AANC Frequently Asked Questions

What are the requirements to take the certification examination?
An exam candidate must be a member of the AANC. The candidate can apply for membership and certification at the same time. The membership type for someone working on the exam is considered professional. An exam candidate must have a high school diploma or GED.

How is the exam administered?
The certification exam is mailed to you to be completed on your own with the use of the books once your application is approved.

How long do I have to complete the examination?
You have one year to complete the certification exam or call for an extension. Extensions are added in six month intervals and must be requested with two months after the due date to be granted. You have a maximum five year cap to complete the exam before a new exam will need to be applied for and purchased.

What is the cost for the examination?
The cost for the exam is $400.00, not including the price of the books. If you buy the books through us (Thriving 4 Health Bookstore) all at one time, the cost is approximately $200. You may find the books at a cheaper price through Amazon.com or Barnes and Noble, etc.

Please note that membership is also required to take the examination, and costs $70.00 per year for annual domestic membership dues and $80.00 per year for international memberships.

What is the cost of membership?
All membership levels cost $70.00 per year for domestic memberships. International Memberships are $80.00 per year.

What are the benefits of membership?
The current information regarding membership privileges can be found here: Privileges

What is the passing grade for the examination?
You will need to successfully complete each of the 11 exam parts by 85% or better to obtain certification.

What happens if I fail an exam part?
If you fail any of the parts, you can retake the failed part(s) at $25 each up to 2 times. You must wait 30 days between the first attempt and the first retake. You must wait 60 days between the first retake and the second retake.

How many questions are there on the certification exam?
Each section has 100 questions for a total of 1100 in the entire exam.

Do you offer insurance?
The AANC is not an insurance carrier, however we have a partnership with CPH Associates, who does carry policies for liability insurance for nutritional consultants. Individuals who are current members and are certified by the AANC receive a discount off of the policy premium and fees. For more information, please see Insurance

What does the CNC designation allow me to do?
The CNC designation is for credentialing purposes only, meaning it gives your credibility with clients, professionals and the natural health field. It does NOT give anyone a legal right to practice nutrition. To find out about specific licensure requirements governing your state, contact your states dietetic association.

Does the AANC support nutritional licensure or registration?
No. We believe that there are many ways, schools, training programs that can give an individual the knowledge necessary to help individuals with their nutritional questions. We also believe that there are some people that may graduate from a program, but still not have what it takes to be a successful or helpful practitioner.For this reason, we do not feel that any certain education or school should be singled out as the only way a person can be eligible to practice nutrition.

What is your refund policy?
Members who withdraw from the CNC examination before completing their examination to be graded within the first 30 days will receive a complete refund, minus a $50 non-refundable application fee once the exam is sent back to us. Members who withdraw after the initial 30 days, but before 90 days will be given a pro-rated refund. After 90 days, the member will not be eligible for a refund.