Last updated: February 12, 2026
*Please direct any questions or comments to NPC Worldwide.
General
Rule 1: Athletes who reside in a country with a natural Regional requirement must first compete in a natural Regional contest within their country before they can compete in a natural Pro Qualifier contest.
Rule 2: If an athlete resides in a country with a natural Regional requirement but there are no natural Regional contests in the athlete’s country until later in the year, the athlete may compete in a natural Pro Qualifier contest provided:
- the athlete competed in a natural Regional contest in the athlete’s country in the previous year; and
- the natural Pro Qualifier contest takes place prior to the first natural Regional contest in the athlete’s country.
An athlete cannot compete in any further natural Pro Qualifier contests after the first natural Regional contest in the athlete’s country without meeting that year’s natural Regional requirement.
Rule 3: Athletes residing in countries without a natural Regional requirement may compete in a natural Pro Qualifier contest anywhere in the world.
Rule 4: The following countries have a natural Regional requirement:
Australia, Austria, Belgium, China, France, Hong Kong (China), Hungary, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Mongolia, New Zealand, Portugal, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan (China), United Kingdom
Rule 5: Athletes cannot qualify for a natural Pro Qualifier contest by competing in an open Regional contest.
Rule 6: Athletes cannot qualify for an open Pro Qualifier contest by competing in a natural Regional contest.
Rule 7: If an athlete earns an IFBB PRO card at a natural Pro Qualifier contest and, before registering (creating a member account) with the IFBB Professional League, competes in a Regional or Pro Qualifier contest or participates in a contest that is not sanctioned by NPC Worldwide or the IFBB Professional League, the athlete’s IFBB PRO card win is canceled. Participation includes, but is not limited to, competing, judging, officiating, promoting, advertising (to include using one’s name or likeness) or otherwise endorsing a contest that is not sanctioned by NPC Worldwide or the IFBB Professional League.
Technical Rules
*A deviation from the technical rules does not necessarily render the rule inoperative or invalid.
Rule 8: Tested categories must include at least Anabolic Agents (S1) and Diuretics & Masking Agents (S5). This link provides a list of Prohibited Substances and Methods. Testing methods are urinalysis, blood, and polygraph.
Rule 9: Athletes using hormone or testosterone replacement therapy are not eligible to compete in NPC Worldwide natural contests.
Rule 10: Therapeutic use exemptions (TUEs) are not permitted for NPC Worldwide natural contests.
Rule 11: The following minimum number of tests must be conducted (subject to Rule 12):
- Natural Regional contest: overall winner in each open division
- Natural Pro Qualifier contest: top two (2) in each open division overall
*The term “open” in this context means non-masters.
Rule 12: If a division has less than five (5) competitors, they must compete as one class, and the top two (2) must be tested.
Rule 13: First place in a division overall can only be awarded to a competitor who has tested negative . For this reason, the contest organizer may choose to test the top two (2) in each open division overall at a natural Regional contest.
Rule 14: The head judge has authority to test the second-place competitor in an open division overall at a natural Regional contest.
Rule 15: The promoter may conduct more than the required minimum number of tests provided:
- The categories of prohibited substances to be tested and the total number of tests to be conducted in each division is clearly indicated on the competitor entry form; and
- NPC Worldwide is notified in advance about the categories and the number of tests in each division, including the overall, that exceed the minimum requirement.
Rule 16: The laboratory used for urinalysis and the polygraph examiner must be professionally accredited.
Rule 17: Testing must consist of either urine or blood analysis and may be combined with a polygraph. Urine and blood testing may not be conducted in the same contest. Testing cannot consist of only polygraphs.
Rule 18: Athletes must not have used any performance-enhancing drugs within the clean periods shown in Appendix 1.
Rule 19: If the type of testing is urine or blood:
- A sample collection form (e.g. NPC Worldwide Sample Collection Form) must be completed and signed by the doping control official and the athlete, whether via print, fillable PDF, or application software program. The athlete must be given a copy of the form as part of the NPC Worldwide Sample Collection Process.
- Samples must be sent to one laboratory only.
- If the laboratory analysis produces an atypical finding (“ATF”) that does not identify a specific prohibited substance, or its metabolite(s) or marker(s) as the cause of the ATF, the laboratory must perform additional testing to determine if the ATF is in fact an adverse analytical finding (“AAF”) that may lead to an anti-doping rule violation (“ADRV”).
*ATF”: A report that requires further investigation (e.g. for elevated testosterone or other endogenous substances) before it is confirmed as an AAF. It indicates an “inconclusive” result.
“AAF”: A report confirming the presence of a prohibited substance or its metabolites in a sample. It is often referred to as a “positive test”, which may lead to an anti-doping rule violation.
“ADRV”: An analytical violation indicated the presence of a prohibited substance, its metabolites, or markers in an athlete’s sample. ADRVs can also indicate a non-analytical violation.
Penalties
Rule 20: The penalties for a positive urine or blood analysis or failed polygraph are as follows:
- First offense: two-year suspension
- Second offense: lifetime suspension
Results Management
Rule 21: Results management is the sole responsibility of NPC Worldwide. Results management comprises, among other things,
- Receiving laboratory and polygraph reports
- Notifying athletes of ADRVs (urine or blood) or failed polygraph examinations
- Imposing the applicable penalties
Rule 22: The contest organizer must provide NPC Worldwide with a copy of the laboratory report and doping control form for atypical findings, adverse analytical findings, or anti-doping rule violations, or a copy of the polygraph report for a pre-examination disqualification or examination failure.
Rule 23: Unless requested, the contest organizer is not required to provide NPC Worldwide with a copy of the laboratory report and doping control form for a negative urine or blood analysis, or a copy of a polygraph report for a passed polygraph examination. However, the promoter is required to notify NPC Worldwide when all athletes tested negative or passed the polygraph examination.
Rule 24: Positive test results may be published at the discretion of the contest organizer. If published, only the following information will be disclosed:
- Contest name, city, country, date
- Type of contest (natural Regional or natural Pro Qualifier)
- Competitor number, division, class, and the words “DQ due to ADRV” (competitor names will not be published)
*”DQ” means disqualified.
Rule 25: A polygraph examination failure will result in an immediate disqualification from the contest and the same penalty as an anti-doping rule violation.
Rule 26: The voluntary disclosure of a prohibited substance during the polygraph pre-examination phase (before connection to the polygraph device) will result in a disqualification from the contest and a suspension, the length of which shall be as decided by NPC Worldwide.
Rule 27: Except as stated otherwise in these rules, an athlete is provisionally suspended (automatically and without notice) from the date of urine or blood collection until the official results are received by NPC Worldwide and a final finding is determined.
Rule 28: Athletes are solely responsible for knowing the clean period during which they must not have used a prohibited substance or method (see Appendix 1).
Rule 29: A positive urine or blood analysis or failed polygraph examination will be recorded as follows:
- If an open division overall winner at a natural Regional contest, the competitor will be marked “DQ” in the overall and all other divisions/classes. The open division second-place competitor will be awarded first place in the overall or any other division/class only if this competitor tested negative or passed a polygraph examination.
- If an open division overall winner at a natural Pro Qualifier contest, the competitor will be marked “DQ” in the overall and all other divisions/classes. The open division second-place competitor will be awarded first place in the overall or any other division/class only if this competitor tested negative or passed a polygraph examination.
Rule 30: All awards that may have been presented to a competitor who is disqualified must be returned to the contest organizer within 30 days, failing which the competitor may incur additional penalties.
Rule 31: Failure to submit to testing, or tampering (or attempting to tamper) to alter the integrity and validity of collected samples, will result in the same penalties as a failed test.
Rule 32: A positive urine or blood analysis, or a failed polygraph examination, cannot be challenged or appealed. Retesting is neither permitted nor recognized.
Back-to-Back Contests
Rule 33: If a natural Regional contest and a natural Pro Qualifier contest are “back-to-back”, and if the test results from the natural Regional contest are not known before the natural Pro Qualifier contest, the athlete may compete in the natural Pro Qualifier contest under the following conditions:
- An athlete who fails the natural Regional contest test but passes the natural Pro Qualifier contest test will be disqualified from both contests and suspended from the date of the natural Regional contest.
- An athlete who passes the natural Regional contest test but fails the natural Pro Qualifier contest test will be disqualified from the natural Pro Qualifier contest and suspended from the date of the natural Pro Qualifier contest.
- An athlete who fails the natural Regional and natural Pro Qualifier contest tests will be disqualified from both contests and suspended from the date of the natural Regional contest.
*The term “back-to-back” means two natural contests; the second of which is held before the test results from the first are known to NPC Worldwide.
**This rule also applies to back-to-back natural Pro Qualifier contests.
Pro Card Rules
Rule 34: Athletes who earn an IFBB PRO card at a natural Pro Qualifier contest may not create an IFBB Professional League member account (acquire an IFBB PRO card) until the test results are received by NPC Worldwide and a final finding has been determined
Additional Rules
Rule 35: If a natural division at a Pro Qualifier contest has fewer than 5 competitors, the division winner may petition the IFBB Professional League for an IFBB PRO card under the following conditions:
- If the division has more than one but fewer than 5 competitors, the top 2 finalists must be tested. If the division has one competitor, that competitor must be tested.
- The petition must be submitted in writing to info@ifbb-proleague.com.
- The petition must be received by the IFBB Professional League no later than 14 days after the date of the Finals.
- The petitioner must include stage photographs of the individual poses and comparison poses.
- If the division is Fitness, the petitioner must include a video of the fitness routine.
- The decision to grant or deny an IFBB PRO card will not be made until the test results are received by NPC Worldwide and a final finding has been determined.
Rule 36: Same-day natural Regional and natural Pro Qualifier contests must be organized as follows:
- If held on the same day, they must be listed as separate contests on the schedule.
- They may be held as either two separate contests or as one merged contest.
- If held as two separate contests, all divisions of the Regional contest must be completed before the start of the Pro Qualifier contest.
- If held as one merged contest, each division of the Regional contest must be completed before the corresponding division of the Pro Qualifier contest.
- If the host country has a natural Regional requirement, only those athletes who reside in the host country will meet the natural Regional requirement.
- Promoters of Regional and Pro Qualifier contests may host competition in one or more of the following categories: True Novice, Novice, Juniors, Masters, Open.
Rule 37: “True Novice” means a competitor who has never competed within NPC Worldwide. “Novice” means a competitor who, in the current contest year, has not won an Overall in a Novice, Masters or Open contest, or who has not won in an Open class with three or more competitors. “Junior” means a competitor who is 18-23 years old. “Master” means a competitor who is 35 years of age or older.
Rule 38: Athletes must have an NPC Worldwide membership to compete in a natural Regional or natural Pro Qualifier contest. Athletes must be 18 years of age or older to be an NPC Worldwide member. Membership is valid for one calendar year only (January 1-December 31). Membership is verified before each contest.
Rule 39: Athletes must compete under the rules of the country in which they reside. Athletes must be a resident of a country for at least 4 months prior to competing in a natural Pro Qualifier contest. Proof of residency, such as a utility bill, rental agreement, or driver’s license, must be provided upon request. If you are residing in a country as a foreign student, you must provide a student ID or college or university enrollment form. Regional requirements still apply.
Rule 40: Once an athlete registers with NPC Worldwide as a resident of a country, the country of residence can only be changed if the athlete relocates to a different country for reasons of employment or education (proof required).
Appendix 1
| Item # | Prohibited Substance | Clean Period |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Anabolic Agents see note 1 | 3 years |
| 2. | Hormone and Metabolic Modulators | 3 years |
| 3. | Insulin see note 2 | 3 years |
| 4. | Peptide Hormones, Growth Factors, Related Substances, and Mimetics see note 3 | 3 years |
| 5. | SARMs (Selective Androgen Receptor Modulator) see note 4 | 3 years |
| 6. | Thyroid Hormones see note 5 | 3 years |
| 7. | Beta-2 Agonists | 6 months |
| 8. | Diuretics and Masking Agents | 6 months |
| 9. | Insulin Manipulators see note 6 | 6 months |
| 10. | Stimulants | 6 months |
| 11. | Intoxicating Substances see note 7 | 12 hours |
| 12. | Muscle Implants or Injections of any kind see note 8 |
Note 1: Anabolic Androgenic Steroids (Exogenous, Endogenous when administered exogenously), and other Anabolic Agents (e.g. Clenbuterol, Tibolone, Zeranol, Zilpaterol)
Note 2: When used for the purpose of bodybuilding (prescribed insulin is permitted)
Note 3: Including but not limited to EPO, Peptide Hormones and Hormone Modulators, Growth Hormone, Growth Factors and Growth Factor Modulators
Note 4: Andarine, LGD-4033, Ostarine, RAD140
Note 5: When used for bodybuilding purposes including but not limited to Synthroid, T3, T4 (prescribed thyroid hormones are permitted)
Note 6: When used solely for weight loss (e.g. Wegovy, Ozempic, Metformin, Rybelsus, etc.)
Note 7: Cannabis, Alcohol, Narcotics
Note 8: Including Synthol
