Louisiana BOARD OF PHARMACY | CE REQUIREMENTS | LIVE CERT

Louisiana Board of Pharmacy Licensees must renew their licenses annually to maintain the right to practice. The annual renewal period is from November 1 to December 31. Licenses that have not been renewed within this period will expire on December 31.

All Board credentials can be renewed online through the Online Services Portal during the annual renewal cycle.

If your license expired 30 days (or fewer) ago, you can submit a paper renewal application. If your license expired more than 30 days ago, you must pursue reinstatement by sending a written request to the Board office. The board will then give you further instructions

Annual Continuing Education Requirements

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Louisiana Board of Pharmacy licenses must keep track of their completed continuing pharmacy education, or “CPE,” activities via CPE Monitor, an electronic system provided by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) and the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE).

What is CPE Monitor?

How does it work?

Chapter 5. Pharmacists – §507. Continuing Education Program

A. The board, recognizing that professional competency is a safeguard for the health, safety, and welfare of the public, shall require continuing pharmacy education as a prerequisite for annual licensure renewal for pharmacists.

B. Definitions.
1. ACPE – Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education.
2. CPE – continuing pharmacy education, a structured postgraduate educational program for pharmacists to enhance professional competence.
3. CPE Monitor – a collaborative service from the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) and the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) that provides an electronic system for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to record and track their completed CPE activities.
4. CPE Unit – a standard of measurement adopted by the ACPE for the purpose of accreditation of CPE programs. One CPE unit is equivalent to 10 credit hours.

C. Requirements.
1. A minimum of 1 1/2 ACPE or board-approved CPE units, or 15 hours, shall be required each year as a prerequisite for pharmacist licensure renewal. Of this number, no less than 3/10 ACPE or board- approved CPE units, or three hours, shall be acquired through live presentations, as designated by ACPE or the board. Alternatively, should a pharmacist choose to not acquire at least 3/10 ACPE or board- approved CPE units, or three hours, through live presentations, then he shall acquire an additional 5/10 ACPE or board-approved CPE units, or five hours, through any other acceptable method, over and above the minimum requirement, for a total of two ACPE or board-approved CPE units, or 20 hours.
2. Pharmacists shall maintain individual records of personal CPE activities with CPE Monitor and shall authorize the board’s access to their file by recording their Louisiana pharmacist license number within that file, and shall present a copy of their CPE Monitor transcript when requested by the board.
3. When deemed appropriate and necessary by the board, some or all of the required number of hours may be mandated on specific subjects. When so deemed, the board shall notify all licensed pharmacists prior to the beginning of the year in which the CPE is required.
4. When deemed appropriate and necessary by the board, the number of hours to be acquired through live presentations as designated by ACPE or the board may be increased. When so deemed, the board shall notify all licensed pharmacists prior to the beginning of the year in which the CPE is required.

D. Compliance.
1. Complete compliance with CPE rules is a prerequisite for pharmacist licensure renewal.
2. Non-compliance with the CPE requirements shall be considered a violation of R.S. 37:1241(A)(2), and shall constitute a basis for the board to refuse licensure renewal.
3. The failure to maintain an individual record of personal CPE activities, or falsification of CPE documents, shall be considered a violation of R.S. 37:1241(A)(22).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 37:1182.
HISTORICAL NOTE: Promulgated by the Department of Health and Hospitals, Board of Pharmacy, LR 14:708 (October 1988), effective January 1, 1989, amended LR 23:1306 (October 1997), LR 29:2083 (October 2003), effective January 1, 2004, LR 33:1125 (June 2007), amended by the Department of Health, Board of Pharmacy, LR 46:569 (April 2020).

We cannot guarantee this is the most up-to-date version of this rule. Please refer to the Louisiana Administrative Code for the most accurate information.

Pharmacists in Louisiana must complete continuing education during each annual cycle to qualify for license renewal. There are two options for satisfying the continuing education requirements:

Option One: Complete fifteen hours of ACPE or board-approved CE units, three of which must be live.
Option Two: Complete twenty hours of ACPE or board-approved CE units. This option does not include a live requirement.

There are two routes to licensure in Louisiana: through examination or through reciprocity. You can apply for a pharmacist license on the Louisiana Board of Pharmacy website.

Finding engaging, affordable online live CE is important for pharmacists in Louisiana, but it can be difficult to find what you need to meet your license renewal requirements. If you are looking for online live CE that covers topics including medication error and controlled substance CE, you can unlock unlimited access to freeCE’s live calendar with a Gold Membership. For one low price, you can access all the CE you need to renew your license in one place and save valuable time and energy finding multiple options that fit your schedule and professional needs.

The Louisiana Board of Pharmacy requires 3 hours of live CE per year (unless you elect to complete 5 additional hours of CE). Traditionally, pharmacists can earn live CE through in-person seminars or meetings. However, in the state of Louisiana, you also have the option to earn these credit hours with online webinars. Online live CE fulfills all the requirements of in-person activities, including interactive Q&A sessions with the faculty, all while being fully digital.

If you struggle to fit in-person live CE into your busy schedule, live webinars may be an excellent option for you. Webinars come in different lengths and formats and cover a variety of topics, allowing you to choose the activity that’s right for you.

Are you looking for online live CE? Look no further. freeCE has the most comprehensive webinar schedule around. Explore our packages here.

For every annual renewal cycle, Pharmacists in Louisiana are required to earn 15-20 hours of CE credit. As an ACPE-accredited continuing education provider, freeCE meets both your live and general requirements. 

To help you find the CE you need to renew your license, freeCE has a wide variety of activities. We add new content to our catalog on a regular basis so you can not only meet your requirements each cycle, but you can choose the activities which interest you most. freeCE doesn’t just offer adequate training. We provide training that is educational and interesting. These activities are available in both live and on-demand formats and cover important topics from diverse perspectives. Explore freeCE’s packages here.