The recovery position is a side-lying position used for a person who is unconscious but breathing normally and has a pulse. It helps keep the airway open and allows vomit or other fluids to drain, reducing the risk of choking. It is not used during active CPR. Instead, it is used before CPR is needed or after the person resumes normal breathing.

Key Takeaway

• The recovery position is one of the most valuable first aid skills to learn, yet it is often misunderstood in relation to CPR. Many people are unsure whether it is part of CPR, when to use it instead of CPR, or what to do after a collapsed person begins breathing again. Understanding these differences can help you respond safely and confidently in an emergency.

What Does the Recovery Position Mean?

The recovery position is a first aid technique used to place an unconscious but breathing person on their side to help keep the airway open and clear. It is also known as the rescue position, lateral recovery position, or simply the side position. Regardless of the name, the purpose is the same: to protect the airway while waiting for emergency medical help.

When a person becomes unconscious, their natural cough and gag reflexes weaken. If they remain flat on their back, the tongue can fall backward and block the airway, while vomit, blood, or saliva can collect in the throat and be inhaled into the lungs. Placing the person on their side with the head slightly tilted downward allows fluids to drain from the mouth and helps keep the airway open, reducing the risk of choking or suffocation.

When to Use the Recovery Position (and When Not To)

Use the recovery position only if the person:

• Is unconscious or unresponsive
• Is breathing normally
• Has a pulse
• Does not have a suspected spinal injury

The goal is to keep the airway open and reduce the risk of choking while waiting for emergency medical help.

Common situations where the recovery position is appropriate include:

 

• Fainting (syncope)
• Alcohol intoxication with a risk of vomiting
• Opioid or drug overdose after normal breathing has returned
• The recovery period after a seizure, when the person is breathing but not yet fully alert
• Severe low blood sugar that causes unconsciousness
• After successful CPR, once the person is breathing normally on their own

Do not use the recovery position if:

• The person is not breathing or is only gasping. Lay them flat on their back and begin CPR immediately.
• You suspect a spinal injury from a fall, vehicle crash, or significant trauma. Move the person only if leaving them in place puts their airway at immediate risk.

CPR or Recovery Position First: A Clear Decision Framework

 

CPR and the recovery position are never performed at the same time. They sit at different points in the same emergency response. The deciding factor is always breathing. Work through the checks below: confirm the scene is safe, tap and shout to check responsiveness, call 911, then check for normal breathing for no more than 10 seconds.

 

You may also hear about ABC versus CAB in first aid training. ABC stands for Airway, Breathing, Circulation, and describes the assessment order that tells you whether the recovery position is appropriate. CAB stands for Compressions, Airway, Breathing, and is the order used once you have decided to perform CPR, because current AHA guidelines put chest compressions first. Your assessment tells you which path to follow, and the recovery position lives on the breathing side of that decision.

How to Put Someone in the Recovery Position: Step by Step

Once you have confirmed the person is unconscious, breathing normally, and has no suspected spinal injury, follow these steps. Every movement should be controlled and gentle.

• Kneel beside the person while they lie on their back and straighten their legs. Remove glasses and any bulky items from their pockets, but do not search pockets for small objects.
• Place the arm nearest to you out at a right angle to the body, with the elbow bent and the palm facing upward.
• Bring their far arm across the chest and hold the back of that hand against the cheek nearest to you.
• With your other hand, lift the far knee until the foot is flat on the floor, keeping the leg bent at a right angle.
• Holding the hand against the cheek, pull on the bent knee and roll the person toward you onto their side.
• Adjust the upper leg so both the hip and knee are bent at right angles. This stops the person from rolling onto their front.
• Gently tilt the head back and lift the chin to keep the airway open. Check that nothing is blocking the mouth and clear any visible fluid or debris.
• Stay with the person, monitor their breathing continuously, and be ready to start CPR if breathing stops. Do not leave them alone at any point.

If they vomit while in the recovery position, clear the airway quickly and readjust the position. Keep a coat or blanket nearby to keep them warm while you wait for paramedics, and do not offer anything to eat or drink.

What to Do After CPR Is Successful

If a person starts breathing again after CPR, they have achieved return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). This does not mean the emergency is over. They still need close monitoring until emergency medical services arrive.

After breathing returns:

• Place the person in the recovery position to help keep the airway open.
• Watch their breathing closely and be prepared to act if their condition changes.
• If they stop breathing or begin gasping again, lay them flat on their back and restart CPR immediately.

Why the recovery position is important after CPR:

• Reduces the risk of choking: Vomiting is common after CPR. The recovery position allows vomit or fluids to drain from the mouth instead of entering the lungs.
• Allows quick monitoring: A person can go back into cardiac arrest without warning, so continue watching for normal breathing until help arrives.

If the person has injured ribs:

• Roll them gently into the recovery position if you suspect rib fractures from CPR.
• Do not let concerns about rib injuries prevent you from protecting the airway. Keeping the airway open is always the top priority.
• Rib fractures from CPR typically heal within six to eight weeks, and they are a known, acceptable tradeoff for restoring circulation during cardiac arrest.

Why the Recovery Position Often Uses the Left Side

For most unconscious but breathing people, either side is acceptable. In many situations, you simply roll the person toward you, so the side you choose depends on your position.

The left side is preferred in these situations:

• Pregnancy: An unconscious pregnant person should be placed on their left side. This relieves pressure on the inferior vena cava, a large vein that returns blood to the heart, helping maintain healthy blood flow to both the parent and the baby.
• Poisoning or Drug Overdose: A left-side recovery position may help slow the movement of stomach contents into the small intestine, potentially reducing how quickly some swallowed substances are absorbed.

No matter which side you use:

• Keep the head tilted slightly back to help keep the airway open.
• Angle the face downward so saliva, blood, or vomit can drain from the mouth.
• Continue monitoring breathing until emergency medical services arrive.

The position of the head is just as important as the side the person is lying on. An open airway and proper drainage are the primary goals of the recovery position.

Recovery Position Variations: Adults, Infants, and Suspected Spinal Injury

Infants Under One Year Old

Do not place an infant in the standard floor-based recovery position. Instead:

• Hold the baby securely in your arms.
• Position them on their side with the head slightly lower than the stomach to help fluids drain.
• Support the head and neck at all times.
• Monitor breathing closely. If the infant stops breathing, begin infant CPR immediately.

Suspected Spinal Injury: The HAINES Position

If a neck or back injury is suspected, do not move the person unless the airway is at immediate risk.

If movement is necessary and you are trained, the HAINES (High Arm IN Endangered Spine) position may be used because it helps reduce neck movement during the roll.

• Raise one arm above the person’s head before rolling.
• The head rests on the raised arm to help keep the spine aligned.
• If another rescuer is available, one person should stabilize the head and neck while the other performs the roll.

How Long Should Someone Stay in the Recovery Position?

Keep the person in the recovery position until:

• Emergency medical services take over, or
• They wake up and can protect their own airway.

While waiting:

• Check regularly to make sure they continue breathing normally.
• If breathing stops or becomes gasping, roll the person onto their back and begin CPR immediately.
• If they remain in the recovery position for more than 30 minutes, gently turn them onto the opposite side to relieve pressure and improve circulation while continuing to protect the airway.

Ready to Make These Steps Automatic

Reading about the recovery position builds understanding, but real confidence only comes from practice. In an actual emergency, you want the steps to feel automatic so you can stay calm and act quickly without second-guessing yourself. That is what hands-on and guided online training provides.

At SimpleCPR, our online CPR, AED, BLS, and First Aid certification courses are built around the latest AHA guidelines, so you learn the recovery position and the full CPR sequence in the right context. Courses take 60 minutes or less, you can print your certification card immediately upon completion, and we offer a 100% money-back guarantee with unlimited exam retakes. Whether you are an individual getting certified for the first time, a healthcare professional renewing your BLS certification, or an employer training a whole team, we have a course that fits.

Explore our course options and take the step that means you will never have to wonder what to do when it matters most.

CAB in CPR stands for Compressions, Airway, and Breathing, and the order of those three letters is not a coincidence. It is the sequence the American Heart Association (AHA) directs rescuers to follow during cardiac arrest, and it has been the current standard since 2010. Starting with compressions instead of the airway keeps blood moving to the brain immediately, buying the critical minutes that matter most before emergency help arrives.

Key Takeaway

• If you were trained before 2010, you likely learned the ABC sequence: Airway, Breathing, Circulation. The change to CAB was driven by a single, evidence-backed insight: getting blood pumping sooner saves more lives. According to the AHA, immediate bystander CPR can double or triple the chance of survival from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, yet only around 41% of adults experiencing cardiac arrest outside the hospital receive CPR before emergency medical services arrive. Knowing the CAB sequence and knowing it well enough to act closes that gap..

C Is for Compressions

The C stands for chest compressions, not circulation. That distinction matters because in the older ABC method, the C at the end stood for circulation. In CAB, compressions come first, and for good reason.

For an adult, push straight down on the lower half of the breastbone at a rate of 100 to 120 compressions per minute and a depth of at least 2 inches (but no more than 2.4 inches). Allow the chest to fully recoil between each push, and keep any interruptions under 10 seconds. Those pauses cost blood flow, and blood flow is exactly what the brain and heart need in those first minutes.

A useful rhythm cue: the Bee Gees’ “Stayin’ Alive” is almost perfectly calibrated to 100 beats per minute. Hum it silently and let it pace your compressions.

A Is for Airway

After the first 30 compressions, open the airway. For most people, use the head tilt-chin lift: place one hand on the forehead, gently tilt the head back, and lift the chin with two fingers. This moves the tongue away from the back of the throat so air can reach the lungs.

If you suspect a neck or spine injury, use a jaw thrust instead. Slide your fingers behind the angles of the jaw and lift it forward without moving the neck. This technique takes a little practice, which is one reason hands-on training reinforces reading alone.

B Is for Breathing

The B stands for breathing, delivered as rescue breaths. After 30 compressions and opening the airway, give 2 rescue breaths, each lasting about one second, just enough to make the chest visibly rise. Then return immediately to compressions. Trained rescuers repeat this 30:2 cycle until an AED arrives, EMS takes over, or the person shows signs of normal breathing.

If you are untrained or uncomfortable giving rescue breaths, compression-only CPR is still significantly better than doing nothing. The AHA supports hands-only CPR for adults who collapse suddenly, because blood already contains oxygen in those first few minutes, it just needs a pump.

Why CPR Changed from ABC to CAB

For over 40 years, CPR training has focused on the airway. Rescuers were taught to open the airway and deliver breaths before placing their hands on the chest. Research showed that the sequence created an average 30-second delay before the first chest compression, and in cardiac arrest, those 30 seconds matter enormously.

In 2010, the AHA published its updated Guidelines for CPR and Emergency Cardiovascular Care, changing the basic life support sequence from ABC to CAB. The reasoning was clear: in the first few minutes after a sudden cardiac arrest, blood already holds oxygen. What the body lacks is circulation. Starting with 30 compressions, which takes roughly 18 seconds, moves that oxygen to the brain and heart immediately, delaying breaths by only a brief, manageable window.

According to peer-reviewed research published in PMC, for every minute without CPR and defibrillation, survival odds from witnessed cardiac arrest drop by 7 to 10 percent. Every guideline update since 2010 in 2015, 2020, and the landmark 2025 guidelines has kept the CAB order in place.

ABC vs. CAB at a Glance

Both sequences cover the same three tasks. The difference is the order and the meaning of the C.

 

So which is correct? CAB is the current standard for sudden cardiac arrest. The ABC approach still has a role in specific situations, more on those below.

The Three Cs of CPR and How They Fit with CAB

You may have come across the phrase “the three Cs of CPR” and wondered how it differs from CAB. The three Cs are a separate memory aid for what to do when you first arrive at any emergency:

• Check the scene and the person for safety and responsiveness.
• Call 911 and send someone to find an AED.
• Care for the person by starting CPR.

In that final step Care the CAB sequence tells you how to perform the resuscitation itself. Think of the three Cs as your arrival checklist and CAB as your hands-on action plan.

How to Perform CAB: Step-by-Step

Here is the full sequence for an adult, as taught in nationally accredited CPR courses. Call 911 and send for an AED before beginning.

Check the scene and the person

Make sure the area is safe. Tap the person’s shoulders and shout, “Are you okay?” If there is no response and no normal breathing, treat it as cardiac arrest.

Call for help

Phone 911, put it on speaker, and ask someone nearby to locate an AED. A dispatcher can guide you through every step until EMS arrives.

Start compressions (C)

Place the heel of one hand on the center of the chest, on the lower half of the breastbone. Stack your other hand on top. Push straight down at least 2 inches at 100 to 120 per minute. Let the chest fully recoil each time and keep pauses under 10 seconds.

Open the airway (A)

After 30 compressions, tilt the head back and lift the chin. Use a jaw thrust if a neck injury is suspected.

Give rescue breaths (B)

Deliver 2 breaths, each about one second, watching for the chest to rise. If you are not trained or unwilling to give breaths, skip them and continue compressions.

Continue the 30:2 cycle

Repeat 30 compressions followed by 2 breaths. If two rescuers are present, switch the person doing compressions every 2 minutes to maintain quality.

Use the AED as soon as it arrives

Turn it on, expose the chest, attach the pads as shown in the diagrams, and follow the voice prompts. Resume compressions immediately after any shock.

CAB and the 2025 Chain of Survival

CAB is one link in a larger, coordinated sequence known as the Chain of Survival. The 2025 AHA Guidelines for CPR and ECC introduced a landmark change: a single, unified Chain of Survival that applies to all cardiac arrests, adult, pediatric, and neonatal, whether they occur in or out of the hospital. The key links are:

• Early recognition and activation of emergency response (call 911, send for an AED)
• Early high-quality CPR using the CAB sequence
• Rapid defibrillation with an AED
• Advanced emergency medical care
• Post-cardiac arrest recovery and support

No single link works alone. According to the AHA 2025 guidelines summary, only about 41 percent of adults experiencing cardiac arrest outside the hospital currently receive CPR before EMS arrives. Starting compressions quickly buys time, but survival improves most when an AED arrives early for rhythms that respond to a shock. That is why calling for help and sending someone for an AED comes first, even before compressions begin.

The 2025 update also confirmed that children 12 years and older can be taught effective CPR and defibrillation, a meaningful step toward building communities where more people know how to act.

When CAB Is Used and When the Airway Comes First

CAB is the right starting point for most sudden cardiac arrests, when the heart stops without warning in an otherwise breathing person. But the original airway-first approach still has a place for emergencies that begin as a breathing problem.

Use CAB for most sudden, unexpected cardiac arrests. Choose an airway-first approach, prioritizing rescue breaths early in these situations:

• Drowning
• Choking that has progressed to unresponsiveness
• Drug or opioid overdose
• Suffocation or respiratory arrest from any other cause

In these cases, the arrest stems from a lack of oxygen rather than a primary heart problem, so getting air in early is critical. Newborns are a separate category entirely: newborn resuscitation follows its own airway-and-breathing-focused protocol and is not covered by the standard CAB sequence.

The practical rule: if a person suddenly collapses, start with compressions and follow CAB. If they stopped breathing first and the heart followed, as in drowning or overdose, breaths deserve early attention. When the cause is unclear, compressions are never the wrong place to start. A 911 dispatcher can help you assess the situation in real time.

CAB for Children and Infants

The CAB order applies across all age groups, with technique adjustments for smaller bodies.

Children

Use the heel of one or two hands and compress at least 2 inches (about one third of the chest depth) at 100 to 120 compressions per minute.

Infants

Use the heel of one hand if you are the only rescuer, or the two-thumb encircling technique if a second rescuer is present. Compress about 1.5 inches (roughly one third of the chest depth). Note: the two-finger technique is no longer recommended as of the 2025 AHA guidelines.

Single-rescuer compression-to-breath ratio: 30:2 for all ages. Two trained rescuers working on a child or infant: 15 compressions to 2 breaths.

Because many childhood cardiac emergencies begin with a breathing problem rather than a primary heart issue, rescue breaths carry extra weight in pediatric CPR. Parents, teachers, coaches, and caregivers benefit greatly from a course that covers all three age groups.

Hands-Only CPR and When Rescue Breaths Still Matter

Hands-only CPR means chest compressions without rescue breaths. For an adult who collapses suddenly in front of you, hands-only CPR is the recommended approach when you are untrained or not confident giving breaths. Removing that barrier means fewer people hesitate and immediate compressions are far better than no action while waiting for help.

That said, rescue breaths remain important in specific situations. Trained rescuers should give the full 30:2 cycle. Breaths are especially critical for children, infants, and arrests caused by oxygen deprivation, such as drowning or opioid overdose. The trained-rescuer ratio has not changed: 30 compressions to 2 breaths for a single rescuer.

Clothing, Bras, and AED Pad Placement

Remove or move any clothing covering the chest before placing your hands. For AED use, bare skin is essential. A bra, especially one with underwire, should be removed before attaching AED pads, since the wire can interfere with pad adhesion and shock delivery. Speed matters, but so does proper pad placement.

Get Certified and Ready to Act

Reading about CAB builds awareness. Practicing it builds the muscle memory and confidence to actually use it when it counts.

SimpleCPR offers nationally accredited online CPR and BLS certification courses that follow the latest AHA ECC guidelines, covering adult, child, and infant CPR in a single course you can complete in under an hour, from anywhere, at any time — if you’re weighing your options first, see Heartsaver vs. BLS: which CPR certification is right for you. Unlimited exam retakes are included at no extra cost, and your certification card is available to print the moment you pass.

Ready to certify or renew? First, compare our CPR certification course options, then start with the Adult-Child-Infant CPR/AED course, or if you work in healthcare, the Healthcare Provider BLS course covers the full professional scope. Need to renew? The CPR Recertification course refreshes the CAB sequence quickly so your skills stay sharp.

Certification is accepted across all 50 states and Canadian provinces. Get started at SimpleCPR.com.

Basic Life Support (BLS) certification is valid for two years from the date you complete your course. After two years, it expires, and you must recertify to stay current. The American Heart Association no longer offers a grace period, so the safest move is to renew before the expiration date printed on your card.

Key Takeaway

• We hear from people who are months past their expiration date, hoping there is some kind of loophole. There rarely is. Below is exactly how the two year window works, when you still qualify for the shorter renewal course instead of the full one, and how to set yourself up so this question never catches you off guard again.

Key Highlights

• BLS certification is valid for two years from your course completion date, not the day you enrolled or the day your card arrived.
• The American Heart Association does not recognize an official grace period anymore. A 30 day cushion used to exist, and a lot of older articles still describe it, but it is gone.
• Renewing 30 to 90 days before your expiration date keeps you eligible for the shorter renewal course instead of the full BLS Provider course.
• Renewing early does not shorten your certification. Your new two years begin on the day you complete the renewal, so renewing ahead of schedule adds runway instead of costing you any.
• Research on CPR skill retention shows hands on competency can start fading within weeks of training, which is the real reason the certification cycle resets every two years.
• Simple CPR’s Healthcare Provider / BLS Professional CPR course is fully online, usually takes 30 to 60 minutes, and lets you print your card the moment you pass.

How Long Is BLS Certification Valid

Basic Life Support certification is good for two years from your course completion date. That rule holds across the American Heart Association and the accredited alternatives that build their training on AHA guidelines, including Simple CPR’s own Healthcare Provider / BLS Professional CPR course.

The American Heart Association issues its certification as a digital eCard. That eCard lists your completion date, an expiration date set two years out, and a unique code an employer can use to confirm your status. One detail that trips people up: AHA cards expire on the last day of the month two years from when you finished, not on the exact calendar date. Complete your course on March 14, 2024, and the card is good through March 31, 2026, not March 14. AHA’s own course card documentation spells this out directly.

The two year rule is the same whether this is your first certification or your fifth renewal. Every successful recertification resets the clock for another full two years.

When Does Your BLS Certification Actually Expire

Your expiration date is set by the day you finished your course, not the day you registered or started studying. You can confirm it in three ways.

• Check the date printed on your card or digital certificate.
• Use your provider’s certification lookup tool if one is available.
• Contact the organization that issued your course directly.

A simple system works well here. Set a reminder 90 days before your expiration date and another at 30 days. The first gives you time to compare renewal options and check what your employer actually requires. The second is your final prompt to get it done before the shorter renewal window closes for good.

BLS Renewal vs Retaking the Full Course

This is where timing actually matters. A renewal course, sometimes called recertification, is shorter and cheaper than the full initial class, but you only qualify for it if your certification has not lapsed. Once it expires, the standard requirement is to start over with the full BLS Provider course.

A note on the 30 day grace period you may have read about elsewhere. It is one of the most repeated pieces of outdated information in this space. The American Heart Association did offer a short grace period in the past, and several older articles still describe it as current, but it was discontinued, and the AHA does not officially extend any grace period today. Some individual training centers and some employers still build in their own short cushion as a matter of internal policy, and that policy can vary for non-AHA certifications, so never assume you have extra time. Confirm with both your provider and your employer before your card expires, not after.

Does Renewing Early Cost You Time

No, and this is one of the more common misunderstandings about recertification. Your new two year period begins on the day you complete your renewal course, not on your old expiration date. That means renewing a month or two ahead of schedule does not shave anything off your certification. If anything, it adds a little extra runway, since your new two years start counting from a date that is earlier than your original deadline would have allowed.

Most professionals renew 30 to 60 days before their card expires for exactly this reason. There is no downside to going early, and it removes any risk of a lapse caused by a busy calendar or limited course availability.

Can BLS Certification Ever Last for Life

You may have seen offers for lifetime certification and wondered what that actually means. A BLS credential itself is never valid for life. To stay compliant and accepted by employers, it still has to be renewed on the standard two year cycle.

What a lifetime certification option actually provides is unlimited free renewals. You pay once up front and recertify at no additional course fee every cycle after that, rather than receiving a card that never expires. Simple CPR’s Lifetime Certificate works this way, and it can be a genuine savings if you renew faithfully every two years for the rest of your career. If a provider implies their card never needs renewing at all, treat that as a red flag. A card that ignores the two year standard will not reliably satisfy a healthcare employer.

Who Needs to Keep BLS Certification Current?

BLS shows up across a wide range of roles, and what happens when it lapses depends on the field.

• Healthcare professionals. Nurses, physicians, respiratory and physical therapists, dental staff, and home health aides typically need a current BLS card for employment, clinical privileges, and licensing.
• First responders and public safety. EMTs, paramedics, firefighters, and many police and security personnel must hold active certification, and in most cases cannot work in these roles with an expired card.
• Community and workplace roles. Teachers, childcare and daycare providers, coaches, lifeguards, camp staff, and workplace safety officers often need or benefit from current BLS or CPR training even when it is not strictly required.

Always check your specific employer’s policy. Some require certification from a particular provider or in a particular format, and many run automated tracking that flags an upcoming expiration before it becomes a problem. Our piece on why BLS training matters goes deeper into who benefits most from staying current.

BLS Versus CPR Certification: Are They the Same

Not exactly, and the difference matters when you are choosing a course. BLS is the more advanced, provider level credential built for healthcare workers and professional rescuers. It covers high quality CPR for adults, children, and infants, AED use, bag mask ventilation, choking relief, and team based resuscitation. A general CPR or Heartsaver course is aimed at the public and workplace responders and goes into less clinical detail. Both follow the same two year renewal cycle, but healthcare employers almost always specify BLS rather than a basic CPR card. If your employer just says CPR certification is required, it is worth asking whether they actually mean BLS, since the two are not interchangeable for most clinical roles.

Our piece on CPR vs BLS covers this comparison in full, and Heartsaver vs BLS is worth a look if you are choosing between the two for the first time.

How to Renew Your BLS Certification

Renewing is straightforward once you know your status. The process usually looks like this.

• Confirm your expiration date and check whether you still qualify for the renewal course.
• Choose a course format that fits your schedule, whether that is fully online, blended with a brief hands on check, or in person.
• Complete the coursework and pass the required exam.
• Receive your updated card, valid for another two years.

Because acceptance varies by employer and by state, it is worth confirming that your chosen format meets your workplace’s requirements before you enroll, especially if a hands on skills verification is specifically mandated for your role.

Simple CPR built its CPR Recertification Online course around this exact problem. It follows AHA and OSHA aligned guidelines, takes about 60 minutes or less, comes with unlimited free retakes, and gives you a printable card the moment you pass. If you are managing renewals for a whole team, our group rates make that considerably easier to coordinate. And if you would rather never think about a course fee again, the Lifetime Certificate option lets you pay once and recertify free every cycle after.

Keep Your Next Two Years Easy

The two year cycle is not going anywhere, and that is a good thing. It is what keeps a BLS card meaningful when an employer, a patient, or a stranger is counting on it. The only real decision is whether you handle your next renewal on your own schedule or scramble for one on someone else’s.

Simple CPR’s Healthcare Provider / BLS Professional CPR course and CPR Recertification Online program make that decision easy, with a fully online format you can finish in under an hour, unlimited retakes, and a card you can print the second you pass. Get it done now, set your 90 day reminder for next time, and you will not have to ask this question under pressure again.