How to renew your BLS card in California
BLS cards are valid for two years — AHA cards expire at the end of the issuing month. Renew before expiration with a renewal course or a blended online-plus-skills format, typically $60–$95 in California. There is no grace period, and a lapsed BLS can block ACLS and PALS renewal eligibility.
How to renew your BLS card in California
- Cycle
- 2 years — AHA cards expire end of issuing month
- Formats
- Classroom renewal (~4 hrs) or HeartCode BLS online + in-person skills session
- Cost (market)
- ~$60–$95 in California (providers set prices)
- Issuers
- AHA (hospital default) or American Red Cross — check your employer's accepted list
- Find a class
- atlas.heart.org
- Verify eCards
- ecards.heart.org
- Check the expiration monthLook at your eCard or Trust card — AHA BLS cards expire at the end of the month printed on the card.
- Book a renewal course before expirationUse atlas.heart.org (AHA) or redcross.org to find an authorized provider near you. Confirm the issuer your employer accepts — some California facilities require AHA specifically.
- Choose classroom or blendedClassroom renewal runs about 4 hours. HeartCode BLS combines online cognitive work with an in-person skills session — there is no legitimate online-only card.
- Complete the course and skills testPass the written check and the hands-on skills evaluation with a certified instructor.
- Claim the eCardAHA eCards are issued within about 20 business days. Claim yours at ecards.heart.org — employers can only verify claimed eCards.
- Save the eCard PDF to TrustDownload the PDF and store it in Trust so it's ready for the next employer verification and for ACLS/PALS renewal check-in.
Requirements
AHA BLS Provider is near-universally accepted in California, and some facilities require AHA specifically. Confirm your employer's accepted list before booking a non-AHA class.
Kaiser NCAL accepts AHA or Red Cross for BLS — but warns that a Red Cross card may not be accepted as the prerequisite for the next AHA renewal course. If your ecosystem is AHA, staying with AHA is simpler.
BLS does NOT count toward California BRN CE hours. The BRN explicitly excludes BLS/CPR from continuing education credit. Advanced life support (ACLS and PALS) does count when the training center holds an active BRN CEP number.
No grace period. The old AHA 30-day grace period was discontinued. An expired card generally means the full provider course rather than the shorter renewal format — Training Center Coordinator discretion technically exists, but don't rely on it.
How to renew, step by step
- 01Check the expiration monthLook at your eCard or Trust card — AHA BLS cards expire at the end of the month printed on the card.
- 02Book a renewal course before expirationUse atlas.heart.org (AHA) or redcross.org to find an authorized provider near you. Confirm the issuer your employer accepts — some California facilities require AHA specifically.
- 03Choose classroom or blendedClassroom renewal runs about 4 hours. HeartCode BLS combines online cognitive work with an in-person skills session — there is no legitimate online-only card.
- 04Complete the course and skills testPass the written check and the hands-on skills evaluation with a certified instructor.
- 05Claim the eCardAHA eCards are issued within about 20 business days. Claim yours at ecards.heart.org — employers can only verify claimed eCards.
- 06Save the eCard PDF to TrustDownload the PDF and store it in Trust so it's ready for the next employer verification and for ACLS/PALS renewal check-in.
If you're late
An expired card typically means booking the full provider course at most training centers, and most employers pull you from schedule until the new card is claimed.
A lapsed BLS also blocks eligibility for ACLS and PALS renewal courses — one missed date can cascade into three full courses instead of three shorter renewals. There are no forms and no board to petition — the remedy is simply booking the soonest full course.
Frequently asked questions
- Is there a grace period after my BLS expires?
- No. The AHA discontinued the old 30-day grace period. Your card expires at the end of the month printed on it — not the last day of the following month. Once expired, most training centers require the full provider course rather than the shorter renewal format.
- Does BLS count toward my California RN CE hours?
- No — the California BRN explicitly excludes BLS/CPR from continuing education credit. Advanced life support such as ACLS and PALS does count when the training center holds an active BRN CEP number, but standalone BLS does not, no matter which issuer provides it.
- AHA or American Red Cross — which BLS card should I get?
- Both are widely accepted in California, but AHA is the hospital default and some facilities require it. Kaiser NCAL accepts either for BLS, but warns that a Red Cross card may not satisfy the prerequisite for the next AHA renewal course. If your ecosystem is AHA, staying with AHA avoids scheduling friction.
- Can I do BLS entirely online?
- No legitimate BLS card is online-only. Blended formats such as HeartCode BLS still require an in-person skills session with a certified instructor. Employers and the AHA do not recognize no-skills online certifications, regardless of what a course website advertises.
Last verified against American Heart Association sources:
Trust tracks this renewal for you.
Trust reminds you at 90, 60, 30, and 7 days before your BLS card expires — with enough runway to book a renewal course before a lapse blocks your ACLS or PALS.
Keep exploring renewals
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