How to Become an EMT in Alaska

Who can apply

• You must be 18 or older (7 AAC 26.030).
• You must complete a department-approved EMT-I (EMT-1) training course.
• You must pass a department-approved cognitive and psychomotor exam for EMT-I.
• You must have a valid CPR credential.
• You must not have a history that is grounds for denial under 7 AAC 26.950, unless the department finds certification is still appropriate.

Step by step

1. Find a department-approved EMT-1 course on the Alaska EMS public portal and complete it.
2. Pass the cognitive (written) and psychomotor (skills) certification exam, given by the department or its certifying officers, or the NREMT EMT exam.
3. Complete the 4-hour online Traffic Incident Management (TIM) Responder Course, which OEMS requires for initial licensure.
4. Create an account in the Alaska EMS License Management System (public portal).
5. Submit your application online with your exam results, CPR card and TIM certificate, and pay the $25 fee.
6. Renew every 2 years; EMT-1 certifications expire on December 31.

Official application →

Training and exam

Training: You must complete a department-approved EMT-I training course. OEMS says the EMT-1 course typically runs 140-160 hours. Courses must meet the national EMS education standards and be approved by OEMS before they start. Courses are listed on the Alaska EMS public portal. OEMS also requires the 4-hour online federal Traffic Incident Management (TIM) Responder Course for initial licensure.

Exam: The department is Alaska's official EMS testing agency. The exam has a cognitive (written) part and a psychomotor (hands-on skills) part, monitored by department-approved certifying officers. Passing the NREMT EMT exam also qualifies you for Alaska EMT-1. On the state exam, if you fail the written part three times or the practical part twice, you must take a refresher course before retesting. If you fail either part twice more after the refresher, you must retake the full EMT course.

What it costs in Alaska

Fixed amounts are set by the state. Items marked “your quote” are priced by private sellers, so enter what you’re quoted.

Keeping your certification

Renewal: Certification is valid for two years, and EMT-1 certifications expire on December 31. Your first expiration date depends on when you finished your course. To recertify, apply on the department's form, show a valid CPR credential, and show either current NREMT certification or department-approved continuing medical education from the last two years plus a skills verification by a department-approved instructor. OEMS says relicensure CE follows the National Continued Competency Program (NCCP). The TIM course is also a one-time relicensure requirement for people who have not done it. The fee is $25, plus a $50 late fee after expiration. If you are expired more than three years, you must reapply as a new applicant.

Good to know in Alaska

Out-of-state and NREMT EMTs: If you hold current NREMT EMT certification or an EMT license from another state, apply for EMT-1 reciprocity through the public portal. You need the TIM course and a license verification form. Alaska's 2019 Scope of Practice transition course (online part plus skills check) is not required to get your first Alaska license, but you must finish it before your first Alaska relicensure.

Older out-of-state training: If your out-of-state EMT training does not meet the 2009 national education standards and 2019 scope of practice, Alaska issues an EMT-1 certificate valid only until December 31 of the year you apply. You must then complete a department-approved refresher course and apply for relicensure.

Reciprocity expiration date: A reciprocity license cannot run more than 2 years from approval or past the expiration of the credential you used. OEMS recommends applying with a credential that has at least 6 months left.

Alaska EMT-1 scope: Alaska EMT-1 matches the national EMT scope plus supraglottic airway use. Higher Alaska levels (EMT-2, EMT-3, AEMT) need a sponsoring physician medical director.

EMS Compact: Alaska participates in the EMS Compact. If you hold a current, unrestricted EMT license from another participating Compact state, you can work in Alaska under a Privilege to Practice with no separate application or fee, as long as you work for an authorized EMS agency under a medical director and follow Alaska's scope of practice and protocols.

Expired one to three years: If your certification expired more than one year but less than three years ago, recertification needs a CPR credential plus current NREMT certification, or the regular CE plus 24 extra hours of CE and a skills verification. If it lapsed more than two years, you also need to pass the cognitive and psychomotor exam (7 AAC 26.110(f)).

Sources

• Alaska Department of Health - Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
• Alaska Department of Health - EMS Licensing
• Alaska OEMS - Guide to Reciprocity for Out of State Applicants (updated January 2025)
• 7 AAC 26.030 - Qualifications for certification (Cornell LII)
• 7 AAC 26.060 - Examinations (Cornell LII)
• 7 AAC 26.070 - Certification examination (Cornell LII)
• 7 AAC 26.080 - Fees (Cornell LII)
• 7 AAC 26.090 - Failure of examination (Cornell LII)
• 7 AAC 26.100 - Certification period (Cornell LII)
• 7 AAC 26.110 - Recertification (Cornell LII)
• EMS Compact - Participating States