How do you renew an EMS certification in Arizona?
Arizona EMCT certification (EMT, AEMT, EMT-I(99), Paramedic) runs for two years, and the renewal application is filed through the ems.azdhs.gov portal within the 90 days before expiration; filing up to 30 days late costs a nonrefundable $150, and after that the certification is gone and you start over as an initial applicant. Current NREMT registration is one accepted route, but Arizona runs its own independent state route, so NREMT is not required. On the state route you attest to current AHA-consistent CPR (plus ACLS for EMT-I(99) and Paramedic) and 24 hours of CE for EMT or 48 hours for AEMT, EMT-I(99) and Paramedic within the past two years, including at least 5 pediatric hours; an EMT on the CE route must also have worked 240 hours in the cycle. Any level can instead complete a Department-approved refresher course (24 hours for EMT, 48 hours ALS) or its challenge exam.
Open the official Arizona renewal page
What each level needs
| Level | Requirement |
|---|---|
| EMT | 24 hours CE (incl. 5 pediatric) plus 240 hours worked in the cycle; or a 24-hour refresher course or its challenge exam; or current NREMT |
| AEMT | 48 hours CE (incl. 5 pediatric); or a 48-hour ALS refresher course or its challenge exam; or current NREMT |
| EMT-I(99) | 48 hours CE (incl. 5 pediatric) plus current ACLS; or a 48-hour ALS refresher or challenge exam; or current NREMT |
| Paramedic | 48 hours CE (incl. 5 pediatric) plus current ACLS; or a 48-hour ALS refresher or challenge exam; or current NREMT |
| Paramedic with critical care endorsement | 60 hours CE with at least 8 on critical care topics; or a critical care refresher |
What else Arizona requires
- Apply within the 90 days before expiration; the portal sends notices at 90, 60 and 30 days.
- Up to 30 days after expiration you can still apply with a nonrefundable $150 extension fee (R9-25-404(B)(4)). After 30 days you are no longer an EMCT and must apply for initial certification; without current NREMT you must obtain it first.
- Arizona keeps a state recertification system that is by statute independent of any national certification organization (A.R.S. 36-2202(A)(6)). You cannot work in Arizona on NREMT alone.
- State CE route requires current adult, pediatric and infant CPR consistent with AHA recommendations; EMT-I(99) and Paramedic also need current ACLS (R9-25-404(C)(3)). The bureau FAQ asks AEMTs for ACLS too, which is broader than the rule text.
- Online courses are not accepted as traditional refresher courses but may be used as continuing education.
- Keep the CE documentation for at least three years after the application (R9-25-404(D)).
- Hardship extensions: illness up to 180 days; military or emergency deployment for the term plus 180 days (R9-25-405).
- Applicants with an out-of-state address are not eligible for Arizona certification, initial or renewal.
- Fingerprint and FBI background check applies to INITIAL applicants from September 12, 2026 (EMS Compact go-live), not to recertification.
- No standard on-time recertification fee appears in Article 4, the statute or the bureau FAQ; the only fee documented is the $150 late extension.
How this relates to NREMT
In Arizona the National Registry is one way to renew; the state CE route above is the other. See the NREMT requirements by level. Logging one CE certificate against both is what the CE tracker is for.
Sources
- Arizona official renewal page: Adhs
- Arizona BEMSTS EMCT certification and recertification
- Arizona BEMSTS Statutes and Rules, June 30, 2026 (A.A.C. R9-25-401 to 405)
- Arizona EMS Compact go-live notice, September 2, 2026
Compiled from these sources, retrieved September 2026. Renewal rules change; confirm with the issuing agency before you rely on any figure here.