Basic life support (BLS) certification is available through authorized training centers run by the American Heart Association (AHA) and the American Red Cross, the two largest providers in the United States. Both organizations offer in-person and blended learning options, and both issue certifications valid for two years. Your best starting point is the AHA’s online Training Center locator or the Red Cross class finder, which let you search by zip code for scheduled courses near you.
AHA and Red Cross: Which One to Choose
The AHA and Red Cross are the two most widely recognized BLS credentialing bodies in the country. Most hospitals, clinics, and EMS agencies accept either one, but some employers have a preference. Nursing programs and hospital systems often specifically require AHA certification, so check with your employer or school before signing up. If no one has told you which to get, either will work.
Both organizations maintain networks of authorized training centers, which are often hosted by hospitals, community colleges, fire departments, private CPR schools, and workplace training companies. These aren’t classes taught by the AHA or Red Cross directly. Instead, certified instructors at these partner sites deliver the curriculum and issue your completion card on behalf of the parent organization.
BLS vs. Standard CPR Courses
BLS certification is not the same thing as a basic CPR class. Standard CPR courses are designed for the general public, covering the core skills needed to help someone in cardiac arrest at home or in public. BLS covers everything in a CPR course but adds techniques for respiratory distress and obstructed airways, team-based resuscitation, and protocols used in clinical settings. It’s designed for healthcare workers and first responders: nurses, paramedics, EMTs, dentists, dental hygienists, physical therapists, mental health professionals, home health aides, and nursing home staff, among others.
If your job or program requires “BLS certification,” a standard Heartsaver CPR card will not satisfy that requirement. Make sure the course listing specifically says “BLS” or “Basic Life Support” before you register. Red Cross notes that BLS certification meets credentialing and privileging requirements for healthcare clinicians in pre-hospital, hospital, and post-acute settings, while CPR/AED courses satisfy general OSHA workplace safety requirements.
What a BLS Course Covers
A BLS course teaches high-quality CPR for adults, children, and infants, including proper compression depth and rate. You’ll learn how to deliver effective rescue breaths, use an automated external defibrillator (AED), relieve choking in all age groups, and function as part of a multi-rescuer CPR team. The course also covers the “Chain of Survival” concept, which maps out each link in the response from recognizing cardiac arrest to getting the person to advanced care.
Team dynamics get significant attention in BLS that you won’t find in a basic CPR class. You’ll practice scenarios where multiple rescuers coordinate compressions, ventilation, and AED use, rotating roles the way a real hospital code team would. The 2025 AHA guidelines continue to emphasize compression quality and, for infants, recommend the two thumb, encircling hands technique for chest compressions over the older two-finger method.
Course Formats and Time Commitment
You can get BLS certified through two main formats: fully in-person (instructor-led) or blended learning.
- Instructor-led classroom: Everything happens in one session, typically lasting three to four hours. You learn the material, practice on manikins, and complete your skills test all in the same visit. This is the most straightforward option if you want to finish in a single day.
- Blended learning: You complete the knowledge portion online at your own pace through the AHA’s HeartCode BLS platform or the Red Cross equivalent, then attend a shorter in-person skills session with an instructor. The hands-on portion runs 60 minutes to two hours depending on your comfort level with the skills. This format works well if you’d rather study the theory on your own schedule and spend less time in a classroom.
Both formats result in the same certification. There is no fully online option that meets standard BLS requirements. You must demonstrate hands-on competency on a manikin, either with an instructor present or, in some AHA programs, using a voice-assisted manikin at an approved location. Research published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research has explored remote-only CPR training and found that while online practice can produce comparable skill levels, it tends to take longer to reach the same proficiency as in-person instruction.
How to Find a Class Near You
The AHA website (cpr.heart.org) has a “Find a Training Center” tool that shows authorized providers in your area along with their contact information and available course types. The Red Cross has a similar class search at redcross.org/take-a-class. Both let you filter by course type and date.
Beyond these official directories, many local providers advertise directly. Community colleges often run BLS courses through their continuing education departments. Fire stations and hospitals frequently offer classes to the public. Private CPR training companies are common in most metro areas and sometimes offer weekend or evening sessions that are easier to fit into a work schedule. Just verify that any third-party provider is an authorized training center for the AHA or Red Cross so your card will be recognized by employers.
Cost and What to Expect
BLS courses typically cost between $60 and $150, depending on the provider and your region. Blended courses sometimes cost slightly less than full classroom sessions. The price usually includes your course materials and certification card. Some employers and nursing programs reimburse the cost or provide the training in-house, so it’s worth asking before paying out of pocket.
On course day, wear comfortable clothes you can kneel in. You’ll spend a fair amount of time on the floor practicing compressions on manikins. The skills test at the end requires you to demonstrate CPR sequences on adult and infant manikins and show that you can use an AED. It’s a pass/fail evaluation, but instructors coach you through it, and most people pass on the first attempt.
Certification Cards and Employer Verification
After passing, your training center issues a completion card. The AHA has shifted toward digital eCards, which your training center must issue within 20 business days of course completion. You claim your eCard through your AHA account, and this serves as your official proof of certification. Employers can verify your card by entering the eCard code on the AHA’s verification page. If your training center still issues printed cards, keep a photo or scan as backup.
Red Cross certifications work similarly, with digital credentials available through your Red Cross account. Whichever organization you certify through, your card is valid for two years. After that, you’ll need to take a recertification course, which is shorter than the initial class and focuses on refreshing your skills and reviewing any guideline updates.
Recertification Before Your Card Expires
Both the AHA and Red Cross offer streamlined renewal courses designed to extend your certification for another two years. These are shorter than the initial course since you’re reviewing rather than learning from scratch. Most people schedule recertification a month or two before their card expires to avoid any gap in credentialing. If you let your card lapse, you’ll generally need to take the full initial course again rather than the abbreviated renewal version, so setting a calendar reminder at the 22-month mark saves time and money.