How to Become an EMT in North Carolina

Who can apply

• You must be at least 18 years old to be credentialed. You can take the exam at 17, but OEMS holds the credential until you turn 18 (10A NCAC 13P .0502).
• To enroll in an EMT program you must be 17 by the course end date and have a high school diploma or equivalency, or pass an 11th-grade reading test.
• You must pass a criminal background history review and show you completed all court conditions from any misdemeanor or felony conviction.
• OEMS will not credential anyone on the North Carolina sex offender registry, or anyone convicted of an offense that would have required registration (G.S. 131E-159(h)).

Step by step

1. Create a profile and state ID (P number) in Continuum, the North Carolina OEMS credentialing system.
2. Complete an OEMS-approved EMT education program, including the scope of practice performance evaluation.
3. After your program grades you as passed, complete the applicant statement in Continuum to register for the OEMS exam.
4. Schedule and pass the OEMS written exam through Meazure Learning within 90 days of your course graded date.
5. Complete the criminal background review. Fingerprints are required if you live outside North Carolina or have lived in the state 60 months or less.
6. Print your North Carolina EMT credential from your Continuum profile.

Official application →

Training and exam

Training: You must complete an OEMS-approved EMT education program. The OEMS Education Program Manual (June 2024) requires at least 240 hours: at least 192 hours of lecture, skills labs, exams and scope of practice evaluation (including traffic incident management and an emergency vehicle driving program with an ambulance), plus at least 48 clinical or field hours with at least ten live patient assessments.

Exam: North Carolina uses its own OEMS state credentialing exam. It is computer-based, delivered by Meazure Learning, and the EMT exam has 100 multiple-choice questions in 2 hours (per the OEMS candidate handbook). You must test within 90 days of your course graded date unless your program director authorizes an extension. You get three attempts within six months. If you fail all three, your course becomes invalid and you must repeat an approved program. OEMS sources disagree on the fee: the November 2023 candidate handbook says $68 per attempt, while the OEMS military equivalency page says Meazure Learning charges $88.

What it costs in North Carolina

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: The credential is valid for four years. To renew you must live in North Carolina or be affiliated with a licensed North Carolina EMS agency. EMTs need 80 hours of continuing education: 60 hours of national and local topics (10 airway, 12 cardiovascular, 8 trauma, 16 medical, 14 operations) and 20 hours of individual topics. You may instead attach a current NREMT or other state credential that expires after your North Carolina credential. Affiliated providers renew through their EMS system. North Carolina residents without an agency affiliation submit their CE or national/other-state credential to OEMS through the online renewal (ReadyOp) link. If you have lived in North Carolina less than 5 years, you also need a federal fingerprint check at renewal. If your credential expires during the process, you may not practice.

Good to know in North Carolina

Moving from another state (legal recognition): If you hold a current EMT credential from another state or NREMT, you can apply through legal recognition in Continuum. You must live in North Carolina or work for (or have a conditional job offer from) a North Carolina EMS agency. Expired or provisional credentials are not accepted.

NC-trained students cannot use legal recognition: If you took your EMT course at an OEMS-approved North Carolina school, you cannot use legal recognition with an NREMT card. You must take the OEMS state exam (10A NCAC 13P .0502(b)).

Fingerprints: Fingerprints are required for people who live outside North Carolina, have lived in the state 60 months or less, or are under investigation. Send an FD-258 card, the signed release form and a $38 check or money order by mail to NC OEMS.

Military: OEMS also runs a Military Equivalency Credential program for military-trained medics.

Skills evaluation timing: Your scope of practice performance evaluation must be completed no more than one year before you take the state exam (10A NCAC 13P .0502(a)(3)).

Sources

• NC OEMS - Credentialing
• 10A NCAC 13P .0502 - Initial Credentialing Requirements (amended eff. April 1, 2024)
• NC OEMS Candidate Handbook
• NC OEMS - NC Testing Program (background check requirement)
• NC OEMS - Credentialing FAQs
• NC OEMS - Legal Recognition
• NC OEMS Education Program Manual (June 2024)
• NC OEMS - Recertification hour requirements
• NC OEMS - Credential Renewal Process Instructions (Dec 2023)
• NC OEMS - How is the state credentialing exam administered?
• NC OEMS - Military Equivalency Credential (fees)
• NC OEMS Candidate Handbook (Nov 14, 2023)