Do I need NREMT to renew my Texas paramedic license?
No. Texas offers two ways to renew: hold current National Registry certification, or complete the Texas continuing-education hours on the state's four-year cycle, 144 hours for a paramedic. Either path also requires the Texas EMS Jurisprudence exam every cycle and a fingerprint-based FBI criminal history check.
The two paths side by side
| NREMT path | Texas CE path | |
|---|---|---|
| Cycle | 2 years (Registry), 4 years (Texas certificate) | 4 years |
| CE, paramedic | 60 hours per Registry cycle: 30 National, 15 Local or State, 15 Individual | 144 hours per Texas cycle |
| Jurisprudence exam | Every cycle | Every cycle |
| Criminal history check | Fingerprint and FBI | Fingerprint and FBI |
| Fees | Texas $25 plus NREMT $32 through September 30, 2026, then $37 | Texas $25 |
Full detail, with the official DSHS renewal page: Texas EMS recertification requirements. Registry detail: NREMT Paramedic recertification.
Sources
Questions
How many CE hours does a Texas paramedic need without NREMT?
144 hours over the four-year Texas cycle. An EMT needs 72, an AEMT 108 and an ECA 36. CAPCE-accredited education is accepted.
If I keep NREMT, what does Texas still require?
The Texas EMS Jurisprudence exam every cycle, the fingerprint and FBI criminal history check, and the renewal fee, $25 from October 1, 2025. Your CE is then the National Registry's: 60 hours every two years for a paramedic.
Which path is less work?
On paper the NREMT path is 60 hours every two years, or 120 over four; the Texas path is 144 over four with no Registry fee. The NREMT path keeps the card that 14 other states require and many employers ask for. Which is less work depends on whether you would keep NREMT anyway.