Nebraska licenses EMTs through the Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Emergency Health Systems (OEHS); a state license, not the Registry card, is what lets you give care here. Everything below comes from the OEHS student and licensee handbook (edited September 2023), checked October 18, 2026.
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
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.
A healthcare-provider CPR card
AHA BLS or an equivalent your state accepts, usually before clinicals.
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.
Your state's license or certification
The card comes from the state, not the Registry. The state's own steps are below.
Exam: current National Registry certification is required for every initial application; send your Registry card (not the certificate).
Background check: an FBI fingerprint background check for EMT applicants.
Application: fill out the initial application electronically and email it to the EMS licensing office with proof of citizenship (birth certificate or passport), plus Attachment A if you were ever licensed in another state. Incomplete applications are denied. The fee is not in the handbook; ask your program.
Renewal: EMTs renew by March 31 of even-numbered years, following the Registry's continued competency model: 20 hours. If you were first licensed within 24 months of the renewal date, the hours are waived but you still renew.