StateLicensed

Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) License Requirements in Indiana

Verified · July 2026
Training hours
—
Upfront cost
$104
Exam
NREMT EMT Psychomotor Skills Exam, NREMT EMT Cognitive Exam
Renewal cycle
Every 2 years
Issuing board
Indiana Department of Homeland Security (IDHS), Emergency Medical Services Division / Indiana EMS Commission

How to get licensed

  1. 1

    Meet the prerequisites

    Pass a criminal background check. 836 IAC 4-7.1-1 ('Student qualifications to enter training'), which secondary sources commonly cite as setting an 18-year-old minimum age, was repealed by the Indiana EMS Commission effective 8/30/2024; a current, independently-confirmed minimum age was not located on an official IDHS page during this research session, so minAge is left null rather than guessed. Multiple secondary sources describe a mandatory Indiana State Police Limited Criminal History check as part of EMS certification, consistent with the Social Security Number collection IDHS describes for EMS Compact compliance, so backgroundCheck is recorded true, though no single official IDHS page quote was captured confirming this in exact terms — verify against current 836 IAC text before publishing a verified page. [3]

  2. 2

    Complete approved training

    Complete training at a state-approved program. IDHS's official EMT Certification Process document requires completing an Indiana-approved EMT course, but does not itself state a total classroom-hour figure. Non-official aggregator/training-provider sites commonly cite roughly 160 hours, but this was not independently confirmed against IDHS's own published curriculum standard (836 IAC), so hours is left null rather than guessed. Notably, IDHS states applicants 'cannot function in Indiana until officially certified in Indiana' and 'cannot work in Indiana with just your National Registry card' — Indiana state certification is a separate, required step on top of NREMT certification. [1]

  3. 3

    NREMT EMT Psychomotor Skills Exam

    Pass the NREMT EMT Psychomotor Skills Exam. May be completed with the candidate's EMT class or at another Indiana-approved site listed in Acadis; order relative to the cognitive exam does not matter. No separate state-charged fee is published for this exam beyond the training course cost. [1]

  4. 4

    NREMT EMT Cognitive Exam

    Pass the NREMT EMT Cognitive Exam (fee: $104). Computer-adaptive test (CAT). Indiana does not run a separate state cognitive exam; candidates register directly with NREMT. Passing NREMT alone does not authorize practice in Indiana — the candidate must also complete Indiana's own initial/reciprocity certification application so their credential posts to their Acadis record. The $104 fee is NREMT's nationally published EMT cognitive exam fee, paid to NREMT rather than IDHS — verify current pricing in the official NREMT Candidate Handbook before publishing a verified page. [2]

  5. 5

    Submit your application

    Submit your application to Indiana Department of Homeland Security (IDHS), Emergency Medical Services Division / Indiana EMS Commission with the $0 application fee. [3]

  6. 6

    Receive your license

    Once your application is approved, Indiana Department of Homeland Security (IDHS), Emergency Medical Services Division / Indiana EMS Commission issues your Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) for Indiana.

Fees

Fee Amount
Application fee [3] $0
License fee [3] $0
Renewal fee [3] None specified
NREMT EMT Psychomotor Skills Exam [1] None specified
NREMT EMT Cognitive Exam [2] $104
Late/reapplication fee (renewal submitted after expiration, within 120 days) [3] $50

IDHS states there is no separate initial application for Indiana-trained candidates — the course's Report of Training (ROT) serves as the application, implying no initial application/certification fee. IDHS's Individual Certifications page mentions only a $50 reapplication fee for continuing-education renewal submitted within 120 days after expiration; it does not clearly state a standalone fee (or lack thereof) for on-time renewal, so renewal is left null rather than assumed to equal the late fee or zero. The NREMT cognitive exam fee ($104) is separate and paid directly to NREMT, not IDHS.

Renewal & continuing education

Renew every 2 years. 40 continuing education hours required per cycle.

836 IAC 4-9-5 requires a certified EMT to submit a report of continuing education every two years totaling at least 40 hours: a minimum of 34 hours of any combination of lectures, critiques, skills proficiency exams, continuing education, or teaching sessions reviewing the Indiana basic EMT curriculum, plus a minimum of 6 hours of audit and review. Sourced via Cornell Law School's Legal Information Institute mirror of the Indiana Administrative Code because the Indiana Register/adminrules host was not directly accessed during this research session; verify against the current 836 IAC text before publishing a verified page.

Reciprocity

Endorsement/reciprocity from another state is available. Participates in: EMS Personnel Licensure Interstate Compact (REPLICA).

IDHS's own EMT Certification Process document and Individual Certifications page describe a reciprocity application pathway for out-of-state EMTs (Verification of EMS Status for Reciprocity). Indiana is a current member of the EMS Personnel Licensure Interstate Compact, per the compact commission's own commissioner roster (emscompact.gov/the-commission/commissioners, accessed 2026-07-12); IDHS's own page references compliance obligations tied to the compact and a separate 'EMS Provider Using Compact Privilege to Practice (PTP)' application.

1 state-approved training provider in Indiana — browse programs and compare schools on tradecolleges.org.

Cost calculator

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  • $104
Total$104

Frequently asked questions

Is NREMT certification enough to work as an EMT in Indiana?

No. IDHS explicitly states you cannot work in Indiana with just your National Registry card — you must also complete Indiana's own initial certification application so your NREMT credential posts to your Acadis record before you can function as an EMT in the state.

How often does an Indiana EMT need to renew their certification?

Every two years, with a minimum of 40 hours of continuing education (34 hours reviewing the Indiana EMT curriculum plus 6 hours of audit and review), per 836 IAC 4-9-5.

Is there a fee for initial EMT certification in Indiana?

IDHS states there is no separate initial application for Indiana-trained candidates — your course's Report of Training serves as the application. A $50 reapplication fee applies only if you submit renewal continuing-education documentation within 120 days after your certification expires.

Is Indiana part of the EMS interstate licensure compact?

Yes. Indiana is a current member of the EMS Personnel Licensure Interstate Compact (REPLICA), and IDHS also runs its own reciprocity application process for EMTs certified in other states.

Sources

  1. [1] in.gov/dhs/files/EMT-Certification-Process.pdf — accessed 2026-07-12
  2. [2] nremt.org/Handbooks/EMT/Certification-Process — accessed 2026-07-12
  3. [3] in.gov/dhs/ems/individual-certifications/ — accessed 2026-07-12
  4. [4] law.cornell.edu/regulations/indiana/836-IAC-4-9-5 — accessed 2026-07-12