- The Short Answer: What "Passing" Means for Heartsaver CPR AED
- The Two Assessments: Skills Test vs. Optional Written Exam
- Where the 84% Figure Comes From (and When It Applies)
- What the Skills Test Actually Measures
- Open-Resource Rules and What They Mean for Prep
- What AHA Does Not Publish
- Passing-Score Claims You Should Not Trust
- A Domain-by-Domain Plan Built Around the Score Rules
- Course Format, Cost Components and Getting the Right Card
- Frequently Asked Questions
- The American Heart Association requires at least 84% only when the optional Heartsaver CPR AED written exam is administered.
- Every learner must satisfactorily perform the Adult CPR and AED Skills Test; Child and Infant CPR Skills Tests apply when those optional parts are taught.
- The written exam is open-resource: the workbook or eBook, notes and guidelines are allowed, but discussing answers with others is prohibited.
- AHA publishes no exact question count, no mandated timer and no aggregate pass rate for this course.
The Short Answer: What "Passing" Means for Heartsaver CPR AED
If you searched for a single passing score for Heartsaver CPR AED, here is the honest answer: there are two different standards, and which one applies to you depends on your course and your employer. The American Heart Association (AHA) issues a course-completion card to people who finish the applicable curriculum and satisfactorily perform the required skills tests. A written exam is optional, and an 84% minimum applies only if that written exam is given.
That distinction matters because many prep sites describe Heartsaver as a universal timed written test with a fixed question count. AHA's published policy does not say that. This guide walks through exactly what the issuer's current materials support, what they leave unstated, and how to prepare for each pathway. For a broader orientation to the credential itself, see What Is Heartsaver CPR AED?
The Two Assessments: Skills Test vs. Optional Written Exam
Heartsaver CPR AED is built around performance. The card documents that you satisfactorily completed the course, and AHA explicitly distinguishes this from certifying someone as a CPR professional. Two assessment components exist.
| Component | Required? | What the standard looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Adult CPR and AED Skills Test | Yes, for every learner | Satisfactory performance of the required skills, judged by an instructor |
| Child CPR Skills Test | Only when the optional child component is taught | Satisfactory performance |
| Infant CPR Skills Test | Only when the optional infant component is taught | Satisfactory performance |
| Written exam | Optional; used for employer or regulatory needs | At least 84% if administered |
The practical takeaway: your "passing score" for the mandatory part is not a percentage at all. It is a pass/fail instructor judgment on demonstrated skills. The percentage only enters the picture when an employer, regulator or training center asks for the written exam on top of the course.
Where the 84% Figure Comes From (and When It Applies)
The 84% minimum appears in AHA's current assessment policy for the Heartsaver family of written exams, documented in the Heartsaver Instructor Essentials Faculty Guide (April 14, 2026), which explicitly includes the Heartsaver CPR AED exam form. The policy language is conditional: if the written exam is administered, the learner needs at least 84%.
That has several consequences for candidates:
- You may never see the exam. If neither your employer nor your regulator requires it, your Training Center may complete the course using skills testing alone.
- You may see it even in a blended course. The faculty guide describes classroom administration of the exam even for learners who did the online portion first.
- 84% is a threshold, not a conversion you can compute. Because AHA does not publish an exact question count for this course, you cannot reliably translate 84% into "miss no more than X questions." Be wary of anyone who does.
If you want a sense of how difficult the written component feels in practice, our companion piece How Hard Is the Heartsaver CPR AED Exam? covers the scenario-based style in more depth.
What the Skills Test Actually Measures
Because the Adult CPR and AED Skills Test is the one assessment everyone must complete, it deserves the most preparation attention. AHA does not publish a fixed duration for the skills test, and it is not scored as a percentage. Your instructor observes whether you can perform the required sequence correctly, using a manikin and a training AED.
The skills the test draws on come from the course's topic list. For the adult path, that means the adult CPR and AED material, with compressions, breaths and AED use. When the optional child and infant components are taught, matching skills tests are added.
Domain 2: Adult CPR AED: Compressions, Breaths, and AED
This is the core of the mandatory skills test. Practice the full sequence until it is automatic, because this is what the instructor evaluates.
- Recognizing the emergency and activating help
- Delivering high-quality chest compressions at the correct depth and rate
- Giving breaths with a barrier device or mask
- Turning on the AED, applying pads, following prompts and clearing the patient
- Resuming compressions promptly after a shock or "no shock advised" message
Domains 3 and 4: Child and Infant CPR AED
These are optional components. If your employer or program requires them, confirm before booking so the right skills tests are scheduled.
- Child and infant compression technique and depth differ from adult technique
- Infant compressions use a different hand position, and your instructor will demonstrate it
- The optional infant AED material is part of the current exact-course topic list
Domains 3, 4, 6 and 7 are the optional child and infant topics in this course path. The other listed topics are required. For the full topic-by-topic picture, see Heartsaver CPR AED Exam Domains: All 12 Content Areas.
Open-Resource Rules and What They Mean for Prep
One of the most commonly misreported details is whether Heartsaver exams are closed-book. According to AHA's current policy, the written exam permits reference materials: the student workbook or eBook, your own notes and the guidelines. What is prohibited is discussion with other students or with the instructor during the exam.
This changes how you should study. Memorizing every figure is less valuable than being able to navigate your own materials quickly and apply scenario logic. The exam uses scenarios, so success depends on recognizing what a situation calls for, not on reciting definitions.
- Tab or bookmark your eBook sections by topic before exam day, if your format allows it.
- Keep concise notes for compression and breath ratios by age group, since the age-specific differences are the most common scenario trap.
- Practice with the AED steps in sequence so you can match a scenario to the right action immediately.
Key Takeaway
Open-resource does not mean easy. Scenario questions reward understanding over lookup, so use your references to confirm details rather than to learn the material for the first time during the test.
What AHA Does Not Publish
A trustworthy passing-score guide has to be clear about what is unknown. For Heartsaver CPR AED, the current public materials do not disclose:
- The exact written-exam question count for this specific course
- A scored versus unscored question breakdown
- A complete question-format specification
- Percentage weights for any of the 12 topics, so no "largest domain" exists to prioritize on that basis
- An aggregate pass rate
- A fixed skills-test duration
The 12 topics are unweighted preparation-curriculum headings, including Introduction and Conclusion. They describe what the course teaches; they do not establish an official written-exam domain count or guarantee exhaustive assessment coverage. If you are curious why no pass rate is quoted here, read Heartsaver CPR AED Pass Rate: What the Data Shows.
Passing-Score Claims You Should Not Trust
Search results for this topic are cluttered with numbers that do not match the issuer's policy. Here is how to evaluate the most common claims.
| Claim you may see | What AHA's current policy supports |
|---|---|
| "The Heartsaver exam is always a 20-question test" | No exact CPR AED count is publicly verified; the 10-25 range covers five exam forms collectively |
| "You must pass a closed-book, proctored written exam" | The written exam is optional, and reference materials are allowed when it is given |
| "The passing score is 84%, period" | 84% applies only if the optional written exam is administered; skills testing is the universal requirement |
| "99% (or 100%) of students pass" | These are local provider marketing claims, not AHA pass-rate statistics |
| "You can get certified fully online" | Online study alone is insufficient; a hands-on skills test is required |
Provider guarantees, where offered, usually mean the provider will let you retest or retake the class. They are not evidence of an issuer-wide success rate. Likewise, reviews posted on a provider's page often cover BLS, ACLS or PALS and cannot be attributed to Heartsaver CPR AED specifically.
A Domain-by-Domain Plan Built Around the Score Rules
Because the skills test is mandatory and the written exam is conditional, a sensible plan front-loads hands-on skill. Here is a compact schedule that follows the course's own structure. It is a planning suggestion, not an AHA requirement. For more detail on content, our Heartsaver CPR AED Study Guide covers each area at length.
Introduction and Adult CPR AED
- Complete the course introduction and read the adult material in your eBook
- Rehearse the full adult sequence: compressions, breaths, AED pads and prompts
- Why first: this is the one skills test every learner must pass
Choking Relief and Optional Child/Infant Topics
- Review adult choking relief, then child and infant choking if your course includes them
- If the optional components apply, practice child and infant CPR AED technique and note the differences from adult technique
- Why second: age-specific differences are the easiest places to confuse answers in scenarios
Opioid, Water, Heart Attack and Stroke
- Study the opioid-associated emergency, water competency and drowning, heart attack and stroke topics
- Practice recognizing each emergency from a short scenario description
- Why last: these are recognition-and-response topics that suit scenario-style written questions
This sequence mirrors the current exact-course topic list, which includes opioid emergencies, drowning and water competency, heart attack, stroke and optional infant AED material, while excluding the separate First Aid curriculum.
Course Format, Cost Components and Getting the Right Card
Reaching the passing standard also depends on booking the correct pathway. Heartsaver CPR AED is available through classroom, blended and approved self-guided formats, and AHA's Heartsaver Virtual option permits instructor-observed hands-on completion using a training kit and feedback app. Whichever route you choose, confirm that the booked configuration issues the exact Heartsaver CPR AED card and not a First Aid CPR AED card.
A few more mechanics that affect "passing":
- Time. AHA's course FAQ estimates 1.5 hours of instructor-led instruction for the required topics, excluding optional topics and breaks. That is instructional time, not exam timing, and actual duration varies with configuration.
- Eligibility. The course is intended for people with little or no medical training. AHA specifies no prerequisite credential and no minimum learner age, though you must demonstrate the required skills. Details are in Heartsaver CPR AED Requirements.
- Card validity. The card is valid for two years through the end of the issue month. Renewal options and prices are arranged through your Training Center.
- Employer fit. Always verify that your employer or program accepts this card for your role. Heartsaver is aimed at lay responders and workplace requirements, and it is not a healthcare-provider credential like BLS. No verified credential-specific salary premium exists, which is why our ROI analysis focuses on workplace requirements and total cost.
To practice scenario-style questions before your session, you can use the Heartsaver CPR AED practice tests as a low-stakes way to rehearse recognition and response decisions.
Key Takeaway
Ask your Training Center two questions before class: "Will a written exam be administered for my course?" and "Which optional child or infant skills tests are included?" Those answers define exactly what you must pass.
Frequently Asked Questions
The mandatory standard is satisfactory performance on the Adult CPR and AED Skills Test, which is judged by an instructor and not scored as a percentage. If an optional written exam is administered, AHA's current policy requires at least 84%.
No. AHA treats the written exam as optional, typically for employer or regulatory needs. Confirm with your employer and Training Center whether one will be given in your class.
AHA has not publicly verified an exact question count for this course, and it sets no mandated completion time. A 10-25 question range appears in faculty guidance, but it describes five Heartsaver exam forms collectively and should not be read as the count for this exam.
Yes, if a written exam is given. The workbook or eBook, your notes and the guidelines are allowed. Discussing questions with other students or the instructor during the exam is prohibited.
Remediation is handled through your instructor and Training Center, so ask about their retest and extra-practice process before class. A provider's retake or pass guarantee is its own policy and not an AHA pass-rate statistic.