California Pharmacy Technician Requirements

How California Regulates Pharmacy Technicians

What the Board and State Law Actually Say

How to Become a Pharmacy Technician in California

1. 1

   Assemble the document that proves your qualifying pathway

   Attach exactly one of: an Affidavit of Completed Coursework or Graduation signed by the program director, school registrar or a pharmacist and carrying the school's embossed seal (used for an associate degree in pharmacy technology, a course of at least 240 hours of instruction under 16 CCR 1793.6(c), an ASHP-accredited training course, or graduation from an ACPE-accredited school of pharmacy); a copy of your PTCB certificate; a copy of an ExCPT certificate dated on or after January 1, 2017; or a DD214 documenting pharmacy technician training in the armed services.

2. 2

   Prove high school completion separately

   The education requirement is its own attachment: an official embossed or notarized high school transcript showing the graduation date, a notarized foreign secondary diploma or transcript with a certified English translation, official GED, HiSET or TASC results, or a CHSPE Certificate of Proficiency.

3. 3

   Order the NPDB self-query and leave the envelope sealed

   You must include a sealed, original Self-Query Report from the National Practitioner Data Bank, dated within 60 days of filing. Reports that have been opened are not accepted, the name on it must match your application exactly, and you pay the NPDB directly. A new report is required even if you sent one with a previous application.

4. 4

   Do the Live Scan last, and check the service levels

   The board tells you not to complete Live Scan until you are ready to send the application in, then to attach the receipt. California residents must use Live Scan only. Make sure the operator selects both the DOJ and FBI levels of service and enters your name, date of birth and Social Security number at the time of transmission - if any of that is missing or wrong you pay to have it redone. Out-of-state applicants who cannot travel to California submit two rolled fingerprint cards on board-issued cards with a $49 processing fee ($32 DOJ, $17 FBI); clearances from cards take approximately six weeks.

5. 5

   Mail the packet with the $120 fee

   Include a check or money order for the non-refundable $120 application fee payable to the California State Board of Pharmacy. Signatures must be original, dated within 60 days of filing, and signed by you alone - no electronic signatures are accepted. Attach a 2x2 inch glossy color passport-style photo taken within 60 days; scans, Polaroids and black-and-white photos are rejected. Every form must carry the name exactly as it appears on your state driver's license or ID, and every previous name you have used must be listed.

6. 6

   Expect two waits, not one

   You get an acknowledgement email within 15 days of receipt, and a Deficiency Notice by email if anything is missing. Deficiencies not cleared within 60 days of that notice may leave the application considered abandoned and withdrawn. Once the license is issued the board emails you - but the license itself is mailed from a third-party vendor and takes another four to six weeks to arrive.

Boards change forms, fees, and portals without much notice. Check the California State Board of Pharmacy pages linked under Sources below before you mail anything or pay anything.

California Pharmacy Tech FAQs