In brief
A first aider certificate is earned through 16 hours of first aid training at centres authorised under Ministry of Health legislation and a score of at least 85 out of 100 in each of the theory and practical exams. The certificate is valid for 3 years; after the amendment of 27.12.2025, refresher training is taken in the 3 months before expiry and lasts half the initial training, i.e. 8 hours. A certificate not renewed on time becomes invalid.
What is a first aid certificate, and who needs one in the workplace?
The question of how to get a first aid certificate usually comes up in most businesses while preparing the emergency plan or when someone notices that a certificate has expired. Officially called the first aider certificate, it is issued under the First Aid Regulation (Official Gazette 29.07.2015, issue 29429) to a person who has received first aid training to Ministry of Health standards and passed the exam. The regulation was amended in 2020 and 2025; the latest amendment was published in the Official Gazette of 27.12.2025 and changed the timing of refresher training.
Workplaces need the certificate for two reasons. First, Art. 19 of the First Aid Regulation sets the number of first aiders to be present in workplaces according to the hazard class. Second, the Regulation on Emergencies in Workplaces lists the first aid team as one of the emergency teams and requires support personnel in this team to receive first aider training in accordance with the First Aid Regulation (Art. 15/4).
| Hazard class | Number of first aiders (Art. 19) | For a workplace with 45 employees |
|---|---|---|
| Less hazardous | 1 for every 20 employees | 3 |
| Hazardous | 1 for up to every 15 employees | 3 |
| Very hazardous | 1 for up to every 10 employees | 5 |
Round the result up: in a very hazardous workplace with 45 employees, 45 ÷ 10 = 4.5, so 5 first aiders are needed. You can see your own figure with our OHS obligations calculator. We explained the general structure of emergency teams in our emergency plan guide.
Step by step: how to get a first aid certificate
- Choose an authorised centre. First aid training is given at first aid training centres that have obtained authorisation by applying to the provincial health directorate. Public bodies, individuals and private legal entities can open a centre; provincial health directorates and the Ministry can also organise training. Confirm with the provincial health directorate whether the centre is authorised.
- Check the entry requirement. Participants must have at least completed primary school or primary education.
- Attend the full training. First aid training is 16 hours and attendance at the whole training is mandatory.
- Take the exam. Exams are held within 30 days starting from the day after the training ends. A score of at least 85 out of 100 is required in each of the theory and practical exams; anyone who fails the theory exam is not admitted to the practical exam.
- Receive your certificate. A first aider certificate is issued to those who pass. Enter the certificate's expiry date in the calendar straight away.
From the employer's point of view, note this when planning: the employee will be away from work during the 16 hours of training and the exams that follow. In shift-based businesses, sending all the first aiders from one shift to the same training can leave that shift without a first aider for several days; plan training by splitting employees into groups.
How many hours is first aid training, and what is in the exam?
First aid training is 16 hours. The regulation also defines basic life support training as 2 hours and first aid in disasters training as 4 hours. The topics of first aid training include general first aid knowledge, body systems, basic life support and the use of an automated external defibrillator (AED), airway obstruction, bleeding, fractures, poisoning and burns. With the 2020 amendment, those who successfully complete first aid training also became authorised to use an AED.
In the practical exam, after the amendment of 27.12.2025, basic life support, airway obstruction and extricating a casualty from a vehicle are mandatory topics; in addition, at least two further topics chosen by the exam supervisor from the skills guides are performed.
The rule in case of failure is clear: a participant who fails the exam is re-examined within one month. A participant who fails twice is not issued a certificate and must attend the training again; if they wish, the centre issues a letter showing that they attended the course. A participant for whom a report is drawn up for breaking exam rules is deemed to have failed their first exam attempt.
First aid certificate validity and refresher training
A first aider certificate is valid for 3 years. Refresher training is taken to keep the certificate valid:
| Subject | Rule |
|---|---|
| Validity period | 3 years |
| Refresher timing | Within the 3 months before the end of the validity period |
| Refresher duration | Half of the training taken; 8 hours for the 16-hour first aid training |
| Extension | The certificate is extended by 3 years from the validity date |
| Not attending on time | The certificate becomes invalid; the person retakes the 16-hour training and the exam |
Example: an employee whose certificate expires on 20 March 2027 must complete refresher training between 20 December 2026 and 20 March 2027. The amendment also states explicitly that the certificate is extended from the validity date, not from the date the refresher training was taken. So even if the employee takes the training in December, their new certificate is valid until 20 March 2030; acting early does not cost any days.
Planning for employers: how many first aiders, on which shift?
Calculating the number of first aiders from the total headcount alone is not enough. For practical planning:
- Spread them across shifts. If there is no first aider on the night shift, the team does not function even if the number of certificates is sufficient on paper.
- Appoint reserves. Train more first aiders than the calculated number, taking account of annual leave, sick leave and changes of role.
- Spread them across departments. In large facilities, distribute first aiders across different buildings and departments; the time to reach a casualty becomes shorter.
- Keep expiry dates in a single list. For each first aider, keep the certificate number, issuing centre, issue and expiry dates and the start of the refresher window in the same table.
- Do not pass the cost on to the employee. Under Law No. 6331, the cost of OHS measures cannot be passed on to employees.
Consider an example: an automotive supplier plant in the hazardous class with 90 employees working three shifts. On a total calculation, 90 ÷ 15 = 6 first aiders seem sufficient. However, if employees are spread across the shifts as 40, 30 and 20, it is sounder to plan first aiders according to the number of employees present at the workplace at the same time on each shift: 3 first aiders on the day shift, 2 on the evening shift and 2 on the night shift, i.e. 7 people in total. When 1–2 reserves are added for leave and sickness periods, the number of certified first aiders rises to 8–9. The ratio in the legislation gives the minimum number; the shift pattern and the layout of the facility can increase it.
Common mistakes
The most common shortcomings regarding first aider certificates in workplaces are:
- Not tracking certificate expiry dates and missing the refresher window; in particular, waiting out of the habit from before the 27.12.2025 amendment of "3 months after expiry"
- All first aiders being on the day shift
- Not appointing a replacement for a first aider who leaves or changes department
- The first aider list not matching the first aid team in the emergency plan
- Not checking whether the certificate was obtained from an authorised centre
- The first aid team never taking part in drills
None of these shortcomings requires new investment; a single up-to-date list and an annual review prevent most of them.
Entering the refresher dates of first aider certificates in the annual work plan at the start of the year prevents last-minute rushes. You can also use our OHS calendar tool to track the dates. You will see how the first aid team does its job on site during a drill; for a drill with a casualty scenario see our emergency drill guide.
Bursa Sistemer OSGB is not a first aid training centre; first aid training is given only at authorised centres. As part of our emergency plan and workplace physician services, we calculate your number of first aiders and their shift distribution, track certificate expiry dates and place the first aid team in the emergency plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many years is a first aid certificate valid?
A first aider certificate is valid for 3 years. To keep it valid, refresher training must be taken within the 3 months before the expiry date; the certificate is then extended by a further 3 years from the validity date.
How many hours does first aid training take?
The first aid training taken for a first aider certificate is 16 hours. Refresher training is half of this, i.e. 8 hours. Basic life support training is 2 hours and first aid in disasters training is 4 hours.
What happens if we miss first aid refresher training?
The certificates of those who do not attend refresher training on time become invalid. In this case the employee must attend the 16-hour first aid training and the exams again; during this time they should be removed from your count of first aiders.
How can you tell whether a first aid centre is authorised?
First aid training centres obtain authorisation by applying to the provincial health directorate. You can confirm with the provincial health directorate the authorisation of the centre where you will receive training and that the certificate it will issue complies with the regulation.
What does an employee who fails the exam do?
They retake the exam within one month. If they fail both exams, no certificate is issued and they must attend the training again.
An emergency plan that really works on site, with scenarios, support teams, evacuation diagrams and an annual drill.
Bursa SİSTEMER OSGB Technical Team — written from the field experience of our OHS specialists and workplace physicians. Legal information is valid as of the publication/update date; contact us for an assessment specific to your business.