How to Become a Certified CPR Instructor in Colorado

Becoming an AHA-certified CPR instructor is a structured process that takes most people 2 to 4 months from start to finish. It requires an existing provider-level certification, relevant professional experience, completion of online and in-person training courses, and alignment with an authorized training center.

If you have a passion for teaching life-saving skills and want to make a tangible impact in your community, here is the complete pathway.

Ready to start? Learn about our instructor training program.

Prerequisites Before You Begin

Current AHA Provider Certification: You must hold a current provider-level certification in the discipline you want to teach. For BLS instructor candidates, this means a current BLS Provider card. For Heartsaver, you need at minimum a current Heartsaver certification (though BLS is preferred).

Healthcare or Emergency Experience (for BLS Instructors): The AHA requires a 2-year medical background for BLS instructor candidates. This includes experience as a nurse, paramedic, EMT, physician, respiratory therapist, or similar clinical role. This requirement does not apply to Heartsaver instructor candidates.

Professional Maturity: While not a formal requirement, successful instructors need the ability to present material clearly, manage a classroom, provide constructive feedback, and maintain a professional learning environment.

Step 1: Complete the AHA Instructor Essentials Course

The Instructor Essentials course is an online, self-paced course available through AHA's learning management system. It covers AHA instructor policies, teaching methodologies, course administration, and quality assurance expectations. The course costs approximately $38.

This is the cognitive foundation for your instructor role. Complete it before attending your in-person instructor training.

Step 2: Attend Instructor Training at a Training Center

The BLS Instructor Course (or Heartsaver Instructor Course) is conducted in person at an authorized training center. At CPR-Professionals, the instructor training cost is $300. This does not include the Instructor Essentials course or the instructor manual, which are purchased separately.

During the instructor course, you will practice teaching techniques, learn how to evaluate student performance, understand the administrative requirements for running AHA courses, and demonstrate your own skills to instructor-level standards. The instructor exam requires a 92% passing score.

Step 3: Complete Monitored Teaching

After passing the instructor course, you must co-teach at least one class within 90 days under the supervision of an experienced instructor. This monitored teaching session verifies that you can apply what you learned in a real classroom setting.

Your supervising instructor provides feedback and, once satisfied with your performance, confirms your readiness to teach independently.

Step 4: Align with a Training Center

AHA instructors cannot issue certification cards independently. You must be affiliated with an AHA Authorized Training Center to teach courses and issue eCards. The training center provides administrative support, quality assurance, and access to AHA course materials.

CPR-Professionals supports new instructors through this alignment process and provides ongoing mentorship as you build your teaching experience.

Understand the full cost breakdown of becoming an instructor.

Step 5: Maintain Your Instructor Certification

To stay certified, you must teach or assist in a minimum of 4 classes every 2 years. You must also maintain your provider-level certification and complete any required instructor updates when new AHA guidelines are released (as happened with the 2025 guidelines transition).

If you let your instructor certification lapse, you will need to repeat the instructor training process.

Timeline and Total Investment

Is It Worth It?

CPR instructors fill a critical community need. Every person you train is a potential life-saver. Beyond the community impact, instructor certification can supplement your income (instructors are compensated for classes taught), enhance your professional resume, and provide teaching experience that transfers to other educational roles.

Explore the career and community benefits of instructor certification.

Start Your Instructor Journey - Contact CPR-Professionals Today