Yes — you can still take the online ACLS recertification course even if your ACLS certification expiration date has passed. Many healthcare professionals and medical providers face this situation due to busy schedules or shifting clinical roles.
If your ACLS certification lapse is recent, you can complete the recertification class online to renew your credentials. The AMRI recertification process covers the same material and life-saving techniques taught in the initial ACLS certification course, with updated ACLS guidelines and the latest research on cardiovascular emergencies.
This ensures you remain compliant with employer requirements and stay confident managing life-threatening cardiac events in hospital or pre-hospital settings.
If your ACLS certification has been expired for more than one renewal cycle, AMRI recommends completing the initial ACLS certification course instead of the shorter renewal track.
That’s because the ACLS guidelines are regularly updated to reflect current evidence-based practices in advanced cardiac care, team dynamics, and post-cardiac arrest management. A full initial certification helps you rebuild a solid foundation and ensures your course materials and skills reflect accurate information used in today’s medical institutions.
This path is ideal for busy professionals returning to active practice or those whose certification lapse exceeds two years. It also satisfies most employers’ expectations for full retraining when significant time has passed since your initial certification course.
There is no official grace period once your ACLS certification expires. Most medical institutions require current ACLS certification to maintain clinical privileges and remain compliant with hospital policy. If your card has expired, you may not meet employer requirements for providing advanced cardiovascular life support until you complete your recertification training.
To avoid any certification lapse, it’s best to begin the recertification process early — ideally within six months before your expiration date. AMRI makes this easy with a self-paced online course designed for busy healthcare professionals who prefer flexibility without sacrificing quality.
The AMRI online ACLS recertification course allows you to renew your credentials anytime, anywhere. It’s a convenient alternative to in-person classes, with flexible scheduling and comprehensive support for healthcare providers in critical care, emergency medicine, and other clinical fields.
Here’s how the process works:
Enroll in the online ACLS recertification course through AMRI’s secure site.
Review the updated study materials — including practice tests, case studies, and the most recent ACLS guidelines.
Complete the exam online at your own pace. Free unlimited retakes help ensure successful completion.
Receive your provider card instantly after passing the exam.
Every AMRI online course is nationally accredited, trusted by medical professionals since 1983, and built to help you stay compliant with employer and hospital standards.
If you also need to renew your Basic Life Support (BLS) credentials, AMRI offers BLS recertification alongside ACLS as part of a bundled package. This allows healthcare providers to review life-saving techniques, maintain current certification, and meet employer requirements in one streamlined experience.
More answers to your questions are available in the FAQ section.
One of my colleagues expressed the belief that ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation should be treated the same way. This does not square with my knowledge of electrophysiology and pharmacology. Please comment. We wholeheartedly agree with your approach of beginning with basic cardiac electrophysiology; electrical therapy and pharmacology.
Your authority to practice is based on your state’s EMS laws. Most EMS systems (local, state or regional) issue system-wide standard operating procedures (SOP’s). These function in many ways like a prospective prescription from the system medical authority authorizing treatment(s) based on defined circumstances. ACLS algorithms were developed as educational tools, not prospective standing orders. They are not a prescription. Thus, it is essential that you practice according to the guidelines established by your medical authority. If you have questions regarding your system’s standing medical orders (SMO’s), a fact-finding meeting with your medical authority (e.g. your Project Medical Director) may be useful for EMS leadership and field personnel.
My clinic administrator stated that if we are ACLS certified, and simply provide care exactly as listed in the ACLS algorithms, we will be protected from medical malpractice suits. Is this correct? The Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) program is a training program. The “algorithms” were developed to assist users in remembering a large body of information. Simply being able to regurgitate dozens of clinical interventions does not assure proper care. Proper treatment of critically ill patients requires an understanding of anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, pharmacology, therapeutics, etc. Blindly following a list rather than developing a treatment plan based on the patient’s condition might result in suboptimal care. Furthermore, medical science is dynamic. Practitioners have a duty to stay reasonably informed about current literature and changes in professional practice. While ACLS training may provide the tools needed to support good practice, no plastic card provides protection from tort litigation based on improper care.
