Emergency medical technicians (EMTs) in Georgia are given two-year licenses from the Georgia Department of Public Health (GDPH). To renew their license, EMTs must complete forty hours of approved continuing education (CE), submit evidence that they are legally allowed to work in Georgia, and have a clean background check. This information must be submitted through the state’s online EMT certification Georgia platform.
More About Georgia’s CE Requirements
To qualify for recertification, a CE program needs to be approved by the state or the Commission on Accreditation for Pre-Hospital Continuing Education and cover the following topics:
- Eight hours of pediatric
- Four hours of cardiovascular (e.g., heart attack and stroke)
- Four hours of trauma
- Twenty-four hours of general emergency medical service (EMS) topics
Double-check that you enroll in a CE program that corresponds to your level of certification. In Georgia, Emergency Medical Technician-Responder (EMT-R) is a new entry-level position created to address the shortage of EMS responders. EMT-Rs provide basic life support and assist EMTs. Their recertification requirements are much less stringent than those of an EMT, and you don’t want to sign up for the wrong program.
If you want to know how to improve low Georgia EMT practice scores, check out The Paramedic Coach’s resources. Our Video Vault will guide you through complex topics in plain English, so you can fully understand the material.
The CE needs to be completed within the two-year window designated by the GDPH. To be recertified by the State of Georgia, EMTs also need to be certified by the National Registry of EMTs (NREMT) and hold a current CPR card.
The EMT Recertification Process in Georgia
The Georgia Office of EMS and Trauma uses the EMS License Management System (LMS) online platform to process all initial and renewal EMT license applications. Paper applications are no longer accepted. After completing the CE requirements, all licensed EMS professionals must submit the required documentation during the stated renewal cycle that corresponds to the expiration date of their certification.
The regular 2025 license renewal term is between October 1st, 2024 and March 31st, 2025. A late renewal fee is due if the renewal is made between April 1st and September 30th.
Please note that renewal dates may vary from year to year, so it’s essential to check the GDPH website well in advance. You cannot work as an EMT if your license expires.
Here are more details on how to recertify EMTs in Georgia:
- Before adding your completed coursework to the EMS-LMS system, check with the school or instructor to see if they have already added the information.
- Follow the instructions on the Georgia EMS-LMS system to create or log into your account.
- Click the ‘Education’ tab on the left side of the homepage, and follow the ‘My Report’ link.
- The courses you took should appear on this page.
- To add any missing training, search for the topic of the course. Click the green plus button on the right side of the topic. Enter the course name and completion dates. Click ‘Choose File’ and upload a scanned copy of your course certificate. Enter the number of credit hours you earned.
- Follow the compliance check instructions on the ‘Continue My Applications’ page to update your residency and criminal history since your last renewal.
- Navigate to the ‘Renewal Information’ form. You will need to upload a scanned copy of the front and back of your CPR card.
- Pay the renewal fee. If payment is successful, you will receive an email confirming that your license has been renewed.
- You can log back into your account and view your license card in the ‘Documents’ folder in the ‘My Account’ section.
Words of Advice
The EMT recertification process in Georgia is straightforward, but it takes time and commitment to complete. Don’t wait until the last minute. You have two years to complete the requirements. The Paramedic Coach offers a CAPCE-accredited recertification program to ensure you are fully prepared and can complete your CE requirements with ease!
