NPS Medical Assistant Certification Renewal: What You Need to Know

Maintaining a medical assistant certification through the National Phlebotomy Solutions (NPS) requires periodic renewal and continuing education.

NPS uses a two-year certification cycle, meaning certificants must renew their credential every two years. Completing the required continuing education and submitting the appropriate documentation before the expiration date can help prevent an interruption in certification.

Because NPS policies and renewal procedures may change, certificants should always verify current requirements directly with NPS before submitting a renewal.

How Often Does an NPS Certification Need to Be Renewed?

NPS certification follows a two-year renewal cycle.

Your credential remains active for two years, after which you must complete the renewal process to maintain your certification.

Your individual expiration date should be reviewed on your certification documentation or through the NPS certification system.

Don't wait until your expiration date.

Completing your continuing education and submitting your renewal information early can help reduce the risk of an interruption in your certification.

What Is the NPS Renewal Fee?

The renewal fee is currently listed as $250 every two years.

This means the certification renewal fee is paid during each two-year renewal period.

Because fees may change, verify the current renewal fee with NPS before submitting your application.

How Many Continuing Education Hours Are Required?

NPS requires 12 continuing education hours (CEUs) before the certification expiration date.

These hours should be completed during your current certification period and documented appropriately.

A simple way to manage the requirement is to spread your education throughout the two-year cycle.

For example, completing approximately 6 CE hours per year would allow you to reach 12 hours without waiting until the final months before expiration.

This is a planning strategy rather than an additional annual requirement.

What Types of Continuing Education Can You Use?

Continuing education should be relevant to your professional role and healthcare practice.

Examples of potentially relevant topics include:

• Medical assisting
• Healthcare
• Phlebotomy
• Patient care
• Clinical skills
• Other healthcare-related subjects

Because a specific comprehensive list of approved outside CE providers is not clearly published, it is important to make sure that the education you complete is relevant to your certification and retain documentation showing what you completed.

When in doubt, verify that a course will be accepted before relying on it toward your renewal requirement.

What Documentation Do You Need?

NPS requires documentation demonstrating completion of the required continuing education.

You should be prepared to provide documentation showing:

• 12 completed CE hours
• CE certificates or other proof of completion
• Certification information
• Any additional renewal documentation requested by NPS

Your CE documentation should clearly identify the educational activity and demonstrate that you completed it.

Keep your certificates!

Even after you submit your renewal information, keep copies of your CE documentation for your records.

A digital folder containing your certificates, renewal correspondence, and certification information can make future verification much easier.

Does NPS Review Continuing Education?

Yes. NPS requires proof of CE completion as part of the renewal process.

CE documentation may be reviewed before renewal approval.

This makes accurate recordkeeping particularly important. Don't wait until renewal time to discover that you are missing a certificate or cannot verify how many CE hours you completed.

What Happens If Your Certification Expires?

If your certification expires, NPS has an expired-certification renewal process.

According to NPS's expired certification information, expired certifications must be renewed through the applicable expired certification process.

For an expired credential, renewal by examination is required.

This means that allowing your certification to expire can result in significantly more work than completing the standard renewal process on time.

The easiest strategy?

Renew before your certification expires.

Keeping track of your expiration date and completing your CE requirements in advance can help you avoid the expired-certification process.

Is Renewal by Examination Allowed?

Yes.

NPS requires renewal by examination for certifications that have expired.

This is different from standard renewal, where the certificant completes the required continuing education and renewal requirements before the expiration date.

If your certification has expired, review NPS's current expired-certification instructions before taking any action.

Does NPS Require a Professional Membership?

No separate professional membership is required to maintain certification.

Certification renewal is handled through the NPS certification/member system.

However, certificants should maintain access to their certification information and keep their contact information current so they can manage renewal requirements effectively.

How Do You Submit Your CE Documentation?

NPS provides a process for submitting proof of CE completion as part of the renewal process.

According to the current renewal information, CE documentation can be submitted by email to:

verification@nationalphlebotomy-medicalassistantcert.org

When submitting documentation, make sure your materials clearly identify you and provide evidence of the required 12 CE hours.

Keep a copy of everything you submit for your own records.

A Simple NPS Renewal Strategy

Because NPS uses a two-year renewal cycle, you have time to complete your CE—but waiting until the last minute can make the process more difficult.

During your two-year certification period:

1. Track your CE hours.
Keep a running total of your completed continuing education.

2. Choose relevant education.
Focus on medical assisting, healthcare, phlebotomy, patient care, clinical skills, and other appropriate healthcare topics.

3. Save your certificates.
Keep documentation for every CE activity.

4. Check your expiration date.
Know exactly when your certification expires.

Before expiration:

Make sure you have:

• Completed all 12 CE hours
• Gathered your CE certificates
• Confirmed your certification information
• Prepared any required renewal documents
• Submitted your renewal information
• Paid the applicable renewal fee

Don't wait until the expiration date to begin the process.

What Happens If You Miss the Deadline?

This is where planning ahead becomes especially important.

An expired NPS certification does not simply follow the standard renewal process. According to the organization's expired-certification information, an expired credential must go through the applicable expired renewal process, including renewal by examination.

In other words, allowing your credential to expire can turn a straightforward CE-based renewal into an examination-based process.

Quick Reference: NPS Certification Renewal

Requirement	NPS Information
Renewal fee	$250 every 2 years*
Renewal cycle	Every 2 years
CE requirement	12 CE hours per renewal cycle
Renewal deadline	Before certification expiration
CE topics	Medical assisting, healthcare, phlebotomy, patient care, clinical skills, and related subjects
CE documentation	Certificates/proof of completed CE
CE review	Documentation may be reviewed before renewal approval
Separate membership required?	No
Expired certification	Must follow NPS expired-certification process
Renewal by examination	Required for expired certifications
CE submission	Submit proof according to NPS renewal instructions
Renewal information	https://www.nationalphlebotomy-medicalassistantcert.org

*Fees and requirements may change. Verify the current renewal fee and requirements directly with NPS before renewing.

Where Can You Find NPS Renewal Information?

NPS provides certification and renewal information through its website.

NPS Renewal Information:
https://www.nationalphlebotomy-medicalassistantcert.org

For questions about CE documentation or renewal, use the current contact information provided by NPS.

Important Reminder

Certification fees, continuing education requirements, renewal procedures, and expired-certification policies can change. Always verify the current requirements directly with National Phlebotomy Solutions (NPS) before completing CE or submitting your renewal.

This article is intended as an educational overview and should not replace NPS's official certification policies and requirements.

References

1. National Phlebotomy Solutions. (n.d.). National Phlebotomy Solutions. https://www.nationalphlebotomy-medicalassistantcert.org/