How Often Should CPR Training Be Renewed?

Two clocks run on every CPR certification. The official one: most certification cards are issued with an expiration date — commonly around two years, though you should always confirm the date printed on your own card and what your employer or program requires.

The honest one: hands-on skills fade well before cards expire. Compression depth, AED pacing, the sequence under stress — these are physical skills, and physical skills rust. That's not a criticism of anyone; it's the reason refreshers exist.

What sensible teams actually do

• Track card dates in one place — not in each employee's memory
• Renew as a group so the whole team stays on one cycle
• Add a short hands-on refresher between renewals for high-readiness roles — coaches, security, safety teams
• Fold new hires into the cycle at orientation instead of ad hoc

The failure mode to avoid

The scramble: an audit, a client requirement, or an incident reveals half the team lapsed months ago, and now everyone needs training yesterday. It's entirely preventable with a calendar and a training partner who reminds you.