Free · Validity guide · United States
How long is CPR and BLS certification valid?
2 years
CPR and BLS certifications from the American Heart Association and the American Red Cross are valid for two years. AHA cards show a recommended renewal date two years after issue, through the end of that month. Employers and state rules can require more frequent training.
Work out your CPR / BLS card expiration date
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The issue date on your eCard or digital certificate.
Two years is the AHA and Red Cross standard. AHA cards run through the end of the renewal month. Choose 1 year only if your employer or licensing body requires annual renewal.
Enter a date to see when it expires, how many days are left, when to book the renewal, and to add reminders to your calendar.
Who needs a CPR / BLS card
Healthcare workers, who usually need BLS, and any role where an employer, licensing board or state rule asks for current CPR certification. Federal OSHA requires that, where there is no infirmary, clinic or hospital in near proximity, someone at the workplace is adequately trained to render first aid. OSHA does not name a card, so check what your employer or licensing body accepts.
What happens if it expires
- An expired card no longer meets job or licensing requirements that call for current certification.
- With the Red Cross, a shorter BLS recertification course is open only while your certificate is current or has expired by no more than 30 days. After that, plan on the full course.
- Skills fade faster than the card. The Red Cross cites its Scientific Advisory Council finding that fewer than half of course participants can pass a skills test one year after training.
How to renew
Confirm which card your employer accepts
AHA and Red Cross cards are both widely used, but the AHA notes students should check that their workplace will accept the card. Healthcare roles usually need BLS, not lay-rescuer CPR.
Book a renewal course before the date
The Red Cross runs shorter renewal classes for people whose certification is still current, marked "Review" or "Challenge". Ask your AHA training center which renewal course fits your card.
Save the new card and send a copy
Red Cross digital certificates carry a unique ID and QR code that employers can verify online. Keep the AHA card details the same way.
When to book
6
weeks
Book about 6 weeks before your renewal date so you can take the shorter renewal course while your card is still current. This is our suggestion, not an AHA or Red Cross rule.
A simple reminder plan: 90 days, 60 days, 30 days, 7 days before the expiration date. The calculator above puts these in your calendar.
Evidence to keep
- A copy of each person’s current eCard or digital certificate, with the course type (BLS, Heartsaver CPR AED, and so on) and issue date.
- The verification link or certificate ID, so you can re-check it later.
- Any employer or state rule that sets a shorter renewal cycle.
Common mistakes
- Tracking only the year. AHA cards run through the end of the renewal month, so note the exact month.
- Booking a lay-rescuer CPR course when the job requires BLS.
- Letting a Red Cross BLS certificate lapse more than 30 days, which rules out the shorter recertification course.
- Assuming an online-only certificate will be accepted. Check with the employer or board first.
When you would rather not remember
What this looks like when it runs itself
Add the date once and give it an owner. ExpiryEdge reminds them before it lapses, on the channel they actually read, and keeps the certificate and a record of who did what.
Try it with your own dates, free for 14 days, no cardExpiryEdge · Tracked item
BLS Provider · Dental assistant
ValidOwner
Practice manager
Expires
2 years after issue
Reminders before expiration
90d
60d
30d
7d
Due
CPR / BLS card questions, answered
Two years for both American Heart Association and American Red Cross courses. The AHA shows a recommended renewal date two years after issue, through the end of that month.
Two years. Red Cross BLS recertification extends certification for another two years, and AHA BLS cards carry a renewal date two years after issue.
There is no general grace period for working with an expired card. The Red Cross lets you take its shorter BLS recertification course if your certificate is current or expired by no more than 30 days.
Federal OSHA requires that, where there is no infirmary, clinic or hospital in near proximity to the workplace, a person be adequately trained to render first aid. It does not name a specific card, and some OSHA standards and states have their own rules.
Yes. The AHA and Red Cross set two years as their standard, but employers, licensing boards and state rules can set their own requirements.
Sources
Every rule on this page comes from these official sources.
1.
Emergency Cardiovascular Care Course Card Reference Guide (October 2023)American Heart Association · cpr.heart.org · checked 28 Sep 2026
2.
CPR renewal and recertificationAmerican Red Cross · redcross.org · checked 28 Sep 2026
3.
BLS renewal and recertificationAmerican Red Cross · redcross.org · checked 28 Sep 2026
4.
29 CFR 1910.151, Medical services and first aidOSHA (U.S. Department of Labor) · osha.gov · checked 28 Sep 2026
Guidance, not legal advice. This covers United States and reflects the sources as checked on 28 Sep 2026. Check the official source or take professional advice for your situation.