How to become an EMT in Mississippi

Mississippi certifies EMTs through the State Department of Health's Office of EMS and Acute Care Systems, and it uses the National Registry exam as proof of what you know. Everything below comes from the Department's EMS testing and certification pages, checked October 18, 2026; where they are silent, ask your program.

Study aid, not a protocol. Nothing on this site replaces your course, your medical director or your agency's protocols. Built by an RN and former EMT. Headed In LLC is not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) or any state EMS office; their names appear here only to point you to the real thing.

The national steps, briefly

  1. A state-approved EMT course

    Every state approves its own programs, all taught to the National EMS Education Standards. Most run 150 to 300 hours over three to six months.

  2. A healthcare-provider CPR card

    AHA BLS or an equivalent your state accepts, usually before clinicals.

  3. The cognitive exam

    The National Registry (NREMT) EMT exam: 70 to 120 adaptive questions in 2 hours, $104 per attempt, six attempts within two years of your course.

  4. Your state's license or certification

    The card comes from the state, not the Registry. The state's own steps are below.

The full national walk-through: How to become an EMT.

Mississippi, step by step

Mississippi State Department of Health, Office of EMS and Acute Care Systems

  1. Course: a Mississippi EMT course; ask your program about hours and prerequisites.
  2. Exam: the National Registry exam; Mississippi accepts it as proof of your knowledge.
  3. Application: the Application for Mississippi EMS Certification (form AP07) with a copy of your Registry certification, an original signed Jurisdictional Medical Control Agreement, a reciprocity agreement from your home state if one applies, and the required fee, by cash, business check, card or money order (no personal checks).
  4. Fee, age and background check: not stated on the Department's pages; ask your program or the office (601-933-2440).
  5. Recertification: start three to four months before your expiration date; processing takes about four to six weeks. EMTs can recertify through the eLicense portal.

Sources: MSDH, EMS certification and recertification; MSDH, EMS testing (reviewed March 14, 2025). Checked October 18, 2026.

Practice for the exam, freeOur own questions, written to the national standards and tagged to the exam's 28 job tasks, with a Pass Meter.

Official pages