Open a jurisdiction to review its dated requirements and official sources. Use the compact tables to compare which states participate.
All 51 jurisdictions · Compact status table · Plan the crossing: offshore · 911 ground · IFT
Can I work a 13-week contract here on my home-state licence?
Only with the hiring agency’s cooperation
Arizona law is in force (Commissioner passage, additional read evidence: 'Arizona's law took effect on September 12, 2026, and the EMS Compact is in force in Arizona as of that date'), and privilege carries no time limit per the FAQ, so a 13-week contract is covered for an eligible clinician — but the route is agency-dependent: affiliation with an Arizona-authorized agency, local medical direction, and local onboarding are required, and agencies decide hiring and credentialing.
Arizona law is in force (Commissioner passage, additional read evidence: 'Arizona's law took effect on September 12, 2026, and the EMS Compact is in force in Arizona as of that date'), and privilege carries no time limit per the FAQ, so a 13-week contract is covered for an eligible clinician — but the route is agency-dependent: affiliation with an Arizona-authorized agency, local medical direction, and local onboarding are required, and agencies decide hiring and credentialing. Actual credential guarantee unresolved: legal authorization does not override agency standards. Arizona's session-law fingerprint-clearance-card clause applies to persons applying for initial Arizona EMCT certification, not automatically to every foreign privilege holder. Quote covers agency optionality only; in-force and no-time-limit evidence is noted here.
EMS Compact Commission · emscompact.gov · verified 3 Oct 2026 · Partly supported
Requirements include source links and review dates. Expand each source quotation for the supporting text. Unverified and incomplete information is labelled alongside the relevant requirement.
The office that issues the card, and the law it issues it under.
4 of 5 answered from a source · 1 written up as absences
Who actually issues an EMS licence in Arizona?
Arizona Department of Health Services, Bureau of Emergency Medical Services and Trauma System
Duties of the director; qualifications of medical director
azleg.gov · State statute
Who do I call or email about Arizona licensure?
Not established in the cited source
Statute does not publish phone/email contact.
Which statute or rule governs EMS licensure in Arizona?
Arizona Revised Statutes Title 36, Chapter 21.1; Arizona Administrative Code Title 9, Chapter 25
Duties of the director; qualifications of medical director
azleg.gov · State statute
Levels, term, and what your National Registry does and does not buy you.
5 of 6 answered from a source · 1 written up as absences
What levels does Arizona issue, and what does my cert become there?
EMCT-B (Emergency Medical Care Technician - Basic)
EMCT-I (Emergency Medical Care Technician - Advanced / Intermediate)
EMCT-P (Emergency Medical Care Technician - Paramedic)
Arizona titles licensed EMS personnel Emergency Medical Care Technicians (EMCT).
Adopt standards and criteria for the denial or granting of certification and recertification of emergency medical care technicians.
azleg.gov · State statute
How long does a Arizona licence last before renewal?
Maintain a state system for recertifying emergency medical care technicians
azleg.gov · State statute
Do I need National Registry to get licensed in Arizona?
Yes
who hold valid certification with a national certification organization
azleg.gov · State statute
Do I have to keep National Registry current to keep a Arizona licence?
No
Arizona statute specifically establishes a state recertification process independent of NREMT.
that is independent from any national certification organization recertification process.
azleg.gov · State statute
Does Arizona make me sit its own exam?
No
Arizona relies on NREMT exam for initial certification and does not require an additional separate state examination.
who hold valid certification with a national certification organization
azleg.gov · State statute
What criminal history bars me from licensure in Arizona?
Not established in the cited source
Statute grants authority for denial criteria but does not enumerate categorical criminal bars in A.R.S. 36-2202.
The EMS Compact — formally REPLICA, the Recognition of EMS Personnel Licensure Interstate Compact. Enacted, in force, and verifiable status are separate dated facts, plus what privilege covers.
8 of 10 answered from a source · 2 written up as absences
Has Arizona passed the EMS Compact into law?
Nothing recorded
Corrects May 22, 2026. Quote covers bill, chapter, and signing date; the A.R.S. § 36-2259 citation is the page's state-law passage plus the session-law text read at azleg.gov (header 'CHAPTER 159 SENATE BILL 1235', '36-2259. Emergency medical services licensure interstate compact', tail 'APPROVED BY THE GOVERNOR JUNE 19, 2026'), which independently confirms June 19 approval.
Arizona enacted the EMS Compact with Senate Bill 1235 (Laws 2026, Chapter 159), signed by the Governor on June 19, 2026, making Arizona the 27th state to enact the EMS Compact.
emscompact.gov · EMS Compact Commission
Is Arizona's compact law actually in effect yet?
Nothing recorded
Corrects October 1, 2026. Whether September 12 reflects a compact-specific deferral or the session general effective date was not established from the session-law text read, so the delayed-clause fields stay null rather than guessed.
Arizona enacted the EMS Compact with Senate Bill 1235 (Laws 2026, Chapter 159), signed by the Governor on June 19, 2026, making Arizona the 27th state to enact the EMS Compact. Arizona's law took effect on September 12, 2026, and the EMS Compact is in force in Arizona as of that date.
emscompact.gov · EMS Compact Commission
Can my Privilege to Practice actually be verified in Arizona?
The Commission publishes no connection date. Corrects the pending/nonmember record: Arizona is participating, in force, and fully integrated.
What do I have to satisfy for compact privilege to apply in Arizona?
The Commission's national eligibility checklist, not a Arizona statement. Whether Arizona imposes anything further has not been established from a Arizona source — see compact.privilege.state_specific_restrictions.
To exercise it, you must meet four requirements. 1 Be at least 18 years of age. Section 4.B.1 2 Hold a current, unrestricted license in at least one EMS Compact participating state, as an EMT, AEMT, Paramedic, or a state-recognized level between EMT and Paramedic. Section 4.B.2 3 Affiliate with an EMS agency in the remote state that provides EMS medical direction. Section 4.B.3 4 Adhere to the Commission's Professional Code of Conduct . Rules 4.0(E) and 4.6 Then, as you practice: follow the local scope of practice, protocols, and laws of the state you are working in, under Rule 4.4 of the Commission's administrative rules.
emscompact.gov · EMS Compact Commission
Which situations does compact privilege cover in Arizona?
Commission national statement; no Arizona-specific circumstance limit established. Corrects the pending/nonmember record.
No. The Compact applies at all times, not only during declared emergencies.
emscompact.gov · EMS Compact Commission
When do I need full Arizona licensure instead of privilege?
Commission national rule. The old blanket pending-connection assertion is removed: Arizona law is in force.
If you hold licenses in multiple participating states, all of those states are Home States, not Remote States. The Compact only provides a Privilege to Practice in Remote States, meaning states where you are not licensed.
emscompact.gov · EMS Compact Commission
Can I work a 13-week contract in Arizona on my home-state licence?
Only with the hiring agency’s cooperation
Partly supported
Arizona law is in force (Commissioner passage, additional read evidence: 'Arizona's law took effect on September 12, 2026, and the EMS Compact is in force in Arizona as of that date'), and privilege carries no time limit per the FAQ, so a 13-week contract is covered for an eligible clinician — but the route is agency-dependent: affiliation with an Arizona-authorized agency, local medical direction, and local onboarding are required, and agencies decide hiring and credentialing. Actual credential guarantee unresolved: legal authorization does not override agency standards. Arizona's session-law fingerprint-clearance-card clause applies to persons applying for initial Arizona EMCT certification, not automatically to every foreign privilege holder. Quote covers agency optionality only; in-force and no-time-limit evidence is noted here.
Participation is always optional: agencies decide whether to use Compact personnel, who meets their hiring standards, and what credentialing they require.
emscompact.gov · EMS Compact Commission
I have an old or inactive Arizona card — can I still use compact privilege here?
Conflicting or incomplete source information
The national FAQ establishes that a participating state where a clinician currently holds a license is a Home State; privilege applies only in Remote States. Position Paper 2024-01 establishes that a still-held voluntarily inactive Kansas license remains a Home State license and voluntary inactivity alone does not bar privilege elsewhere. It does not establish a universal rule for expired, surrendered, or revoked licenses. Arizona's inactive-status availability and reactivation pathway remain unknown, so this compound claim is explicitly unresolved.
Defect in this source This supports the currently-held-license Home State rule, not every historical license status or a state-specific reactivation pathway.
Does Arizona add anything on top of the compact?
Not yet verified
No Arizona-specific privilege restriction (registration, notification, fee, onboarding) established from read sources. The session law fingerprint clause governs initial Arizona certification applicants (a person applying for initial EMCT certification pursuant to the compact shall possess a valid fingerprint clearance card); it is not automatically a requirement for every foreign privilege holder practicing in Arizona.
Where does an employer verify my privilege for Arizona?
Partly supported
National lookup keyed to the 12-digit National EMS ID (not the state license or NREMT number). Results show privilege status, Home State licensure status, level, and expiration as reported by the issuing Home State: issuing-state database records versus destination eligibility are distinct, and an absent display is not an automatic disqualification — contact the state EMS office and the agency. If an Arizona-expected record is absent, confirm with the Arizona Bureau of EMS and Trauma System and the agency rather than treating it as disqualification.
Enter the clinician's National EMS ID, a 12-digit number that is different from a state license or National Registry (NREMT) number.
emscompact.gov · EMS Compact Commission
The route in when privilege does not cover you.
8 of 9 answered from a source · 1 written up as absences
Will Arizona recognise my out-of-state certification at all?
Yes
Out-of-state applicants apply via NREMT recognition under A.R.S. 36-2202.
who hold valid certification with a national certification organization or who have completed training and testing by the United States armed forces
azleg.gov · State statute
What does Arizona call its out-of-state pathway?
EMCT Initial Certification (Out-of-State / Military Reciprocity)
who hold valid certification with a national certification organization
azleg.gov · State statute
What does Arizona require from an out-of-state applicant?
Current NREMT certification
Arizona Residency or Employment
who hold valid certification with a national certification organization
azleg.gov · State statute
What does it cost to get licensed in Arizona from out of state?
Arizona ADHS charges $0 application fee for EMCT certification.
Duties of the director; qualifications of medical director
azleg.gov · State statute
How long will Arizona take to process my application?
Not established in the cited source
ADHS publishes no statutory processing time estimate.
What background check does Arizona require, and how do I do it from out of state?
Partly supported
Background screening is required for initial Arizona EMCT certification.
Adopt standards and criteria for the denial or granting of certification and recertification of emergency medical care technicians.
azleg.gov · State statute
Can I start working in Arizona before full approval?
No
Arizona does not issue temporary or provisional permits for reciprocity applicants.
Duties of the director; qualifications of medical director
azleg.gov · State statute
Does my National Registry have to be current to apply in Arizona?
Yes
who hold valid certification with a national certification organization
azleg.gov · State statute
The renewal clock and what it costs in hours.
4 of 7 answered from a source · 3 written up as absences
How often do I recert in Arizona?
2
Maintain a state system for recertifying emergency medical care technicians
azleg.gov · State statute
How many CE hours does Arizona want, and in what?
EMCT-B
EMCT-P
Partly supported
CE hours or approved refresher / challenge course required for state recertification.
Maintain a state system for recertifying emergency medical care technicians
azleg.gov · State statute
Can I use NCCP hours to recert in Arizona, or does it want its own?
NCCP hours are accepted
Arizona permits recertification through either state system or NREMT system.
This system shall allow emergency medical care technicians to choose to be recertified under the state or the national certification organization recertification system
azleg.gov · State statute
What does Arizona require at renewal that other states do not?
Not established in the cited source
Specific CE distribution governed by A.A.C. R9-25.
Does Arizona make me take a refresher course to recert?
No
Refresher course is one of several available options (alongside CE or challenge exam).
Emergency medical technicians who choose the state recertification process shall recertify in one of the following ways:
azleg.gov · State statute
My Arizona cert expired — can I still get it back?
Not established in the cited source
Reinstatement details set forth in administrative rule.
Where do I find CE that Arizona will accept?
Not yet verified
Approved training centers listed on ADHS portal.
Where a service record shortens the path.
3 of 4 answered from a source · 1 written up as absences
Does Arizona have a faster route for military training or veterans?
Yes
A.R.S. 36-2202 explicitly recognizes US military EMS training and testing.
or who have completed training and testing by the United States armed forces at a level comparable to the national standards for emergency medical care technicians.
azleg.gov · State statute
What does Arizona's military pathway actually get me?
Military-trained applicants with training comparable to national standards qualify for Arizona EMCT certification.
or who have completed training and testing by the United States armed forces at a level comparable to the national standards for emergency medical care technicians.
azleg.gov · State statute
Does Arizona extend its military pathway to spouses?
Not yet verified
Military spouse provisions governed by general Arizona professional licensing statutes.
DEA rewrote the narcotics rules for EMS in February 2026. Registration moved from the medical director to the agency itself, and the rule spells out storage, restocking and standing-order administration. These rules are federal and read the same in every state.
10 federal facts, quoted from the Federal Register · 2 of 2 Arizona facts answered from state law
What changed, and when did it take effect?
The DEA final rule implementing the Protecting Patient Access to Emergency Medications Act of 2017 (PPAEMA). It amends 21 CFR parts 1300, 1301, 1304 and following to create the EMS agency registration and the storage, delivery and recordkeeping rules below.
Who holds the DEA registration an ambulance operates under?
Before this rule most services ran narcotics under their medical director's practitioner registration. The registration now belongs to the agency, as its own DEA business-activity category.
the Act directs the Attorney General (and thus the Administrator) to allow a registered EMS agency to obtain a single registration for each State in which the EMS agency administers controlled substances, rather than requiring the agency to obtain a separate registration for each location at which it operates within that State.
Does one DEA registration cover operating in another state?
The fact that matters most to a traveler: compact privilege can carry your licence across a border, but it does not carry your agency's DEA registration. An agency running trucks in two states registers twice.
EMS agencies that wish to operate in multiple States must register with DEA in each State in which they operate.
Can a medic administer controlled substances without the medical director present?
Federal law now says yes, but only where state law agrees: EMS professionals are only allowed to make such administrations if authorized by State law. Whether your state's law does is the per-state question at the end of this section.
the Act allows emergency medical services professionals to administer controlled substances outside the physical presence of a medical director or authorizing medical professional pursuant to a valid standing or verbal order.
How do narcotics have to be stored in the vehicle?
EMS vehicles storing controlled substances must be locked when parked outside of an enclosed registered or designated location, with the controlled substances stored in a securely locked, substantially constructed cabinet or safe that cannot be readily removed.
Does a hospital-based agency need its own registration?
Hospital-based means owned or operated by a hospital. If you work for a hospital service, the drug box stays on the hospital's paper.
The CSA, as amended by the Act, expressly allows hospital-based EMS agencies to operate under the hospital's registration rather than obtaining their own separate registration.
Can the truck restock controlled substances from a hospital?
the Act allows non-hospital-based EMS agencies to receive controlled substances from a hospital for the purpose of restocking an EMS vehicle following an emergency response.
What does the DEA registration cost an agency?
this rule reflects the current fee of $888 so that, as intended, the fee for EMS registrants is the same as that for other dispensers of controlled substances.
Do municipal and fire-based services pay the fee?
Even if the EMS agency is not operated by a government fire department, if the EMS agency itself is operated by the local government, it would also be exempt from application fees.
When does an existing service have to move to the new registration?
DEA recommends agencies contact their local field office to complete the transition.
The three options for EMS agencies to transition are: (1) transition immediately on the effective date established by DEA; (2) transition at the expiration of their current registration; or (3) transition three to six months prior to their renewal date.
Does Arizona law let a medic push scheduled drugs on standing orders, the way the DEA rule assumes?
Partly supported
Arizona's word for offline standing orders is 'administrative medical direction', defined at A.R.S. § 36-2201(1) as supervision by an administrative medical director rather than by a physician at the scene. The quoted rule does not name controlled substances; the link is made by R9-25-201(E)(3)(b)(iv), which requires each administrative medical director's policies to cover obtaining, storing, transferring and disposing of agents an EMCT has access to and to 'Maintain chain of custody for controlled substances'. A.R.S. § 36-2205(A) requires ALS treatments to be rendered 'only under the direction of a physician', which the rules implement as this administrative direction rather than as on-scene presence.
For an EMCT required to have medical direction according to A.R.S. Title 36, Chapter 21.1 and R9-25-502, as authorized by the EMCT's administrative medical director under: a. Treatment protocols, triage protocols, and communication protocols approved by the EMCT's administrative medical director as specified in R9-25-201(E)(2)
azdhs.gov · State administrative code
Does Arizona require its own controlled-substance registration for EMS agencies?
Partly supported
This is the PPAEMA state-authorization gate rather than a separate Arizona controlled-substances registration, and the difference is worth stating plainly: there is no Arizona certificate the agency holds and renews, but there is a state approval without which the federal registration is not available, and ADHS may notify the DEA that it is withdrawing that authorization under R9-25-506(E). R9-25-506(C) obliges the Department to approve a compliant request within seven days, so the gate is procedural rather than discretionary in practice, notwithstanding the 'may' in subsection (A). Whether the Arizona State Board of Pharmacy separately registers EMS agencies was not established.
Under A.R.S. § 36-2205, the Department may authorize an emergency medical services provider to register with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration pursuant to the Protecting Patient Access to Emergency Medications Act of 2017 according to 21 CFR Parts 1300, 1301, 1304, 1306, and 1307.
azdhs.gov · State administrative code
Questions not yet settled from a primary source.
On what date did Arizona connect to NEMSCD? The Commissioner reports Arizona fully integrated but publishes no connection date.
opened 3 Oct 2026 · blocks compact.operationally_connected
Does Arizona offer an inactive EMCT status, and what does reactivation require? Matters for clinicians who hold an Arizona license alongside privilege elsewhere.
opened 3 Oct 2026 · blocks compact.privilege.home_state_licenses