New Jersey BOARD OF PHARMACY | CE REQUIREMENTS | LIVE CERT

New Jersey Board of Pharmacy licensees must renew their licenses every two years to maintain the right to practice. The biennial license renewal fee is $140. 

Biennial Continuing Education Requirements

1. a) Each applicant for biennial license renewal shall complete a minimum of 30 credits of continuing education during the preceding biennial period, except that the Board shall not require completion of continuing education credits for an applicant’s initial license renewal. At least 10 of the continuing education credits shall be obtained through didactic instruction. For purposes of this subsection, “didactic instruction” means in-person instruction and may include telephonic or electronic instruction that is interactive, but shall not include videotaped instruction. At least three continuing education credits shall be obtained in pharmacy law applicable to the practice of pharmacy in New Jersey. Commencing with the biennial renewal period beginning on May 1, 2017, at least one of the 30 continuing education credits shall, pursuant to P.L. 2017, c. 28, be in educational programs or topics concerning prescription opioid drugs, including alternatives to opioids for managing and treating pain, and the risks and signs of opioid abuse, addiction, and diversion. This one credit shall not be eligible for carry-over as described in

4. c) Each applicant for biennial license renewal who is authorized to administer vaccines and related emergency medications and who seeks renewal of Board approval granted pursuant to N.J.A.C. 13:39-4.21 shall complete the continuing education requirements set forth in that section. The Board shall consider these hours of continuing education towards the total number of credits required in (a) above.
5. d) Each applicant for biennial license renewal who is granted authorization to engage in collaborative drug therapy management shall complete the continuing education requirements set forth in N.J.A.C. 13:39-13.3. The Board shall consider these hours of continuing education towards the total number of credits required in (a) above.

1. a) A licensee may obtain continuing education credit from the following categories: 1) Programs or courses offered by Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE)-approved providers; 2) Programs and courses that have received prior Board approval pursuant to N.J.A.C. 13:39-3A.6; 3) Graduate course work relevant to the practice of pharmacy, taken at an accredited college or university, beyond that required for professional licensure; 4) Participation in teaching and/or research appointments; 5) Participation as a preceptor in externship programs; 6) Participation as a preceptor in internship programs; and 7) Publication of an article related to the practice of pharmacy in a peer-reviewed professional journal.

1. a) Credit for continuing education shall be granted as follows for each biennial license period: 1) Attendance at approved programs or courses shall be granted one credit for each hour of attendance. Credit shall not be granted for programs or courses which are less than one contact hour in duration, which is defined as 50 minutes of actual attendance in a program or course of study. One half credit shall be granted for each 30 minute segment of a program or course that is more than one contact hour in duration. Completion of an entire program or course is required in order to receive any continuing education credit for the program or course. 2) Successful completion of graduate course work related to the practice of pharmacy at an accredited college or university beyond that which is required for professional licensure shall be granted three continuing education credits for each course credit awarded. 3) Teaching and research appointments related to the practice of pharmacy shall be granted three continuing education credits for each new program or course taught or subject matter researched by a licensee, to a maximum of six credits. “New,” in this paragraph, means a program, course or subject matter which the licensee has never taught or researched before in any educational or practice setting. A licensee who is employed as a teacher and/or as a researcher on a full-time basis shall not be eligible to obtain continuing education credit for such activities. 4) Participation as a preceptor in an externship program, upon prior approval by a college of pharmacy, shall be granted three continuing education credits per student to a maximum of six credits. 5) Participation as a preceptor in an internship program shall be granted three continuing education credits per 160 hours of work performed by the intern(s) and supervised by the licensee, to a maximum of six credits. 6) Publication of an article related to the practice of pharmacy in a peer-reviewed professional journal shall be granted three continuing education credits per article to a maximum of six credits.
2. b) The Board shall not grant credit for, or approve as a component of a continuing education program, participation in the routine business portion of any meeting of a pharmaceutical organization or any presentation that is offered to sell a product or promote a business enterprise.

1. a) A licensee shall specify on his or her application for biennial license renewal that the required number of continuing education credits has been completed. Falsification of any information contained in the renewal application may result in an appearance before the Board and the assessment of penalties and/or license suspension pursuant to N.J.S.A. 45:1-21 et seq.

1. b) A licensee shall maintain all documentation concerning the completion of continuing education requirements for a period of five years from the completion of the credit hours and shall submit such documentation to the Board upon request. Such documentation shall consist of: 1) For programs offered by Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE)- approved providers, a certificate of completion from the course or program or a transcript from the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy CPE Monitor; 2) For programs and courses approved by the Board, the sponsors’ written verification of attendance; 3) For teaching or research appointments in an academic setting, a statement from the chairperson of the department verifying completion of the assignment; 4) For research appointments in an industrial setting, a statement from the project coordinator verifying completion of the assignment; 5) For participation as a preceptor in an externship program, a certificate from the college of pharmacy; 6) For participation as a preceptor in an internship program, a certificate from the Board; and 7) For publications in a peer-reviewed professional journal, submission of the published article.
2. c) The Board shall audit licensees on a random basis at the end of each biennial period to determine compliance with continuing education requirements.

1. a) The Board may waive continuing education requirements on an individual basis for reasons of military service, hardship, illness or disability.
2. b) A licensee seeking a waiver of continuing education requirements shall apply to the Board in writing and set forth with specificity the reasons for requesting the waiver. The licensee shall also provide the Board with such additional information as the Board may request in support of the application for waiver.
3. c) A waiver of continuing education requirements granted pursuant to this section shall be effective only for the biennial period in which such waiver is granted. If the condition(s) which necessitated the waiver continues into the next biennial period, a licensee shall apply to the Board for a renewal of such waiver for the new biennial period.

Pharmacists in New Jersey must complete 30 hours of continuing education credits during each 24 month renewal cycle to qualify for license renewal. Of these 30 credit hours, 10 hours must be completed through didactic instruction (with a live instructor), 3 must be on the subject of pharmacy law, and 1 must be on the subject of prescription opioid drugs.

If a pharmacist is approved to perform immunizations, 2 of their 30 CE credits must be completed in immunization-related courses. If a pharmacist is authorized to engage in collaborative drug therapy management, they must complete ten credits of continuing education every biennial renewal period on each disease or condition covered by the collaborative practice agreement they are a part of. However, for co-existing, interrelated conditions or diseases, pharmacists only need to complete a total of ten credits for the interrelated conditions or diseases. These credits can count towards the 30-credit requirement.

Pharmacists who are applying for their first biennial license renewal are exempt from the continuing education requirements. Pharmacists can carry over a maximum of ten continuing education credits to the next renewal biennial period as long as they were earned during the last six months of the previous biennial renewal period and the CE credits were not used to meet previous license renewal requirements.

To apply for a New Jersey pharmacist license, follow the instructions found here.

Finding engaging, affordable online live CE is important for pharmacists in New Jersey, but it can be difficult to find what you need to meet your license renewal requirements.  If you are looking for free 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.

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The New Jersey Board of Pharmacy requires 10 hours of live CE per biennial renewal period. But did you know that you 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.

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For every 2-year renewal cycle, pharmacists in New Jersey are required to earn 30 hours of CE credit, 10 of which must be live. 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.

The New Jersey Board of Pharmacy does not require CE for pharmacy technicians. However, certified pharmacy technicians must complete the requirements associated with their certifying body. If you are a CPhT, please refer to your certifying body (either the PTCB or the NHA) for continuing education requirements.