- AHA
- BLS Instructor
AHA BLS Instructor Course in San Francisco
To become an AHA BLS Instructor, you hold a current AHA BLS Provider card, find an AHA Training Center that agrees to accept you, complete BLS Instructor Essentials (an online portion, then a hands-on session with Training Faculty and an exam), and are monitored teaching within 6 months. Your Training Center then issues your Instructor eCard. Send us an inquiry from San Francisco or the Bay Area and we reply with the options we can offer.
What you teach
What an AHA BLS Instructor teaches
Scope
BLS Instructors can teach BLS and every course in the Heartsaver portfolio, including Heartsaver First Aid, Heartsaver First Aid CPR AED and Heartsaver Pediatric First Aid CPR AED.
Before you start
Prerequisites
- Be at least 18 years old
- Hold a current AHA BLS course completion card and be proficient in BLS skills
- Be aligned with an AHA Training Center that has agreed to accept you once Instructor Essentials and monitoring are complete
- Complete an Instructor Candidate Application
- Finish the online portion of BLS Instructor Essentials and bring its course completion certificate
Format
How the instructor course works
Online portion
The online part of BLS Instructor Essentials, finished before the hands-on session.
Hands-on session
Taught by AHA Training Faculty: AHA resources, how to run and test a BLS course, and your Training Center's own policies.
Exam
A minimum score of 84% is part of completing the course.
Monitored teaching
Be monitored teaching within 6 months after the hands-on session. The Training Center Coordinator can ask for more monitoring if needed.
Step by step
Steps to become an AHA BLS Instructor
Hold a current BLS card
You need a current AHA BLS Provider card. A Heartsaver card is not needed.
Find a Training Center
Ask an AHA Training Center whether it is accepting new instructor candidates. It guides the paperwork.
Instructor Essentials
Complete the online portion, then the hands-on session and the exam.
Monitored teaching
Teach your first course while you are monitored, within 6 months.
Instructor eCard and alignment
Your Training Center issues your Instructor eCard. You then align with it in Atlas, the AHA instructor system.
FAQ
AHA BLS Instructor course: common questions
What do I need before the AHA BLS Instructor course?
You must be at least 18, hold a current AHA BLS course completion card and be proficient in BLS skills, be aligned with an AHA Training Center that agrees to accept you, complete an Instructor Candidate Application, and finish the online portion of BLS Instructor Essentials.
Source: American Heart Association, BLS Instructor Essentials Faculty Guide (2026)
Do I have to align with an AHA Training Center?
Yes. Before the hands-on session you need a Training Center that has agreed to accept you as an instructor once you finish Instructor Essentials and monitoring. After your Instructor eCard is issued, you align with that Training Center in Atlas.
Source: American Heart Association, How to Become an AHA Instructor
What is monitoring?
After Instructor Essentials, you are monitored teaching your first course within 6 months of the hands-on session. Training Center Coordinators can require more monitoring if needed.
Source: American Heart Association, BLS Instructor Essentials Faculty Guide (2026)
Can a BLS Instructor teach Heartsaver?
Yes. The AHA says BLS Instructors are authorized to teach all Heartsaver-level courses, including Heartsaver First Aid, Heartsaver First Aid CPR AED and Heartsaver Pediatric First Aid CPR AED. You need the instructor manual for each course you teach.
Source: American Heart Association, FAQs about AHA Training (Instructor Courses)
Who issues and renews my instructor card?
The Training Center you have primary alignment with keeps your records, handles course monitoring, and issues and renews your instructor card.
Source: American Heart Association, BLS Instructor Essentials Faculty Guide (2026)
How do I ask about the course in San Francisco?
Send the inquiry form on this page with your preferred timing. We reply by email or text with the options we can offer.