My CPR Certificate Has Expired – Here’s Exactly What to Do

Key Takeaways

Has your CPR certificate expired or your CPR expiry is looming? Don’t hestitate – book a HLTAID009 refresher now! The rules set no recognised grace period, so a lapsed certificate won’t count where your employer or sector needs current CPR. Our Express course (online theory plus a 1-hour assessment) can have you re-certified the same day* (T&Cs apply).

• Technically, there is no national expiry law for CPR. The Australian Resuscitation Council, ANZCOR & SafeWork Australia’s guidance, recommends a CPR refresher every 12 months.
• The Code is recommended guidance that carries legal weight, and in NSW it must now be complied with or bettered.
• Childcare services (Regulation 136) and AUSactive fitness registration both set a hard 12-month rule.
• Our Express CPR course pairs online theory with a 1-hour assessment and issues a full HLTAID009 Statement of Attainment.
• You can still perform CPR in an emergency, whatever the date on your certificate says.
• The Australian Resuscitation Council’s ANZCOR Guideline 10.1 goes further: it notes CPR skills decay well before 12–24 month retraining cycles and suggests more frequent refresher practice, so treat your annual renewal as the floor, not the ceiling.
• For validity rules in depth, read how long CPR certificates last and how often to renew CPR.

Your CPR Certificate Has Lapsed: Start Here

You can fix an expired CPR certificate quickly by completing HLTAID009 again. This guide is for you if your employer, childcare centre or registration body has flagged your CPR as out of date.

You’re probably asking two questions. Am I in trouble, and how fast can I fix it? The short answers: you need to act now, and one short course resolves it.

In this guide we cover:

• the rule that decides whether your CPR certificate is current
• whether any grace period applies
• five steps to get re-certified
• which HLTAID009 format suits a renewal
• how to stop your CPR lapsing again

What Happens When Your CPR Certificate Expires?

Nothing happens automatically at a national level. Whether your CPR still counts depends on your employer, your sector or your regulator.

Start with the course itself. The HLTAID009 unit on training.gov.au sets no refresher period. It states that refresher requirements “should be obtained from the relevant national/state/territory Work Health and Safety Regulatory Authorities.”

Those regulators point to the model Code of Practice for first aid. SafeWork NSW’s first aid guidance reproduces its wording: CPR refresher training “should be carried out annually”. First aid qualifications “should be renewed every three years.”

What “Should” Means in the Code

“Should” means recommended. The Safe Work Australia model Code defines it as “a recommended course of action”. Safe Work Australia also tells you to check with your local regulator whether the Code has legal effect where you work. A CPR certificate does not necessarily expire, but refresher training is recommended to keep your skills and knowledge current, with CPR refresher training recommended every 12 months.

A Code still carries weight. SafeWork NSW’s codes of practice guidance states codes “are admissible in court proceedings”, and following an approved code would, in most cases, achieve compliance. In NSW, since 1 July 2026, WHS Act section 26A requires businesses to comply with approved codes or meet an equivalent or higher standard.

Who Decides If Your CPR Is Current

No single national body owns CPR expiry. Your employer, industry body or regulator decides what “current” means for your role.

So how long does CPR last? On paper, it depends on who’s asking. If your workplace follows the Code, a CPR refresher older than 12 months sits outside the recommended cycle.

What It Means at Work

If your employer relies on you as a designated first aider, they may roster you off that role until you renew. Expect the conversation, and have a booking date ready when it happens.

To check whether your CPR has expired, compare the completion date on your Statement of Attainment with the rule for your job.

Is There a Grace Period for an Expired CPR Certificate?

There’s no grace period written into the sector rules we checked (ACECQA, AUSactive). Where a 12-month rule applies, CPR completed more than 12 months ago is not current, so a lapsed certificate won’t count.

Education and care services follow the strictest written rule. Under Regulation 136, ACECQA’s first aid requirements count approved first aid qualifications as current for three years. CPR training, however, “must be completed within the previous year to be taken as current.”

ACECQA also notes that “currency periods apply to each individual unit of competency.” Your CPR unit runs on its own clock, even when your first aid certificate is still current.

Fitness is just as firm. AUSactive’s registration FAQ states that First Aid and CPR certificates “must be current at all times” for Professional Registration to remain valid. AUSactive currently recognises HLTAID009 as valid for one year from completion.

Outside those sectors, read your employer’s written policy. If a manager offers informal leeway, get it in writing and book your refresher anyway. Hoping for a CPR grace period leaves you exposed; booking a course closes the gap.

Have An Expired CPR Certificate? Explore 5 Steps To Get Re-Certified

Follow these five steps in order. Most take minutes, and the course itself can be done in a day.

Step 1: Check Your Certificate Date and Your Requirement

Find the completion date on your HLTAID009 Statement of Attainment. Then check your employer’s policy or industry rule for the currency period that applies to you.

Not sure what each field on your certificate means? Our CPR Statement of Attainment explained guide walks through it.

Step 2: Tell Your Employer or WHS Manager

Tell your manager before they find out at an audit or roster check. Give them your booking date so they can arrange first aid cover in the meantime.

A quick, honest message helps. Your employer can only plan around a gap they know about.

Step 3: Find Your USI

Find your 10-digit Unique Student Identifier (USI) before you book. Under the Student Identifiers Act obligations, an RTO “must not issue” a statement of attainment without a verifiable USI or an exemption.

Don’t look for it on your old certificate. ASQA’s statement of attainment rules state RTOs must not enter a USI on these documents, so you will need to retrieve yours from your USI account.

Step 4: Book HLTAID009 Again

CPR renewal in Australia means completing HLTAID009 again. Pick the format that suits you. For an HLTAID009 renewal, our Express CPR Course is our ideal refresher option. You complete the theory online, then attend a shorter in-person 1-hour assessment-only session. It issues a full HLTAID009 Statement of Attainment.

Step 5: Upload Your New Certificate and Set a Reminder

Send your CPR certificate to your employer or registration body as soon as it arrives. Then set a calendar reminder for your upcoming CPR expiry 11 months from your course date. That gives you a month to book before your next renewal falls due. First Aid Pro offers same day* certificates depending what time you complete your course.

Do You Need to Redo the Full HLTAID009 Course?

You will need to complete the HLTAID009 Provide CPR course again, but you can choose a shorter format, either in-person or online. A CPR refresher means being assessed again against the HLTAID009 unit.

The assessment standard is the same in every format. The HLTAID009 unit on training.gov.au requires at least 2 minutes of uninterrupted single-rescuer CPR on an adult manikin placed on the floor. This mirrors the ARC’s ANZCOR Guideline 8, which recommends a 30:2 compression-to-ventilation ratio for all ages and chest compressions at approximately 100–120 per minute. You’ll also show safe AED use, including delivering a shock.

Compare HLTAID009 Delivery Formats

Every format leads to a nationally recognised HLTAID009 Statement of Attainment. Certificates are issued same day* (T&Cs apply).

When to Book First Aid Instead

Check your first aid certificate date too. ARC & SafeWork NSW’s guidance recommends renewing first aid qualifications every 3 years. If your first aid certificate is also more than 3 years old, book the HLTAID011 Provide First Aid course. It includes CPR, so one course renews both.

Still weighing up a CPR refresher against a longer course? Compare a CPR refresher versus full course before you book.

Which Industries Check CPR Currency Most Strictly?

Childcare and fitness check most strictly, because both set a written 12-month rule. Other workplaces rely on the Code or on employer policy.

If you work in a childcare centre, expect your service to ask for a CPR certificate dated within the past year. Fitness professionals should renew before 12 months to keep AUSactive registration valid.

Workplace first aiders follow the model Code guidance. In healthcare, aged care and security, ask your manager for the written policy rather than assuming another sector’s rule applies.

Wherever you work, from Sydney and Melbourne to Brisbane, Adelaide or Perth, or anywhere in between, check your state or territory WHS regulator. Rules and their legal effect can differ between jurisdictions.

Can You Still Perform CPR With an Expired Certificate?

Yes. ANZCOR Guideline 10.1, the joint guidelines of the Australian Resuscitation Council (ARC) and New Zealand Resuscitation Council, states: “Regardless of the recency of CPR training or re-training, attempting resuscitation should be encouraged”. Good Samaritan laws protect individuals who provide reasonable, good-faith assistance to save a life, regardless of their current certification status.

If someone collapses, call Triple Zero (000), start compressions and send someone for an AED. Your certificate date matters for compliance at work, while your actions matter to the person on the floor.

That’s also why refreshing matters. ANZCOR notes CPR skills “deteriorate within weeks to months” after a traditional single course. It adds that retraining cycles of 12 to 24 months are “likely insufficient” to maintain high-quality performance.

ANZCOR suggests more frequent manikin-based refresher training may help. That is a weak recommendation based on very-low-certainty evidence, and ANZCOR has not set an optimal interval. Annual renewal meets common workplace guidance, so treat it as your minimum.

How To Stop Your CPR Certificate Expiring Again

Set a reminder at 11 months and renew before your date falls due.

• Add a calendar reminder for 11 months after every course date.
• Renew early, because an early renewal resets your 12-month date.
• Save a digital copy of each Statement of Attainment where you can find it.
• Tell your employer your next renewal date so they can plan around it.

Your new date runs from the day you complete the CPR course, so there’s no reason to wait. Treat the renewal date as a deadline, and book a refresher sooner if your confidence slips.

Get Re-Certified Today

Book your HLTAID009 CPR refresher course now and send your employer a new certificate fast. FirstAidPro (RTO: 31124) delivers nationally recognised CPR training across Australia.

• Express: online theory plus a 1-hour assessment-only refresher
• 170+ locations nationwide
• Courses available 7 days
• CPR courses from $45 & exclusive daily deals available
• Certificates Issued Same Day* (T&Cs Apply)

Book your Express CPR course today, learn more about our HLTAID009 CPR training, or use our calendar to book a session.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I do if my CPR certificate has expired?

Book an HLTAID009 refresher as soon as possible and give your employer the date. Have your USI ready, because the Student Identifiers Act stops an RTO issuing your certificate without one. FirstAidPro’s Express course pairs online theory with a 1-hour assessment.

Is there a grace period for an expired CPR certificate in Australia?

The rules set no recognised grace period. ACECQA treats CPR as current only if completed within the previous year for education and care services. AUSactive requires CPR to stay current at all times for registration. Other employers set their own policy, so ask for it in writing.

Do I have to redo the whole CPR course if my certificate expired?

You complete HLTAID009 again, though you can choose a shorter format. Every format assesses you against the same national unit listed on training.gov.au, including at least 2 minutes of CPR on a floor manikin. Our Express refresher combines online theory with a 1-hour assessment.

Can I still perform CPR if my certificate has expired?

Yes. ANZCOR Guideline 10.1 encourages anyone to attempt resuscitation, however long ago they trained. Call Triple Zero (000), start compressions and use an AED if one is nearby.

How long is a CPR certificate valid in Australia?

The HLTAID009 unit sets no expiry, so validity depends on who needs your certificate. SafeWork NSW’s first aid guidance, reproducing the model Code, recommends a CPR refresher every 12 months for workplace first aiders. In NSW, approved codes must now be complied with or bettered. ACECQA and AUSactive both treat CPR older than one year as not current.

Can I get a new CPR certificate the same day?

Yes. FirstAidPro issues HLTAID009 certificates on the same day* you’re assessed as competent (T&Cs Apply). ASQA rules require your RTO to verify your USI first, so have it ready when you book.