Ohio BOARD OF PHARMACY
CE REQUIREMENTS | LIVE CERT

Pharmacy licenses can be verified through the Ohio Professional Licensure System.

Ohio Board of Pharmacy licensees must renew their licenses biennially to maintain the right to practice. Renewal applications are due by September 15 of each renewal period. There is a renewal fee of $250.

Biennial Continuing Education Requirements

There is a total minimum requirement of 30 continuing education hours that must be obtained from an ACPE (Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education) continuing education provider, an approved in-state provider of volunteer healthcare service, or an approved in-state provider of pharmacy jurisprudence programs. These requirements may be completed live or in a home study setting. Ohio requires 2 of those hours (0.2 CEUs) to be on pharmacy jurisprudence/law and 2 hours (0.2 CEUs) on patient or medication safety. The 26 additional hours required can be on any subject matter.

Only ACPE courses and CE from approved state providers are accepted. Continuing medical education (CME) and continuing legal education (CLE) are not accepted.

Additional CE Requirements

If Ohio-licensed pharmacists hold a current license in another state where continuing education is mandated, have met the requirements, and have not practiced pharmacy in Ohio at any time in the last 2 years before the renewal date, they may renew without having to complete the Ohio-mandated CE requirements.

Ohio Revised Code Section 4729

Rule 4729-6-02: Criteria for in-state approved providers of pharmacy jurisprudence continuing education

In-state providers of pharmacy jurisprudence continuing education who seek approval by the state board of pharmacy must demonstrate the ability and willingness to offer quality pharmacy jurisprudence continuing education in a responsible manner and shall submit evidence of this on applications developed by the board. The minimum criteria shall include:

(A) There shall be a program director charged with the administration of the continuing pharmacy education program that serves as a liaison to the board. Unless otherwise approved by the board, the program director shall be a pharmacist licensed to practice pharmacy in Ohio.

(B) Providers shall award pharmacy jurisprudence continuing education credit to successful participants in units consisting of C.E.U.s.

(C) Providers shall maintain a list of successful program or experience participants and the participants’ Ohio license or registration numbers for a five-year period to be made available to the board upon request.

(D) Providers shall award a certificate to each successful participant containing at least the following information:

(1) The name of the provider;

(2) The completion date of the experience;

(3) The name of the participant;

(4) The title of the experience;

(5) The number of C.E.U.s the experience has been assigned;

(6) The program or experience identification number according to the numbering system designated by the board;

(7) The manual signature, including a scanned image, or the electronic signature of the program director listed in paragraph (A) of this rule.

(E) Ohio jurisprudence program providers shall submit, in a manner determined by the board, a provider program notice and list of successful participants and the participants’ license or registration numbers to the board no later than sixty days after a program is presented.

(F) Providers shall develop and employ evaluation techniques that will assess the effectiveness of the continuing pharmacy education experiences with the goal of continual improvement.

(G) Providers should utilize an evaluation mechanism to allow each participant to assess the achievement of personal objectives.

(H) All programs offered by an approved pharmacy jurisprudence provider shall be no less than one contact hour of participation (0.1 C.E.U.). Programs offered after the effective date of this rule that are less than 0.1 C.E.U. will not be accepted by the board for licensure or registration renewal.

(I) Jurisprudence continuing education programs shall also meet the following requirements:

(1) Contain accurate information on current laws, rules, and regulations;

(2) Consist of information relevant to the practice of pharmacy in Ohio;

(3) Be presented in an unbiased manner; and

(4) Shall not be utilized for more than two years from the date the program was approved by the state board of pharmacy.

(J) If an initial jurisprudence program submission is denied by the state board of pharmacy, the approved pharmacy jurisprudence continuing education provider may resubmit that program to address the problem areas outlined by the board during the review process. If the resubmitted program is not approved by the board, the provider shall not submit a program covering the same topic for a period of one year from the date of the denial.

(K)

(1) Once approved as an in-state provider of pharmacy jurisprudence continuing education, the provider shall maintain or update the providers contact information, at a minimum, biennially, in accordance with a schedule adopted by the board. Contact information shall be updated using a form approved by the board.

(2) Providers who have not complied with paragraph (K)(1) of this rule shall no longer be deemed as an approved in-state provider of pharmacy jurisprudence continuing education. The provider shall have to resubmit an application for approval in accordance with this rule.

(L) The board of pharmacy, upon receipt of evidence that any approved provider is presenting experiences not conforming to the requirements of this rule, may place a provider on probationary status or revoke such approval.

Rule 4729-6-03: Criteria for in-state approved providers of continuing pharmacy education for providing volunteer health care services.

In-state providers seeking approval by the state board of pharmacy must demonstrate ability and willingness to monitor and report volunteer services for continuing pharmacy education provided in accordance with section 4745.04 of the Revised Code in a responsible manner and shall submit evidence of this on applications developed by the board. The minimum criteria shall include:

(A) There shall be a program director charged with the administration of the continuing pharmacy education program that serves as a liaison to the board. The program director shall be a designated representative of the entity that provides health care services.

(B) Providers shall award continuing pharmacy education credit to successful participants in units consisting of C.E.U.s and in accordance with the requirements of section 4745.04 of the Revised Code.

(C) Providers shall maintain a list of the number and date of volunteer hours of participants and the participants’ Ohio license or registration numbers for a five-year period to be made available to the board upon request.

(D) Providers shall award a certificate to each successful participant containing at least the following information:

(1) The name of the provider;

(2) The completion date of the experience;

(3) The name of the participant;

(4) The title of the experience;

(5) The number of C.E.U.s the experience has been assigned;

(6) The program or experience identification number according to the numbering system designated by the board;

(7) The manual signature, including a scanned image, or the electronic signature of the program director listed in paragraph (A) of this rule.

(E) All in-state providers shall provide, in a manner determined by the board, a provider program notice and list of successful participants and the participants’ license or registration numbers to the board no later than sixty days after the date of volunteer service is completed.

(F) The board of pharmacy, upon receipt of evidence that any approved provider is presenting experiences not conforming to the requirements pursuant to this rule, may place a provider on probationary status or revoke such approval.

(G) All C.E.U.s shall be awarded in half hour increments at the rate of 0.05 C.E.U.s for each thirty minutes spent providing health care services as a volunteer.

(H) Once approved as an in-state provider of continuing pharmacy education for providing volunteer health care services, the provider shall maintain or update the provider’s contact information, at a minimum, biennially, in accordance with a schedule adopted by the board. Contact information shall be updated using a form approved by the board. Providers who have not complied with this paragraph shall no longer be deemed as an approved in-state provider. The provider shall have to resubmit an application for approval in accordance with this rule.

We cannot guarantee this is the most up-to-date version of this code section. Please refer to the Ohio Code for the most accurate information.

The Ohio Board of Pharmacy does allow for licensure by reciprocity for pharmacists. The applicant must: 

• Be at least 18 years old
• Be of good moral character and habits
• Graduate with a degree in pharmacy from a school of pharmacy approved by the state board of pharmacy
• Hold a pharmacist license in good standing in another state or jurisdiction
• Meet practical experience requirements with 1 of the following:
  • Attained a Pharm.D. degree after December 31, 2006.
  • Obtained supervised practical experience totaling at least 1,740 hours in any state or jurisdiction. 

The Ohio State Board of Pharmacy requires a minimum of 3.0 CEUs (30 hours) every 2 years.

A pharmacist license may be obtained through examination or reciprocity. Further instructions can be found on the Ohio Board of Pharmacy website. 

To obtain pharmacist licensure by examination, the applicant must: 

• Be at least 18 years old
• Be of good moral character and habits
• Graduate with a degree in pharmacy from a school of pharmacy approved by the state board of pharmacy
• Complete all pharmacy internship requirements 
• Pass the NAPLEX and MPJE 

While Ohio does not require live CE hours to renew pharmacist licensure, a significant advantage does exist. Live online CE sessions offer the opportunity for real-time interaction, discussion, and clarification.

Enroll in a freeCE Gold Membership today to conveniently access all of our home study and live webinars that fulfill the state and national requirements for renewal. This subscription offers you access to numerous live sessions daily, alongside on-demand training options, allowing you to create a schedule that aligns perfectly with your needs.

Ohio-licensed pharmacists are specifically required to earn CE related to patient safety, medication errors as well as law/jurisprudence. FreeCE provides a large array of options for pharmacists to not only complete these requirements but to also choose topics that specifically appeal to you or your area of expertise.