To become EMT certified in Texas, you must meet certain requirements. First, you need to be at least 18 years of age to be eligible to take the national exam. You should also have a high school diploma or GED certificate from a reputable school that is approved by the education department of the state or have an equivalent out-of-state education. More importantly, you should have completed an EMT training course and then make an application for certification. To be completely awarded with the certificate, you need to be able to pass the national exam by the National Registry EMT which involves a computer exam to tests cognitive abilities and a practical exam to tests mastery of emergency assistance procedures. Lastly, you need to submit your fingerprints by undergoing a fingerprinting procedure for criminal record assessment which will be conducted by the Fingerprint Applicant Services of Texas.
In summary the requirements are the following:
- Applicant must be at least 18 years of age
- Applicant must have a High school diploma or GED Certificate
- Completion of an approved EMT training course
- Submission of a Certification application form with fee payment
- Successfully pass the National Registry EMT Exam
- Fingerprinting Procedure by Fingerprint Applicant Services of Texas for criminal record assessment
Required Documentation
- Certificate of EMT Course completion
- Certification or Licensure Application form with associated fees which can be submitted by mail or online. See below on how and where to send this application form.
- High School Diploma or GED Certificate as a requirement for taking the national exam
- Other documentation such as birth certification and proof of identification may be requested by the body providing examination, the NREMT and when making the application for certification or licensure.
From the time you submit your certification application, it can take about 4-6 weeks for it to be completed and for you to be finally certified and be awarded your certificate and card. Until then, you won?t be allowed to work and practice as an EMT. There may be possible delays during this process especially if there are problems with the documents submitted or if your application is incomplete.
Education Requirements
To be eligible for EMT certification, one must have completed an EMT Training Course. There are five different levels of certification in the state; the licensed paramedic which is the highest level of certification, the EMT-P which is advanced EMT course that touches some of the basics of paramedics, EMT-intermediate, EMT-basic and emergency care attendant or ECA.
An applicant can choose to apply for technical courses and programs offered either in college schools or in out-of-school offices or centers, provided that they are state-approved. He can also pursue a degree programs, which are usually longer and more complicated form of training compared to certificate and technical courses. See below on where to find training on where to get your EMT Training in Texas.
Required Exam
The applicant should be able to successfully pass the computer-based testing provided by the National Registry as well as the practical exam. These exams will be conducted at Pearson Vue Testing Centers. See this link to learn what you should know about computer-based testing http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/emstraumasystems/examinfo.shtm.
Before you can take the exam, you would be required to complete an examination application form, pay for the fees and submit any other documents as requested by NREMT. Go to their website www.nremt.org to learn about the exam application requirements.
Where To Find Training
See this link http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/emstraumasystems/formsresources.shtm to find information on approved EMT Courses or Programs and Training Centers/Providers. You may also find a lot of other helpful resources about EMT in the state of Texas from this link.
You may also choose to directly contact a field office near you http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/emstraumasystems/regions.shtm to know which providers and courses are approved.
Fees
Application fees for EMT Certification depend on the level of certification:
- ECA or EMT-Basic: $64
- EMT-Intermediate or EMT-P: $96
- Licensed EMT-P: $126
See the complete list of initial and renewal certification fees from this link http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/emstraumasystems/EMS/sfees.shtm#Table.
The application fees must be payable to the Texas Department of State Health Services.
You may also submit your certification fees together with the application form online. Please see this link http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/emstraumasystems/Txonlinelinks.shtm.
To get information on the examination fees, just go the main website of the National Registry EMT.
How To Apply
You can submit your certification application form by mail to Texas Department of State Health Services, Attn: Cash Receipts Branch, MC2003, PO Box 149347, Austin, Texas 78714-9347. Get the complete application form by typing this link http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/emstraumasystems/InitialApplication.pdf on your browser and saving the PDF file. Complete the form, print and send to the mailing address above.
You may also make your application online through Texas Online. Simply go to this link http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/emstraumasystems/Txonlinelinks.shtm.
To be guided in applying for the national registry examination, please go to this link http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/emstraumasystems/ComputerizedTestingNews.shtm. It contains a step by step guide on what you need to do to apply for the examination, which is a requirement for certification.