ACLS Certification 2026–2026 — Requirements, Cost, and Renewal
ACLS certification 2026–2026: AHA requirements, who needs it, how to get certified, cost, exam format, renewal schedule, and online vs in-person options.
Who Needs ACLS Certification?
ACLS certification is required or strongly recommended for healthcare providers who may be called upon to manage cardiac or respiratory emergencies in clinical settings. Requirements vary by workplace, state, and specialty board.
Typically required for:
- Emergency medicine physicians and residents
- Emergency nurses (ED RNs) and emergency nurse practitioners
- ICU and critical care nurses (adult and pediatric ICUs)
- Paramedics and advanced EMTs — many state EMS protocols require ACLS
- Anesthesiologists, CRNAs, and anesthesia assistants
- Respiratory therapists working in ICU or emergency settings
- Operating room nurses and surgical technicians
- Medical-surgical nurses in facilities with acute care patients
- Interventional cardiologists and cardiovascular nurses
Typically not required but common:
- Primary care physicians and outpatient clinic providers
- Dentists and oral surgeons (ACLS recommended in many oral surgery practices)
- Pharmacists working in hospital settings
Employer and state requirements: ACLS certification requirements are set by individual employers, healthcare systems, state boards of nursing, and specialty boards — not by a single federal standard. Always verify your specific workplace's ACLS requirements. Joint Commission-accredited hospitals frequently require nursing staff in certain units to maintain current ACLS certification as a condition of employment.
ACLS Certification 2026–2026 at a Glance
- BLS certification: Current AHA BLS Provider card required
- Who can take ACLS: Licensed healthcare providers (MD, NP, PA, RN, RRT, EMT-P)
- No ACLS without BLS: BLS must be current before ACLS enrollment
- Initial certification: 8–16 hours (blended learning or classroom)
- Renewal course: 4–8 hours (shorter — assumes prior training)
- Components: Precourse self-assessment, skills practice, megacode, written exam
- Written exam: 50 questions, must score 84% or higher to pass
- Skills station: Rhythm recognition and airway management stations
- Megacode: Team leader role managing simulated cardiac arrest scenario
- Issuing organization: American Heart Association (AHA)
- Validity: 2 years from completion date
- Cost: $150–$300 depending on provider and format
ACLS Certification Requirements 2026–2026
To enroll in an AHA ACLS Provider course, you must meet the following prerequisites and course requirements.
Prerequisite: Current AHA BLS Provider certification
The single most important prerequisite is holding a current American Heart Association BLS (Basic Life Support) Provider card. This is not optional — AHA ACLS courses assume knowledge of high-quality CPR, AED use, and team dynamics. Many training centers will not admit students without proof of current BLS certification. Obtain AHA BLS first if your card has expired or you do not yet have one. Note: ACLS from other providers requires the BLS from those providers to be current as well.
Recommended prior knowledge:
- Basic cardiac rhythm interpretation — ability to recognize normal sinus rhythm, ventricular fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia, asystole, and PEA (pulseless electrical activity)
- Basic pharmacology of ACLS medications (epinephrine, amiodarone, lidocaine, adenosine, atropine)
- Airway management fundamentals (bag-mask ventilation, supraglottic airways)
Completing the precourse self-assessment:
AHA-approved ACLS courses require a precourse self-assessment that tests your baseline knowledge in rhythm recognition and pharmacology. The self-assessment is typically completed online before the in-person or blended class date. You must score adequately to attend the skills day. Review our ACLS precourse self-assessment answers guide and practice the ACLS algorithms before completing the precourse work.
Skills stations during the course:
- Rhythm recognition station: Identify cardiac rhythms and select appropriate algorithm-directed interventions
- Airway management station: Demonstrate bag-mask ventilation and airway adjunct placement
- Megacode station: Lead a simulated cardiac arrest team through a case, demonstrating command of the ACLS algorithm, rhythm recognition, drug administration decisions, and team communication. This is the final practical evaluation.
Use our ACLS practice tests library and ACLS video questions and answers to build proficiency with rhythm recognition and algorithm decision-making before your certification course.
ACLS Certification Cost and Renewal Schedule
ACLS certification costs vary by training center and course format. Here is a breakdown of typical costs and the renewal schedule you need to plan for.
Initial ACLS certification cost:
- AHA Training Center (classroom-based): $150–$300 per person, including course materials. Hospital-based training centers sometimes offer subsidized or free courses for staff.
- Blended Learning (HeartCode ACLS): Online module (~$200–$250 for the digital component) plus in-person skills session (~$75–$150). Total: approximately $250–$400 depending on provider. HeartCode is AHA's official blended learning platform.
- Employer-paid: Many hospitals, health systems, and EMS agencies pay for ACLS certification as part of new employee onboarding or annual staff development — verify with your employer whether costs are reimbursed.
ACLS renewal cost:
- Renewal (recertification) courses are shorter (4–8 hours) and typically cost $100–$200. The renewal course covers updates to AHA guidelines (updated every 5 years) and requires passing the written exam and megacode again.
Renewal schedule (CRITICAL):
- ACLS certification is valid for exactly 2 years from your completion date
- AHA strongly recommends renewing before expiration — an expired ACLS card means you are no longer certified, and many employers require a current card at all times
- AHA allows renewal up to 3 months before expiration without losing time on your 2-year cycle
- If your ACLS has been expired for more than a few months, the training center may require you to take the full initial course rather than the shorter renewal course
ACLS Certification Preparation Checklist
Online vs In-Person ACLS Certification
AHA offers two main delivery formats for ACLS certification: traditional classroom and blended learning (HeartCode). Both result in an identical AHA ACLS Provider card.
Traditional Classroom ACLS: Complete the entire course — lecture, case discussions, and skills stations — in one day at an AHA-authorized training center. Duration: approximately 8–16 hours (some courses spread over 2 days). Best for: providers who prefer structured in-person learning and immediate instructor feedback. Many hospital-based training programs use this format.
Blended Learning (HeartCode ACLS): Complete the knowledge portion online at your own pace (2–4 hours) through AHA's HeartCode platform, then attend a shorter in-person skills session (3–5 hours) at an AHA-authorized training center to complete skills stations and megacode. This is now the most common format. You receive the same AHA ACLS card. The digital portion is purchased directly from AHA's HeartCode platform; the skills session is arranged with a local AHA training center.
Fully online ACLS certification (non-AHA providers): Many third-party organizations offer fully online ACLS certification with no in-person skills component. These may be less expensive, but they are not issued by the American Heart Association and are not accepted by most hospitals and health systems that require AHA-issued credentials. Before enrolling in any ACLS course, confirm with your employer which providers and card types they accept.
Skills-only ACLS renewal (for experienced providers): Some AHA-authorized centers offer a skills-only renewal option for providers who have self-studied and want to demonstrate skills competency without attending a full course. Availability varies by training center.