StateLicensed

Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) License Requirements in Kansas

Verified · July 2026
Training hours
—
Upfront cost
$154
Exam
Kansas State Certifying Examination — Knowledge Exam, Kansas State Certifying Examination — Skills (Psychomotor) Exam
Renewal cycle
Every 2 years
Issuing board
Kansas Board of Emergency Medical Services (KBEMS)

How to get licensed

  1. 1

    Meet the prerequisites

    Be at least 17 years old, pass a criminal background check. KBEMS's own Initial Certification process document states as Step 5: 'Be at least 17 years of age.' Step 4 requires submitting a fingerprint card, waiver, and $50 fee to KBEMS for a criminal history record check prior to certification (this step can be skipped only if the applicant was previously EMS certified in Kansas at any level). [1]

  2. 2

    Complete approved training

    Complete training at a state-approved program. KBEMS's own 'Steps to Initial Certification' process document requires completing a Kansas-approved initial EMT course (aligned to the current National EMS Education Standards, effective for the certification pathway as of 12/31/2021), but it does not state a fixed total classroom-hour figure. Non-official aggregator sites commonly cite roughly 120-200 hours, but this was not independently confirmed against a KBEMS-published curriculum standard during this research session, so hours is left null rather than guessed. [1]

  3. 3

    Kansas State Certifying Examination — Knowledge Exam

    Pass the Kansas State Certifying Examination — Knowledge Exam (fee: $104). Computer-adaptive test (CAT). KBEMS's process document allows up to 6 attempts and requires the exam be taken 7 or more days after the last class date and no later than 24 months after course completion; both the Knowledge Exam and the Skills Exam must be passed within 12 months of each other. KBEMS brands this step a 'State Certifying Examination,' but it is delivered by NREMT via Pearson VUE (confirmed via NREMT's own state-office page for Kansas) — Kansas does not run a separate written exam of its own. The $104 fee is NREMT's nationally published EMT cognitive exam fee, paid to NREMT rather than KBEMS — verify current pricing in the official NREMT Candidate Handbook before publishing a verified page. [1]

  4. 4

    Kansas State Certifying Examination — Skills (Psychomotor) Exam

    Pass the Kansas State Certifying Examination — Skills (Psychomotor) Exam. Up to 4 attempts allowed for EMR/EMT level, per KBEMS's process document. No separate state-charged fee is published for this exam beyond the training course cost. [1]

  5. 5

    Submit your application

    Submit your application to Kansas Board of Emergency Medical Services (KBEMS) with the $50 application fee. [2]

  6. 6

    Receive your license

    Once your application is approved, Kansas Board of Emergency Medical Services (KBEMS) issues your Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) for Kansas.

Fees

Fee Amount
Application fee [2] $50
License fee [2] None specified
Renewal fee [2] $30
Kansas State Certifying Examination — Knowledge Exam [1] $104
Kansas State Certifying Examination — Skills (Psychomotor) Exam [1] None specified
Criminal history record check / fingerprint fee (required unless previously EMS certified in Kansas at any level) [2] $50
Late renewal fee (application received after Dec 1 but before certificate expiration) [2] $60
Reinstatement fee (EMT) [2] $120

K.A.R. 109-7-1 sets the EMT/AEMT initial application fee at $50 (application field above) — Kansas does not charge a separate license-issuance fee on top of this, so license is left null. On-time renewal (received on or before December 1) is $30; late renewal (after Dec 1, before expiration) is $60; reinstatement is $120. A separate $50 criminal history record check fee is required at initial application unless the applicant was previously EMS certified in Kansas at any level (per KBEMS's Initial Certification process document). Sourced via Cornell Law School's Legal Information Institute mirror of K.A.R. 109-7-1 because ksbems.org's own consolidated K.A.R. 109 PDF returned corrupted/unreadable content to automated fetch during this session; verify directly against the KBEMS fee schedule before publishing a verified page.

Renewal & continuing education

Renew every 2 years. 28 continuing education hours required per cycle.

K.A.R. 109-6-2: 'Each EMS provider certificate shall expire on December 31 of the second complete calendar year following the date of issuance' (a biennial cycle), with renewal applications submitted online between August 1 and December 1 of the expiration year. K.A.R. 109-5-1b requires 'at least 28 clock-hours of board-approved continuing education during the initial certification period and during each biennial period thereafter' for EMT — this matches the figure in KBEMS's own (older) renewal brochure, so it appears stable across editions. Alternatively, an EMT may satisfy renewal by passing cognitive and psychomotor skills assessments within 11 months before certification expiration instead of completing CE hours.

Reciprocity

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

KBEMS runs a 'Recognition of Non-Kansas Credentials' application for EMS providers certified in another state or upgrading their scope elsewhere, accepting a copy of the applicant's current out-of-state EMS certification/license and/or NREMT certification card; applicants not currently or previously certified in Kansas must still complete the criminal history records check waiver/fee. Kansas 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).

10 state-approved training providers in Kansas — browse programs and compare schools on tradecolleges.org.

Cost calculator

  • $50
  • $104
Total$154

Frequently asked questions

Does Kansas use the NREMT exam or its own EMT exam?

Kansas calls the exam step a 'State Certifying Examination,' but the Knowledge Exam is actually delivered by NREMT via Pearson VUE. The Skills (psychomotor) Exam is administered separately through the candidate's Kansas-approved training program.

What is the minimum age to become an EMT in Kansas?

17 years of age, per KBEMS's own Initial Certification process document.

How much does it cost to get an EMT certification in Kansas?

The KBEMS application fee is $50, plus a separate $50 criminal history record check fee (waivable if previously EMS certified in Kansas). The NREMT cognitive exam fee ($104) is paid separately to NREMT.

How often do Kansas EMTs renew, and how many CE hours are required?

Every two years (certificates expire December 31 of the second complete calendar year after issuance). EMTs need at least 28 clock-hours of board-approved continuing education per biennial period, or may instead retest via the cognitive and psychomotor exams.

Can an EMT certified in another state get certified in Kansas?

Yes, through KBEMS's Recognition of Non-Kansas Credentials application, which accepts a current out-of-state EMS certification/license and/or NREMT certification. Kansas is also a member of the EMS Personnel Licensure Interstate Compact (REPLICA).

Sources

  1. [1] ksbems.org/ems/pdfs/InitialCertProcess.pdf — accessed 2026-07-12
  2. [2] law.cornell.edu/regulations/kansas/K-A-R-109-7-1 — accessed 2026-07-12
  3. [3] law.cornell.edu/regulations/kansas/K-A-R-109-5-1b — accessed 2026-07-12
  4. [4] ksbems.org/html%20pages/pdf/Recognition%20of%20Non-Kansas%20Credentials.pdf — accessed 2026-07-12