Pennsylvania Board of Pharmacy |
CE Requirements

Pennsylvania Board of Pharmacy licensees must renew their licenses biennially to maintain the right to practice. Renewal applications are due by September 30 on even-numbered years with a renewal fee of $190. The renewal of the license is not possible beyond the renewal date; instead, a reactivation application must be submitted.

Biennial Continuing Education Requirements

The Pennsylvania Board of Pharmacy requires 30 continuing education (CE) hours to be completed every 2 years prior to the renewal date of September 30. These education hours may be completed in a live or home study setting.

Additional CE Requirements

If the pharmacist is authorized to administer injectables (vaccines, injectable medications, or biologics), they must complete 2 CE hours on administering those injectables. 

If the pharmacist received licensure in the previous year before renewal, they are exempt from all CE requirements with the exception of the following topics: Child Abuse Recognition/Reporting and Pain Management/Opioid Addiction Identification/Practice of Prescribing or Dispensing Opioids.

Section: 27.32. Continuing education.

 (a)  The Board will renew the license of a pharmacist who has completed a minimum of 30 contact hours (3 CEU) of continuing education during the preceding biennial renewal period. Beginning with the license period commencing on October 1, 2011, 2 of the required 30 contact hours shall be completed in courses from the ACPE topic designator ‘‘Patient Safety.’’ In addition, for licensees with authority to administer injectable medications, biologicals and immunizations in accordance with section 9.2 of the act (63 P. S. §  390-9.2) and §  27.401 (relating to qualifications for authority), at least 2 of the required 30 hours must concern the administration of injectable medications, biologicals and immunizations, including, but not limited to, disease epidemiology, vaccine characteristics, injection technique, emergency response to adverse events and related topics. Except as provided in subsection (h), only continuing education programs offered by ACPE-accredited providers of continuing pharmaceutical education targeted toward pharmacists are acceptable to the Board.

 (b)  A pharmacist shall prove compliance with subsection (a) by completing and submitting a form provided to the pharmacist by the Board for that purpose with the renewal application. The certificates provided upon completion of an approved program shall be retained by a pharmacist for 2 years after renewal, and shall be produced upon demand by the Board or its agents. The Board will utilize a random audit of 5% of renewals to determine compliance with subsection (a), and may expand the audit if rates of noncompliance at 20% or more of the sample are revealed by the initial audit. Individuals selected for the audit will be required to produce certificates proving the information they provided to the Board on the form submitted with the renewal application. Notwithstanding any disciplinary action taken under subsection (i), a pharmacist found to be in noncompliance with the continuing education requirements shall make up the delinquent contact hours within 6 months of the notice of deficiency from the Board.

 (c)  Both live and correspondence courses will be accepted by the Board as long as they are offered by approved providers.

 (d)  An excess of completed contact hours in one renewal period will not be carried over into the next renewal period.

 (e)  A newly graduated licensee will be exempt from the requirements in subsection (a) for the license renewal immediately following licensure. A reciprocally licensed pharmacist will be required to show compliance with the requirements in subsection (a), but will have the number of hours required to be completed prorated, on a quarterly basis, from the date of licensure to the next date of renewal. For this purpose, each quarter will consist of 3 months, and will be credited for 3.75 contact hours (.375 CEU). The pharmacist will be required to begin accumulating contact hours at the beginning of the next quarter following licensure.

 (f)  A pharmacist whose license has been suspended or revoked for disciplinary reasons shall comply with continuing education requirements during the period of suspension or revocation, if the pharmacist wants to resume practice or petition for licensure reinstatement at the conclusion of the disciplinary period.

 (g)  The Board will consider renewing a license without timely filing of the required hours of continuing education on a case by case basis, upon a showing of incapacity, acute illness or other circumstances which reasonably precluded timely compliance. Pharmacists whose licenses are renewed under this subsection will be required to make up the missing hours of continuing education on a schedule determined by the Board, and to pay applicable fees and fines.

 (h)  Continuing education program providers which are not ACPE-accredited may apply to the Board for approval, and shall make a showing of program accreditation substantially similar to ACPE accreditation standards. Requests for approval shall be submitted to the Board at least 60 days prior to the start date of the program. Retroactive requests for approval will not be considered. The Board will maintain a list of programs approved under this subsection.

 (i)  A pharmacist who fails to comply with this section, or who submits fraudulent contact hour reports, will be subject to disciplinary action.

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

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

• Obtain a PharmD or BS from an accredited school/college of pharmacy
• Be licensed in another US state/territory
• Complete the online application for NABP Electronic Licensure Transfer
• Upload a copy of the NABP License Transfer Application to the PA Pharmacist License Application via the Pennsylvania Licensing System
• Pay an application fee of $45
• Provide evidence of a passing score on the NAPLEX under Pennsylvania standards
• Provide proof of at least 1,500 pharmacy intern practice hours or proof of a full-time pharmacist job for at least 1 year in another US state
• Provide a current Criminal History Records Check (CHRC) from the state police or relevant state agency for each state where you have resided or been employed over the last 10 years
• Obtain and submit a National Practitioner Data Bank Self-Query report at https://www.npdb.hrsa.gov/ 
• Meet the PA MPJE requirement
  • PA MPJE Required:
    • If an individual obtained their first license after January 26, 1983, and did not pass the FDLE for that license, they must take the PA MPJE.
  • PA MPJE Exemptions:
    • If an individual was licensed before January 26, 1983, they are exempt from the Pennsylvania MPJE.
    • If an individual was licensed after January 26, 1983, but passed the FDLE for that license, they are exempt as well. These individuals should include the passing FDLE score in the NABP reciprocal licensure application.
• Complete 3 hours of DHS-approved training in child abuse recognition/reporting, 2 hours in pain management or the identification of addiction and 2 hours in the practices of prescribing or dispensing of opioids.

Visit the PA Reciprocial Licensure Instructions for additional information and clarification.

The Pennsylvania State Board of Pharmacy requires a minimum of 30 continuing education hours every 2 years. This requirement must be completed by September 30 of even-numbered years, to renew.

A pharmacist license may be obtained through examination or reciprocity. To obtain licensure via examination, the applicant must:

• Obtain a PharmD or BS from an accredited school/college of pharmacy
• Apply for Licensure By Examination online via the Pennsylvania Licensing System and pay an application fee of $45
• Provide proof of at least 1,500 pharmacy intern practice hours or proof of a full-time pharmacist job for at least 1 year in another US state
• Provide a current Criminal History Records Check (CHRC) from the state police or relevant state agency for each state where you have resided or been employed over the last 10 years
• Obtain and submit a National Practitioner Data Bank Self-Query report at https://www.npdb.hrsa.gov/ 
• Register and pass the NAPLEX and PA MPJE
  • Individuals are only eligible after the application has been completed
• Complete 3 hours of DHS-approved training in child abuse recognition/reporting, 2 hours in pain management or the identification of addiction and 2 hours in the practices of prescribing or dispensing of opioids.

Pennsylvania pharmacists should consider pursuing live Continuing Education (CE) training, even if their state does not mandate it. Live CEs provide an interactive and dynamic learning environment, offering opportunities for real-time engagement, discussions, and networking with peers and experts.

The freeCE platform also offers flexible live CE, perfect for those with busy schedules. With multiple live programs available daily, we help our colleagues to pursue their educational goals efficiently—all from the comfort of their homes.

Pharmacists in Pennsylvania seeking to fulfill their 30-hour education requirements, including required topics like child abuse, pain management/opioid use, dispensing opioids, and patient safety, should consider freeCE! freeCE provides on-demand training, accessible from various devices, and granting flexibility for earning CEs at any time and from anywhere. Choose freeCE today to streamline the process of meeting license renewal requirements while offering convenience, reliability, and accreditation from a trusted source.