Military Specific EMS Information

​Emergency Medical Responder

EMR Recertification: A certified EMR, in good standing, who is a member of the Armed Forces of the United States on active duty, shall be kept in good standing by KBEMS as required by KRS 12.355 Renewal of professional license or certification held by active duty member of Armed Forces. The license or certification shall be renewed without the payment of dues or fees or continuing education credits when:

  • 1) Circumstances associated with military duty prevent obtaining training and a military waiver request has been submitted to KBEMS through KEMSIS; or
  • 2) The active duty military member performs the licensed or certified occupation as part of his or her military duties as annotated in Defense Department form 214 (DD 214); or performing any other act typically required for the renewal of the license or certificate.

The license or certificate issued under this section shall be continued as long as the licensee or certificate holder is a member of the Armed Forces of the United States on active duty and for a period of at least six (6) months after discharge from active duty.

EMR Reciprocity: An individual who is certified in a contiguous state to the Commonwealth of Kentucky or by the NREMT as a NREMT-Emergency Medical Responder or any member of the United States Armed Forces, or ​Veteran who has transitioned within the past six (6) years from the United States Armed Forces, and has been registered by the National Registry as a NREMT-Emergency Medical Responder or EMT, shall be eligible for reciprocity for Kentucky certification as an Emergency Medical Responder.​

Exemptions from 202 KAR 7:201 EMR Regulation: The Kentucky certification requirements for an EMR shall not apply to:

  • 1) United States military personnel or state National Guard or employees of the United States government while providing services on a United States government-owned or operated facility, while engaged in the performance of their official duties under federal law, or while providing assistance in mass casualty or disaster type situation; or
  • An EMR certified in another state or territory of the United States who: comes into Kentucky to transport a patient from another state into Kentucky or is transporting a patient through the state of Kentucky to an out-of-Kentucky location.

Emergency Medical Technician

EMT Recertification: A certified EMT, in good standing, who is a member of the Armed Forces of the United States on active duty, shall be kept in good standing by KBEMS as required by KRS 12.355 Renewal of professional license or certification held by active duty member of Armed Forces. The license or certification shall be renewed without the payment of dues or fees or continuing education credits when:

  • 1) Circumstances associated with military duty prevent obtaining training and a military waiver request has been submitted to KBEMS through KEMSIS; or
  • 2) The active duty military member performs the licensed or certified occupation as part of his or her military duties as annotated in Defense Department form 214 (DD 214); or performing any other act typically required for the renewal of the license or certificate.

The license or certificate issued under this section shall be continued as long as the licensee or certificate holder is a member of the Armed Forces of the United States on active duty and for a period of at least six (6) months after discharge from active duty.

EMT Reciprocity: An individual who is certified in a contiguous state​​ to the Commonwealth of Kentucky or by the NREMT as an Emergency Medical Technician or any member of the United States Armed Forces, or Veteran who has transitioned within the past six (6) years from the United States Armed Forces, and has been registered by the National Registry as a NREMT-Emergency Medical Responder or EMT, shall be eligible for reciprocity for Kentucky certification as an Emergency Medical Technician.​

Exemptions from 202 KAR 7:301 EMT Regulation: Certification requirements for an EMT shall not apply to:

  • 1) United States military personnel or state National Guard or employees of the United States government while providing services on a United States government owned or operated facility, while engaged in the performance of their official duties under federal law or while providing assistance in mass casualty or disaster type situation; or
  • 2) An EMT certified in another state or territory of the United States who: Comes into Kentucky to transport a patient from another state into Kentucky or is transporting a patient through the state of Kentucky to an out-of-Kentucky location.

Advanced Emergency Medical Technician

AEMT Recertification: A certified AEMT, in good standing, who is a member of the Armed Forces of the United States on active duty, shall be kept in good standing by KBEMS as required by KRS 12.355 Renewal of professional license or certification held by active duty member of Armed Forces. The license or certification shall be renewed without the payment of dues or fees or continuing education credits when:

  • 1) Circumstances associated with military duty prevent obtaining training and a military waiver request has been submitted to KBEMS through KEMSIS; or
  • 2) The active duty military member performs the licensed or certified occupation as part of his or her military duties as annotated in Defense Department form 214 (DD 214); or performing any other act typically required for the renewal of the license or certificate.

The license or certificate issued under this section shall be continued as long as the licensee or certificate holder is a member of the Armed Forces of the United States on active duty and for a period of at least six (6) months after discharge from active duty.

AEMT Reciprocity: An individual who is certified in a contiguous state​​ to the Commonwealth of Kentucky or by the NREMT as an Advanced Emergency Medical Technician or any member of the United States Armed Forces, or Veteran who has transitioned within the past six (6) years from the United States Armed Forces, and has been registered by the National Registry as an Advanced Emergency Medical Responder or AEMT, shall be eligible for reciprocity for Kentucky certification as an Advanced Emergency Medical Technician.​

Exemptions from 202 KAR 7:330 AEMT Regulation: Certification requirements for an AEMT shall not apply to:

  • 1) United States military members, state National Guard personnel, or employees of the United States government if the individual provides emergency medical services: on land owned by the United States government, in facilities owned by the United States government, in the performance of official duties under federal law, or as part of assistance for a mass casualty or disaster incident pursuant to federal law or official state assistance request; or
  • 2) An AEMT certified in another state or territory of the United States who: enters Kentucky with a patient being transported to a medical facility or other final destination in Kentucky or travels through Kentucky during the course of a patient transport from an out-of-state location to a destination outside of Kentucky.

Param​ed​​ic​

Paramedic Recertification: A licensed paramedic, in good standing, who is a member of the Armed Forces of the United States on active duty, shall be kept in good standing by KBEMS as required by KRS 12.355 Renewal of professional license or certification held by active duty member of Armed Forces. The license or certification shall be renewed without the payment of dues or fees or continuing education credits when:

  • 1) Circumstances associated with military duty prevent obtaining training and a military waiver request has been submitted to KBEMS through KEMSIS; or
  • 2) The active duty military member performs the licensed or certified occupation as part of his or her military duties as annotated in Defense Department form 214 (DD 214) or performing any other act typically required for the renewal of the license or certificate.

The license or certificate issued under this section shall be continued as long as the licensee or certificate holder is a member of the Armed Forces of the United States on active duty and for a period of at least six (6) months after discharge from active duty.


Paramedic Reciprocity: Pursuant to KRS 311A.142, an individual who is certified in a contiguous state​​ to the Commonwealth of Kentucky or by the NREMT as a Paramedic or any member of the United States Armed Forces, or Veteran who has transitioned within the past six (6) years from the United States Armed Forces, and has been registered by the National Registry as an Paramedic or has obtained Natioanl Registry as a Paramedic by successfully completing a board-approved United States Armed Forces medical training course​ that meets the National Emergency Medical Services Education Standards for Paramedic, shall be eligible for reciprocity for Kentucky certification as a Paramedic.​

Exemptions from 202 KAR 7:401 Paramedic Regulation: The Kentucky licensure requirements for a paramedic shall not apply to:​

  • 1) United States military personnel or state National Guard or employees of the United States government while providing services on a United States government-owned or operated facility, while engaged in the performance of their official duties under federal law, or while providing assistance in mass casualty or disaster type situation; or
  • 2) A paramedic licensed or certified in another state or territory of the United States who: comes into Kentucky to transport a patient from another state into Kentucky or is transporting a patient through the state of Kentucky to an out-of-Kentucky location.

Board Approved United States Armed Forces Medical Training Courses

  • ​Army 68 Whiskey Medical Training Course
  • Army 18 Delta Special Forces Medical Sergeant Course
  • Air Force Medical Technician Course
  • Navy Hospital Corpsman Course
  • Navy Healthcare Specialist Course​​​​​​