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Emergency Medical Technician Certification & Renewal

How Do I Become Certified?

Initial Certification:

If the applicant is applying for certification for the first time, the following must be submitted to the SJCEMSA:

  1. EMT Certification Application.
  2. Copy of EMT course completion certificate.
  3. Copy of National Registry EMT Certification card.
  4. A copy (front and back) of your current CPR card for the Professional Rescuer or Healthcare Provider issued from the American Heart Association, American Red Cross, or another program approved by the EMS Agency.
  5. Copy of a valid state or federal ID.
  6. Application fee.
  7. State of California Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Live Scan Background Check (must be completed no more than 90 days prior to submission of your Application).

Reciprocity In-State Certification: If the applicant is certified in another county and would like to change their certification to San Joaquin County, the following must be submitted to the SJCEMSA:

NOTE: You may only have one valid EMT Certification at a time in California.  

  1. EMT Certification Application.
  2. Copy of valid EMT certificate.
  3. A copy (front and back) of your current CPR card for the Professional Rescuer or Healthcare Provider issued from the American Heart Association, American Red Cross, or another program approved by the EMS Agency.
  4. Copy of a valid state or federal ID.
  5. Application fee. (Initial Rate)
  6. State of California Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Live Scan Background Check (must be completed no more than 90 days prior to submission of your Application).
  7. Copy of 24 hours of EMS continuing education certificate(s). Note: At least fifty percent of the required CE hours must be instructor-based format.
  8. Completed EMT Skills Competency Verification Form (EMSA-SCV (01/17)).

Reciprocity Out-of-State Certification: If the applicant is certified in another state and would like to change their certification to San Joaquin County, the following must be submitted to the SJCEMSA:

  1. EMT Certification Application.
  2. Copy of valid EMT certificate.
  3. Copy of National Registry EMT Certification card.
  4. A copy (front and back) of your current CPR card for the Professional Rescuer or Healthcare Provider issued from the American Heart Association, American Red Cross, or another program approved by the EMS Agency.
  5. Copy of a valid state or federal ID.
  6. Application fee. (Initial Rate)
  7. State of California Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Live Scan Background Check (must be completed no more than 90 days prior to submission of your Application).

Renewal: If the applicant is renewing, the following must be submitted to the SJCEMSA:

  1. EMT Certification Application.
  2. Copy of 24 hours of EMS continuing education certificate(s). Note: At least fifty percent of the required CE hours must be instructor-based format.
  3. Completed EMT Skills Competency Verification Form (EMSA-SCV (01/17)).
  4. A copy (front and back) of your current CPR card for the Professional Rescuer or Healthcare Provider issued from the American Heart Association, American Red Cross, or another program approved by the EMS Agency.
  5. Copy of a valid state or federal ID.
  6. Application fee.

    Note: All documents submitted must legible to be accepted.

    Application Forms & Fees

    Fees
    View the current fee schedule here.

    All fees are non-refundable.

    Personal checks are not accepted. Acceptable payment methods are cash, Debit, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or money order. We strongly discourage sending cash by mail.

    Certification Policy

    View the EMT Certification Policy >>

    EMS EMT Certification & Renewal FAQ

    How old do I have to be to become a certified EMT? You must be eighteen (18) years of age or older.
    Can I become certified if my EMT has expired? Yes, but requirements vary as follows depending on the length of the lapse period:
    • If the applicant's certification has lapsed less than 6 months, the applicant must submit all the items required for renewal along with the late fee.
    • If the applicant's certification has lapsed beyond 6 months BUT less than 12 months, the applicant must submit all items required for renewal plus 12 additional hours of EMS Continuing Education (for a total of 36 hours of CE completed within the last 24 months). Additionally, they must pay the late fee.
    • If the applicant's certification lapsed beyond 12 months the applicant must submit all items required for renewal plus 24 additional hours of EMS Continuing Education (for a total of 48 hours of CE completed within the last 24 months) and proof of passing the written and skills examination required for initial certification (National Registry). In addition, the applicant must complete a State of California Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Live Scan Background Check submitted using the Live Scan Request Form above no sooner than within the last 90 days prior to submission of the application.  Additionally, they must pay the initial fee.

    • EMT applicants re-instating after July 1, 2019 will need to submit a continuing education certificate or training certificate from an approved training program or continuing education provider for the following three (3) modalities:

      1. Administration of naloxone.
      2. Administration of epinephrine by auto-injector.
      3. Use of a glucometer.
      • The training shall meet the requirements of California Code of Regulations, Title 22, Division 9, Chapter 2, Section 100075.
    Why do I need to print 3 copies of the Live Scan Request Form? You need 3 copies for distribution as follows:
    1. Live Scan Operator
    2. San Joaquin County EMS Agency
    3. Your copy

    The copy you give to the San Joaquin County EMS Agency and the copy you keep for yourself can be used to track what happens if your Live Scan fails to be processed.
    Where can I have my live scan finger printing done? You can have your live scan done anywhere that does live scan finger printing but you must use our Live Scan Request Form above. Check the DOJ website for live scan locations at https://oag.ca.gov/fingerprints/locations?county=San%20Joaquin.
    Are all EMTs authorized to administer epinephrine and naloxone? All EMTs working in the organized EMS system in San Joaquin County are authorized by the San Joaquin County EMS Agency and are required to provide these enhanced EMT skills.
    Can I use college course in place of EMS continuing education? College courses in physical, social, or behavioral sciences, may be used in place of EMS continuing education, if they have been completed with an accredited college. An original copy of the official transcripts shall be submitted with your application packet. 10 hours of continuing education hours (CEH) are awarded for each academic quarter unit or fifteen (CEH) are awarded for each academic semester unit.
    What does instructor-based EMS continuing education mean?

    Instructor based means that instructor resources are readily available to the student to answer questions, provide feedback, provide clarification, and address concerns (e.g., on-line CE courses where an instructor is available to the student, in person classroom courses).  CCR, Title 22, Division 9, Chapter 11, ยง100391.1(a)(9).
    How do I know when SJCEMSA receives my live scan results?

    You can check the status of your live scan online at https://applicantstatus.doj.ca.gov/. You will need the ATI number and your date of birth. The ATI number can be found on the bottom of the request for live scan service form provided by the live scan operator.
    Updated November 02, 2022