Part 4 Important Dates & Time Periods

Expiration dates are set when you gain your full, initial certification. 

• Individuals who gain initial certification between January to June will be issued an expiration date two years in the future. 
• Individuals who gain initial certification between July to December will be issued an expiration date three years in the future. 

For individuals recertifying for the first time:  

Your initial recertification cycle starts when you gain your full certification and ends with your expiration date. 

• EMTs, AEMTs, and Paramedics have recertification dates that are based on a 2-year recertification cycle that ends March 31 of your expiration year. 
• EMRs have recertification dates that are based on a 2-year recertification cycle that ends on September 30 of your expiration year. 
• All continuing education must be completed within your certification cycle and before your expiration date. For the first recertification, your certification cycle starts the date you gained certification. 
• Your expiration date for your National Registry certification may be different from your state license/certification expiration date.
• The 2-year recertification cycle is supported by a balance of the interactions with licensure processes, degradation of knowledge over time, and changes to the EMS community.

 

• The new certification cycle starts the day after the recertification application is processed and approved by the National Registry. 
• The rolling recertification cycle start date will change, but the expiration date will not, even if the individual renews early. 
• Once the new cycle date is granted, the individual can begin earning and assigning continuing education for their next recertification cycle. 
• Rolling recertification dates are automatically assigned and cannot be changed. 
• When choosing the recertification by examination (RBE) option, the new cycle begins the day after the certification's expiration date that was just renewed.
  • EMT, AEMT, NRP – April 1
  • EMR – October 1
• EMS professionals must recertify before their current expiration date, or they will lapse. See the Regain Certification section of this guide for additional information. 

April 1   1 year before the current expiration date	Recertification by Examination (RBE) opens. Testing is available through March 31 of the expiration year, and verification of skills by a Training Officer and/or Medical Director should be completed.
October 1  6 months before the expiration date	Applications for recertification through continuing education are now being accepted until March 31.
RBE Deadline Date March 25	RBE application deadline date to allow enough time to schedule and take the examination before the certification expiration date.
March 31  expiration year	This is the final day to submit a recertification by continuing education application without paying the reinstatement fee.
April 1 - 30 expiration year	This is the reinstatement period. Submit the continuing education application along with the additional reinstatement fee.
April 5 expiration year	Applications pending Training Officer and Medical Director verification for active status are converted to inactive status and submitted to National Registry for review. This prevents a lapsed certification status and expiration of many state licenses. This does not include RBE applicants.
May 1  expiration year	Applications submitted during the reinstatement period, as well as RBE applications pending Training Officer and Medical Director verification for active status, are reclassified as inactive and forwarded to the National Registry for review.
May 1  expiration year	Lapse of certification. National EMS certification must be regained. For additional information, refer to the Regain Certification section.

October 1   1 year before the current expiration date	Recertification by Examination (RBE) opens. Testing is available through September 30 of the expiration year, and verification of skills by a Training Officer and/or Medical Director should be completed.
April 1   6 months before the expiration date	Applications for recertification through continuing education are now being accepted until September 30.
RBE Deadline Date  September 24	RBE application deadline date to allow enough time to schedule and take the examination before the certification expiration date.
September 30   expiration year	This is the reinstatement period. Submit the continuing education application along with the additional reinstatement fee.
October 1 - 31  expiration year	This is the reinstatement period. Submit your application with an additional reinstatement fee.
October 5   expiration year	Applications pending Training Officer verification for active status are converted to inactive status and submitted to National Registry for review. This prevents a lapsed certification status and expiration of many state licenses. This does not include RBE applicants.
November 1   expiration year	Applications submitted during the reinstatement period, as well as RBE applications pending Training Officer and Medical Director verification for active status, are reclassified as inactive and forwarded to the National Registry for review.
November 1   expiration year	Lapse of certification. National EMS certification must be regained. For additional information, refer to the Regain Certification section.

The reinstatement period for each certification level is listed in the Important Dates section above. The fee to complete a recertification application during this time is $50 in additional to the regular recertification application fee.

Note: Continuing education dated during the reinstatement period is not accepted.

• There is no guarantee an application will be accepted during the reinstatement period. 
• Reinstatement does not apply to RBE. National Registry staff will continue to accept signed Cognitive.
• Successfully recertifying during the reinstatement period will affect an individual’s rolling recertification date.  It will begin the day after the application is processed and approved by National Registry staff.

The National Registry may assess individual requests for a time extension to meet all education requirements and/or submission of the recertification application for qualifying events. You must apply before your current expiration date. Email support@nremt.org with supporting documentation. An extension may be considered for examples such as, but not limited to, overseas military deployment or a significant, incapacitating personal medical event that impacted at least 2/3 of the current recertification cycle.