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AEM & CEM Initial Certification Requirements

Establishing Your Credentials in Emergency Management

Earning your AEM or CEM certification is a significant professional achievement, demonstrating your expertise, leadership, and dedication to the field of emergency management.

To ensure that certified professionals meet the highest standards, IAEM has established clear and structured requirements for both the Associate Emergency Manager (AEM) and Certified Emergency Manager (CEM) designations.

This page provides a detailed breakdown of the training, education, experience, and professional contribution requirements needed to qualify for certification. Review the criteria carefully to ensure you meet all necessary qualifications before submitting your application.

Common requirements for the AEM or CEM certification include:

  • Pass a 120-question multiple-choice exam.
  • Submit one letter of reference from current supervisor + two additional professional references. Submitting two additional letters of reference is optional.
  • Submit independent verification of 200 total hours of training – 100 hours of Disaster/Emergency Management (EM) training and 100 hours of General Management (GM) training. The EM portion may be waived or reduced with recent EM college degree.

If an AEM applicant uses coursework from their only baccalaureate/bachelor’s degree to meet the training requirement, this degree cannot be used later to meet the education requirement when upgrading to CEM.

Requirements Specific to Certified Emergency Manager (CEM)

The CEM designation is the highest level of professional certification in emergency management, requiring both training and professional contributions.

In addition to the AEM requirements, CEM applicants must document:

  • Work History – Applicants must have three years of full-time comprehensive disaster/emergency management work experience. Canadian, Europa, Oceania, and USA applicants must have two years of experience with a Baccalaureate/Bachelor’s Degree (or higher) in Emergency Management.
  • Experience – Applicants must submit independent verification of experience within one of the following categories: Participation in a full-scale exercise; Participation in two (2) separate, functional exercises; Experience in the preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation phase(s) of a declared disaster; or Participation in a major public event such as a major sporting event, state visit, or special event.
  • Education – For Europa, Oceania, and USA Council applicants must submit: A baccalaureate/bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution as recognized by the appropriate governing body or bodies of the specific country from which the degree was issued. See page 11 of the Applicant Guidebook for more country-specific information and degree related content. 
  • Professional Contributions – Applicants must provide six separate professional contribution categories.

Exceptions

  • Work history older than 10 years is acceptable if properly documented.

  • Master’s, PhD, or additional bachelor’s degrees (beyond the required degree) may be used for General Management training.

Ready to Apply?

  • Review the Certification Requirements → Ensure you meet experience, training, education, and contribution criteria.
  • Prepare Your Documentation → Gather third-party independent verification for each requirement.
  • Submit Your Application → Complete your application for review.

Questions?

Contact IAEM at certificationinfo@iaem.com.