BLS, ACLS, and PALS Cards: When They Expire and How to Verify Them
Facilities may ask a staffing agency to prove that each nurse or allied worker has a current life support card. This guide covers BLS, ACLS, and PALS. It explains how long American Heart Association (AHA) and American Red Cross cards last, what the date on the card means, and how to check that a card is real before a worker's first shift.
Updated October 3, 2026 · Checked against the official sources listed at the end
How long AHA cards last
AHA says its course completion cards are valid for two years through the end of the month in which the card was issued. This applies to the BLS Provider, ACLS Provider, and PALS Provider cards.
The card shows an issue date and a "Renew By" date. AHA's Course Card Reference Guide says the renew-by date is shown as a month and year, two years from the issue date. The card is good through the last day of that month.
Example: a BLS card issued March 10, 2026 shows a renew-by date of 03/2028. It is valid through March 31, 2028.
AHA's guide uses the phrase "recommended renewal date" for the same date on printed cards. The AHA pages cited here do not describe a grace period after that date.
- Current BLS, ACLS, and PALS Provider eCards: issued starting October 22, 2025. Renewal date is 2 years after issue, through the end of the month.
- Previous versions of those eCards: last date to issue was February 28, 2026. AHA says they are not valid after February 28, 2028.
- AHA says Training Centers must issue cards within 20 business days after a student passes the course.
An AHA card is proof of training, not a license
AHA's FAQ says it does not certify people in CPR, first aid, or advanced life support. It says a card verifies that the person could perform the skills when they finished the training.
AHA also says its Course Card Reference Guide is a quality control tool and not a policy document. Which cards a worker needs, and which providers a facility accepts, is set by the facility's own policies and your contract with it.
- AHA says its course completion cards are accepted in all U.S. states. Each facility still decides what it accepts.
- AHA does not require a current BLS card to take an ACLS course, but it says Training Centers may require one.
- For AHA courses that include hands-on skills such as CPR, AHA says students must complete a hands-on skills session to get a card.
How to verify an AHA eCard
AHA issues eCards. Each eCard has an eCard code and a QR code. AHA's guide says the code is the last 2 digits of the year it was issued, then a 3-digit course code, then a 7-digit random number.
To verify, go to AHA's eCards search page (heart.org/cpr/mycards). On the Employer tab, enter up to 20 eCard codes and select Verify. The next page shows the status of each code. You can also scan the QR code with a phone.
The worker must claim the eCard first. AHA says claiming the eCard is the only way a student can show proof of course completion to an employer. If a code does not come up, ask the worker to claim the card or contact the Training Center.
- Printed AHA cards: contact the Training Center listed on the card. AHA's Customer Support Center (1-877-242-4277) can confirm the status of the Training Center.
- HeartCode Complete eCards: AHA says these can be verified by scanning the QR code or entering the eCard code at heart.org/RQIverify.
- If an eCard is not found on the My Cards page, AHA points to its RQI card verification site, and to a separate site for cards issued outside the U.S.
- Save a screenshot or PDF of the verification result, with the date you checked.
HeartCode Complete and RQI cards
AHA also issues some cards through RQI Partners. HeartCode Complete eCards are issued after the student finishes both the knowledge portion and a skills check at a simulation station. AHA's guide says the renewal date is 2 years after issue, through the end of the month.
RQI eCredentials work differently. AHA's guide says their recommended renewal dates are based on the end of the calendar quarter in which compliance is achieved, plus the validity period. When compliance happens early in a quarter, the renewal date may go beyond two years by up to three months.
AHA says a learner with a valid RQI eCredential may request a traditional two-year AHA eCard for the same course. A fee applies.
- Do not assume an RQI date is wrong just because it is more than two years out. Check it against the verification site.
- Record which kind of card it is: standard eCard, HeartCode Complete, or RQI eCredential.
American Red Cross certifications
The Red Cross says its BLS certification is valid for two years. It says ALS, PALS, and NALS certifications are also valid for two years. The Red Cross describes its ALS course as advanced life support training, also known as ACLS training.
The Red Cross says BLS training requires an in-person session to check hands-on skills. Some programs let students review the material online first.
Red Cross certificates are digital. Each one has a unique ID and a QR code. Employers can look one up on the Red Cross Find My Certificate page by email, by name and date, or by certificate ID. The Red Cross asks people to allow 12 hours after a course is submitted before searching.
- Ask each facility whether it accepts Red Cross cards, or only AHA cards. This is a facility decision.
- If a facility asks for ACLS, confirm whether a Red Cross ALS certificate meets its policy.
- The Red Cross says to renew BLS by taking a renewal course before the current certification expires.
Questions to settle with each facility
Life support card rules come from facility policy and your contract. They are not the same everywhere. Get the answers in writing before you place workers.
- Which cards are required for each role or unit (for example, BLS only, or BLS plus ACLS or PALS).
- Which providers are accepted: AHA only, or AHA and Red Cross.
- Whether online-only courses are accepted, or a hands-on skills session is required.
- Whether an RQI eCredential is accepted in place of a standard eCard.
- How soon before expiration the facility wants proof of renewal.
- Whether the facility wants a copy of the card, a verification printout, or both.
Tracking expirations
Because cards run through the end of the month, track the renew-by month, not the issue day. Set reminders well before the month ends so the worker has time to find a class.
Verify each new card when it comes in, not just at hire.
- Worker name and role.
- Card type (BLS, ACLS, PALS) and provider (AHA or Red Cross).
- Issue date and renew-by month.
- eCard code or certificate ID.
- Date you verified it, who verified it, and a saved copy of the result.
- Reminder dates at 90, 60, and 30 days before the end of the renew-by month.
Common questions
An AHA card says "Renew By 05/2027." What is the last day it is valid?
May 31, 2027. AHA says its cards are valid for two years through the end of the month in which they were issued, so the card is good through the last day of the renew-by month.
Does an AHA card mean the worker is certified?
AHA says it does not certify people in CPR, first aid, or advanced life support. It says the card verifies that the person could perform the skills when they finished the training.
How do we verify an AHA eCard?
Go to AHA's eCards search page (heart.org/cpr/mycards), choose the Employer tab, enter up to 20 eCard codes, and select Verify. You can also scan the QR code on the eCard. The worker must have claimed the eCard first.
Is a Red Cross BLS card as good as an AHA card?
That is up to each facility. The Red Cross says its BLS certification is valid for two years, and its ALS and PALS certifications are valid for two years too. Ask each facility in writing which providers it accepts.
Can a worker renew BLS with an online-only course?
For AHA courses that include hands-on skills such as CPR, AHA says students must complete a hands-on skills session to get a card. The Red Cross says BLS requires an in-person skills session. Whether a facility accepts any other kind of course is the facility's decision.
Are older AHA eCards still valid after the 2025 card update?
Yes, until their renew-by date. AHA's guide says the previous BLS, ACLS, and PALS eCards could be issued until February 28, 2026, and are not valid after February 28, 2028.
Sources
- American Heart Association: Course Card Information
- American Heart Association: ECC Course Card Reference Guide (September 2026, PDF)
- American Heart Association: FAQs about AHA Training
- American Heart Association: How to Claim and View Your AHA eCard
- American Heart Association: eCards Search (My Cards / Employer verification)
- American Red Cross: BLS Classes
- American Red Cross: BLS Certification
- American Red Cross: ALS, PALS, NALS Training and Certification
- American Red Cross: Find My Certificate