Certificate/License Required to Practice

HFS 110, Wisconsin Administrative Code (exit DHS), set forth requirements for issuing each level of certification/licensure.  For example, administrative code requires individuals to apply for an initial license within 24 months of completing the applicable EMT course or they will be required to retake the entire educational program for which they are applying.  

The Wisconsin  certificate/license expires on June 30th of every even numbered year.  An individual's  initial certification or license will be valid for the remainder of the current biennium.  Thereafter, the license will be valid for 2 years.  Licenses and certificates must be renewed each biennium prior to the expiration date.  

Certification or licensure as a First Responder or EMT is a privilege.  It verifies that the holder has met minimal competencies and, if credentialed (affiliated) with an emergency medical service (EMS) provider, authorizes that individual to provide medical care under medical direction.  Medical First Responders are certified and emergency medical technicians (EMT-Basic, Intermediate Technician, Intermediate and Paramedic) are licensed in the State of Wisconsin.  It is the individuals' responsibility to complete the application process and to verify that they hold the appropriate Wisconsin certification/licensure at their highest level of training and eligibility.  

Wisconsin E-licensing was implemented in August 2009.  This new system allows the EMS Unit to issue one (1) EMS certificate/license to a First Responder or EMT at his/her highest eligible level.  EMS personnel will no longer need to hold multiple licenses when affiliated with more than one EMS service.  Once licensed by the State of Wisconsin, individual EMS certificate/license holders will apply for local credentialing with any EMS service with which they are associated.  (This is what we have called "affiliation" in the past.)

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), National EMS Scope of Practice Model (exit DHS) states that "credentialing is a local process by which an individual is permitted by a specific entity (the medical director) to practice in a specific setting (with an EMS provider)."  While EMS personnel are state licensed, they must be locally credentialed with an EMS provider in order to practice at their level of training.

In no case will EMS personnel be allowed to practice above the license level of the EMS service.

Failure of EMS personnel to obtain individual certification/licensure and become credentialed with an EMS provider prior to beginning practice is a violation of Wisconsin law and may subject the individual (and the EMS provider) to disciplinary action.  

Obtaining registration through the National Registry of EMTs is not to be confused with a Wisconsin license and does not authorize an individual to practice in the State of Wisconsin.

Wisconsin Administrative Code allows the EMS Unit 60 business days to process an application and to issue a license.  Processing a license rarely takes this long.  Contact our office if you do not hear from us within 5 business days of submitting your application. 

Back to License and Certification Information page 

PDF: The free Adobe Reader® software is needed to view and print portable document format (PDF) files. Learn more.  

Last Revised: April 15, 2013