Editor’s Note: This article was originally written by Alex Evans, PharmD, and published in May 2019. It was updated in January 2024 by Michael Connors.
In 2022, about 8.2 million Americans moved between states, according to the United States Census Bureau. Packing up to live in a different state involves a lot of preparation and work no matter who you are, but for healthcare providers like pharmacists, the process also often involves obtaining a new state license in order to practice. If you’re a new pharmacist, one that’s looking to move, or if you’re thinking about taking a travel healthcare job in a part of the country that isn’t your home, read on to discover what you need to know about obtaining a pharmacist license.
What are the requirements for obtaining a pharmacist license?
Each state has their own unique requirements for pharmacist licensure, but there are three constants among them all:
- Graduation from pharmacy school (either accredited or candidate status),
- Passing the NAPLEX and their law exam, most often the MPJE (one notable exception is California, which requires their version called the CPJE), and
- Obtaining a minimum number of hours of experience.
Number three is the trickiest and if you are either in school now or a new graduate (i.e. licensed less than one year) you will need to read the hour requirements carefully. Make sure to check the requirements of the state you’re applying to—as mentioned before, they change depending on the state!
How do I obtain a pharmacist license?
The simplest way to obtain a pharmacist license is through initial licensure. This is a relatively straightforward process that requires you to submit proof of the license requirements listed in the previous section to a state licensing board for approval.
You can also apply for multiple state licenses at once by leveraging a process called score transfer. Through this process, a pharmacist who has passed the NAPLEX can send their scores to multiple state licensing boards and get the ball rolling on more than one license. The tricky thing about score transfer is that you only have 89 days after taking the NAPLEX to send scores to an additional state; any later than that and you will need to retake the NAPLEX.
Can I transfer my pharmacist license to another state?
Pharmacists with an active state license that is in good standing can utilize the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy’s (NABP) Electronic Licensure Transfer Program® (eLTP), also known as license reciprocity, to transfer their license to a new state.
The NABP handles much of the behind-the-scenes work during this process, verifying the information you submit and screening your licenses through background checks.
What is the process for pharmacist license reciprocity?
First, you must check the website of the state licensing board you’re seeking a license from and make sure you understand that state’s specific requirements, restrictions, fees, and documentation needs.
After that, you should verify the state board’s licensure transfer process, as some states require you to submit your licensure transfer or MPJE results first. The following states require pharmacists to pass the MPJE before submitting a license transfer application:
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Colorado
- District of Columbia
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Michigan
- Nebraska
- North Carolina
- Oregon
- Rhode Island
- Utah
- Wisconsin
Once you’ve completed these steps, check the licensing board’s rules to determine if you need to take any extra steps to finish the transfer application process, such as appearing before the board or completing a criminal background check.
Preparing for the MPJE: Tips From a Licensed Pharmacist
Alex Evans, PharmD, has been a licensed pharmacist in multiple states over the course of his career and gave us some helpful tips for those who are preparing for the MPJE:
- Read All of the Laws on the Board of Pharmacy Website
- “Nearly every state has a Pharmacy Practice Act, a Controlled Substance Act, a state version of the Food Drug and Cosmetic Act, and administrative rulings. Reading these takes time, so give yourself a good 3–6 months to prepare if you can. Be sure to pay close attention to the definitions section of each of those laws—for example, when the state controlled substance act defines ‘provider’ it is listing all of the types of providers authorized to write controlled substances.”
- Take Practice Questions
- “My favorite preparation tool is RxExam; it is inexpensive, provides plenty of questions, has a format similar to the MPJE, and provides references and explanations for all the answers.”
- Don’t Sweat It
- You are going to be confronted with questions that seem to come out of left-field. Part of the test is mental—if you let those questions get to you then you won’t be able to focus on the rest of the test!
Obtain Clinical Hours with Care: A Cautionary Tale
Alex Evans also shared with us a story about when he had trouble obtaining the right amount of work hours for licensure. Read carefully, and don’t make the same mistakes as him:
“The first state I worked in after graduation was South Carolina, which requires the candidate to obtain 500 hours outside of pharmacy school. While their website is much clearer about this requirement now, they were not at the time I was pursuing licensure. I did not work in a pharmacy during the summers and did not have those hours, although even when I called the board office, the representative I spoke with at the time told me I ‘should be fine.’ Of course, my application was marked as deficient and I was stuck working 500 hours in a pharmacy as an intern after passing the NAPLEX and MPJE.
To make matters worse, South Carolina required proof of those hours to be submitted by filling out a form that is signed by the pharmacy manager and notarized. I worked for Walgreens and some of the hours prior to becoming licensed were used for training and others were used to help cover technician vacation (a smart business move in my opinion). Because of this, I had worked in over 20 stores across upstate South Carolina and ended up being forced to hire a mobile notary to ride with me store-to-store obtaining signatures as I coordinated when the 20+ managers would be working over two full days.
The board did not allow the district manager (who was a licensed South Carolina pharmacist) to attest to my time, so I had no other option. While my experience is an outlier (I have not heard of another pharmacist that went through so much to obtain their hours) please do not make this mistake!”
Don’t be overwhelmed, Barton Healthcare Staffing specialists are here to assist you and provide guidance through this whole process. Check out our open jobs, and connect with a recruiter today!
