How Many Hours Is an EMT Refresher Course? (2026)

An EMT refresher course under the NREMT’s National Continued Competency Program (NCCP) requires a total of 40 continuing education credits per two-year recertification cycle. Those 40 hours are divided across three components: 20 hours national, 10 hours local or state, and 10 hours individual. Some states set their own totals, so always confirm your state’s requirements before you start.

Understanding the NREMT’s 40-Hour NCCP Model

Nationally Registered Emergency Medical Technicians are required to renew their certification every two years and can recertify by either taking the cognitive examination or by completing continuing education.
The continuing education route is by far the most common path, and it follows the NCCP framework.

The EMT National Continued Competency Program requires a total of forty (40) credits of continuing education to recertify, divided into three components: a national component, a local/state component, and an individual component.
Here is what each section covers:

National component (20 hours): Standardized clinical content defined by the NREMT, including airway, cardiovascular, trauma, medical, and EMS operations topics.
Local/state component (10 hours):
Your state or local EMS agency may determine what education you should add to the local component. If there are no established local requirements, you can use any EMS direct patient care-related education.
Individual component (10 hours): Flexible content you choose based on personal learning needs, skill gaps, or clinical interests, as long as the education is directly related to EMS patient care.

The full breakdown and topic hour requirements for each component are published by the NREMT at the official
EMT Recertification page on nremt.org.
Always use that page as your primary reference because requirements are updated periodically.

Can All 40 Hours Be Completed Online?

Yes.
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.
This means you can satisfy the entire 40-hour requirement through self-paced online coursework, as long as the courses carry accepted accreditation.

The National Registry accepts State EMS Office accepted and CAPCE-accredited education, education from EMS education programs, and U.S.-accredited academic credit. All education must be directly related to EMS patient care.
CAPCE (Commission on Accreditation for Pre-Hospital Continuing Education) accreditation is the most widely recognized national standard for online EMS CE. You can verify an accredited provider’s status through the official CAPCE website.

For a full catalog of CAPCE-accredited online courses covering the complete 40-hour NCCP requirement, visit the NREMT recertification programs at CE Solutions.

How the 40 Hours Break Down by Topic

The national component is not a single block of open-topic hours. The NREMT prescribes how those 20 national hours must be distributed across clinical content areas. Under the 2025 NCCP model, topic categories for the national component include:

Airway, Respiration, and Ventilation
Cardiovascular
Trauma
Medical and Behavioral Emergencies
EMS Operations

The National Continued Competency Program 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 specific hour minimums per topic within the national component are detailed in the NREMT’s EMS Recertification Guide, which is updated each recertification year.

Does Your State Require More or Fewer Hours?

State licensure requirements can differ from NREMT’s national standard. Some states accept the NCCP 40-hour model directly. Others set their own hour totals, mandate specific additional topics (such as jurisprudence or infection control), or require skills verification on top of CE hours.

A few examples to illustrate the variation:

States aligned with NREMT NCCP: Most states that use the NREMT as their certification authority follow the 40-hour framework, but local components may carry specific mandated topics.
States with distinct state CE totals: Some states set their own hour counts or require state-specific modules. Always verify before assuming the NCCP 40 hours satisfies your state license renewal as well.

The NREMT itself notes:
“We encourage you to reference the specific license renewal requirements for every state which you are licensed to practice.”
CE Solutions maintains a state-by-state EMS recertification requirements library where you can look up your state’s current rules, including Florida, Ohio, California, Tennessee, and others.

Step-by-Step: How to Complete Your EMT Refresher Hours

Log in to your NREMT account at nremt.org and confirm your certification expiration date and recertification cycle start date.
Check your state EMS office requirements to see whether your state has additional hours, mandated topics, or skills competency requirements beyond the NREMT standard.
Choose accredited courses. Select CAPCE-accredited or state-approved CE that maps to the national, local, and individual components. Verify that each course’s accreditation category is accepted by both NREMT and your state.
Complete your 40 hours before March 31 of your expiration year.
If you miss the March 31 application deadline, you may pay a $50 reinstatement fee and submit the application by April 30 of the current expiration year, but all CE must still have been completed by March 31.
Enter your CE credits in your NREMT Training Profile. Retain all certificates and completion documentation for at least three years in case of a random audit.
Get Training Officer verification if your state requires it, and submit your application through your NREMT dashboard before the deadline.

For a detailed walkthrough of the full renewal process, see the CE Solutions guide on how to meet your EMT continuing education hours every cycle.

What Happens If Your Certification Has Lapsed

A lapsed certification is a different situation from a routine renewal.
If your NREMT certification has lapsed, you are required to take the NREMT skills exam again, along with the NCCP 40-hour course and the cognitive exam.
The re-entry process takes longer, costs more, and may involve employer or state agency notification depending on where you are licensed. Do not wait until after expiration to start your refresher hours.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a 40-hour EMT refresher course the same as a traditional 24-hour refresher?

No. The older model required a 24-hour traditional refresher course plus 48 hours of additional CE for a total of 72 hours. The current NCCP model replaced that structure with a streamlined 40-hour total distributed across three components. The 2025 NCCP model has been in effect for EMTs since April 1, 2025, so verify that any course you purchase reflects the current model, not the legacy format.

Do all 40 hours have to be CAPCE accredited?

Not exclusively, but CAPCE accreditation is the simplest way to ensure your CE is accepted by both the NREMT and most states.
The National Registry also accepts State EMS Office approved education, education from EMS education programs, and U.S.-accredited academic credit or college courses.
Standardized courses such as PHTLS, AMLS, and ACLS can also apply, subject to credit limits defined in the NCCP model document. When in doubt, check the NREMT’s accepted education categories before purchasing any course.

Can I split my 40 hours across multiple providers?

Yes. You are not required to complete all 40 hours through a single course or provider. You can combine courses from different CAPCE-accredited or state-approved sources, as long as each course maps to the correct NCCP component and the total hours meet all three component minimums: 20 national, 10 local/state, and 10 individual. Keep completion certificates from every provider for your records.

Ready to knock out your 40-hour EMT refresher in one place? CE Solutions has been CAPCE-accredited since 1997 and offers 100 percent online, self-paced NCCP courses accepted by the NREMT and most states. Create your free CE Solutions account today and start your refresher hours on your schedule.

How Many Hours Is an EMT Refresher Course? NCCP Requirements Explained