How Long Does a First Aid Certificate Last in Australia?

Here's the part that surprises people: a nationally recognised first aid certificate never technically expires. Your statement of attainment is a permanent record that you completed the training. What expires is its currency — whether employers, regulators and industry bodies still accept it as proof you can respond today.

The accepted renewal periods

First Aid (HLTAID011) — renew every 3 years. This is the standard set by Safe Work Australia's First Aid in the Workplace Code of Practice and followed by virtually every Australian employer.
CPR (HLTAID009) — refresh every 12 months. CPR is a physical skill that decays fast; the Australian Resuscitation Council recommends annual practice, and most workplaces and regulators treat it as mandatory.
Childcare First Aid (HLTAID012) — renew every 3 years, with the CPR component refreshed annually. Education and care regulators check both dates at assessment and rating visits.

Why CPR is yearly when the certificate lasts three

Research consistently shows CPR skills fade within 6–12 months without practice — compression depth gets shallower, the rhythm drifts, hesitation creeps in. A 90-minute annual refresher keeps the muscle memory honest. That's why the two dates are different, and why an employer can reasonably ask for a CPR certificate that's less than a year old even though your first aid certificate has two years left.

What happens if it lapses?

There's no penalty and no obligation to re-sit anything special — you simply book the same course again. There's no "bridging" or catch-up module; the renewal course is identical to the original and costs the same. But if first aid duties are part of your job (designated first aid officer, educator, personal trainer, pool lifeguard), an out-of-date certificate can mean you're not compliant to work until it's renewed — so it pays to book before the anniversary, not after.

How to check your dates

Your certificate shows the issue date; add 12 months for CPR or 3 years for first aid. If you've lost the paperwork, your training provider can reissue it — and if you trained with us, one phone call to 1300 628 299 sorts it out.

Renewing on the Central Coast

All three courses run regularly at our Erina venue: CPR $45, First Aid $95, Childcare First Aid $115 — each with a short online component and the certificate issued the same day as your practical session.