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Lifeguard Recertification vs. Original Certification
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Ready to renew? See dates and prices for upcoming lifeguard recertification classes.
The practical question behind lifeguard recertification vs original certification is what you save and what you do not. The answer: you save time and money, you do not save the assessment.
How does lifeguard recertification compare with original certification?
Length. The original course is 27.5 hours of combined online and in-person work. The refresher is considerably shorter because it removes the teaching phase.
Cost. The original is $195. Recertification is priced below it.
Prerequisite screen. Identical. Both require a 300 yard continuous swim, a two minute leg-only tread, and a 10 pound brick retrieval from 7 to 10 feet. This is the part candidates assume renewal waives, and it does not.
Skills assessment. Identical standard. Rescues, extrication, spinal management and CPR/AED are assessed to the same criteria.
Written exam. Same threshold.
The certification produced. Identical. A renewed certification is valid for the same two years and carries the same weight with employers. There is no lesser tier.
What recertification actually removes
Instruction. The original course teaches a rescue sequence to someone who has never performed one; the refresher confirms a sequence you already know. That is the entire difference, and it is why eligibility depends on holding the certification being renewed.
Which one you are eligible for
Your expiry date decides, not your preference. In date, or only recently lapsed, and the refresher is available. Long lapsed, and you are an original-course candidate again regardless of how experienced you are, because there is no current certification to revalidate.
The judgement call for rusty guards
If you have been out of the water for a couple of seasons, the full course is sometimes the better choice even when the refresher is open to you. The refresher assumes current competence and assesses immediately. A guard who has not performed a spinal on a backboard since their last certification may get more from the full course than from being assessed cold.
Lifeguard recertification vs original certification: frequently asked questions
What is the difference between lifeguard recertification vs original certification?
Lifeguard recertification vs original certification comes down to instruction. The refresher is shorter and cheaper because it removes the teaching phase, but the prerequisite screen, skills assessment and written exam are held to the same standard, and both produce an identical two year certification.
Is a renewed certification worth less to employers?
No. A renewed certification is valid for the same two years and carries the same weight. There is no lesser tier.
Should a rusty guard take the full course instead?
Sometimes. The refresher assesses current competence immediately with no teaching phase, so a guard who has been out of the water for a couple of seasons may get more from the full course.
Reviewed by Jackie Stern, Lifeguard Instructor, Firefighter and EMT. Jackie Stern has taught lifeguarding for more than 20 years and works as a firefighter, EMT and swim instructor. She reviews course content, prerequisites and rescue standards against current certification requirements.
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