House Bill 2540 adds a new section to chapter 18.73 RCW creating recertification intervals for emergency medical technicians (EMTs) certified in Washington. Under the new section, EMTs generally must become recertified every three years, but those who have been certified in Washington for at least ten years may recertify every six years. This is a new statutory provision that changes the procedural requirements for EMT recertification. The bill text available does not include an exact RCW section number or an effective date, and it does not define key terms or procedural details such as how recertification is to be completed, continuing education, fees, enforcement, or whether the ten years of certification must be continuous. The bill is House Bill 2540 from the 69th Legislature (2026 Regular Session); it was read in the House on January 16, 2026, passed the House on February 13, 2026 (92-0), and passed the Senate on February 28, 2026 (49-0).

If enacted, most Washington-certified emergency medical technicians will continue to recertify every three years, but those who have been certified in Washington for at least ten years would only need to recertify every six years. In practice, experienced EMTs and their employers will likely see fewer renewal cycles, which could reduce time spent on renewals and related fees or training scheduling, easing some administrative and staffing pressures. The law adds a new section to chapter 18.73 RCW, so agencies will need to apply the new intervals, but the bill does not say how to count the ten years, when the change takes effect, what continuing education or fees are required, or other procedural details; those gaps create uncertainty about the exact timing and size of the cost and administrative impacts.