Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) License Requirements in Arizona
- Training hours
- 130 hrs
- Upfront cost
- $104
- Exam
- EMT Certification Examination
- Renewal cycle
- Every 2 years
- Issuing board
- Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS), Bureau of Emergency Medical Services and Trauma System
How to get licensed
- 1
Meet the prerequisites
Be at least 18 years old, pass a criminal background check. R9-25-403(A)(1): applicant must be at least 18 years of age. Background screening is disclosure-based rather than a universal fingerprint-card requirement: R9-25-402 bars certification for applicants currently incarcerated/on parole/on probation, or convicted of specified serious crimes (murder, sexual offenses, crimes against children) within 10 years, or other felonies/moral-turpitude misdemeanors within 5 years; R9-25-403(B) requires the applicant to answer criminal-history questions and, for any affirmative answer, submit a detailed explanation and supporting documentation. Also requires proof of U.S. citizenship/legal residency (passport, birth certificate, naturalization documents, or legal resident alien documentation). [1]
- 2
Complete approved training
Complete 130 hours of training at a state-approved program. Arizona Admin. Code R9-25-305(A)(4)(a): 'For an EMT certification course, 130 hours' minimum course length. Unlike the AEMT (244 hrs) and Paramedic (1000 hrs) tiers, the EMT-tier rule does not break the 130 hours into separate didactic/clinical sub-minimums. azdhs.gov blocked automated fetches during this research session (403 on all tested paths, including via curl with a browser user agent); this fact was verified via a Wayback Machine snapshot of the official rule book dated 2024-07-06, the most recent capture available. The document's own title page is dated March 7, 2024; a newer edition may exist that was not reachable, so reverify the current edition before marking this record verified. [1]
- 3
EMT Certification Examination
Pass the EMT Certification Examination (fee: $104). Per R9-25-403(B)(6), an applicant satisfies the exam requirement with EITHER (a) a certificate of completion of statewide standardized training plus a statewide standardized certification test, OR (b) documentation of current registration in a national certification organization (NREMT) at the EMT level or higher. Most candidates use the NREMT pathway. Fee shown ($104) is NREMT's national 2026 cognitive-exam rate for the common NREMT pathway; Arizona does not publish a separate fee for its own statewide standardized certification test option, and R9-25-402/403 do not describe a separate Department application fee for initial EMT certification -- see fees.notes. [1]
- 4
Submit your application
Submit your application to Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS), Bureau of Emergency Medical Services and Trauma System. [1]
- 5
Receive your license
Once your application is approved, Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS), Bureau of Emergency Medical Services and Trauma System issues your Emergency Medical Care Technician (EMCT) - EMT Level for Arizona.
Fees
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application fee [1] | None specified |
| License fee [1] | None specified |
| Renewal fee [1] | None specified |
| EMT Certification Examination [1] | $104 |
| Certification extension fee (recertification application filed within 30 days after expiration) [1] | $150 |
No standard initial-certification or on-time-recertification fee for individual EMCT/EMT applicants was found anywhere in R9-25-402 through R9-25-404 or the enabling statute excerpt included in the rule book; the only individual-level fee identified is the $150 nonrefundable 'certification extension fee' charged when a recertification application is filed within 30 days after the prior certification's expiration date (R9-25-404(B)(4), and referenced in the statute excerpt as a fee the department 'shall establish...by rule'). Left application/license/renewal null rather than assume $0, since a Department-set fee schedule outside the rule text may exist that this research could not reach (azdhs.gov blocked automated fetches).
Renewal & continuing education
Renew every 2 years. 24 continuing education hours required per cycle.
Statute excerpt in the rule book: 'Emergency medical care technicians shall apply for recertification to the director every two years.' R9-25-404(C)(3)(c)(i): EMT recertification requires a minimum of 24 hours of continuing education (consistent with the applicable refresher course content) within the previous two years, including at least 5 of those hours in pediatric emergency care, OR the applicant may instead submit a refresher-course completion certificate or current NREMT registration in lieu of the CE/hours-worked attestation route. EMT recertification via the CE-attestation route also requires documentation of having functioned as an EMT for at least 240 hours during the previous two years.
Reciprocity
Endorsement/reciprocity from another state is available.
Arizona has no separate 'reciprocity' or 'endorsement' article distinct from ordinary initial certification: an out-of-state EMT applies through the same R9-25-403 initial-certification process, and satisfies the training/exam prong simply by submitting documentation of current NREMT registration at the EMT level or higher (R9-25-403(B)(6)(b)) -- no separate Arizona exam or course is required for an NREMT-registered applicant. Regarding the EMS Compact (REPLICA): as of the accessed date, Arizona had reportedly enacted EMS Compact legislation (per news coverage) but was NOT listed among the seated Member State commissioners on the compact commission's own commissioners page (emscompact.gov/the-commission/commissioners), so compacts is left empty per the rule to only list compacts confirmed on the commission's own current member roster -- recheck as Arizona's participation may activate later in 2026.
8 state-approved training providers in Arizona — browse programs and compare schools on tradecolleges.org.
Cost calculator
- $104
Frequently asked questions
How many training hours does Arizona require to become an EMT?
A minimum of 130 hours in a Department-approved EMT certification course, per Arizona Admin. Code R9-25-305(A)(4)(a).
Does Arizona require the NREMT exam to become an EMT?
Most candidates satisfy the exam requirement with current NREMT registration at the EMT level, but Arizona's rule also allows an alternative path: completing statewide standardized training plus Arizona's own statewide standardized certification test (R9-25-403(B)(6)).
How old do you have to be to become an EMT in Arizona?
At least 18 years of age, per R9-25-403(A)(1).
How often do Arizona EMTs need to recertify?
Every two years. Recertification requires a minimum of 24 hours of continuing education (including at least 5 hours of pediatric emergency care) or, alternatively, a refresher-course completion or current NREMT registration.
Can an EMT certified in another state get certified in Arizona?
Yes -- Arizona does not run a separate reciprocity track; an out-of-state EMT applies through the standard initial certification process and satisfies the training/exam requirement by submitting proof of current NREMT registration at the EMT level or higher.
Sources
- [1] azdhs.gov/documents/preparedness/emergency-medical-services-trauma-system/statutes-rule-book.pdf — accessed 2026-07-12