How do you renew an EMS certification in New Jersey?
New Jersey renews EMTs and paramedics through its own state continuing-education system, run by the Department of Health's OEMS through the online Provider Licensing and LMS; NREMT is the entry exam and the re-entry exam for lapsed certifications, but keeping it current is optional and does not substitute for state CE. EMTs recertify every 36 months with 48 CE hours (24 core refresher plus 24 elective) and a current CPR card; every certification expires on June 30 or December 31 with no grace period. Paramedics (MICPs) recertify every 24 months with 48 hours of advanced CE including at least 8 hours of pediatric advanced life support, plus current CPR, ACLS and PALS or PEPP-Advanced, a medical-director skills attestation and hospital endorsement on form EMS-60, due by the 30th of the month before expiration. Neither regulation charges a recertification fee.
Open the official New Jersey renewal page
What each level needs
| Level | Requirement |
|---|---|
| EMR | New Jersey issues no EMR certification; third-party EMR cards are recognized only for non-emergency transport staffing under a waiver |
| EMT | 48 credit hours over 36 months: 24 core (the 12 refresher sessions at 2 credits each, or a Core 13 program) plus 24 elective, plus current CPR |
| Paramedic (MICP) | 48 hours of advanced CE over 24 months, at least 36 in curriculum divisions two through six and no more than 12 in division one, including at least 8 hours of PALS; plus current CPR, ACLS and PALS or PEPP-Advanced |
What else New Jersey requires
- Every certification expires on June 30 or December 31. N.J.A.C. 8:40A-7.1(e): no grace periods or extensions for EMTs; 8:41A-4.3(f): no grace periods for paramedics, though one illness or injury extension of up to a year is possible with physician documentation.
- EMT credits must be accrued in the 36 months immediately before recertification; they do not carry forward and the balance resets to zero.
- EMT CPR must be Professional Rescuer or Healthcare Provider level from AHA, ARC, NSC or a Department-approved equivalent.
- Paramedic recertification is filed on form EMS-60 with copies of the CPR, ACLS and PALS or PEPP-Advanced cards, skills proficiency attested by the MICU medical director, and endorsement by a mobile intensive care hospital.
- Paramedic forms are due to OEMS by the 30th of the month preceding the expiration date. A new card is furnished free on recertification; replacements are $5 (8:41A-4.3(e)).
- NREMT: OEMS says EMTs may, but do not have to, maintain both NREMT and the NJ certification. Lapsed EMTs must pass the NREMT proficiency exam to re-enter regardless of whether they hold NREMT; expired paramedics must pass the NREMT-Paramedic exam (8:41A-4.4).
- Renewal is completed in the OEMS Provider Licensing and LMS (njems.us), linked from the OEMS education page.
- The core EMT component is referred to in current OEMS guidance as the NJ EMT Refresher A, B and C classes.
How this relates to NREMT
New Jersey runs its own pathway. National Registry certification is not required to renew, though many providers keep it for portability. See the NREMT requirements by level. Logging one CE certificate against both is what the CE tracker is for.
Sources
- New Jersey official renewal page: Department of Health
- New Jersey OEMS EMS education, licensing portal and guidance
- N.J.A.C. 8:40A, EMT training and certification (PDF)
- N.J.A.C. 8:41A, paramedic certification (PDF)
- Form EMS-60, ALS recertification application (PDF)
- New Jersey EMT re-entry process and guidance, June 2026 (PDF)
Compiled from these sources, retrieved September 2026. Renewal rules change; confirm with the issuing agency before you rely on any figure here.