The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) certifies Texas EMS personnel on a four-year cycle. You choose one renewal option, and you must also complete a Department-approved jurisprudence exam.
Renewal options
- Examination: pass the National Registry exam with at least 70 percent. If you fail, you cannot gain certification through another option.
- Continuing education: complete preapproved CE in the required content areas, meeting the total for the four-year period (table below).
- National Registry: hold current National Registry certification when you renew, and include your National Registry number and expiration date.
- Formal recertification course: completed any time during the four-year period.
- CCMP: for applicants affiliated with a Department-approved provider, with at least six continuous months of enrollment.
Continuing-education option: hours per four-year period
| Level | Total CE hours |
|---|---|
| ECA (Emergency Care Attendant) | 36 |
| EMT | 72 |
| Advanced EMT | 108 |
| EMT-P and Licensed Paramedic | 144 |
The hours must be spread across Texas's required content areas, so the total alone does not prove you are eligible.
Formal recertification course: minimum contact hours
| Level | Minimum hours |
|---|---|
| ECA | 24 |
| EMT | 48 |
| Advanced EMT | 72 |
| EMT-P and Licensed Paramedic | 96 |
Timing and late renewal
- DSHS recommends starting three to four months before your expiration date.
- Certification does not extend beyond your expiration date.
- If you complete all requirements up to one year after expiration, you can renew under any option with a late skills verification. After one year, you must seek initial or equivalency certification.
- Late fees within 90 days after expiration: Basic (ECA/EMT) $94, Advanced (AEMT/EMT-P) $141, Licensed Paramedic $186. From 91 days to one year: $124, $186 and $246.
How Med-Cert Pro helps
- Store the card or certificate once, with the expiration date read from the document by on-device scanning.
- See the credential move from Active to Expiring Soon, Critical and Expired, so nothing surprises you on shift.
- Get a reminder before the window closes, and mark a renewal In Progress while you finish it.
- Share a time-limited link or QR packet with an employer instead of emailing photos of your card.
- Your whole professional wallet is $24.99 per year, and agency-sponsored seats cost you nothing.