When Do You Need to Renew Your ACLS Certification?
American Heart Association ACLS certification is generally maintained on a two-year cycle. Healthcare professionals should pay attention to the expiration date on their current certification and allow enough time to complete the appropriate renewal course and required skills component before their credential expires.
The exact course pathway you should choose depends on your current certification status and what your employer, hospital, school, clinical program or other organization requires. If you are preparing for ACLS renewal, review the available ACLS certification and renewal options from Citywide CPR before registering.
It is also important to distinguish between needing to renew an existing credential and completing ACLS for the first time. Initial certification and renewal may have different circumstances, so confirm the course requirement before selecting a registration option.
What Are the AHA ACLS Renewal Requirements?
ACLS renewal is not simply an online refresher. An applicable American Heart Association ACLS pathway includes both the required cognitive learning and hands-on skills component.
For participants using Citywide CPR’s Self-Guided pathway, the cognitive portion can be completed through the applicable AHA HeartCode ACLS online course, followed by an in-person Self-Guided Skills Session at a CPR Verification Station.
The online and hands-on portions serve different purposes. HeartCode ACLS provides the knowledge-based portion of the course, while the skills session gives participants an opportunity to practice and perform the required hands-on skills using training equipment and technology-guided feedback.
Citywide CPR’s ACLS training information provides the current Online + Skills pathway and location options.
Can You Renew ACLS Certification Online?
The learning portion of an applicable HeartCode ACLS pathway can be completed online, but ACLS certification is not simply an online-only process when a hands-on skills session is required.
After completing the applicable online coursework, participants must complete the required hands-on skills component. At Citywide CPR, eligible participants can complete that portion through a Self-Guided Skills Session at a participating CPR Verification Station.
This distinction matters when searching for “ACLS renewal online.” Online learning can make the cognitive portion more flexible, but it does not eliminate required hands-on skills.
AHA HeartCode ACLS Online Learning
With an ACLS Online + Skills pathway, participants complete the applicable AHA HeartCode ACLS online coursework before their scheduled skills appointment.
The online portion covers the knowledge and concepts associated with ACLS, while the subsequent skills session focuses on the applicable hands-on requirements.
Completing the online portion ahead of time can be useful for healthcare professionals balancing clinical responsibilities, shifts, school or other commitments. You can complete the applicable coursework at your own pace before attending your scheduled appointment.
If you have already completed the appropriate current HeartCode ACLS online course and have the required completion documentation, Skills Only may be the appropriate pathway instead. An existing ACLS Provider eCard by itself does not establish completion of the HeartCode coursework required for Skills Only.
Completing Your Hands-On ACLS Skills Session
The hands-on component takes place in person at a participating Citywide CPR location. During a Self-Guided ACLS Skills Session, you practice and perform the required skills using a CPR Verification Station and Voice-Assisted Manikin technology.
The system provides instructions and real-time feedback during the skills experience. Self-Guided means the technology guides the session; it does not mean the training is online-only or that participants simply watch a video.
Citywide CPR states that Self-Guided Skills Sessions typically take approximately 15–30 minutes.
Before your appointment, make sure you have completed the online coursework required for your selected pathway and have any required completion documentation available.
What Happens If Your ACLS Certification Has Expired?
An expired ACLS certification does not automatically mean that every participant can use the same renewal pathway.
The appropriate course depends on your circumstances and the requirements of the organization requesting your certification. If your ACLS credential has expired, check with your employer, school, clinical program or credentialing organization to determine what they require before registering.
You should also review the current AHA course pathway available through Citywide CPR rather than assuming that an expired card can simply be treated the same as a current renewal.
One important distinction is the difference between your previous ACLS Provider eCard and current HeartCode completion documentation. A previous or expired eCard documents an earlier certification; it does not by itself demonstrate completion of the current HeartCode ACLS online course required for a Skills Only pathway.
If you are unsure which option applies to you, contact Citywide CPR before purchasing a course so you can confirm the appropriate pathway.
How Citywide CPR Makes ACLS Renewal Convenient
For eligible healthcare professionals, Citywide CPR separates the cognitive learning and hands-on skills experience so the two components can be scheduled around a busy professional or academic schedule.
You can complete the applicable HeartCode ACLS online coursework before attending your in-person skills appointment. Citywide CPR has participating locations where eligible healthcare professionals can complete Self-Guided ACLS Skills Sessions. The Citywide CPR location finder can help you identify locations and review available training options.
The goal is not to remove the hands-on portion of ACLS renewal. Instead, the Self-Guided model provides a structured way to complete that required component without requiring participants to spend the entire training experience in a traditional instructor-led classroom.
Self-Guided ACLS Skills Verification Stations
At a CPR Verification Station, participants physically practice and perform the required hands-on skills using training equipment while the system provides audio and/or visual guidance and real-time performance feedback.
This technology-guided format can be particularly useful for healthcare professionals who prefer to complete the online learning independently and then attend a focused in-person skills appointment.
Citywide CPR’s Self-Guided CPR Training information explains how the technology-guided skills experience works for applicable BLS, ACLS and PALS pathways.
Flexible Appointments and Same-Day AHA eCard Processing
Flexible appointment options can make it easier to coordinate an ACLS renewal around work, clinical responsibilities and school. Appointment availability varies by location, so participants should review the selected location before registering.
After successfully completing all applicable course requirements and the hands-on skills session, the certification documentation can be processed.
The official AHA eCard is processed the same day after successful completion of course requirements and the skills session.
How to Schedule Your ACLS Renewal with Citywide CPR
Start by confirming what your employer, school, clinical program or credentialing organization requires. Then determine whether you need initial ACLS certification or renewal and whether you have already completed the applicable HeartCode ACLS online course.
If you still need the online coursework, review the ACLS Online + Skills registration option. If you have already completed the appropriate HeartCode ACLS course and can provide the required completion certificate, review whether the Skills Only pathway is appropriate for your situation.
Next, select a participating Citywide CPR location and schedule your in-person Self-Guided ACLS Skills Session. Because course availability can vary between locations, confirm that the selected location offers the ACLS pathway you need before completing registration.
If you are ready to renew your ACLS certification, start with Citywide CPR’s ACLS certification and renewal information and choose the course pathway that matches your current requirements.