Both BLS and ACLS certifications are valid for two years from the date you complete the course. This applies whether you take the course through the American Heart Association, the American Red Cross, or another recognized provider. After two years, you need to renew to stay current.
What the Two-Year Clock Looks Like
Your two-year window starts the day you finish all required components of the course, not the day you register or begin studying. For blended learning formats (where you complete part of the course online), the clock starts only after you finish both the online portion and the hands-on skills session. The expiration date is printed on your completion card or eCard.
This two-year validity applies to both initial certifications and renewals. Each time you renew, you get a fresh two-year period.
Renewal vs. Taking the Full Course Again
If you renew before your certification expires, you can take a shorter update course instead of repeating the full program. The difference in time commitment is significant, especially for ACLS. A full ACLS course runs roughly 15 to 16.5 hours. The update course takes about 8.5 to 9.5 hours, nearly cutting the time in half. Versions with video prework shave off another hour or so from each format.
BLS renewal courses are similarly shorter than the initial certification. The key requirement is that your current card hasn’t expired yet. If it has, most training centers will require you to take the full-length course as if you were certifying for the first time.
What Happens If Your Certification Lapses
Letting your certification expire creates two problems. First, you lose access to the shorter, less expensive renewal course and have to sit through the full program again. Second, and more pressing for healthcare workers, an expired certification can put you out of compliance with your employer’s requirements. Some hospitals and clinical facilities will pull you from patient care shifts until your certification is current.
Most employers in healthcare settings require active BLS certification as a baseline condition of employment. ACLS is typically required for nurses, physicians, and other providers working in emergency departments, critical care units, and procedural areas. Being non-compliant, even briefly, can affect your scheduling and standing.
Online Courses Still Require a Skills Check
If you’re planning to renew online to save time, know that an online-only course won’t give you a valid certification. The American Heart Association’s blended learning format, called HeartCode, has two parts: an online eLearning module followed by a separate hands-on skills session. You need to complete both to receive a valid eCard good for two years.
The skills session can be done either with an AHA instructor or at a self-directed simulation station, depending on what’s available through your local training center. After finishing the online portion, you’ll receive a certificate of completion that serves as your entry ticket to the hands-on session, which is typically sold separately.
Guideline Updates and Your Certification
The AHA periodically updates its CPR and emergency cardiovascular care guidelines based on new research. The next major update, the 2025 AHA Guidelines, will publish in October 2025. When guidelines change, AHA instructors are required to complete a science update (the current deadline is February 28, 2026), and course content gets revised accordingly.
A guideline update doesn’t automatically invalidate your existing certification card. Your two-year expiration date stays the same. However, when you renew, you’ll learn the updated protocols. This is one reason the two-year cycle exists: it keeps providers reasonably current as the science evolves.
Check Your Employer’s Specific Policy
While the standard validity period is two years across all major certifying organizations, some employers set stricter internal timelines. A hospital might require you to begin the renewal process 90 days before expiration, or they might only accept certification from specific providers. It’s worth confirming your workplace’s policy rather than assuming the date on your card is the only deadline that matters.