License Requirements for Pharmacists

Any use of the title "pharmacist" within New York State requires licensure.

To be licensed as a pharmacist in New York State you must:

• be of good moral character;
• be at least 21 years of age; and
• meet education, examination, and experience requirements.

The specific requirements for licensure are contained in Title 8, Article 137, Section 6805 of New York's Education Law and Part 63 of the Commissioner's Regulations.

You should also read the general licensing information applicable for all professions.

The fee for licensure is $339.

The fee for a limited (intern) permit is $70 (the limited permit fee is not refundable).

The fee listed is the fee in place when this page was posted. Fees are subject to change. The fee due is the one in law when your application is received (unless fees are increased retroactively). You will be billed for the difference if fees have been increased.

• Do not send cash.
• If you apply for licensure electronically using the online Application for Licensure, you will be required to pay by credit card.
• Other payments must be made by personal check or money order payable to the New York State Education Department. Your cancelled check is your receipt.
• Mail any required forms and fees to the indicated address on the form.

NOTE: Payment submitted from outside the United States should be made by check or draft on a United States bank and in United States currency; payments submitted in any other form will not be accepted and will be returned.

Individuals who withdraw their licensure application may be entitled to a partial refund.

• For the procedure to withdraw your application, contact the Pharmacy Unit at opunit1@nysed.gov or by calling 518-474-3817 ext. 250 or by fax at 518-402-5354.
• The State Education Department is not responsible for any fees paid to an outside testing or credentials verification agency.

If you withdraw your application, obtain a refund, and then decide to seek New York State licensure at a later date, you will be considered a new applicant, and you will be required to pay the licensure and registration fees and meet the licensure requirements in place at the time you reapply.

To meet the professional education requirements for licensure as a pharmacist, you must have:

1. completed a program in pharmacy leading to a bachelor's degree or higher from a pharmacy program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE).

   Proof of Education

   Upon graduation, you must request a Form 2 or an official transcript with degree and conferral date be sent directly to the Office of the Professions at the address on the form.

   OR,

2. graduated from a pharmacy program accredited by the Canadian Council for Accreditation of Pharmacy Programs (CCAPP):
    
   • between 1993 and 2004 (see Section I, "Proof of Education" requirements above) or,
   • before 1993 (see Section III, "Proof of Education" requirements below).

   OR,

3. completed a pharmacy program that is not accredited by ACPE or CCAPP, and:
    
   1. have completed a program in pharmacy leading to a degree, diploma or certificate in pharmacy (at the level of a bachelor's degree or its equivalent) recognized by the appropriate civil authorities of the jurisdiction in which the school is located as meeting the education requirements for entry into practice in that jurisdiction.

      AND,

   2. have Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Examination Committee (FPGEC) certification by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP).

      For information regarding FPGEC certification, contact:

      National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP)
      1600 Feehanville Drive
      Mt Prospect, IL 60056
      Phone: 847-391-4406
      Web: www.nabp.pharmacy

      AND,

   3. the New York State Education Department must determine that the non-accredited pharmacy program meets the following preprofessional and professional study requirements:
       
      1. Preprofessional Study

         At least 60 semester hours of preprofessional study in the basic sciences and general education content areas, with a minimum of 20 semester hours in the basic sciences content area and a minimum of 20 semester hours in the general education content area.

         Basic Sciences Content Area includes but is not limited to coursework in:

         • mathematics;
         • biological sciences, including but not limited to general biology; and
         • physical sciences, including but not limited to general and organic chemistry.

         General Education Content Area includes but is not limited to coursework in each of the following areas:

         • social and behavioral sciences, and
         • humanities, including but not limited to English.
            
      2. Professional Study

         At least 90 semester hours of professional study in the biomedical sciences, pharmaceutical sciences, and clinical sciences content areas, with a minimum of 15 semester hours in the biomedical sciences content area, a minimum of 20 semester hours in the pharmaceutical sciences content area, and a minimum of 15 semester hours in the clinical sciences content area.

         Biomedical Sciences Content Area includes but is not limited to coursework in each of the following areas:

         • anatomy;
         • physiology;
         • microbiology/immunology;
         • biochemistry;
         • pathology; and
         • biostatistics.

         Pharmaceutical Sciences Content Area includes but is not limited to coursework in each of the following areas:

         • pharmaceutical or medicinal chemistry;
         • basic pharmaceutics, including but not limited to compounding and dispensing;
         • biopharmaceutics;
         • pharmacokinetics;
         • pharmacognosy or natural products;
         • pharmacology; and
         • pharmacy administration.

         Clinical Sciences Content Area means coursework in clinical applications using knowledge gained in the biomedical sciences and pharmaceutical sciences content areas, including but not limited to coursework in each of the following:

         • clinical and practice foundations;
         • disease processes;
         • clinical pharmacology and therapeutics; and
         • drug information and literature evaluation.
         
         Additionally, the coursework in the clinical sciences content area must include an appropriate mix of clinical experiences in community and institutional pharmacies and in appropriate inpatient and outpatient settings.

   Proof of Education

   Send Form 2 to your school and ask that they complete and return it with an official transcript directly to the Office of the Professions at the address on the form.

To meet the examination requirements for licensure as a pharmacist, you must pass both parts of the pharmacist licensing examination series within 5 years:

• North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX)
• Multi-State Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination (MPJE) [Study Guide]

NAPLEX

1. Admission Requirements

   To be admitted into the examination you must:

   • submit your completed licensure application (Form 1 and fee) to the New York State Education Department, and
   • have your completed education documentation submitted and approved by the New York State Education Department.
2. Examination Application Procedure

   If you meet the admission requirements listed, apply on-line at www.nabp.pharmacy. NABP will send you an Authorization To Test (ATT) once the New York State Education Department verifies your eligibility with NABP.

   National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP)
   1600 Feehanville Drive
   Mount Prospect, IL 60056
   Phone: 847-391-4406
   Web: www.nabp.pharmacy

3. Exam Scores/Test Results

   You can view your NAPLEX and/or MPJE scores online. This service is provided by the National Association of Board of Pharmacy (NABP) and is available on their web site at www.nabp.pharmacy .

   Although you will now have access to your grades much sooner, normal processing time of four to six weeks is still needed before an official license is issued.

   You can check the Office of Profession's license verification system at Verification Search to see if your license has been issued. Information is updated daily.

   If passing NAPLEX or MPJE is your final exam component and over six weeks have passed and the license has not been issued, you should contact the pre-licensure unit by submitting a Contact Us form. Department staff are not able to provide updates over the phone.

MPJE

1. Admission Requirements

   To be admitted into the examination you must:

   • submit your completed licensure application (Form 1 and fee) to the New York State Education Department if you haven't already submitted one;
   • have your completed education documentation submitted and approved by the New York State Education Department if you haven't already; and
   • have your completed internship experience submitted and approved (Note: PharmD graduates are exempt from the experience requirement; see Internship Experience Requirement section for additional details) by the New York State Education Department as follows:
     • Graduates from ACPE accredited programs or CCAPP accredited programs (since 1993) must submit documentation of completion of 6 months (1,040 hours) of approved internship according to the requirements listed under Experience Requirements.
     • Graduates from non-accredited programs, including foreign graduates, must have a passing score on the NAPLEX and submit documentation of completion of 12 months (2,080 hours) of approved internship according to the requirements listed under Experience Requirements.
2. Examination Application Procedure

   If you meet the admission requirements listed, apply on-line at www.nabp.pharmacy. NABP will send you an Authorization To Test (ATT) once the New York State Education Department verifies your eligibility with NABP.

   National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP)
   1600 Feehanville Drive
   Mount Prospect, IL 60056
   Phone: 847-391-4406
   Web: www.nabp.pharmacy

3. Exam Scores/Test Results

   You can view your NAPLEX and/or MPJE scores online. This service is provided by the National Association of Board of Pharmacy (NABP) and is available on their web site at www.nabp.pharmacy .

   Although you will now have access to your grades much sooner, normal processing time of four to six weeks is still needed before an official license is issued.

   You can check the Office of Profession's license verification system at Verification Search to see if your license has been issued. Information is updated daily.

   If passing NAPLEX or MPJE is your final exam component and six three weeks have passed and the license has not been issued, you should contact the pre-licensure unit by submitting a Contact Us form. Department staff are not able to provide updates over the phone.

Prescription Compounding and Pharmacy Practice (Part III)

NOTE: Effective January 1, 2022, the Part III examination will no longer be a requirement for pharmacist licensure within New York State.

Applicants who have previously applied for and not obtained pharmacist licensure in New York State due to the Part III exam may be eligible for licensure after January 1, 2022. For additional information on the updated licensure pathway, please review the Department's FAQ page.

Reexamination

If you must retake the NAPLEX or MPJE, please contact NABP directly. DO NOT submit another licensure application and fee to the State Education Department.

Reasonable Testing Accommodations

Applicants requesting special testing accommodations for the NAPLEX and/or MPJE, must complete NABP's Request for Testing Accommodations form and submit it with supporting documentation directly to NABP. If your application for a reasonable accommodation is denied, or you have any complaints about your accommodations, please contact the New York State Board of Pharmacy Office by emailing Pharmbd@nysed.gov.

A Limited (Intern) Permit must be issued in order to practice pharmacy under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist. You must apply for, and have been issued, an intern permit before starting your supervised pharmacy practice. All applicants except graduates of ACPE accredited programs leading to the Doctor of Pharmacy degree must complete an internship experience.

You may be granted credit for internships completed in other states, if the internship meets New York State and the other state's requirements as verified on Form 4.

Limited (Intern) Permit

Anyone who has not applied for and received an intern permit from the New York State Education Department is not authorized to begin an internship in New York and credit will not be granted for such practice. Only internships done in a registered pharmacy are acceptable.

The preceptor assumes the responsibility for training the intern even though the intern may practice occasionally under the supervision of another pharmacist in the same pharmacy.

If an intern permit is lost or damaged, contact the State Board of Pharmacy Office by emailing Pharmbd@nysed.gov to request a replacement. Please include your name, address, last four digits of your Social Security Number and telephone number.

Internship Credit for Foreign Graduates

New York accepts intern hours accumulated that are in addition to the hours required for both introductory and advanced practice rotations of the ACPE pharmacy curriculum. New York does not accept clerkship or externship hours that form part of the school curriculum and are required to obtain the degree. Credit cannot be given for any hours that exceed 40 hours per week. For calculation purposes, a week is considered a 7-day period and one month is equal to 173 hours.

Internships completed in another state may be accepted as long as the intern meets all requirements to practice pharmacy and is authorized to do so by that State's Board of Pharmacy. Before you begin an internship in another state, check with the State's Board Office to ensure that you meet their requirements and that they will be able to certify the hours you will accumulate to New York.

If you have already completed your internship in another state, request verification from that State Board to be sent directly to the New York State Education Department. The verification must include a detailed description of the internship and beginning and ending dates for each session. If you also attended a school in another state, we require your school to provide us with a letter indicating the beginning and ending dates for each semester you attended.

Foreign Graduates

Your internship experience must be reviewed and approved by the New York State Education Department before you can be considered eligible to take the MPJE.

Certification of Internship to Another State

The New York State Board of Pharmacy office does not provide certification or verification of internship hours or clinical experiences. All graduates of accredited colleges and schools of pharmacy are required to complete both introductory and advanced practice rotations in pharmacies. Completion of these externship/internship hours is overseen by the colleges. The New York State Board of Pharmacy office does not independently audit or reconfirm these experiences. Further, all graduates of accredited programs with a PharmD are deemed to have met all experiential requirements for licensure in New York State. For these reasons we cannot independently certify clinical experiences to other state boards of pharmacy.

An intern permit is required for all students involved in advanced practice rotations and while practicing as an intern under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist. PharmD graduates are deemed to have completed at least 1500 intern hours. Verification of an intern permit can be performed on our website at: Verification Search.

The requirements necessary to become a licensed pharmacist in New York State based on licensure in another state are as follows:

For applicants who have never previously applied for licensure in New York State:

1. Complete and submit an Application for Licensure (Form 1) along with the $339 fee for licensure and first registration. If the applicant is a foreign graduate, also complete Certification of Professional Education (Form 2) – Section 1 and then forward it to the appropriate academic institution. The applicant's school must complete Section 2 and return the form, along with transcripts, to the address on the bottom of page 3 of the application.
2. Log in to your NABP e-Profile and apply for licensure transfer through NABP's Electronic Licensure Transfer Program (e-LTP). Further information can be found at www.nabp.pharmacy or by calling NABP at 847-391-4406.
3. Upon submission and approval of the above application materials, you will receive an email notification from the New York State Education Department to apply to NABP to take the MPJE examination.
4. Pass the MPJE. Helpful information and links to applicable laws and regulations can be found in our study guide.

NOTE: If the instructions from NABP indicate that you must pay a licensure fee and you have already submitted the fee with your Form 1, you do not have to pay an additional licensure fee.

*California licensees who have not passed the NAPLEX, Canadian licensees, and graduates of foreign pharmacy programs should contact the State Board of Pharmacy office for further information regarding endorsement.

For applicants who have previously applied for but did not obtain licensure in New York State due to the Part III examination:

Complete and submit a Special Provisions Form (Form 1A). The Department will determined if you have met the revised requirements for licensure.

The requirements necessary to become a licensed pharmacist in New York State based on foreign education follow in the order of required completion:

1. Pass the FTest of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL iBT) and the Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Examination Equivalency (FPGEE) and obtain Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Examination Committee (FPGEC) certification. Information regarding this exam can be obtained from the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) at www.nabp.pharmacy.
2. Complete and submit an Application for Licensure (Form 1) along with the $339 fee for licensure and first registration.
3. Complete Section 1 of a Certification of Professional Education (Form 2) and forward it to the appropriate academic institution and ask they complete and submit the form along with any other required documentation to the Department.
4. Pass the NAPLEX. Apply on-line at www.nabp.pharmacy. NABP will send you the Authorization to Test (ATT) once New York State verifies your eligibility with NABP.

   National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP)
   1600 Feehanville Drive
   Mount Prospect, IL 60056
   Phone: 847-391-4406
   Web: www.nabp.pharmacy

5. Complete and submit an Application for a Limited (Intern) Permit (Form 5). You must obtain an intern permit before engaging in the supervised practice of pharmacy in New York State.
6. Complete one year (2,080 hours) of internship. Additional information can be found under Experience Requirements.
7. Complete and submit a Certification of an Internship in Pharmacy (Form 4).
8. Pass the MPJE.