NREMT Recertification Requirements: A Complete How-To Guide
To maintain National Registry certification, EMS providers must recertify every two years by completing continuing education under the National Continued Competency Program (NCCP) or by passing a cognitive examination.
Credit totals by level are: Paramedic, 60 credits; AEMT, 50 credits; EMT, 40 credits; and EMR, 16 credits.
All education must be CAPCE-accredited or accepted by a state EMS office, and all education must be directly related to EMS patient care.
What Is the NCCP and Why It Governs Your Recertification
The continuing education option allows the individual to demonstrate continued competency by documentation of continuing education completed during the recertification cycle using the National Continued Competency Program (NCCP) model.
The NCCP divides your required credits into three distinct components, each serving a different purpose. Understanding how they fit together is the first step toward a clean, on-time recertification.
The National Registry began implementing the 2025 NCCP Model on April 1, 2025 for EMT, AEMT, and Paramedic recertification.
The new 2025 NCCP Model began October 1, 2025 for EMR.
If your certification expiration falls under the new model, review the updated topic requirements on the NREMT recertification page before building your CE plan.
The Three NCCP Components Explained
Component 1: The National Component (50% of Total Credits)
The national component of the NCCP constitutes 50% of the total recertification requirements.
Topics in this component are prescribed by the National Registry and cover core clinical domains including airway, cardiovascular, trauma, medical, and operations content.
The education applied in the national component must be at or above the current certification level.
Component 2: The Local/State Component (25% of Total Credits)
The local component constitutes 25% of the total recertification requirements, and specific topic requirements may be defined by your state, region, or local agency.
If no specific local or state topics are mandated, these credits are considered flexible, but the education must still qualify for National Registry recertification and be directly related to EMS patient care.
Always check with your state EMS office or training officer to confirm whether mandatory local topics apply to you before selecting courses for this component.
Component 3: The Individual Component (25% of Total Credits)
The individual component constitutes 25% of the recertification requirements. Registrants are free to take any state or CAPCE-approved EMS-related education.
This is where you have the most scheduling flexibility. Use it to round out topic gaps, address areas your agency has identified for improvement, or complete courses that align with your specific patient population.
Step-by-Step: How to Complete NREMT Recertification
- Confirm your certification level and expiration date. Log in at nremt.org and locate your current expiration date and cycle dates. Your recertification cycle window determines which courses count toward your application.
- Identify your credit total.
For NREMT recertification under the NCCP, EMRs need 16 hours, EMTs need 40 hours, AEMTs need 50 hours, and Paramedics need 60 hours per cycle. - Check your state’s specific requirements. Many states layer additional requirements on top of the NCCP. Our NREMT recertification resource page summarizes what working providers need to know at the national level, and our state requirements pages cover local mandates in detail.
- Choose only accepted CE sources.
The National Registry accepts State EMS Office accepted and CAPCE-accredited education, education from EMS education programs, and U.S. accredited academic credit, college courses, or credit provided by the National Registry Alternative Recertification Credits Policy.
Verify any provider’s CAPCE accreditation status at capce.org before enrolling. - Log education into your NREMT transcript as you complete it.
The National Registry encourages entering education into the transcript throughout the recertification cycle. Do not wait until the last minute. - Complete the national component topics first. Prescribed topics have the fewest substitution options, so finishing them early leaves room to address state or local component topics without deadline pressure.
- Submit your application online.
Submitting your recertification application online is much more efficient, with an approximate processing time of five business days.
Mailed applications are available by request but take significantly longer. - Monitor your application status.
If your recertification application is marked incomplete for education, check the Message Center at the bottom of your “My Certification” page and email support@nremt.org for information about what needs correction.
The Two Recertification Pathways
Providers have two options for maintaining their National Registry credential. Most working providers use the continuing education pathway, but the examination pathway is available as an alternative.
- Recertification by Continuing Education (CE): Complete the required NCCP credits within your active certification cycle, enter them into your NREMT account transcript, and submit your application before your expiration date.
- Recertification by Examination:
You may make one attempt to take and pass the examination between April 1 (one year prior to your current expiration date) and March 31 (your expiration date).If you successfully pass the examination, you will be recertified with an Inactive status. Be sure to submit an inactive to active request to your Medical Director.
For a deeper look at the CE pathway at the Paramedic level, see our step-by-step Paramedic recertification guide. If you are an EMT looking for a breakdown of hourly requirements across your cycle, the EMT continuing education hours guide covers scheduling strategies in detail.
Why CAPCE Accreditation Matters for Every Credit You Submit
The Commission on Accreditation for Prehospital Continuing Education (CAPCE) is an accrediting body charged with the review and accreditation of EMS continuing education.
Choosing a CAPCE-accredited provider protects you from completing CE hours that do not count toward NREMT recertification or state licensure renewal.
CAPCE has become aware of various continuing education providers who falsely represent that they are accredited by CAPCE. You can verify any provider’s status directly through the CAPCE official website.
Do not assume accreditation is active based solely on marketing claims or a logo on a course page. Always confirm before enrolling.
Education can be gathered through online or in-person courses. As of 2022, there are no limits on how much online education you can use on your application.
This gives working providers significant flexibility to complete CE on their own schedule without travel.
Common Mistakes That Delay or Void Your Application
- Submitting CE completed outside your current certification cycle dates.
- Using courses from providers that are not CAPCE-accredited or state-accepted.
- Using the same class more than one time, since classes can only be used once.
- Missing state-mandated local component topics and treating those credits as fully flexible.
- Waiting until the final weeks before expiration, when NREMT support response times increase and course availability may be limited.
- Failing to affiliate with your EMS agency in your NREMT account before submitting your training profile for training officer review.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I complete all of my NREMT recertification credits online?
Education can be gathered through online or in-person courses, and as of 2022, there are no limits on how much online education you can use on your application.
However, your state may have its own rules about in-person or skills requirements separate from the NREMT application. Always confirm with your state EMS office before planning a fully online cycle.
What happens if my NREMT certification lapses?
Nationally Registered Emergency Medical Responders are required to renew their certification every two years and can recertify by either taking the cognitive examination or by completing continuing education.
If you allow your certification to expire, the re-entry process typically requires completing the CE requirements for your level within a recent timeframe and, in some cases, retaking cognitive and skills examinations. The specific re-entry rules depend on how long your credential has been lapsed and your certification level. Check the NREMT website for current re-entry policies.
Does passing the NREMT recertification examination satisfy my state license renewal too?
Not automatically.
The NREMT encourages you to reference the specific license renewal requirements for every state in which you are licensed to practice.
Some states accept NREMT recertification as satisfying their state CE requirement, while others require a separate state application, fees, or additional state-specific topics. Check your state EMS office directly or review our state requirements pages to confirm what applies to you.
CE Solutions has provided CAPCE-accredited EMS continuing education since 1997, serving EMRs, EMTs, AEMTs, Paramedics, and Fire professionals across the country. If you are ready to start completing your NCCP credits with a provider you can trust, create your free CE Solutions account today and browse courses built to meet National Registry recertification requirements.
