To complete online EMS continuing education for 2027 NREMT recertification, choose a CAPCE-accredited provider, enroll in courses that satisfy your National Continued Competency Program (NCCP) components, document completions in your NREMT transcript, and submit your recertification application before your expiration date. The NREMT places no limit on how much of your required CE you complete online.

Why Online EMS Continuing Education Works for NREMT Recertification

A lot changed in 2022.
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 recertification application.
That rule still stands going into 2027, which means providers at every level can fulfill the entire CE requirement through qualifying online courses, provided those courses meet the acceptance standards.

The National Registry accepts State EMS Office accepted and CAPCE accredited education, education from EMS education programs, and all education must be directly related to EMS patient care.
If a course does not carry CAPCE accreditation or explicit state EMS office approval, it will not count, regardless of how relevant the topic seems.

NREMT CE Requirements by Certification Level

The NCCP streamlines the recertification process by indicating the continuing education needed to recertify and is constructed into three categories: national, state/local, and individual components.
The credit totals differ by level:

• EMR:
  16 total credits, including 8 national, 4 local, and 4 individual.
• EMT:
  20 national, 10 state/local, and 10 individual credits, totaling 40 hours.
• AEMT:
  50 total credits of continuing education to recertify.
• Paramedic:
  60 credits of continuing education to recertify.

Always verify the current NCCP credit table directly at nremt.org/Document/nccp, as the NREMT updates the model periodically and your expiration date determines which version applies to you.

For a deeper breakdown of deadlines and application steps at every level, see the complete NREMT recertification requirements guide on this site.

Step-by-Step: How to Complete Your Online EMS CE for 2027

Step 1: Log In to Your NREMT Account and Review Your Transcript

Review your National Registry transcript, determine which NCCP requirements remain incomplete, and choose qualifying continuing education that fills those requirements.
Your NREMT dashboard shows your current cycle dates, credits already logged, and any gaps in the national, local, and individual components. Do not guess; check the transcript first.

Step 2: Choose a CAPCE-Accredited Online Provider

CAPCE accredited EMS continuing education consists of courses reviewed and approved by the Commission on Accreditation for Prehospital Continuing Education, the national standard-setting body for EMS CE quality.
Not every provider that claims CAPCE accreditation actually holds it.
CAPCE has noted instances of various continuing education providers who falsely represent that they are accredited by CAPCE.
Confirm your provider appears on the official accredited provider list at capce.org before enrolling.

CE Solutions has held CAPCE accreditation continuously since 1997. You can browse the full course library at ems-ce.com/ems and filter by NCCP component to match courses directly to your transcript gaps.

Step 3: Match Courses to Your NCCP Components

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.
The local and individual components make up the remaining 50%, with the individual component giving you the most flexibility in topic selection.

When choosing courses, confirm each one is tagged to the correct NCCP component. Courses assigned to the wrong component will not satisfy that requirement even if the credit hours look correct on the transcript.

Step 4: Complete All CE Before Your Expiration Date

All continuing education must be completed within your certification cycle and before your expiration date.
For EMTs, AEMTs, and Paramedics, that deadline falls on March 31 of the expiration year. EMR cycles expire on September 30. Starting early leaves time to address any audit requests or documentation issues without rushing.

Step 5: Import CAPCE Credits to Your NREMT Transcript

Import CAPCE courses into your NREMT transcript. Check for CAPCE education available to import from the “CAPCE Import function” and add all submitted education to the transcript.
Most CAPCE-accredited providers, including CE Solutions, report completions automatically, but log in and verify that each course appears in the correct component before submitting your application.

Step 6: Retain Documentation for Five Years

Recertification applications submitted to the National Registry are randomly selected for audit. If an individual’s application is chosen at random, the individual must provide documentation for all courses listed on the recertification application before their current expiration date.

Nationally certified EMS professionals must retain the proof of all education submitted for recertification for a period of five years.
Download and save your completion certificates as soon as each course is finished.

Step 7: Submit Your Recertification Application

Submitting your recertification application online is much more efficient with an approximate processing time of five business days.
Complete all CE first, then submit through your NREMT account. The full recertification application portal is at nremt.org/rwd/public/document/recertification.

State Requirements Layer on Top of NREMT Baseline

Completing NREMT recertification satisfies the National Registry requirement, but your state license is a separate obligation.
If you maintain National Registry certification, NREMT recertification through CAPCE-accredited EMS CE typically satisfies state continuing education requirements as well,
but this is not universal.
Most states accept CAPCE-accredited courses by default, but some states also maintain their own approved provider lists with additional requirements.

Check your state-specific rules using the NREMT recertification resources page, which links out to individual state EMS offices. Your state EMS office is the authoritative source for any state-level topic mandates or hour minimums that exceed the NREMT baseline.

Tips for Training Officers Managing Department-Wide CE

• Standardize on a CAPCE-accredited provider whose platform reports completions automatically to NREMT through the transcript import system.
• Set an internal deadline at least 60 days before the NREMT expiration date so providers have time to address any course assignment errors.
• Keep a roster of each member’s expiration date and NCCP progress. Providers with staggered cycle dates need individualized tracking.
• Verify that every course your department assigns carries a valid CAPCE accreditation number. A course that looks legitimate but lacks accreditation will not count and cannot be replaced retroactively after expiration.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I complete 100% of my NREMT CE online in 2027?

Yes.
Paramedics holding National Registry certification can complete all required continuing education online. The National Registry permanently removed limits on distributive education, meaning qualifying online education can be used for the entire continuing education requirement, provided the courses otherwise meet National Registry recertification requirements.
The same applies to EMTs, AEMTs, and EMRs. Your state may still impose its own limits, so confirm your state rules separately.

What happens if my NREMT certification expires before I finish my CE?

If you miss the March 31 deadline, the NREMT allows a short late-application window with an additional fee, but all CE must have been completed before March 31 regardless. Beyond that window, reinstatement requirements apply, which are more involved than a standard renewal. See the guidance on re-entry and reinstatement if you are past your expiration date.

How do I know if a course satisfies the national component vs. the individual component?

Education or credits claimed must be at or above the individual’s certification level. The NREMT table lists the required number of credits for continuing education by each level of National EMS Certification and by the specific component.
CAPCE-accredited courses are coded by component type. Check the course’s CAPCE designation before enrolling, and confirm the component assignment matches your transcript gap when you import the credit to your NREMT account.

Ready to knock out your 2027 NREMT continuing education requirements on your own schedule? CE Solutions offers CAPCE-accredited, self-paced online EMS CE with 24/7 access and instant completion certificates. Create your free account today and start building your transcript before the deadline arrives.

Nationally Registered Paramedics can complete their NREMT recertification entirely through online CE courses, provided those courses are CAPCE-accredited or accepted by a state EMS office.
The current NCCP requirement for Paramedics is 60 total credits, divided among the national, local or state, and individual components.
Choosing CAPCE-accredited online courses is the most efficient way to satisfy all three components and submit a clean recertification application.

What NREMT Paramedic Recertification Actually Requires

Nationally Registered Paramedics are required to renew their certification every two years, and can recertify by either taking the Paramedic Certification Examination or by completing continuing education.
Most paramedics use the continuing education pathway because it can be completed on your own schedule without sitting for a high-stakes exam.

Under the National Continued Competency Program (NCCP),
the 60 credits are divided into: a National Component of 30 credits, a Local or State Component of 15 credits, and an Individual Component of 15 credits.

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, or credit provided by the National Registry Alternative Recertification Credits Policy.
For the full breakdown directly from the source, see the NREMT Paramedic Recertification page.

For a deeper look at how all three components fit together across certification levels, the CE Solutions NREMT recertification guide walks through the NCCP structure step by step.

Why CAPCE Accreditation Is the Key to Online CE

CAPCE-accredited EMS continuing education consists of courses reviewed and approved by the Commission on Accreditation for Prehospital Continuing Education, the national standard-setting body for EMS CE quality.
When you complete a CAPCE-accredited course, you can import those records directly into your NREMT account, which eliminates manual data entry and reduces the chance of documentation errors.

The National Registry updated the recertification application so imported CAPCE courses can be automatically assigned toward NCCP requirements, with credits assigned to an applicable national component topic first. Once a required topic is satisfied, remaining applicable credits can flow to the local or state component and then to the individual component.

For providers, the practical result is straightforward: CAPCE-accredited EMS CE courses are accepted by the National Registry of EMTs for recertification and by virtually every state EMS regulatory agency for state-level recertification.
You can verify any provider’s accreditation status at the official CAPCE website, and search for approved courses using the CAPCE course finder.

One important note:
CAPCE has become aware of various continuing education providers who falsely represent that they are accredited by CAPCE.
Always verify accreditation before enrolling.

The 2025 NCCP Model: What Changed

The National Registry began implementing the 2025 NCCP Model on April 1, 2025 for EMT, AEMT, and Paramedic recertification.
If your certification expired or will expire after that date, the new model applies to you.

Core topic areas under the national component include airway/respiration/ventilation, cardiovascular, trauma, medical, and operations. The 2025 model provides more comprehensive topic areas like neurology, stroke, geriatrics, and disaster management under the umbrella of “Medical.”

Before you start pulling CE hours together, review the current topic requirements on the NREMT site so you know exactly which subjects must be covered in your national component. Planning your course selections against that topic list from the start of your cycle saves significant scrambling near your expiration date.

Step-by-Step: How to Complete Online Paramedic CE for NREMT Recertification

1. Log in to your NREMT account and check your expiration date. Confirm whether the 2025 NCCP Model applies to your cycle and note which national component topics are required. Your dashboard will show your current progress.
2. Choose a CAPCE-accredited online provider. Verify the provider’s accreditation status at capce.org before enrolling. Look for the CAPCE accreditation number on individual course listings, not just a general logo on the homepage.
3. Map your 60 credits across the three components. Plan for 30 credits of national component topics first, since those have specific subject requirements. The remaining 30 credits for the local/state and individual components offer more flexibility in topic selection.
4. Complete coursework and track your records.
   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.
   Keep completion certificates and any quiz or attestation records on file.
5. Import your CAPCE records into your NREMT account. Use the “Import CAPCE courses” function inside your NREMT dashboard to pull in completed course records directly from the CAPCE database. This is faster and more accurate than entering courses manually.
6. Confirm your state license requirements separately.
   The NREMT encourages providers to reference the specific license renewal requirements for every state in which they are licensed to practice.
   NREMT certification and state licensure are separate, and your state may have additional or different requirements. Use the CE Solutions state requirements guide to look up your state’s rules.
7. Submit your recertification application before your expiration date.
   You must submit your application no later than midnight on the day your certification expires.Keep all recertification supporting documentation for at least three years, because the National Registry is required to conduct random audits of applications.

Matching Online Courses to NCCP Component Requirements

Not all topics count equally across all three components. Here is a practical breakdown of how to think about course selection:

• National Component (30 credits): Focus here first. Courses must cover NREMT-designated topic areas. Airway management, cardiac emergencies, trauma, and the expanded medical topics under the 2025 model are common choices. Confirm topic codes on your CAPCE course documentation match the NREMT-required topics.
• Local or State Component (15 credits):
  The NREMT specifies training hours for each certification level in trauma, pediatric, and stroke care. Paramedics also need to complete training in cardiac care. Your local medical control or EMS agency may specify additional educational requirements to be completed in this component.
  Check with your agency or regional EMS director before selecting these courses.
• Individual Component (15 credits):
  Registrants are free to take any state or CAPCE-approved EMS-related education.
  Use this component to address clinical areas where you want deeper knowledge or to satisfy any specialty interests within EMS patient care.

Common Mistakes That Delay Recertification

• Using courses from a provider that claims CAPCE accreditation but is not verified on capce.org.
• Completing 60 hours of general CE without confirming required national component topics are covered, which can leave gaps that make your application incomplete.
• Waiting until the final weeks of your cycle to start coursework, leaving no time to resolve documentation issues.
• Forgetting that your state license renewal is a separate process with its own deadlines and requirements.
• Entering courses manually instead of importing from CAPCE, which increases the risk of data entry errors flagged during audit review.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I complete all 60 paramedic CE credits 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. The course must still be CAPCE-accredited or state-accepted, and all content must be directly related to EMS patient care.
Confirm this remains current policy at nremt.org before your application cycle closes.

How do I know which NCCP topics are required for the national component?

The NREMT publishes the required topic list for each certification level on its recertification pages.
Providers whose certifications expire under the new model should review the updated topic requirements on the NREMT recertification page before planning their CE strategy.
Your CAPCE course documentation will include a topic code that corresponds to NCCP categories, making it easier to confirm alignment.

Does completing NREMT recertification automatically renew my state paramedic license?

Many states will provide recertification if the EMS clinician maintains their NREMT certification,
but this is not universal. Some states have additional CE requirements, mandatory topics, or separate renewal applications entirely. Always verify current requirements directly with your state EMS office or use a state-specific requirements guide to confirm what your state expects before your license expires.

Start Your Recertification Today

CE Solutions has provided CAPCE-accredited, NREMT-accepted online EMS continuing education since 1997.
The online EMS continuing education platform lets you complete your recertification on your schedule, with 24/7 instant access to a comprehensive library of CAPCE-accredited courses.
Create your free account, browse the full paramedic CE catalog, and start earning credits toward your next recertification cycle at CE Solutions.

EMTs holding National Registry certification need 40 continuing education hours per two-year recertification cycle under the NREMT’s National Continued Competency Program (NCCP). Those 40 hours split into 20 national, 10 local/state, and 10 individual. If your certification expires in 2027, those hours must be completed and submitted before your expiration date. State licensure requirements may differ, so confirm your state’s totals separately.

Why 2027 Deadlines Matter Now

NREMT certifications renew on a two-year cycle.
You must submit your application no later than midnight on the day your certification expires, and the National Registry is required to conduct random audits of applications.
That means providers whose certifications expire at any point in 2027 should already be accumulating hours, not waiting until the final months of the cycle. Starting early also leaves room to address state-specific topics without deadline pressure.

If you are unsure of your exact expiration date, log in to your NREMT account at nremt.org and check the “My Certification” dashboard.

The 40-Hour NCCP Breakdown for EMTs

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.

National Component: 20 Hours

The national component covers the topic areas required by the NCCP: airway/respiration/ventilation, cardiovascular, trauma, medical, and operations. Under the 2025 NCCP model, these five areas make up the national component, which accounts for 50 percent of your total recertification hours.

Under the 2025 NCCP model (which
EMT, AEMT, and Paramedic level providers follow for National Registry renewal beginning April 1, 2025), the national component hour allocations for EMTs are: airway/respiration/ventilation (4 hours), cardiovascular (5 hours), trauma (3 hours), medical (6 hours), and operations (2 hours).

Ten percent of your total national component credits must be in pediatric content. For EMTs, that means at least 2 of your 20 national component hours must directly address pediatric patients.

Local/State Component: 10 Hours

These 10 hours are sourced from your state EMS office, your medical director, or a CAPCE-accredited provider whose courses meet your state’s topic mandates. This component is where state-specific requirements, such as protocol updates or mandatory state topics, typically live. Check with your state EMS regulatory office for any prescribed content within this component.

Individual Component: 10 Hours

The individual component is the most flexible portion of your recertification.
You choose topic areas relevant to your practice, your agency, or skill gaps you have identified. There are no prescribed topics here, but all courses must still be CAPCE-accredited or state-accepted and must relate to EMS patient care.

What Counts as Accepted CE

All education submitted for NREMT recertification must be CAPCE-accredited or accepted by a state EMS office, and all education must be directly related to EMS patient care.

CAPCE, by its charter, maintains the standards for the delivery of EMS CE. Those standards include requirements for active medical direction, valid post-tests, quality infrastructure, sound educational design including delivery methodology, marketing, fees, evaluation, student record keeping, and data reporting. CAPCE accreditation exists so that EMS providers have access to high quality, standard-driven continuing education activities and are awarded credit for participating in such activities.
You can verify a provider’s current accreditation status directly at capce.org.

Choosing a CAPCE-accredited provider protects you from completing CE hours that do not count toward NREMT recertification or state licensure renewal.
Do not rely on a provider’s marketing page alone to confirm accreditation status.

For a deeper look at accepted CE types and how to plan your full cycle, see the CE Solutions guide to EMT continuing education hours.

State Requirements vs. NREMT Requirements

State-only recertification paths often require additional hours and may include state-specific topics like jurisprudence or protocol updates. For example, the Texas state path requires 72 hours for EMTs, compared to 40 hours on the NREMT path.

Some states that require more hours than NREMT will allow you to recertify through NREMT. EMTs in Texas, for example, can recertify with 40 NREMT hours for both NREMT and Texas, without having to complete 72 hours. Check the requirements-by-state resource to find the specific totals for your state, and confirm the details with your state EMS regulatory office before relying on any third-party summary.

If you maintain NREMT certification,
NREMT recertification through CAPCE-accredited EMS CE typically satisfies state continuing education requirements as well.
Verify this with your state EMS office before assuming it applies to your jurisdiction.

You can find state-specific hour totals and topic requirements on the NREMT recertification page at CE Solutions.

Step-by-Step: How to Complete Your EMT CE Hours for a 2027 Deadline

1. Confirm your expiration date. Log in to your NREMT account and record the exact date. Also check your state EMS license expiration, which may differ from your NREMT date.
2. Identify your required hour totals.
   For NREMT recertification under the NCCP, EMTs need 40 hours per cycle.
   Confirm whether your state requires additional hours or mandatory topics beyond the NREMT standard.
3. Choose a CAPCE-accredited provider.
   CAPCE is the gold standard for EMS continuing education accreditation in the United States, and CAPCE-accredited EMS CE courses are accepted by the NREMT for recertification and by virtually every state EMS regulatory agency for state-level recertification.
4. Complete the national component first. Work through the five prescribed topic areas (airway, cardiovascular, trauma, medical, operations) early in your cycle so the most structured hours are done before deadline pressure builds.
5. Address local/state component hours. Source these from your state EMS office, medical director, or a CAPCE-accredited provider whose courses cover your state’s required content.
6. Fill individual component hours. Use these flexible hours for skill gaps, specialized topics, or content relevant to your service area.
7. Keep all documentation.
   Keep all recertification supporting documentation for at least three years, as the National Registry is required to conduct random audits of applications.
8. Submit your application before expiration. Log the completed hours in the NREMT portal and submit well ahead of your expiration date. Processing times vary, so do not wait until the final days.

A Note for Training Officers

If you manage CE compliance for a department, the three-component NCCP structure gives you a planning framework. Schedule national component training at the start of each two-year cycle, coordinate local/state hours with your medical director or state EMS office, and track individual hours per provider.
Most states accept CAPCE-accredited courses by default, but some states also maintain their own approved provider lists with additional requirements. Verify accreditation on the CAPCE website and confirm acceptance with your state EMS office before you begin a course, especially if it includes mandatory topics like jurisprudence.

For online courses that meet NCCP requirements across all certification levels, browse the EMS continuing education catalog at CE Solutions.

Recertification by Examination: The Other Option

Instead of submitting CE hours, EMTs may choose to recertify by passing the cognitive NREMT exam again.
This option is available if your certification has not yet lapsed, but it does not satisfy state licensure renewal requirements in every state. Confirm whether your state accepts exam-based recertification before choosing this path. Most providers find the CE path more predictable because it allows incremental progress across the cycle rather than a single high-stakes exam event.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many CE hours does an EMT need to recertify for 2027?

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 divide into 20 national, 10 local/state, and 10 individual. Your state may require additional hours or mandatory topics on top of this total, so verify with your state EMS office. The full NREMT recertification framework is published at nremt.org/Document/Recertification.

Do all 40 CE hours need to be CAPCE-accredited?

The National Registry accepts state EMS office-accepted and CAPCE-accredited education, education from EMS education programs, and U.S. accredited academic credit.
In practice, CAPCE-accredited courses are the most common and most reliable path because they are accepted by both the NREMT and virtually all state EMS agencies.
All education must be CAPCE-accredited or accepted by a state EMS office, and all education must be directly related to EMS patient care. You can verify individual provider accreditation at capce.org.

What happens if my NREMT certification expires before I finish my CE hours?

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 path depends on how long the certification has been lapsed. Review the complete NREMT recertification how-to guide for details on lapsed certification procedures, and contact the NREMT directly at nremt.org to confirm the current re-entry requirements for your situation.

Ready to start your hours now? Create your free CE Solutions account and access the full catalog of CAPCE-accredited EMT continuing education courses, built to meet NCCP national component requirements and state recertification standards.