Skip to content
State Cert Guide

Independent guide, not a government agency. We earn commissions on some links.

Is online ACLS certification accepted?

The AHA's online ACLS, BLS and PALS courses are the first part of a blended class: it describes a hands-on skills session after the online part. Whether your employer or board accepts a card from any other online class is theirs to say, so ask before you pay.

By State Cert GuideChecked against the sources listed below.

Report a mistake

The steps, in order

  1. Ask your employer

    Which card does it want?

  2. Finish the online part

    The first part of a blended class

  3. Book your skills check

    In person or with a manikin

  4. Give your employer your card

    Keep a copy for yourself

Steps: ask your employer what it wants, finish the online part, book your skills check, and give your employer your card.

What the source says

Does the AHA's online ACLS course give me a card by itself?

The AHA says no. After the online part of HeartCode ACLS you must finish a hands-on session with an AHA Training Center to get a card.

shopcpr.heart.org · checked Nov 13, 2026 (opens source website)

What about BLS?

The AHA calls HeartCode BLS Online the online part of BLS blended learning. It says that part prepares you for hands-on practice and testing of BLS skills.

shopcpr.heart.org · checked Nov 13, 2026 (opens source website)

And PALS?

The AHA says providers first finish the online part of HeartCode PALS. Then they complete a hands-on skills session with an AHA PALS Instructor or a HeartCode compatible manikin.

shopcpr.heart.org · checked Nov 13, 2026 (opens source website)

Who runs the hands-on part?

The AHA says it is done in person with an AHA Instructor, or with a Voice Assisted Manikin where one is available.

shopcpr.heart.org · checked Nov 13, 2026 (opens source website)

Where people go wrong

  • You pay for an online class with no hands-on part, then find your employer wants one. We haven't confirmed what any one employer or board accepts.
  • You finish the online part of HeartCode and stop there. For ACLS, the AHA says you must complete a hands-on session to get a card.
  • You expect the hands-on part to come with HeartCode ACLS. The AHA's store page says it is sold separately.

Questions

How long is a BLS card good for?

The AHA says the BLS Provider card from HeartCode BLS is valid for two years. It goes to students who finish both the cognitive portion and the hands-on session.

Who is HeartCode PALS for?

The AHA says it is for healthcare providers who direct or take part in managing respiratory or cardiovascular emergencies and cardiopulmonary arrest in pediatric patients.

Who is the ACLS course meant for?

The AHA says it is designed for healthcare professionals who direct or manage cardiopulmonary arrest or other cardiovascular emergencies, among others. It also names people who need an ACLS card for a job or other requirements.

Who is HeartCode BLS for?

The AHA says it is for healthcare professionals and other personnel who need to know how to perform CPR and other basic cardiovascular life support skills.

Your next step

Ask your employer or board which card it wants. Then read the AHA's course page for the class you need.

shopcpr.heart.org

Sources we read

Who publishes this guide

State Cert Guide is an independent guide to what each state requires. If a fact on this page is wrong, tell us and we fix it.

How we checkReport a mistake