How to Recertify / Renew First Aid & CPR Certifications (A Complete Guide)
Maintaining a current certification in First Aid & CPR/AED Level C is essential not only for effectively responding to emergencies but is also a requirement for many jobs and educational programs. This guide will cover how to check if your first aid or CPR certification is valid, how to recertify, and the importance of recertification.
When Does My First Aid & CPR / AED or BLS Certification Expire?
We offer training through two amazing organizations, so checking when your certification expires depends on who your course was done through!
For Canadian Red Cross Certifications (Standard, Emergency, First Aid & CPR / AED Level C)
- Visit the Canadian Red Cross website here.
- Login to your MYRC account.
- Go to my profile -> my certifications.
- From there you should be able to access your certifications and see when they expire.
For Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada Certifications (Basic Life Support (BLS), ACLS, PALS)
- Visit the Heart & Stroke Foundation website here.
- Login to your HSF account.
- Select the certifications tab.
- From there you should be able to access your certifications and see when they expire.
Can I Recertify my Canadian Red Cross certification?
To be eligible for recertification, you must possess a current (not expired) First Aid & CPR/AED Level C certificate from the Canadian Red Cross unless otherwise stated in the course specifics below. Please keep in mind that expiry dates are set by the Canadian Red Cross and cannot be changed by us regardless of the reason, so please book your training with that in mind. If your certificate has expired, you'll need to retake the full certification course.
Standard First Aid & CPR / AED Level C Recertification
- Standard First Aid & CPR / AED Level C certifications are valid for 3 years as of the course date. To be eligible for recertification a current certification is required. This course may be recertified once before it is required to do the full course again.
Emergency First Aid & CPR / AED Level C
- Emergency First Aid & CPR / AED Level C certifications are valid for 3 years as of the course date. Currently, Emergency First Aid & CPR / AED Level C cannot be recertified in Ontario, so please feel free to look into one of our full training courses!
- CPR / AED Level C certifications are valid for 3 years as of the course date. To be eligible for recertification a current WSIB/OHS approved certification is required. This course may be recertified multiple times in a row as long as the certification is current on the day of the training.
Can I Renew my Heart and Stroke Foundation Provider Course?
Basic Life Support (BLS, CPR-HCP) Renewal
- Current Heart & Stroke BLS Provider certification that is about to expire. Your certificate cannot be expired (it expires 1 year to the day after it was issued).
ACLS (Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support) Provider Renewal
- Current Heart & Stroke BLS Provider certification.
- Your certificate cannot be expired (it expires 2 years from the day of the in-person training).
- ACLS pre-course self-assessment certificate (passing score >= 70%). The link for the pre-course self-assessment will be sent to you after the course registration.
PALS (Pediatric Advanced Life Support) Provider Renewal
- Current Heart & Stroke BLS Provider certification.
- Your certificate cannot be expired (it expires 2 years from the day of the in-person training).
- PALS pre-course self-assessment certificate (passing score >= 70%). The link for the pre-course self-assessment will be sent to you after the course registration.
Preparing for Your Recertification Course
To prepare, review your initial course materials / notes or feel free to check out the PDF guide that is sent to every one of our students when registering for one of our first aid & CPR courses. This PDF is a free, current guide of the material that will be reviewed/practiced in the training course.
Conclusion
Staying certified in First Aid & CPR/AED Level C is a commitment to personal, community, and professional safety. Recertification is an excellent opportunity to refresh your skills and stay aligned with the latest practices in emergency response. If you’re ready to register please feel free to check out all of our recertification courses here! If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to reach out to our wonderful team for help.