How to Get Certified as an NEMT Driver in NY

By Nick Hoffmeyer, Head of Marketing at Bambi · Updated September 28, 2026 · 7 min read

New York does not issue a standalone state "NEMT driver certification." Instead, anyone driving Medicaid trips has to meet the requirements in the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) Medicaid Transportation Policy Manual and the network rules of Medical Answering Services (MAS), the Medicaid transportation broker NYSDOH contracts with statewide. In practice, that means being at least 18, holding a valid driver's license, clearing Medicaid exclusion and license checks, and completing CTAA PASS training (or an MAS-approved equivalent). Your employer, its insurer, and local licensing bodies such as the NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) can add more. Rules change, so check the current NYSDOH and MAS documents before relying on any detail below.

Basic Requirements to Become an NEMT Driver in NY

Age

The NYSDOH Medicaid Transportation Policy Manual requires every driver to be at least 18 years old. That is the Medicaid floor, not a promise of a job: many transportation companies and their insurers set a higher minimum age or require several years of licensed driving experience, so check each employer's policy before you apply.

Ambulette drivers have an extra layer. NYSDOH policy requires them to be qualified under Article 19-A of the New York Vehicle and Traffic Law, which the NY DMV administers and which includes medical exams, driver license abstracts, defensive driving observations, and periodic road and written tests.

Driver's License

Medicaid policy requires a current, valid driver's license from New York or another state that is appropriate for the vehicle you drive. If you live in New York, though, the NY DMV requires new residents to apply for a New York license within 30 days of establishing residency. In New York City, taxi and livery work also requires the appropriate TLC license.

Background and Driving History

• Medicaid exclusion checks: MAS screens owners, key managers, and drivers against Medicaid and Medicare exclusion lists
• Driver license monitoring: MAS submits driver information to the NYS DMV LENS program, which flags changes in license status
• Driving history: federal Medicaid rules require providers to have a process to disclose each driver's driving history, including traffic violations, to the state
• Criminal background checks and motor vehicle record (MVR) reviews, which most employers and insurers run before hiring and again periodically

Additional Qualifications

• A smartphone: New York requires GPS data on every Medicaid trip, and most providers dispatch through a driver app
• CPR and First Aid certification, which many employers require
• Skill assisting riders with disabilities and mobility devices
• HIPAA privacy training
• A drug- and alcohol-free record on duty: NYSDOH policy bars drivers from using alcohol or drugs that impair their ability to drive, and federal rules require providers to have a process to address drug law violations. Testing policies are set by the employer.

Required Training and Certifications

PASS certification. MAS requires every driver in its network to complete the Community Transportation Association of America's (CTAA) Passenger Assistance, Safety and Sensitivity (PASS) program, or an alternative program that MAS has reviewed and found equal to or more extensive than PASS. When MAS built its network in 2023, drivers had three months from their company's implementation date to finish PASS, and drivers who didn't were not eligible to drive in the MAS network. PASS covers passenger assistance, wheelchair securement, disability awareness, and emergency procedures. For the full national breakdown of PASS and other NEMT training, see our complete NEMT driver training requirements guide.

Other training most employers add:

• CPR and First Aid
• Accident protocols and emergency response (NYSDOH policy requires providers to report all accidents and incidents to the broker within 48 hours)
• Infection control, following CDC Standard Precautions as NYSDOH policy requires
• HIPAA privacy training, which many providers refresh every year

Application Process

Documentation Required

For MAS network credentialing, the NYSDOH manual lists what the transportation company must provide for its drivers and vehicles:

• A valid New York or other valid state driver's license
• Valid vehicle registration and vehicle inspection
• A valid certificate of insurance and insurance ID cards
• Confirmation of enrollment as a Medicaid transportation provider

Employers typically also keep training certificates (PASS, CPR/First Aid), drug screening results, and background check records. Keep all of it in each driver's qualification file so it's ready when MAS or a Medicaid auditor asks.

Medicaid Enrollment and the MAS Network

Individual drivers don't enroll in Medicaid; the transportation company they drive for does. After a competitive procurement, NYSDOH moved to a single Medicaid transportation broker, MAS, in 2023 (every county except Nassau and Suffolk on August 1, 2023, and those two on December 1, 2023). The NYSDOH Medicaid transportation page, revised February 2026, still lists MAS as the transportation manager for both downstate and upstate counties. For the company, the path looks like this:

1. Get a Letter of Support from MAS. eMedNY rejects transportation enrollment applications submitted after April 15, 2024 without one.
2. Enroll as a Medicaid transportation provider through eMedNY, then sign a service agreement with MAS to join its network. MAS handles prior authorizations and trip assignments.
3. Load every driver and vehicle into the MAS system. MAS monitors insurance, exclusion list status, driver license status, and vehicle registration on an ongoing basis.

Enrollment does not guarantee trip volume. According to eMedNY, MAS assigns trips based on enrollee choice, practitioner preference, or rotation, so the work you get still depends on demand in your coverage area.

Ongoing Compliance

• GPS "breadcrumb" data (start point, end point, and coordinates along the route) submitted to MAS for every trip, required since April 3, 2023
• Vehicle inspections kept current, with records on file (ambulettes are inspected by NYSDOT)
• Transportation Provider Profile (TPP) kept current in the MAS system
• Accurate driver information in the MAS system (a driver can be active with only one transportation provider at a time)
• Traffic violation and license status monitoring
• CPR/First Aid and other certificates renewed before the expiration date printed on them

NY NEMT Driver Checklist

• [ ] Valid driver's license (New York residents: a New York license within 30 days of establishing residency)
• [ ] At least 18, and meets the employer's own age and experience rules
• [ ] Clears Medicaid exclusion, background, and MVR checks
• [ ] CTAA PASS or an MAS-approved equivalent completed
• [ ] Current CPR/First Aid certification, if the employer requires it
• [ ] HIPAA training completed
• [ ] Article 19-A qualified, if driving an ambulette
• [ ] Employer enrolled in Medicaid and in the MAS network
• [ ] All documents filed in the driver's qualification file

FAQ

What happens if my driver's license is from another state? NYSDOH Medicaid policy accepts a valid license from New York or another state. But if you live in New York, the NY DMV requires you to apply for a New York license within 30 days of establishing residency, and your employer and MAS will expect your license to match where you live.

How do I maintain my NEMT driver qualifications in NY? Keep your license valid and your record clean (MAS monitors license status through the DMV LENS program), keep CPR/First Aid and other certificates current, complete any refresher training your employer or MAS requires, and follow NYSDOH and MAS policy updates.

How does MAS approval work? It happens at the company level. The transportation provider gets a Letter of Support from MAS, enrolls in Medicaid through eMedNY, signs a service agreement with MAS, and keeps driver, vehicle, and insurance records current in the MAS system. As a driver, your part is keeping your license, training, and paperwork current so your employer can keep you active.

Does MAS approval guarantee trips? No. Enrollment gets your company into the MAS network; trip assignments depend on enrollee choice, practitioner preference, rotation, and demand in your coverage area.

Is NY driver certification different from the national NEMT training requirements? There is no single national NEMT driver certification. Federal Medicaid rules set a floor (drivers must hold a valid license and not be excluded from federal health programs, and providers must disclose drivers' driving history), and each state and broker builds on it. New York's additions include the MAS PASS requirement, GPS data on every trip, and MAS network credentialing. See the full national requirements guide for the baseline.

Running NEMT Trips in New York? Keep Every Trip Documented

Between MAS credentialing, TPP updates, and GPS data on every trip, New York NEMT compliance has a lot of moving parts. Bambi's Driver App gives drivers their manifest, pickup and drop-off confirmation, and messaging with dispatch, and Get Paid captures GPS-stamped, signature-verified trips with audit-ready logs. Before you choose any software, confirm with MAS how it expects trip and GPS data to be submitted. See how Bambi fits your fleet on our pricing page: $69 per active vehicle per month, no annual contracts.

About the author: Nick Hoffmeyer is Head of Marketing at Bambi, the AI-powered dispatch and scheduling platform for non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) providers. He leads Bambi's growth, SEO, and content strategy and works with NEMT owner-operators every day on the systems that help fleets run more trips with less stress. Connect with Nick on LinkedIn.

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