The National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) recertification standards mandate that all certified professionals need to complete a recognized NREMT recertification course or devise their own study program through approved providers every two years. State certification and licensure rules can differ, and although that by no means implies that NREMT recertification isn’t essential, it can cause confusion or impact the content areas you cover within the local component.
In most regions, certification and licensure go hand in hand, but it’s worth checking the relevant local rules in your state to identify whether there are any variances with the national standards you’ll need to know about before you apply for recertification.
NREMT Recertification Rules at a Glance
In most states, registering for the relevant licensure as a newly qualified emergency medical professional is a two-step process, where you’ll need to:
- Obtain NREMT certification
- Register with the state body to apply for licensure to practice
A similar process can apply to recertification–a continued professional development policy with rules about the number of hours you complete based on your certification level and the content involved, split into national, local, and individual topic areas.
How often do you recertify NREMT qualifications to retain your national certification? The National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) states that all professionals at every level must recertify once every two years. It’s up to you how you meet that requirement, but choosing a fully accredited, pre-configured recertification online program is ideal, giving you a professional resource that already meets all the applicable standards.
How long does it take for the NREMT to approve recertification? One of the benefits of our CAPCE-accredited program is that there are zero delays. Once you’ve completed the video content, answered the quizzes, and submitted your evaluation, we’ll email your recertification document straight to your inbox!
State laws generally align with this two-year recertification timeline, but some EMS offices enforce rules around the local component, which can influence the type of content you need to cover within your studies.
Differences Between State and National NREMT Recertification
The easiest way to explain the variances between state and NREMT recertification is to clarify how the continued educational requirements are broken down.
Most states rely on the National Continued Competency Program (NCCP), which sets out how candidates can achieve recertification. This includes a specific number of hours of study and the proportion of that learning that is focused on the national, local, and individual levels.
For example, NCCP rules state that a paramedic must complete sixty hours every two years, of which:
- Thirty hours are based on national content components
- Fifteen hours involve local component study
- Fifteen hours are spent studying individual content components
This is where the primary differences in state recertification lie because some state officials set requirements around what that local component involves. There may be specific topics, protocols, or tasks that are most relevant in the region or scenarios where emergency medical professionals in the state are expected to be well-versed in particular areas of specialization.
If there are no state guidelines about your continued education, the NREMT rules apply by default, but there is more flexibility about individual and local content components in some states than others.
Illustrating Contrasts Between NREMT and State Recertification
Let’s take a quick look at a couple of examples to put all this together. California is our first case study as a state without an NREMT continuous registration requirement. But, as an EMT, paramedic, or other emergency medical professional, you’ll be advised to complete NREMT recertification every two years to be 100% confident that your certification remains valid.
It’s wise to maintain your registration, regardless of whether this is mandatory, to avoid it lapsing or impacting your ability to work elsewhere. Alabama and Arkansas, in contrast, have rules about the local component of recertification study, where they expect a set number of hours of up-to-date learning around EMS patient care. Therefore, you’ll need to ensure you can demonstrate this requirement when submitting recertification evidence.
The great news is that The Paramedic Coach’s recertification program takes care of all these complexities for you, providing structured, accredited learning resources, easy-to-digest video content, and any-time access, ensuring you can stay ahead of recertification requirements wherever you happen to practice, and at any level of NREMT certification!
