NREMT & LA County Certification must be completed within 2 years of the date of your COC completion certificate. If the NREMT exam is not completed within 1 year of the date on your completion certificate, you are required to retest all your skills. Check L.A. County EMS Agency website  for skill testing providers.

You must obtain state certification through a local agency (i.e. LA County EMS Agency) to work as an EMT in California. This must be completed within 2 years of the date on your  COC EMT completion certificate.

 Since January 1, 2007 EMT students who successfully complete the EMT course are eligible to take the computerized National Registry test. The test is given at PearsonVue testing centers and not at College of the Canyons.

Please go to www.nremt.org and complete an application for the computerized testing. IMPORTANT: If you did not register for the NREMT at the end of your COC EMT class…please email Patti Haley that you have now registered. Include the date of your completion and the instructor’s name. Also include a phone number. If you do not take this step, Patti will not have any idea that you are waiting for the COC EMT Program to notify NREMT that you successfully passed the EMT class and you will not be able to register to take the NREMT exam!     patti.haley@canyons.edu

Once you have successfully passed the National Registry test and received your National Registry card, you must certify in L.A. County or the county of your choice. Make a copy of your NREMT congratulations letter with NREMT card attached. You must submit the letter with the LA County application.

You must complete the certification process - both NREMT and L.A. County/California, within 2 years of the date on your EMT course completion certificate.

Step 2:  L.A. County –

• Make a copy of your NREMT congratulations letter with NREMT card attached. You must submit the letter with the LA County application.
• Go to http://ems.dhs.lacounty.gov and follow the links to EMT certification. (read the instructions on the EMS Agency website prior to completing the application.)
• Print out the LIVE SCAN application PRIOR to going to a LIVE SCAN operator! The LIVE SCAN must clear before the EMS Agency can issue an EMT card. Save the Live Scan receipt, a copy must be submitted with the L.A. County application. You do not need to wait for clearance to submit your application to the county.
• Print out the application for initial certification.
•  For initial certification with LA County, you DO NOT need a skills verification form.
•  L.A. County Scope of Practice is included on your completion certificate, you do not need to submit two copies of the completion certificate.
• Include money order or cashier’s check with application. If you send a personal check, they will hold your EMT card for up to 30 working days.
• Enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope with your application. This will be used to mail you your L.A. County/State of California EMT card.
• You may drop your application off in person or mail it to the LA County EMS Agency.
•  As of April 5, 2010 – the LA County EMS Agency no longer provides same day service for EMT initial or recertification. The expected turnaround time is up to 15 days.
• July 1, 2010, new California regulations and fees for EMT certification went into effect.