Price and class details checked October 19, 2026.

Which CPR class do I need?

The class depends on your job. Healthcare staff usually need a BLS class with a hands-on skills check, and students should ask their program. Teachers, child care staff and fitness trainers each follow their own CPR rule, and child care adds first aid. Most employers and licensing boards want hands-on practice, and they make the final call, so ask yours before you book.

Written by Justin Alcalde, AHA and American Red Cross instructor, CPR West Covina

Pick your situation

Nurse, hospital or clinic staff, EMT, healthcare student

Ask about: BLS Provider

The American Heart Association designs BLS for healthcare professionals. Your employer or program sets the rule, so confirm it. The AHA issues a BLS card only after a hands-on skills session, so online-only is not enough.

Our classAHA BLS Provider, $89, under 2 hours, same-day eCard. Prefer to learn online first? HeartCode BLS is $79 for the in-person skills session, after you finish the AHA online lesson.

See the BLS class →

All the jobs at a glance

Your situation	Class to ask about	Why
Nurse, hospital or clinic staff, EMT, healthcare student	BLS Provider	The American Heart Association designs BLS for healthcare professionals. Your employer or program sets the rule, so confirm it. The AHA issues a BLS card only after a hands-on skills session, so online-only is not enough.
Dentist, hygienist or dental assistant in California	BLS, with hands-on practice	The Dental Board of California accepts a Basic Life Support course from the American Heart Association, the American Red Cross, ASHI, or a CERP or PACE approved provider. Online-only BLS is not accepted for dentists or hygienists. Dental assistants should check the Board's page for their license type.
Teacher or credential candidate in California	Infant, child and adult CPR	For the preliminary credential, the Commission on Teacher Credentialing asks for CPR training that covers infant, child and adult CPR and meets American Heart Association or Red Cross standards. The clear credential asks for the same infant, child and adult coverage. Confirm the details with your credential office.
Child care center or family child care in California	Pediatric first aid and pediatric CPR	California child care rules call for pediatric first aid and pediatric CPR training, renewed every 2 years, from the American Red Cross, the American Heart Association or an EMS Authority approved program. Who must hold it depends on your role and license type, so ask your licensing office which providers they accept.
Babysitter or nanny	No state requirement found	California's in-home care guidance says there are no licensing standards that nanny and au pair candidates must meet, and we found no state rule that requires CPR. Many families still ask for it, so a class makes you easier to hire.
Personal trainer or fitness coach	Adult CPR and AED with hands-on practice	ACE and the NSCA ask for current CPR and AED certification that includes a hands-on skills check. NASM asks for a certificate from an approved provider.
Employer or workplace safety lead	First aid training, with CPR recommended	Federal OSHA asks for a trained first aid person where no clinic is near, and California asks for that training to be equal to the American Red Cross or the Mine Safety and Health Administration. OSHA recommends adding CPR to a first aid program but does not require it at every workplace.
Parent, coach or volunteer	A CPR and AED class that fits who you look after	We found no state rule for parents or general volunteers, so choose the class that covers the people you look after: adults, children, infants, and first aid if you want it. School coaches may have their own CPR requirement, so ask your school or league.
ER, ICU, pediatrics or NICU provider	ACLS or PALS, on top of BLS	The American Heart Association describes ACLS for healthcare professionals managing cardiac arrest, stroke and similar emergencies, and PALS for infant and child emergencies. Both build on BLS skills.

Cards from the AHA and the Red Cross are both valid for 2 years. Ask your employer which one they accept.

Online or in person?

A BLS card from the American Heart Association needs a hands-on skills session. Online-only BLS does not earn one. The blended route is HeartCode BLS: an online lesson, then a skills session with an AHA Training Center like ours.
The Dental Board of California says online courses will not be accepted for the dentist BLS requirement, and the Dental Hygiene Board says BLS courses that are 100% online only will not be accepted.
The American Red Cross says an online-only class may not meet workplace rules. Ask your employer before you buy one.
Our human CPR classes are taught in person, with hands-on practice on mannequins. HeartCode BLS lets you do the lesson online first, then finish with us for $79.

AHA or Red Cross?

Most California rules we read accept either one. The Dental Board names the AHA, the Red Cross and a few other approved providers. The Commission on Teacher Credentialing asks for AHA or Red Cross standards for the preliminary credential. Child care law names the Red Cross, the AHA or an EMS Authority approved program. If your employer or school names one, take that one. If nobody does, ask before you book, because a card they reject costs you the class fee twice.

How the classes differ

Class	Who it is for	Price in West Covina	Details
AHA BLS Provider	Healthcare professionals and students: CPR for adults, children and infants, AED use and team rescue.	$89	View class
AHA HeartCode BLS	Healthcare professionals who want the lesson online first. You finish with a hands-on skills session.	$79	View class
AHA Heartsaver First Aid CPR AED	People with little or no medical training who need a course completion card: trainers, coaches, workplaces and parents.	$98	View class
Red Cross Adult and Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED	Teachers, child care staff, babysitters and workplaces. Covers adults, children and infants.	$79.99	View class
AHA ACLS	Healthcare professionals managing cardiac arrest, stroke and similar emergencies. Builds on BLS skills.	See class page	View class
AHA PALS	Healthcare professionals responding to infant and child emergencies. Builds on BLS skills.	See class page	View class

How long a card lasts

BLS Provider, Heartsaver and Pediatric cards from the American Heart Association are valid for 2 years. The American Red Cross also certifies CPR, BLS and Adult and Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED for 2 years. Renew before the card runs out, and book the BLS Renewal class if you already hold a current BLS card.

Questions people ask

Which CPR class do I need for a nursing job or nursing school?

BLS Provider is the class the American Heart Association designs for healthcare professionals, so ask your program or employer about it first. They set the exact rule, including whether they want the AHA specifically. We teach AHA BLS Provider in West Covina, under 2 hours with a same-day eCard. To study before class, our SOS First Aid app is a study guide for AHA BLS, ACLS and PALS with practice exams.

My employer says I need a CPR certification. Which one?

Ask four things: do they name the AHA or the Red Cross, does it need to cover children and infants, is first aid included, and must it have a hands-on skills check. Their answers point to one class on this page. If nobody can tell you, call us at (626) 605-2067 with your job and employer and we will help you choose.

Is an online-only CPR class accepted?

Usually not for work. The AHA issues a BLS card only after a hands-on skills session, the Dental Board of California does not accept online courses for the dentist BLS requirement, and the Red Cross says online-only classes may not meet workplace rules. A blended class, an online lesson plus an in-person skills check, is the safer route.

Do I need first aid along with CPR?

It depends on the job. Healthcare BLS covers CPR, not first aid. Child care rules and workplace first aid rules involve first aid, so child care staff and workplace safety leads usually want a class that includes it, such as Heartsaver First Aid CPR AED or the Red Cross class.

What CPR class do California teachers need?

For the preliminary credential, the Commission on Teacher Credentialing asks for CPR training that covers infant, child and adult CPR and meets American Heart Association or Red Cross standards. The clear credential asks for the same infant, child and adult coverage. It does not say BLS. Confirm the details with your credential office or school district.

Does a nanny or babysitter need CPR certification?

California's in-home care guidance says there are no licensing standards that nanny and au pair candidates must meet, and we found no state rule that requires CPR. Families often ask for it anyway, and an infant and child CPR card makes you easier to hire.

Do I need CPR to work in a dental office?

California dental rules include a Basic Life Support requirement for dentists, for registered dental assistant applicants and, within a year of hire, for unlicensed assistants. The Board accepts BLS from the AHA, the Red Cross, ASHI or a CERP or PACE approved provider, and dentists and hygienists cannot use online-only courses. Check your own license type with the Board.

Does OSHA require CPR training?

Not at every workplace. Federal OSHA requires a person trained in first aid where there is no clinic or hospital in near proximity, and California requires that training to equal the American Red Cross or Mine Safety and Health Administration standard. OSHA recommends CPR as part of a first aid program, and some specific standards do require it.

How long is a CPR card valid, and how do I renew?

Two years for the AHA and the Red Cross. Book a BLS Renewal class before your card runs out if you hold a current BLS card. To find the exact last day on your card, enter its issue date on when does my CPR card expire.

Is pet CPR the same as human CPR?

No. A human CPR class does not cover dogs and cats, and the Red Cross Cat and Dog First Aid online course is a pet-only course, not a human CPR class. See our pet first aid guides if you want the pet version.

Still not sure which class you need?

Tell us your job and your employer or school and we will help you choose before you book.

Call (626) 605-2067 See all AHA classes

Sources

This page is general guidance, not legal advice. Rules change and every employer, school and licensing board decides what it accepts, so confirm with them before you book.