Short answer
"Certified health coach" can mean three things: a school’s own certificate, board certification from the NBHWC (NBC-HWC), or a certification exam accredited by the NCCA. For work in healthcare, choose a program the NBHWC approves, so you can sit the board exam. For private practice, choose the program with the most live practice and feedback. Either way, check the program against the board’s standards before you pay.
Three kinds of "certified"
| Kind | Who sets the standard | What you do | Known by | Keeping it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A program’s own certificate | The school that trains you | Finish the course, and usually pass its quiz or exam | Varies: only as well known as the school | Whatever the school asks, often nothing |
| Board certification (NBC-HWC) | The National Board for Health & Wellness Coaching (NBHWC), with the National Board of Medical Examiners | An NBHWC-approved program, 50 logged sessions, a degree or work experience, then the national exam | The US standard in healthcare: clinics, employers and health plans | 36 hours of continuing education every 3 years |
| An accredited certification exam | A certifying body whose exam is accredited by the NCCA (National Commission for Certifying Agencies) | Study, then pass a proctored exam; some ask for a CPR certificate | Well known in fitness, gyms and corporate wellness | Continuing education every few years |
Before you enroll: a checklist
- Is it approved? Check the NBHWC’s own list of approved programs, not just the program’s website.
- How much is live? The board asks for at least 75 hours of teaching, 40 of them live. More live practice is better than more video.
- Will someone watch you coach? At least 3 full practice sessions of 30 minutes, each with feedback from faculty, is the board’s minimum.
- Is there a skills assessment? A real one is scored against written criteria and can be failed. It’s also when your 50 board sessions can start counting.
- What’s the whole cost? Tuition, mentor coaching, books, retakes, the board exam ($500 with the application) and yearly renewal.
- Does it teach scope? When to refer, what you can say about food in your state, and what you never advise on.
- Does it help you start? Finding clients is the hardest part for new coaches. A little business teaching goes a long way.
Red flags
- Promises of income, or of results for your clients.
- "Board certified" without the national board exam.
- Training to diagnose, treat, or sell supplements as a treatment.
- No live practice: you only watch videos and take quizzes.
- Pressure to pay today, or a refund policy you can’t find.
If you want to focus on food
Health coaching is about habits and follow-through. If you want to give clients specific nutrition plans, look at nutrition training as well, and at your state’s nutrition law. How to become a holistic nutritionist covers board certification in holistic nutrition and how it differs from a registered dietitian.
Frequently asked
Which health coach certification is the most respected?
In US healthcare, board certification from the NBHWC (NBC-HWC): it takes an approved program, logged coaching and a national exam. In fitness and corporate wellness, certifications with an NCCA-accredited exam are well known. A certificate from a school alone is only as respected as the school.
How much does health coach certification cost?
Program fees vary widely, so compare the total, including any mentor coaching and retakes. The board exam itself is $400, plus a $100 application fee that isn’t refunded, and keeping the credential costs $75 a year.
Can I get a health coach certification online?
Yes. Many approved programs are online. The NBHWC requires at least 40 of their 75 hours to be live, which can be by video, so a program that is entirely self-paced videos won’t qualify you for the board exam.
Is approval the same as accreditation?
No. The NBHWC approves training programs: it checks what they teach and how they assess coaching skills. The NCCA accredits certification exams: it checks how an exam is built and scored. One is about the course, the other about the test.
Do I need a certification to work as a health coach?
Not by law in the US: health coaching isn’t a licensed profession. Employers in healthcare often ask for board certification, and good training is what makes you able to coach well. Nutrition advice has its own state laws, separate from coaching.
How do I keep a health coach certification current?
For NBC-HWC: 36 hours of continuing education every 3 years, from approved providers, and a $75 annual fee. Other certifications set their own rules; check them before you enroll, since they’re a cost every year.
After you qualify: your first clients
- Choose who you help. A clear group (busy parents, women in perimenopause, people with gut symptoms their doctor has already checked) is easier to find and to talk to than "everyone".
- Make one package. A length, what happens each week and a price. How to price your coaching packages works out what a price leaves you per hour.
- Start with people who know you. Friends of friends, past colleagues and a few clinicians who can refer. Ask every early client what nearly stopped them signing up.
- Publish a coach page. On Holicoach, your page can appear in Find a coach, where people looking for help are matched by goal, language and time zone. The finder’s fee is 15% of that client's payments for their first 3 months, then nothing, and only on clients Holicoach introduces.
- Run the weeks between sessions. A weekly check-in, daily habits and messages are what clients pay a coach for. Holicoach’s Free plan has no monthly price: it takes 2% of what clients pay you.
More for new coaches
How to become a health coachHow to become a holistic nutritionistSoftware for health coachesSoftware for holistic nutritionists
Sources
- NBHWC, Get Board Certified, read 15 October 2026.
- NBHWC, Program Approval Standards (2025 updates), read 15 October 2026.
- NBHWC, NBC-HWC Recertification Handbook, Summer 2024.
- NBHWC and NBME: the Health & Wellness Coach Certifying Examination, developed together since 2016, read 15 October 2026.
Holicoach is coaching software and isn’t paid by any training program. This guide is general information, not legal or career advice.