Notice to Our Callers: Due to high call volumes, calls may disconnect if the wait time exceeds 30 minutes. Please try again later or email us at email@example.com. Also, check out our Recertification page for answers to the most frequently asked questions. We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your understanding.
Your affiliation is the EMS agency/organization you work for that will be verifying your continuing education and skills competency. You may submit an affiliation request from your "My Certification" tab.
Your agency is the EMS organization that you work for. This agency will be responsible for verifying your continuing education and skills competency. You will need to submit a request to become electronically affiliated with your agency from your "My Certification" tab.
Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP): Beginning on January 1, 2013 all initial Paramedic applicants seeking National EMS Certification at the Paramedic level must have successfully completed education from an accredited program or one that has a Letter of Review (LOR).
Computerized Adaptive Testing (CAT) is a type of Computer Based Testing (CBT) where an algorithm determines the difficulty level of a candidate's next test question, based on how the previous question was answered. CAT is individualized according to the candidate’s performance and measures every candidate against a predetermined minimum entry-level competence standard.
Computer Based Testing (CBT). Pearson VUE provides computer-based test delivery for the National EMS Certification cognitive examinations.
The Commission on Accreditation for Pre-Hospital Continuing Education, formerly known as CECBEMS, is the national accrediting body for EMS continuing education courses and course providers. For more information, visit the CAPCE website: www.capce.org.
National EMS Certification means you have met the standards of the certifying body in credentialing. Certification is recognized by employers, state licensing agencies, and the public. It means you possess entry level competency. National EMS Certification is NOT a license to practice.
Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the Emergency Medical Services Professions (CoAEMSP)
Distributive Education (DE) is a method of delivering EMS education where the educator and student are not able to interact in real time. Examples include online courses, journal article reviews, and videos.
Inactive Status is for Nationally Certified EMS Professionals who are currently not providing patient care at their certification level. Registrants who wish to declare inactive status must continue to meet the National Registry continuing education recertification requirements. Inactive status is not for those who are unable to obtain and meet the educational requirements or those who have had limitations or revocation of a health care license.
A status assigned to a certification if the recertification process is not complete by the certification expiration date.
Letter of Review
A Letter of Review (LOR) is issued by the Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the Emergency Medical Services Professions (CoAEMSP) to Paramedic programs who are officially in the process of obtaining accreditation.
An EMS license gives you the legal right to practice prehospital care in a given state. National EMS Certification is NOT a license to practice.
Agencies who have ALS providers are required to have a physician Medical Director affiliated electronically. The physician Medical Director is responsible for verifying continued competence of skills for ALS providers at the time they renew their National EMS Certification.
National Continued Competency Program (NCCP) is a new recertification model that allows flexibility at the local and individual levels. The NCCP is comprised of three components: national, local and individual.
The National Registry provides a proficiency evaluation for use by State EMS offices seeking cognitive evaluation of a potential licensee. Candidates should ONLY apply for an Proficiency Evaluation when advised by their State EMS office.
The pathway to gain National EMS Certification for an individual that previously held, but does not currently hold, a state license or a National EMT, AEMT or Paramedic Certification.
Is the process by which nationally certified EMS professionals renew their certification. Nationally certified EMS professionals must renew their certification every two years.
Applying for another state’s license based on current National EMS certification. Please consult with the State EMS Office of the state where you are seeking licensure for reciprocity requirements.
EMS professionals who fail to submit their recertification applications by their expiration date, may seek re-instatement of their National EMS Certification within 30 days of their expiration date. EMS professionals seeking reinstatement must complete the recertification application and pay the reinstatement fee. All educational requirements must have been met prior to your expiration date.
The Self-Assessment Tool is designed to EMS professionals assess their knowledge and guide study in the next recertification cycle. The self-assessment tool is not a test and Individualized assessment tool results will not be released to any person other than the individual provider.
A Training Officer is the individual responsible for managing the education requirements of an EMS agency. This person may be nationally certified, but this is not a requirement.
In 2009, the National EMS Scope of Practice Model defined four (4) provider levels: EMR, EMT, AEMT and Paramedic. In accordance with the transition policy, historical levels have been transitioned to the National EMS levels:
First Responder to Emergency Medical Responder (EMR)