Frequently Asked Questions

The American Academy of CPR & First Aid, Inc. is an independent provider accredited by the Postgraduate Institute for Medicine, jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) to offer CME/CEU credits.

The Academy offers both fully online CPR certification and the Blended Hands-On CPR option.

• In the online CPR certification, learners complete all coursework, video demonstrations, and the final exam online. A score of 80% or higher is required to earn certification.
• In the Blended Hands-On CPR format, participants complete the accredited online training first, then take part in a live virtual skills evaluation with a CPR instructor. During this session, the instructor uses a CPR Hands-On Skills Evaluation Checklist to assess performance. After successful completion you can get your certification printed from your account.

The American Academy of CPR & First Aid, Inc. has been serving people for over 16 years, providing CPR training to both medical and non-medical professionals nationwide.

We offer online CPR certification and CPR training online with a focus on practical skills. Our goal is to help you perform CPR and AED procedures confidently and correctly—not just to obtain a certificate. Each course is structured for easy understanding and lasting retention through step-by-step instruction.

American Academy of CPR & First Aid Hands On CPR combines online learning with a live virtual skills evaluation with manikin led by a certified instructor. During the session, the instructor carefully reviews your CPR technique using a standardized CPR Hands-On Skills Evaluation Checklist. After you successfully complete the evaluation, you’ll receive a certification as verification of your demonstrated CPR skills.

The estimated time to complete each CPR course and related training varies by topic. All courses are self-paced, allowing you to review lessons and complete the final certification exam at your own speed.

• BLS CPR Certification: Approximately 2 hours
• CPR for Healthcare Providers: Approximately 2 hours
• Adult CPR Certification: Approximately 1 hour
• Basic First Aid Certification: Approximately 1.5 hours
• Bloodborne Pathogens Training: Approximately 1 hour
• Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS): Approximately 10 hours

Each online CPR certification includes access to course lessons, video-based CPR skills demonstrations, and a certification exam to help ensure clear understanding of the skills and guidelines taught.

If you choose the Blended Hands-On CPR option, you’ll first complete the same online course and exam, followed by a live virtual skills evaluation with a certified instructor. After successfully completing the online portion, you’ll need to order a CPR manikin if you don’t already have one. Once the manikin is available, you can schedule your live evaluation session, during which the instructor will assess your CPR technique using a standardized CPR Hands-On Skills Evaluation Checklist. The overall completion time depends on manikin delivery and session scheduling, but most participants finish the blended process within a few additional days after completing the online component.

Yes. You can complete your CPR training at your own pace—either all at once or in separate sessions. You may also take the exam at any time after finishing the course content.

Each online CPR certification exam includes detailed answer explanations to help reinforce your learning and understanding of the material.

If you choose the Blended Hands-On CPR option, you’ll first complete the same online course and exam. After that, you’ll need to have a CPR manikin for the practical component. Once you have the manikin, you can schedule a live virtual session with a certified instructor, who will assess your CPR performance using a CPR Hands-On Skills Evaluation Checklist. Successfully completing this evaluation leads to your digital certification signed by the instructor.

The number of questions on each CPR certification exam varies by course type. All exams are multiple-choice and designed to evaluate your understanding of essential CPR and AED training concepts. A passing score of 80% or higher is required for certification.

• BLS CPR Certification: 20 questions
• CPR for Healthcare Providers: 20 questions
• Adult CPR Certification: 20 questions
• Basic First Aid Certification: 20 questions
• Bloodborne Pathogens Training: 20 questions
• Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS): 50 questions

Each online CPR certification exam provides clear explanations for the correct answers to help strengthen your understanding and reinforce learning.

If you choose the Blended Hands-On CPR option, you’ll complete the same online exam, followed by a live virtual evaluation with a certified instructor. During this session, the instructor will use a CPR Hands-On Skills Evaluation Checklist to assess your technique before issuing your final digital certification.

Yes. If you do not pass the CPR exam on your first attempt, you can retake it as many times as needed until you achieve a passing score of 80% or higher and earn your online CPR certification. There are no penalties or additional fees for retaking the exam, allowing you to review the course content and try again at your own pace.

If you’ve selected the Blended Hands-On CPR option, you’ll also need to successfully complete the live virtual skills evaluation with a certified instructor after passing the online exam. The instructor will assess your performance using the CPR Hands-On Skills Evaluation Checklist before your final certification is issued.

After you pass your CPR course exam, your CPR certification and wallet card become available in your account. You can print them anytime directly from your account.

If you prefer to receive your certificate by mail, it will be delivered to the shipping address provided within 4 to 5 business days for a small shipping fee.

For those who choose the Blended Hands-On CPR option, a digital certificate is issued after successful completion of both the online exam and the live virtual skills evaluation with the instructor. This certificate can be downloaded and printed directly from your account.

Please note that printed certificates by mail are not available for Blended Hands-On CPR.

If you obtained your CPR certification from the American Academy of CPR & First Aid, Inc. and lose your certificate or wallet card, simply log in to your account at www.onlinecprcertification.net and select “Replacement Card/Mail.”

You can order a replacement for a small shipping fee, and your new certificate or wallet card will be mailed to the shipping address. You’ll also continue to have access to the digital version of your certification in your account to get it printed.

Validity varies by course type:

• Healthcare Provider CPR Certification: 2 years
• BLS CPR (Adult/Child/Infant): 2 years
• First Aid Course: 2 years
• Adult CPR Course: 2 years
• Bloodborne Pathogens: 1 year
• ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support): 2 years

If you obtained your CPR certification from the American Academy of CPR & First Aid, Inc., you can renew it anytime through our online CPR training platform before it expires. Renewal involves retaking the course and passing the updated certification exam to maintain your active status.

For those who completed the Blended Hands-On CPR option, the renewal process also includes a new live virtual skills evaluation with an instructor after passing the online exam.

Certification requirements can be different state-by-state as well as institutions and employers. Our courses are accredited by the Postgraduate Institute for Medicine, jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).

If for any reason your certification is not accepted, we will offer a refund of your certification purchase. You can find our refund policy on the following link:
Refund Policy

The American Academy of CPR & First Aid, Inc. offers affordable CPR certification options with additional savings through our Combined Courses Discount.

Combined Courses Discount

• Your first certification costs $14.99.
• Your second certification costs $14.
• Each additional certification after those costs only $12.

All courses can be taken online at your own pace. You can review every CPR training lesson and even take the exam for free. Payment is only required when you’re ready to receive your official CPR certification.

The ACLS Certification course is priced at $109 and is not eligible for discounts.

To learn more or start your enrolment, please visit our Pricing Page for full details.

If your CPR certification online is not accepted, American Academy of CPR & First Aid, Inc. will issue a full refund within 30 days of purchase once proof of denial is received.

To request a refund, please email or mail the following details:

• Your full name
• Email address
• Mailing address
• Written proof of denial

If written proof is not available, include the rejecting institution’s contact name, supervisor, phone number, and email address.