refer the client to a licensed mental health professional and adjust or pause the coaching scope
Explanation:
The correct answer is to refer the client to a licensed mental health professional and adjust or pause the coaching scope. Coaches support behavior change and wellness habits; they do not diagnose or treat clinical conditions, so a client who needs mental health care must be directed to someone licensed to provide it.
Continuing while addressing the issue informally is wrong because it means working outside your training. Online supervision does not change your scope or replace care for the client. Telling the client coaching can handle any wellness concern is wrong because it overstates what coaching is and may delay real treatment.
Rule to remember: when a need is clinical, refer out first, then decide what coaching can safely continue alongside it.
Question: When coaching a client with hypertension, IAHC coaches support adherence to which lifestyle recommendation most consistently backed by guidelines?
Answer: B. The DASH diet and regular aerobic exercise
Explanation:
The correct answer is the DASH diet and regular aerobic exercise. Both are the lifestyle measures most consistently supported by guidelines for blood pressure, so a coach can encourage them while the client stays under medical care.
Eliminating all carbohydrates is wrong because it is extreme and is not what guidelines recommend. Supplementing with magnesium and potassium independently is wrong because a coach should not direct supplement use, and doing so for someone with a medical condition can be unsafe. Limiting fluid intake to reduce blood volume is wrong because it is not a recommended way to manage blood pressure.
Rule to remember: favor well-supported eating and activity patterns over extreme restrictions or self-directed supplements.
Question: IAHC coaching for clients with metabolic syndrome focuses on which combination of lifestyle changes?
Answer: B. Increased physical activity, improved diet quality, stress management, and sleep optimization
Explanation:
The correct answer is increased physical activity, improved diet quality, stress management and sleep optimization. Metabolic syndrome has several lifestyle drivers, so coaching works best across several areas together.
Caloric restriction only is wrong because it ignores activity, stress and sleep. A pharmaceutical supplementation protocol is wrong because prescribing or directing medication and supplement protocols is outside a coach's scope. A high-intensity training program alone is wrong because a single intervention misses the other drivers and may not suit every client.
Rule to remember: for conditions with many contributing habits, choose the answer that addresses several domains and stays within coaching scope.
Start with the official candidate handbook so you know the format, the time limit and the retake rule. Then take one practice set from each topic below to find where you lose points, rather than working through them in order.
After each set, read every explanation, including for questions you got right. Write down the rule behind each miss and revisit that topic a few days later. Closer to test day, do a mixed run of sets under the official time limit, and stop when your scores are steady. Our questions are written by us with AI tools and are not real exam questions, so use them to test your reasoning, not to memorize answers.
The candidate handbook says the exam has 71 questions and is 90 minutes long. Our practice sets are not real exam questions, but they follow the same style of scenario-based thinking. Check the official source for any changes to the format.
The handbook lists the exam fee as $150 USD. Fees can change, so confirm the current amount with the International Association for Health Coaches before you register.
IAHC reports the result as pass or fail and does not publicly disclose a numerical passing score. You receive an official score report immediately after finishing the exam, stating whether you passed or failed.
Yes. There is a 30-day waiting period before you can retake the exam. Candidates are not permitted to retake an exam they have already passed.
Eligibility for the Certified International Health Coach credential is based on graduating from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition Health Coach Training Program or a comparable program. Confirm the current requirements with IAHC.
The Certified International Health Coach title is valid for 3 years. Certified coaches renew by taking continuing education courses. Check the official source for current renewal details.
How we verify: editorial & fact-checking policy. Report an error: contact us.