Prepare to Become a Pharmacy Technician

Alabama

• License required
• At least 17 years of age
• High School diploma or GED
• Work under pharmacist supervision
• Pay appropriate application fee
• Pass background check
• Receive registration certificate before working in a pharmacy
• Certificate must be displayed in the pharmacy where you work

Alaska

• License required
• High school diploma
• 18 years of age or older
• No felony convictions within five years
• $150 application fee
• The licenses expire on every even numbered year on the 30th of June. There is a $100 renewal fee.
• Presently, the only the ICPT certification is approved in Alaska.
• Training is on the job and varies per employer

Arizona

• High school diploma or GED
• Proof of age and U.S. Residency
• IF not U.S. Citizen — you must provide proof of eligibility to work in the U.S.
• Provide photograph (Driver's License, State ID, Passport or Passport card)
• Copy of valid Arizona Fingerprint Clearance Card
• Pharmacy Technician Trainee — $46 non-refundable application fee
• If not a Pharmacy Technician Trainee — click on "Arizona" in the box to the left and find the Fee chart
• Complete State Board Application

Arkansas

• High School diploma or GED
• Complete State Board application
• Application fee $105
• Photo copy of valid Driver's License or State ID
• Fully complete Criminal Background Check and Identity Verification Form
• Application must be approved prior to employment
• On the job training by employer

California

• Complete a State Board Application
• Application fee $140
• High School Diploma or GED
• Social Security number or Taxpayer ID number on application and Self-Query Report
• Copy of Photo
• Complete Self-Query Report
• Fingerprints — click on California — See instructions under "Pharmacy Technician Application and Instructions"
• Proof of Residency
• Non-California Resident — Click on California — See instructions under "Pharmacy Technician Application and Instructions"
• Pharmacy Technician Document — See instructions under "Pharmacy Technician Application and Instructions"

Colorado

• Pharmacy technicians are not licensed in the state of Colorado
• Employer decides on what credentials and training their technician should have if there are less than 3 technicians in that pharmacy
• If there are 3 technicians and one Pharmacist, one of the 3 technicians will be required to obtain additional certification

Connecticut

• License required
• 18 years of age
• High school diploma or GED
• Possess a PTCB certification
• The license must be renewed annually to continue work as a pharmacy technician in the state of Connecticut
• PTCB is approved
• There is no state assigned training, however you will be trained by one of the pharmacists at your place of employment

Delaware

• No license required in Delaware
• The state requires that all pharmacy technicians be at least 18 years of age. Most pharmacies will not hire anyone who does not possess a High School Diploma or GED. If you’re hired to a pharmacy, you need to complete a designated amount of supervised training and training must be documented.
• ICPT and the PTCB certifications are approved by the state board
• There is no prior training required to work as a pharmacy tech in Delaware

Florida

• Applicants must be at least 17 years of age
• Applicants must have completed a Board of Pharmacy approved pharmacy technician training program. (Our Pacific Medical Training Pharmacy Technician Training Program is approved for use in Florida)

Georgia

• 17 years of age or older
• Pass a criminal history background check
• $100 application fee
• High school diploma or GED
• In the state of Georgia, licenses expire every odd numbered year
• PTCB certification is approved by the state board
• No prior training required to apply for licensure or to be hired as a pharmacy technician

Hawai'i

• Hawai'i does not require any license to work as a pharmacy technician
• PTCB certification is approved
• No prior training required to work in the state of Hawai'i

Idaho

• 18 years of age or older
• High school diploma or GED
• $64.25 application fee along with your application
• Licenses for pharmacy techs expire annually. Licenses renewed to avoid termination of employment
• ICPT and PTCB certification are approved
• No prior training required to work as a pharmacy technician

Iowa

• 18 years of age
• Application fee of either $55 for a pharmacy technician or $22 for a technician in training
• Licenses expire every two years. The license expires on the last day of your birth month, at which point it can be renewed for a $55 renewal fee
• ICPT and PTCB certifications approved
• No prior training required to be licensed in Iowa

Illinois

• Must be at least 16 years old
• License required
• Be in high school or in possession of a high school diploma or GED
• $40 application fee that is non-refundable
• All licenses expire on March 31st, every year. For second renewal, you’ll need to have proof that you passed a certification exam or you won’t be able to renew
• PTCB and ICPT certification are approved
• No regulated prior training in this state, but your pharmacist will likely give you some on the job training the first couple months you’re employed

Indiana

• 18 years or older
• High school diploma or GED
• No felony convictions related to controlled substances
• Complete a board approved training program
• $25 renewal fee for renewing license, licenses expire every even numbered year on the 30th of June
• ICPT and the PTCB certifications are approved
• You need training to become a pharmacy technician in Indiana, as stated above, you need to complete a board approved training program prior to receiving your full license. Additionally you’ll likely undergo some on the job training

Kansas

• First, register for Kansas Board of Pharmacy
• No prior exam or certification is required to register with the Board
• You can work for more than one pharmacy
• Registration fee is $67
• Allow 10 business days to receive ordered application and fingerprint card — Do not send back unless completely filled out
• Processing application takes approximately 3 weeks

Kentucky

• At least 16 years old or older
• Be in high school, or in possession of a high school diploma or GED
• $25 application fee, non-refundable
• On March 31st of every year you’ll need to submit an application to renew license, as well as pay a $25 renewal fee every year
• ICPT certification and PTCB certification are approved
• No prior training required by the state of Kentucky to become licensed or employed as a PT

Louisiana

• License Required
• 18 years or older
• High school diploma or GED
• Pass a background check
• Show proof that you are enrolled in a pharmacy technician training program, or passed an ACPE accredited program
• Show proof of certification
• Application fee of $100
• License expires every year on June 30th, so you need to renew before this date, you need a $50 fee for renewal as well
• You need to acquire 600 “practical hours”, with 200 of those hours being associated with a training program

Maine

• License required
• 18 years of age or older
• You must have a high school diploma or GED
• You must pay a $46 fee, $21 for a background check and $25 for an application fee
• Criminal background check is required
• Pharmacy technician license expire every year on December 31st. If you do not renew your license on or before this date you will likely be terminated from employment
• The PTCB certification is valid in Maine
• There is no state required training prior employment as a pharmacy technician in the state of Maine

Maryland

• License required
• 17 years of age or older
• Must be enrolled in high school or have a high school diploma or GED
• Must pay a $45 application fee, non-refundable
• Criminal background check is required, with additional $38 fee
• Must provide proof of certification or proof of a 160 hour training program completed
• Pharmacy technician license expire on the last day of their birth month, and must be renewed prior to that date. The renewal fee is $45
• The ICPT and the PTCB certification programs are approved
• You need training to become a pharmacy technician in Maryland. You need to complete 160 hours of training prior to becoming licensed if you are not certified. After becoming employed, you have two years to complete 10 hours of training that is board approved

Massachusetts

• License required
• 18 years or older
• Must be either enrolled in high school, have a high school diploma, or have a GED
• Must pay a non-refundable application fee of $136
• The ICPT and the PTCB certifications are accepted, as well as their own state approved certification
• License expires every two years on the license holder's birthday, you need to renew it before this date to ensure there is no inconvenience for your or your employer
• Anyone who is not certified must complete a training program. Certified technicians can bypass this with proof of certification.

Michigan

• Michigan requires licensure to work as a pharmacy technician
• The PTCB is required by the state of Michigan
• The state requires proof of training prior to becoming a pharmacy technician

Mississippi

• License required
• 18 years of age or older
• Must have either a high school diploma or GED
• Finger print and background check are required
• Must pay $90, $50 for the application fee and $40 for a background check
• Pharmacy technician licenses expire on March 31st of every year, you should renew it prior to this date so you can avoid any inconveniences
• The ICPT and the PTCB are valid
• No prior training required to become a pharmacy technician

Minnesota

• License required
• You can’t be under 18 years of age (this was changed from 16 in Jan. 2012)
• You must have a high school diploma or GED
• You must pay a $35 non-refundable application fee
• The license expires and renewal is needed before the 1st of every year, there is a $20 fee for renewal
• The PTCB and the ICPT certifications are approved by the state board
• There is some training required as of Jan. 2013. Technicians must complete some form of state approved training including but not limited to: national certification, military training, or 480 college/training facility hours of training

Missouri

• License required
• Finger print check and criminal background check are required
• Include an official ID photo
• Pay minimum of $35 for an application fee, you may need to include more depending on the cost of the background check
• The state of Missouri is one of the very few states that does not require renewal of the licenses
• The PTCB is state board approved in Missouri
• Prior training is not required to become employed or licensed in Missouri, once you’ve received your license you can start seeking employment

Montana

• License required
• 18 years of age or older
• Must have a high school diploma or GED
• Criminal background check is required
• Must possess a PTCB or ICPT certification to renew your license
• Licenses expire biennially, by the time of your first renewal you need to have completed one of the two national certification programs (PTCB or ICPT)
• There is no state mandated training

Nebraska

• License required
• 18 years of age or older
• High school diploma or GED is required
• You must pass a criminal background check
• Licenses expire on the 1st of January. The fee for renewal is $178
• The PTCB is approved
• There is no required training prior to employment. Training will be provided by the employer.

Nevada

• License required
• 18 years of age or older
• You must have a high school diploma or GED
• Criminal background check is required
• All licenses expire on October 31st
• The only approved certification is the PTCB
• The state doesn’t require any specific training. However, if you do not have a certification, you’ll need to complete 1,500 of documented training by your employer, be trained by the armed forces, or complete an ASHP accredited training program before you can become a pharmacy technician

New Hampshire

• Applicants should be at least 16 years old, have a high school diploma or its equivalent, or should be working on attaining a high school diploma or its equivalent
• Applicants should be of good moral character
• Applicants should not have drug related felonies, nor should they have admitted to facts sufficient to warrant such findings
• Gain 80 hours training on the job and, upon acheiving 80 hours, applicants have 15 days to register with the board
• The application fee is $50
• Once you are a registered pharmacy technician you can then work towards being a Certified Pharmacy Technician (Additional training and on the job training hours are required)

New Jersey

• Licence required
• 18 years of age or older
• Either be enrolled in high school, high school diploma or GED
• Have no convictions on your record related to controlled substances
• $25 application fee, non-refundable
• Every year you’ll need to renew your license prior to March 31st, the expiration date on every license. You’ll also need to provide another $25 fee to renew the license
• PTCB and ICPT certifications are approved
• You need training required to become a pharmacy technician in New Hampshire. You may also receive on the job training from your pharmacist to make sure you are ready to work as a pharmacy technician

New Mexico

• High school diploma or GED
• Nationally certified by your first renewal
• $30 renewal fee is required on every odd numbered year, on the last day of the licensed individual’s birth month or the license will expire
• ICPT and PTCB certification are approved
• Pharmacists give on the job training and the state does not require any training prior to employment

New York

• New York is one of the few states in America that doesn’t require licensure for their pharmacy technicians
• PTCB certification is approved by New York
• No prior training required for pharmacy technicians in the state of New York

North Carolina

• License required
• Be 18 years or older
• Possess a high school diploma or GED
• Non-refundable $30 application fee
• When license expire you need to renew your license for $30 renewal fee prior to December 31st
• Only the PTCB certification is state board approved
• There is no state designated training required

North Dakota

• License required
• Complete a board approved training program
• Pass the PTCB exam
• Include a $35 non-refundable application fee
• Be 18 years of age or older
• Possess either a high school diploma or GED
• On March 1st every year license expire. You need a $35 renewal fee each time if you wish to renew your license
• Only the PTCB certification is recognized
• No prior training required by the state, but pharmacy techs have to undergo on the job training shortly after being hired. This ensure that you are able to handle all of the requirements of the job

Ohio

• Ohio is one of the few states in America that do not require licensure for their pharmacy technicians
• ICPT and the PTCB certifications are approved in Ohio
• No training required for pharmacy technicians in Ohio

Oklahoma

• License required
• Minimum 18 years of age
• Include a $40 non-refundable application fee
• You must include proof of citizenship
• License expires on the last day of your birth month, at this time if you have not renewed your license will be revoked. Renewal fee is $40
• This state include training required to become a pharmacy technician. Training is designated by your pharmacist
• To become a pharmacy technician in Oklahoma you need to receive a license from the state board

Oregon

• License required
• High school diploma or GED
• Nationally certified, or proof of progress towards PTCB certification
• $102 to cover application and background check fees
• Must include some form of identification or a photocopy
• On August 31st every year you need to renew your license, this includes a $40
• PTCB and ICPT certification are approved by the state board of Oregon
• Training required needed to become a pharmacy technician in Oregon. The training will be directly supervised to ensure you have a full understanding of the pharmacies protocol

Pennsylvania

• No license required in the state of Pennsylvania for pharmacy techs
• ICPT and the PTCB certification are approved by board in Pennsylvania
• In Pennsylvania you don’t need training required to become a pharmacy technician

Rhode Island

• License required
• 18 years of age or older
• You must have a high school diploma or GED, or be enrolled in high school
• Criminal background check is required
• You must include a photocopy of a valid state ID
• Renewal of your license is needed every year, and include a renewal fee
• Both the ICPT and the PTCB certification are accepted
• There is no state required any training to become a Pharmacy Tech. Your pharmacist will provide you with the necessary on the job training

South Carolina

• License required
• 18 years of age or older
• Must have a high school diploma or equivalent
• Complete a pharmacy technician training course that is state board approved
• Must pay a non-refundable $40 application fee
• License must renew prior to June 30th every year. There is a $15 fee you need to pay to renew your license
• The PTCB certification is state board approved
• You must complete a state approved training program prior to becoming licensed. You must also complete 1000 limited privilege employment offers at the job to become a fully licensed technician

South Dakota

• License required
• Must be employed as a pharmacy technician and then you can have your license after 30 days of starting employment
• 18 years of age or older
• Must be in high school or in possession of a high school diploma
• Renewal is required every year prior to October 31st, you must also pay a $25 renewal fee
• There are no nationally approved certifications that are state approved, however your employer will look highly upon any certification or training you received
• The training will be provided by whichever pharmacist you are working for

Tennessee

• License required
• You must submit a statement proving you have good moral character
• Must be a US citizen
• Must have no felony convictions
• 18 years of age or older
• Must pay a $50 application fee
• You can renew your license online every two years
• The PTCB is state board approved
• The state doesn’t requiretraining to work as a PT in the state of Tennessee

Texas

• License required
• PTCB certification is required
• Must have a high school diploma or GED
• Criminal background check is needed
• Pay a fee of either $41 for technician trainees or $64 for fully licensed technicians
• You must renew your license every two years for a fee of $80, remember, technician trainees cannot renew their licenses and must become certified and apply for the full technician license.
• There is a training program that must be completed

Utah

• License required
• PTCB or ExCPT certification is required
• Must pass a short test about Utah’s pharmacy laws
• Must pay an application fee of $100, this is non-refundable
• 18 years of age or older
• Every odd numbered year on September 30th license expire. You’ll need to renew it prior to this date or you may face a hold on employment or termination
• For Training required to become a pharmacy technician in Utah you can either enroll in a state approved training program or opt to partake in closely supervised on the job training by your pharmacist

Vermont

• License required
• 18 years or older at time of employment
• High School Diploma or G.E.D — Can be currently working on obtaining diploma or G.E.D.
• Criminal background check is needed
• Must pay a non-refundable application fee of $50
• Licenses in the state of Vermont expire on July 31st every odd numbered year. If you renew prior to the 90 day mark before your license expires, a renewal fee is not required.
• CE credits : All ACPE and AMA Category 1 approved programs may be approved by the board for those required to maintain licensure

Virginia

• License required
• 17 years of age or older
• You must have no convictions in relation to a controlled substance
• You must take state approved training program or you must possess the PTCB certification
• You must renew your license before its expiration date
• There is a $25 renewal fee accompanied by this
• The PTCB certification is state board approved in the state of Virginia
• You can either acquire the PTCB certification or you can complete a state approved training program

Washington

• License Required
• 18 years of age or over
• High school diploma or a GED
• Must have completed a formal Board-approved pharmacy technician training program or pharmacy technician training program that is Board-approved
• Proof of passing a Board-approved national examination
• Background check is required
• Application and registration fee of $60. Licenses must be renewed every year on or prior to your birthday with a $50 fee
• All pharmacy techs are required to complete at least 10 continuing education units per year. One of the 10 hours must include pharmacy law. The CE units are required to be earned with a Board-approved or ACPE accredited program

Wisconsin

• There is no license required in the state of Wisconsin for pharmacy techs
• Both the ICPT and the PTCB are approved by the state board in Wisconsin
• You don’t need training required to become a pharmacy technician in Wisconsin

West Virginia

• License required
• 18 years of age or older
• Criminal background check is required
• You must have a high school diploma or GED
• You must pay a $100 application fee, non-refundable
• Your license expires every year on June 30th. You must renewed your license
• The PTCB certification is state board approved
• You’ll need to complete 20 hours of on the job training, this training must be provided by your pharmacist and documented in order to report to the state

Wyoming

• License required
• 18 years of age or older
• You don’t need training required to become a pharmacy technician in Wisconsin
• High school diploma or GED is required
• The applicant must pass a criminal background check
• The applicant must pay a non-refundable application fee of $75
• License expire every two years and must include a renewal fee of $75