California
Pharmacy Technician License Requirements

Does California regulate pharmacy technicians?

Yes.

Is certification required to practice in California?

No.

What certification exam(s) is/are approved by the state?

California does not require certification, but holding one qualifies you for a license. The Board accepts PTCB certification (CPhT) and the NHA’s ExCPT certification. ExCPT certificates must be dated on or after January 1, 2017.

Is licensure required?

Yes. You must hold a California pharmacy technician license before you work in a pharmacy. The Board asks you to allow about 30 days for processing and will email you about your application’s status, including any missing items. If you are notified of missing items, you have 60 days to fix them or the application may be treated as abandoned.

What do I have to do to become licensed?

• Have a high school diploma or equivalent (GED, HiSET, TASC or the California High School Proficiency Exam).
• Qualify through one of these routes: an associate degree in pharmacy technology; a training course of at least 240 hours of instruction; an ASHP-accredited training course; a degree from an ACPE-accredited school of pharmacy; PTCB certification; NHA ExCPT certification; or pharmacy technician training in the U.S. armed forces (documented on your DD214).
• Complete the Pharmacy Technician Application, including your Social Security Number or ITIN, and attach a 2×2 color passport-style photo taken within the last 60 days.
• Include a sealed National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB) Self-Query Report dated within 60 days.
• Complete fingerprinting for a DOJ and FBI background check. California residents must use Live Scan.
• Pay the non-refundable $120 application fee.

Is training required?

Training is one of several ways to qualify. If you qualify through a training course instead of a degree, certification or military training, the course must include at least 240 hours of instruction, practical training in a pharmacy and a final exam. You must be at least 18 before starting an externship. Once licensed, you work only under the direct supervision of a California-licensed pharmacist.

Are there Continuing Education (CE) requirements?

Yes, but it is small. For each two-year renewal, California pharmacy technicians must complete 1 hour of cultural competency CE, focused on LGBTQ+ patients and health disparities in marginalized communities. This has applied to renewals since January 1, 2024.

How often is renewal required?

Every two years. Renew online through the Department of Consumer Affairs payment portal before 5 p.m. Pacific time on your expiration date. The renewal fee is $150, and late renewals add a $75 penalty. The Board may cancel a technician license that goes unrenewed for more than 60 days after it expires.

What should I do if I change jobs or change my home address?

California law requires you to notify the Board within 30 days of changing your address of record or your legal name. Download the Board’s Change of Address/Email Form from pharmacy.ca.gov, then fax it to (916) 574-8618 or mail it to the Board.

Other good info to know about California pharmacy technician requirements

• Technicians must wear identification clearly showing they are a pharmacy technician.
• Technicians may perform only nondiscretionary tasks under a pharmacist’s direct supervision, and a pharmacist must check their dispensing work.
• Since January 1, 2026, a pharmacy with one pharmacist may have up to three technicians, and each additional pharmacist may supervise up to three more.
• California requires most prescriptions to be sent electronically, and every pharmacy must be able to receive e-prescriptions.

Essential Contact Info for California Pharmacy Technicians

California State Board of Pharmacy 2720 Gateway Oaks Drive, Suite 100, Sacramento, CA 95833 Phone: (916) 518-3100 | Fax: (916) 574-8618 Website: https://www.pharmacy.ca.gov/

California Pharmacists Association (CPhA) 4030 Lennane Drive, Sacramento, CA 95834 Phone: (916) 779-1400 Website: https://cpha.com

California Q & A

Update, September 2026:

Registration renewal help: California pharmacy technicians must complete 1 hour of cultural competency continuing education for each two-year renewal. Renew online through the Board of Pharmacy’s renewal page (pharmacy.ca.gov > Licensees > Personal License Renewal) before 5 p.m. Pacific time on your expiration date to avoid a $75 penalty. Keep your address of record current, and report changes within 30 days. The Board may cancel a license that is not renewed within 60 days after it expires, and you would then have to apply again.

Registration renewal help (California)

by Edward (San Diego, CA)

I’ve been given conflicting information concerning CE requirements for renewing my Technician registration with the CA BOP. Can anyone please tell me what, if any, number of hours are required?

From PharmacyTechPros: According to the CA Board of Pharmacy website, there is NO continuing education (CE) requirement. That requirement only applies to pharmacists.

The process of renewal is as follows: The CA Board of Pharmacy sends a renewal application about 6 weeks before your registration/license expires. If your address has changed since you originally got your registration, then you should contact them to be sure they send it to your new address. If you don’t receive the renewal notice within 4 weeks of your license expiration, you can renew by submitting a Request for Renewal of California Pharmacy Technician Registration (form link is here).

The BOP cancels your license/registration 60 days after the expiration date. Once that happens, it cannot be renewed, and you will need to submit a whole new application.

No Jobs for Inexperienced Techs in So California, Not Even Volunteering Opportunities

by M. H.
(Santa Clarita, CA)

I am already certified (for 2 years) but cannot find a job with only externship experience. I look at every website for continuing knowledge and help to assist me in a job search. I am using about 6 employment services for pharmacy techs (MSN, Asereth, JayKay, Allhealthcarejobs, and a couple others). So far, Asereth and MSN have been the only ones to respond back, but not in a way that I was given an invitation to a job interview. I must have 100 resumes out to no avail.

I even completed 100 ceu’s on my renewal to demonstrate my interest in the field. No pharmacy allows volunteering for experience so basically, I just keep networking and researching.

I have tried volunteering at three hospitals, through the volunteer coordinator, up to the point of the drug test, live scan, background checks, the HIPPA, JCAHO, and OSHA courses, just to be told at the last minute that the Pharmacy no longer allows volunteers, even “free” certified pharmacy technicians.

I was fortunate to be allowed 8 months of volunteering at the VA Medical Center inpatient pharmacy about a year ago. I was told the waiting list for “internships” was so long that I at first just had 4 hours on Friday. Then I got to know the graveyard staff and had a very successful volunteer time with them. I think there may be a policy in place for “risk” or something like that.

It is hard to believe the labor statistic that there will be an increase in the field of pharm techs by 31% by 2018!

PharmacyTechPros.com Response: Sorry to hear of your troubles finding a job, M. H. It seems to be very region-specific.

Considering your location, you may want to consider learning Spanish. This could give you a big advantage over other pharmacy tech applicants.

Also, seek out networking opportunities every chance you get…at gatherings with friends and family, in line at the grocery store, etc.

This is a tough job market for pretty much any field, and that means you need to be especially creative in seeking out opportunities. Even consider other types of entry-level healthcare positions, such as front-office at a dentist or physician’s office.

Any type of healthcare job will get you closer to decision makers, and may even open other doors that you’re not able to see at this point.

Your knowledge and education as a pharm tech will be beneficial to applying for any type of entry-level healthcare job.

It’s hard not to get discouraged, but don’t let discouragement keep your eyes closed to other opportunities. Creativity and flexibility are so important in tough times like these!