Terms & Conditions

Last Updated: December 2025

These Terms & Conditions (the "Terms") govern your access to and use of the website located at www.americanvitalinstitute.com and any related content, products, and services (collectively, the "Site" or "Services") provided by American Vital Institute ("American Vital Institute," "AVI," "we," "us," or "our").

By accessing or using the Site, creating an account, or purchasing or using any AVI course, training, certification, or other Service, you ("you," "your," "user," "student," or "End User") agree to be bound by these Terms, which form a legally binding agreement between you and AVI.

If you do not agree to these Terms in their entirety, you must not use the Site or Services.

1. Eligibility and Agreement

1.1 Eligibility

To use the Site or purchase any Services, you must be:

  • At least 18 years of age, or the age of majority in your jurisdiction, whichever is higher; and
  • Able to form a legally binding contract under applicable law.

If you are using the Site or Services on behalf of an employer, organization, institution, or other entity, you represent and warrant that you have full authority to bind that entity to these Terms, and "you" and "your" will refer to both you as an individual and to that entity.

1.2 Acceptance of Terms

Your agreement to these Terms is deemed given by any of the following:

  • Accessing or using any part of the Site or Services;
  • Creating an account on the Site;
  • Purchasing or enrolling in any AVI course or certification; or
  • Clicking "I agree," "Accept," or similar when such option is presented.

If you do not agree, you must immediately discontinue use of the Site and Services.

2. Changes to Terms and Site

2.1 Right to Modify

We may revise or update these Terms and/or our Privacy Policy at any time, in our sole discretion, by posting the updated terms on the Site. Any changes are effective immediately upon posting, unless otherwise stated.

2.2 Notice and Continued Use

You acknowledge and agree that:

  • We are not required to provide you with individualized or advance notice of changes; and
  • Your continued use of the Site or Services after the updated Terms are posted constitutes your acceptance of those changes.

You are responsible for regularly reviewing these Terms and our Privacy Policy to stay informed of any modifications.

3. Privacy

Your use of the Site and Services is also governed by our Privacy Policy, which describes what information we collect, how we use it, and your choices. By using the Site or Services, you acknowledge that you have read and understand our Privacy Policy and agree to its terms.

If you do not agree with the Privacy Policy, you must not use the Site or Services.

4. Educational Nature – No Medical or Legal Advice

4.1 Informational and Educational Only

All content, courses, materials, videos, text, graphics, and other information available through the Site (collectively, "Content") are provided solely for general informational and educational purposes related to CPR, AED, Basic Life Support (BLS), First Aid, and similar topics.

4.2 No Medical Advice or Treatment

THE SITE AND SERVICES DO NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE, DIAGNOSIS, OR TREATMENT. Nothing on the Site or in our courses should be interpreted as:

  • Medical advice from a physician or other licensed health care provider;
  • A substitute for in-person training, professional judgment, or clinical experience; or
  • A recommendation for any specific medical procedure, medication, therapy, or course of action.

Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, procedure, or training requirement.

IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY, CALL 911 (OR YOUR LOCAL EMERGENCY NUMBER) IMMEDIATELY.

4.3 No Legal Advice

AVI does not provide legal advice. You are solely responsible for understanding and complying with applicable laws, regulations, licensing requirements, employment policies, and Good Samaritan laws in your jurisdiction. For legal questions, you should consult a licensed attorney.

5. Training Limitations and Hands-On Practice

5.1 Online Training Is Not Sufficient by Itself

AVI's courses are designed to supplement and support training requirements and to provide educational content. However, in many jurisdictions and for many employers, online-only training:

  • Does not by itself satisfy accreditation, licensing, or regulatory requirements; and/or
  • Must be combined with hands-on skills practice and evaluation conducted by a qualified instructor, employer, or training center.

5.2 Your Responsibility for Compliance

You (and/or your employer or organization) are solely responsible for:

  • Determining whether AVI courses meet the requirements of any employer, organization, licensing body, agency, or regulator;
  • Completing any additional required in-person or hands-on training and evaluations;
  • Maintaining any required certifications, renewals, and documentation; and
  • Ensuring that your skills remain current and adequate for your role and environment.

5.3 No Guarantee of Acceptance or Competence

Completion of any AVI course, passing any AVI exam, or receiving any AVI certificate:

  • Does not guarantee you are properly trained, competent, or able to perform CPR, first aid, or other emergency procedures in real-life situations;
  • Does not guarantee acceptance or approval by any employer, hospital, agency, regulator, or other third party; and
  • Does not constitute any type of professional or medical license.

You acknowledge that performing CPR, BLS, first aid, or similar procedures always involves risk and may result in serious injury or death even when performed correctly.

6. Use of the Site and Services

6.1 Limited License

Subject to your compliance with these Terms, AVI grants you a limited, revocable, non-exclusive, non-transferable license to access and use the Site and Content solely for:

  • Your own personal, non-commercial educational use; or
  • Your internal business use as an employer or organization evaluating or administering training for your personnel.

6.2 Prohibited Uses

You may not, and you agree not to:

  • Copy, reproduce, modify, adapt, translate, publicly display, publicly perform, distribute, or create derivative works based on the Site or Content (except as expressly permitted in these Terms);
  • Resell, sublicense, make available, or otherwise exploit the Site or Services for commercial purposes or on behalf of any third party, except as explicitly agreed in writing with AVI;
  • Use any automated means (robots, spiders, scrapers, etc.) to access, monitor, copy, or collect data from the Site;
  • Reverse engineer, decompile, or attempt to discover the source code or underlying algorithms of any part of the Site;
  • Remove or alter any copyright, trademark, or proprietary notices;
  • Interfere with or disrupt the operation or security of the Site or any networks or systems connected to the Site; or
  • Use the Site or Services for any unlawful, harmful, fraudulent, infringing, or otherwise objectionable purpose.

AVI may, in its sole discretion and without notice, suspend or terminate your access to the Site or Services for any conduct that we believe violates these Terms or is otherwise harmful to our interests or to other users.

7. Accounts, Security, and Eligibility

7.1 Account Creation

To access certain features or Services, you may be required to create an account by providing a valid email address and password.

7.2 Accuracy of Information

You represent and warrant that all information you provide to AVI is truthful, accurate, current, and complete, and that you will promptly update this information as necessary to keep it accurate and complete.

7.3 Account Security

You are solely responsible for:

  • Maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials (email and password); and
  • All activities that occur under your account.

You agree to notify us immediately of any unauthorized use of your account, password, or any other breach of security. AVI is not liable for any loss or damage arising from your failure to protect your account or password.

7.4 Age and Payment Requirements

To purchase Services, you must:

  • Be at least 18 years old; and
  • Use a valid payment method that you are authorized to use.

AVI reserves the right to refuse service, terminate accounts, remove or edit content, or cancel orders in its sole discretion.

8. Intellectual Property

8.1 Ownership

The Site, Services, and all Content—including but not limited to text, graphics, logos, icons, images, videos, software, design, course materials, and other proprietary information—are owned by AVI or its licensors and are protected by copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws.

8.2 Trademarks

All names, logos, product and service names, designs, and slogans used by AVI are trademarks or service marks of AVI or its affiliates. You may not use any AVI mark without our prior written permission. All other names, logos, and trademarks appearing on the Site are the property of their respective owners.

8.3 No Transfer of Rights

Except for the limited license expressly granted in these Terms, you acquire no right, title, or interest in or to the Site or any Content. Any rights not expressly granted are reserved by AVI.

9. Courses and Certificates

9.1 Digital Certificates Only

Upon your successful completion of a course and any applicable exam, and upon receipt of full payment, AVI may issue a digital certificate reflecting your completion. You may be able to view, download, and print this digital certificate for your own records.

AVI does not issue physical wallet cards.

9.2 One Individual Per Certificate

Unless explicitly stated otherwise in writing by AVI, each certificate:

  • May contain only one individual's name; and
  • Is valid only for the specific individual identified on the certificate.

Any certificate containing more than one name, or otherwise inconsistent with these Terms, may be considered invalid.

9.3 No Guarantee of Acceptance

AVI's certificates:

  • Represent only that, to the best of AVI's knowledge, the named individual successfully completed the corresponding AVI course and exam;
  • Do not represent or guarantee that the individual is competent to perform the procedures in real-life situations; and
  • Do not guarantee acceptance or approval by any employer, accrediting body, licensing authority, or other third party.

It is your responsibility to verify in advance whether AVI's courses and certificates meet any specific requirements you must satisfy.

9.4 Right to Revoke or Discontinue Certification

AVI reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to:

  • Deny issuance of a certificate; or
  • Revoke or discontinue any certificate; or
  • Modify or discontinue any course or certification program, with or without notice.

10. Fees, Payments, and Refunds

10.1 Pricing and Payment

Fees for courses, certifications, and other Services are as displayed on the Site (or as otherwise agreed in writing). All prices are in U.S. dollars unless stated otherwise. AVI reserves the right to change prices at any time, but such changes will not affect orders already paid for.

You authorize AVI and our third-party payment processors to charge your designated payment method for all amounts due.

10.2 Refund Policy

AVI strives for customer satisfaction. If your employer, organization, or licensing body does not accept an AVI certification, you must follow the steps below to request a refund:

  • Your refund request must be submitted within thirty (30) days of purchase. Requests made after this period will not be eligible for a refund.
  • You must submit your request in writing (via email) and include all of the following: Your full name; Email address used for purchase; Order number; Name of employer/organization; and Written documentation (such as a letter or email) from your employer/organization explaining the reason for rejection, including contact information for verification if applicable.
  • You must follow any additional instructions we provide in response to your refund request to allow us to review and verify your documentation.

AVI will review your request and, if approved, will refund the purchase price less any non-refundable transaction or processing fees.

If you do not complete all required steps, you will not be eligible to receive a refund.

Please allow up to ten (10) business days from the date a refund is processed for the refunded amount to appear on your bank or card statement, depending on your financial institution.

You acknowledge that certain purchases may be non-refundable, and specific refund terms will be as posted on the Site at the time of purchase or provided in your order confirmation.

11. Communications and Email Notifications

11.1 Consent to Communications by Email

By providing your email address and using the Site or Services, you consent to receive communications from AVI by email, which may include:

  • Account-related messages (e.g., confirmations, receipts, security alerts);
  • Course and certification information;
  • Reminders about upcoming expirations or renewals; and
  • Customer support messages.

11.2 Marketing Emails

You may also receive promotional or marketing communications from AVI. You can opt out of marketing emails by following the unsubscribe instructions included in those emails. Even if you opt out of marketing communications, we may still send you non-marketing communications related to your account or Services.

11.3 No Phone or SMS Communications

AVI does not require you to provide a phone number and does not send text (SMS) messages. All communication will be conducted via email.

12. Third-Party Links and Resources

The Site may contain links to third-party websites or resources that are not owned or controlled by AVI. These links are provided as a convenience and do not constitute an endorsement by AVI of the third-party site, its content, or any products or services offered.

AVI has no control over, and assumes no responsibility for:

  • The content, privacy policies, or practices of any third-party websites; or
  • Any damage, loss, or other liability arising from your use of or reliance on such websites.

Your use of third-party sites is entirely at your own risk and subject to those sites' own terms and policies.

13. User Content and Feedback

13.1 User Content

If you submit, upload, or transmit any content, feedback, questions, suggestions, reviews, or other information to AVI ("User Content"), you grant AVI a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable, sublicensable, and transferable license to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, create derivative works from, distribute, perform, and display such User Content in any media for any lawful purpose, including improving our Services and marketing.

13.2 Responsibility for User Content

You represent and warrant that:

  • You own or have all necessary rights to your User Content;
  • Your User Content does not infringe the rights of any third party; and
  • Your User Content does not violate any law or these Terms.

AVI is not responsible or liable for any User Content you or others provide.

14. Disclaimer of Warranties

YOU EXPRESSLY UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT:

14.1 "AS IS" and "AS AVAILABLE"

The Site, Services, Content, courses, and certifications are provided on an "AS IS" and "AS AVAILABLE" basis, without warranties of any kind, whether express, implied, or statutory.

14.2 No Guarantees

To the fullest extent permitted by law, AVI and its affiliates, officers, directors, employees, agents, licensors, and suppliers expressly disclaim all warranties, express or implied, including, but not limited to:

  • Implied warranties of merchantability;
  • Fitness for a particular purpose;
  • Non-infringement; and
  • Any warranties arising out of course of dealing or usage of trade.

Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, AVI does not warrant or guarantee that:

  • The Site or any Service will meet your requirements or expectations;
  • The Site will be uninterrupted, secure, or error-free;
  • Any defects or errors will be corrected;
  • The information or Content will be accurate, complete, reliable, current, or timely; or
  • Any certificate, course, or training will be accepted by any employer, agency, regulator, or other third party, or that it will ensure your competence in emergency situations.

14.3 Use at Your Own Risk

Your use of the Site, Services, and Content is entirely at your own risk. You are solely responsible for any damage to your computer system, loss of data, or any harm that may result from your reliance on or use of the Site, Services, or Content.

15. Limitation of Liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW:

15.1 No Indirect or Consequential Damages

AVI and its affiliates, officers, directors, employees, agents, licensors, and suppliers shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, consequential, special, exemplary, or punitive damages of any kind, including but not limited to:

  • Loss of revenue, income, profits, or business;
  • Loss of data;
  • Pain and suffering or emotional distress;
  • Personal injury or wrongful death; or
  • Any other damages, whether in contract, tort (including negligence), strict liability, or otherwise, arising out of or related to your use of (or inability to use) the Site, Services, or Content, even if AVI has been advised of the possibility of such damages.

15.2 Cap on Direct Damages

In no event shall the total aggregate liability of AVI and its affiliates, officers, directors, employees, agents, licensors, and suppliers to you for all claims arising out of or relating to the Site, Services, Content, or these Terms exceed the greater of:

  • The total amount paid by you to AVI for the specific Service giving rise to the claim in the twelve (12) months preceding the event giving rise to the claim; or
  • One hundred U.S. dollars (US $100).

15.3 Essential Basis

You acknowledge that these limitations of liability form an essential basis of the bargain between you and AVI, and that without these limitations, AVI would not be able to provide the Site or Services.

16. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless AVI and its affiliates, officers, directors, employees, contractors, agents, licensors, and suppliers from and against any and all claims, demands, actions, proceedings, damages, losses, liabilities, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising out of or related to:

  • Your use or misuse of the Site, Services, or Content;
  • Your violation of these Terms or any applicable law or regulation;
  • Your violation of any rights of another person or entity; or
  • Any acts or omissions by you in providing or attempting to provide CPR, AED, BLS, First Aid, or other medical or emergency care based in whole or in part on AVI's courses or Content.

AVI reserves the right, at your expense, to assume the exclusive defense and control of any matter otherwise subject to indemnification by you, and in such case you agree to cooperate fully with AVI in asserting any available defenses.

17. Termination

AVI may, in its sole discretion and without notice, suspend or terminate:

  • Your access to the Site or any Services;
  • Your account; and/or
  • Any certificate issued by AVI,

if we believe you have violated these Terms, engaged in fraudulent or abusive conduct, or for any other reason or no reason at all, to the fullest extent permitted by law.

Upon termination:

  • Your right to use the Site and Services will immediately cease; and
  • You remain responsible for any outstanding fees and for all obligations that arose before termination.

18. Governing Law, Venue, and Dispute Resolution

18.1 Governing Law

These Terms and any dispute arising out of or relating to the Site, Services, or Content shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Iowa, without giving effect to any choice or conflict of law provision or rule.

18.2 Venue and Jurisdiction

You agree that any legal action or proceeding arising under or related to these Terms shall be brought exclusively in the state or federal courts located in Woodbury County, Iowa, and you hereby irrevocably consent to the personal jurisdiction and venue of such courts and waive any objection based on inconvenient forum or lack of jurisdiction.

18.3 Waiver of Class Actions

To the fullest extent permitted by law, you agree that any claims you may have against AVI must be brought individually, and not as a plaintiff or class member in any purported class, collective, or representative proceeding.

18.4 Time Limit to Bring Claims

To the fullest extent permitted by law, any claim or cause of action arising out of or related to your use of the Site or Services must be filed within one (1) year after such claim or cause of action arose, or be forever barred.

19. Miscellaneous

19.1 Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with any policies or additional terms referenced herein (including our Privacy Policy), constitute the entire agreement between you and AVI regarding the Site and Services and supersede all prior or contemporaneous agreements, understandings, or representations.

19.2 Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, that provision shall be enforced to the maximum extent permissible and the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect.

19.3 No Waiver

Our failure to enforce any right or provision of these Terms shall not be deemed a waiver of that right or provision.

19.4 Assignment

You may not assign or transfer these Terms, or any rights or obligations hereunder, by operation of law or otherwise, without our prior written consent. AVI may freely assign these Terms without restriction.

19.5 Electronic Communications

You agree that all notices and other communications that we provide to you electronically (e.g., via email or through the Site) satisfy any legal requirement that such communications be in writing.

20. Contact Us

If you have any questions about these Terms & Conditions, please contact us at: support@americanvitalinstitute.com