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Recertification

Frequently Asked Recertification Questions

To address recent high call volumes, we’ve compiled answers to frequently asked questions and common issues handled by our Customer Experience Team. Our aim is to minimize your hold time—or eliminate the need to wait altogether!

How do I assign and reassign courses on my Recertification application? 

Watch our step-by-step tutorial on assigning and reassigning courses in your Recertification application.

Watch Video

How do I assign Continuing Education?

Watch our step-by-step tutorial that explains how to assign Continuing Education.

Watch Video

Questions about issues with duplicate courses or courses with the same acronym on your transcript? 

You may have two courses with the same acronym (CPR, for example) on your transcript and want to use them both. However, courses that are of the same content or title, and instructed by the same program, instructor, or organization within the same certification cycle are considered duplicate courses and are not accepted. If the course was something other than the normal CPR course, it should be entered as a continuing education course, titled correctly, and have included a specific description of course topics. 

Where to obtain your Recertification

Questions about where to obtain Recertification education or what the National Registry accepts as valid continuing education? 

Recertification Handbook

Additional Resources

How to Recertify

Recertification Checklist

More about Recertification

Our vision is to provide customer support to Training Officers, Medical Directors, and providers while validating that the EMS Professionals have maintained continued competence through education and practice for quality patient care to ensure public safety. 

The recertification process encourages providers to remain current in EMS knowledge and maintain proficiency to renew their certification. Recertification requirements increase confidence in the public, employers, and other stakeholders and gives you recognized credibility across the nation. 

What is the National Continued Competency Program?

The National Continued Competency Program (NCCP) was constructed using methodology similar to that of the American Board of Medical Specialties requirements and streamlines the recertification process into three strategic categories of continuing education: National, Local, and Individual.

The National Continued Competency Program encourages Nationally Certified EMS personnel to pursue life-long education while also providing state and local agencies the freedom to customize continuing education to meet local operational needs.

The national component of the NCCP constitutes 50% of the total recertification requirements. Topics included in the national reflect current trends in evidence-based medicine, scope of practice changes and position papers from numerous associations involved with EMS research. There is an additional focus on those patient presentations that have a low frequency but high criticality.

National Component Requirements

  • Expiration dates through Sept. 30, 2025

    2016 NCCP Model

  • The new 2025 NCCP Model will begin on April 1, 2025 for EMT/AEMT/Paramedic and October 1, 2025 for EMR

    2025 NCCP Model

The local component constitutes 25% of the total recertification requirements. Specific topic requirements may be defined by your specific state, region or local agency. Examples of local content topics typically include state or local protocols, areas of specalization, or tasks that require additional focus based on QA/QI. The local component allows national recertification requirements to be adapted to the needs of the state and local agencies. If your state, region, or local agency does not specify topics, the content is considered flexible.
 
The individual constitutes 25% of the recertification requirements. Registrants are free to take any state or CAPCE approved EMS-related education.
LevelNationalLocalIndividualHours
Paramedic30151560
AEMT2512.512.550
EMT20101040
EMR84416

Detailed Recertification Requirements By Level

Use the links below to see the specific recertification requirements or learn more about each certification level.

EMR Recertification

EMT Recertification

AEMT Recertification

Paramedic Recertification

How Do I Submit My Recertification Application

Processing time is generally within 24 to 48 hours of submission. Please monitor your account for updates.

STEP 1: LOGIN TO YOUR NATIONAL REGISTRY ACCOUNT

From the homepage, login to your account. If you do not already have a National Registry account with a username and password, create a New Account on the National Registry homepage. If you forgot your username or password, use the Password Recovery Page for assistance.

Login To My Account

STEP 2: UPDATE USER PROFILE

When prompted, update your user profile information.

Verify we have your correct email and mailing address.

STEP 3: SUBMIT ELECTRONIC RECERTIFICATION

Click on ‘Recertification' to

  • Enter your education, and

  • Submit your application

Keep all recertification supporting documentation for at least three years. The National Registry is required to conduct random audits of applications.

You must submit your application no later than midnight on the day your certification expires.

STEP 4: PAYMENT

Submit online payment with a credit card for your recertification.

STEP 5: PRINT YOUR CARD

After your education and skills are validated by your Training Officer and/or Medical Director, your application will be processed. Check your account and print your new National EMS Certification!

Additional Information

The National Registry accepts State EMS Office accepted and CAPCE accredited education, education from EMS education programs, and U.S. accredited academic credit or college course. All education must be directly related to EMS patient care. International providers must complete education from the list of approved United States education sources.

For more information on approved education providers, go to www.capce.org or contact your local/state EMS office for state accepted.

The following education courses cannot be applied to continuing education requirements:

Performance of duty either paid or volunteer, clinical rotations which are not part of an initial EMS course program, Instructor methodology courses including all courses to become an instructor or achieve instructor level certifications, management and leadership courses to include fire/EMS administrative courses, preceptor hours including preceptor or field training officer methodologies, or serving as a skills examiner for state or National Registry psychomotor examinations. Most core or general education college courses do not apply directly to EMS topics, such as statistics, chemistry, sociology, languages, and more. Please contact the National Registry if you have a question on an accepted course.

If you submitted your online application, please do not mail your forms to the National Registry. Your Training Officer and Medical Director (if applicable) will electronically approve your application, and it will be automatically sent to the National Registry.
Log into your National Registry account and select the ‘My Certification’ role. On your Dashboard, under the ‘Agency Affiliation’ selection it will display any agencies you are currently affiliated with or have requested affiliation.  You may also add and delete any affiliation, by clicking the ‘Add or Remove Agency Affiliation’ link. Note: you may affiliate with multiple affiliations. 
Your agency has not approved your affiliation request. Please contact your Training Officer to request approval.
Please contact your agency’s Training Officer and ask them to set up an agency with the National Registry.
On the Dashboard, click Recert Application. When all sections are showing complete, you will be able to submit your recertification application.
For electronic recertification, you may use a credit card or pre-purchased voucher. The National Registry does not take credit card payments over the phone. 
You should contact your State EMS Office and/or your local EMS educational institution for the location of approved EMS education courses in your state.  You can also check with your agency training officer. 
Teaching topics is the same as taking or attending the topic. Instructing topics obtain the same credit as learns on an hour-for-hour basis. Instructor hours may be used for instructional EMS programs, full courses, individual topics, EMS certificate courses, and standardized courses. All course instruction or teaching must be EMS related and state or CAPCE approved. Note: Courses to become an instructor or instructor methods are not accepted.

Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT): Your Training Officer/Supervisor can approve the skills verification.

Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (AEMT) and Paramedic (NRP): your Medical Director must approve the skills verification.

If you are renewing as unaffiliated and requesting ‘Inactive’ status, you are not required to provide verification of skills.

No. Individuals who are not affiliated with an agency in which out-of-hospital skills are utilized, but who meet the education requirements may recertify as ‘Inactive.’

The National Registry requires all individual applying for ‘Active Status’ recertification to be affiliated with an agency and using their EMS skills at their provider level. An agency may include fire departments, EMS response units, hospitals, hazmat response teams, rescue teams, private companies who provide EMS care to employees.

Clinicians who wish to declare Inactive Status must continue to meet the National Registry continuing education recertification requirements for their current level. Inactive Status is not for those who are unable to obtain and meet the educational requirements or those who have had limitations or revocation of the health care license. 

Inactive status may be helpful for EMS professionals who: 

  • Are not actively engaged in ambulance/rescue service or health/patient care activity.
  • Must be inactive for a period of time – such as, moving, illness, pursuit of education, family responsibilities, etc. 

Clinicians who request Inactive Status do not need to obtain skills verification. The provider is eligible to recertify by examination if they so choose. If you are not currently affiliated with an agency when you submit your recertification application, your account will update to ‘Inactive Status’. You can also request Inactive Status once your application has been submitted to your agency.

Moving from Inactive to Active status requires you to complete the ‘Inactive to Active’ form. Please ensure that your current or future employer is willing to verify competency of the skills found on the recertification form. You must print and complete the ‘Inactive to Active’ form.  

Open Form

No fee is required to move from inactive to active status.
If you are unsuccessful with recert by examination, you will need to complete the recertification education requirements before your appropriate expiration date. 

You can request to drop their certification to a lower level during your appropriate Oct 1 – March 31 recertification cycle.  Please email the request to support@nremt.org

If you choose to go back up to a higher level, you will be required to pass the AEMT Certification Examination or the Paramedic Certification Examination. 

EMR Late Renewal 

If the renewal application was not submitted prior to the September 30 deadline, the EMR may pay the reinstatement fee and submit the application between October 1 and October 31 of their current expiration year.  However, all continuing education requirements must have been satisfied prior to September 30 of the current expiration year. 

EMT Late Renewal

If the renewal application was not submitted prior to the March 31 deadline, the EMT may pay a $50 late application fee and submit the application until April 30.  However, all continuing education requirement must have been satisfied prior to March 31.

AEMT Late Renewal

If the renewal application was not submitted prior to the March 31 deadline, the AEMT may pay a $50 late application fee and submit the application until April 30.  However, all continuing education requirement must have been satisfied prior to March 31.

Paramedic Late Renewal

If the renewal application was not submitted prior to the March 31 deadline, the Paramedic may pay a $50 late application fee and submit the application until April 30.  However, all continuing education requirement must have been satisfied prior to March 31.