Looking for Maryland pharmacy tech license information? Following are the important facts you need to know about the requirements for pharmacy technicians in Maryland.
Fact-checked against the state board, September 2026
Does Maryland regulate pharmacy technicians?
Yes.
Is certification required to practice in Maryland?
No. If you are not certified, you must complete a Board-approved training program consisting of 160 hours of training, which must be completed within six months.
What certification exam(s) is/are approved by the state?
The Maryland Board of Pharmacy accepts national certification from the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB), which offers the PTCE, and from the National Healthcareer Association (NHA), which offers the ExCPT.
When is registration required?
Pharmacy technician students, who can verify that they are in Board-approved training programs, may wait until they have finished the program and passed the exam (no longer than six months) to register. If you are a certified pharmacy technician, you must register immediately.
Is licensure required?
Yes.
What do I have to do to become licensed?
- Be at least 17 years old. You may start working toward registration at 16 and a half.
- Be a high school graduate, have a GED, or be enrolled in high school and in good standing.
- Either hold current national certification, or complete a Board-approved training program (160 hours of work experience, no longer than six months) and pass a Board-approved exam.
- Complete the current Pharmacy Technician Registration Application from the Board’s Technicians page (revised June 2025; older forms are returned). Mail it with the $45 non-refundable fee to Maryland Board of Pharmacy, P.O. Box 2013, Baltimore, MD 21203-2013.
- Get fingerprinted for a Maryland CJIS criminal history check, using the Board’s CJIS authorization number on the application. CJIS sends the report directly to the Board.
Your application stays valid for one year. Processing usually takes one to two weeks once everything is received.
Are there Continuing Education (CE) requirements?
Yes. You must earn 10 hours of approved continuing education within the 2-year period immediately preceding your first renewal application, and 20 hours thereafter.
How often is renewal required?
Your first registration expires on the last day of your birth month, one year after you register. After that, you renew for terms of up to two years. The Board emails a renewal notice at least one month before you expire. You can renew online within 60 days of your expiration date, or mail the current paper renewal form postmarked at least two weeks before expiration. The renewal fee is $45.
What should I do if I change jobs or change my home address?
Tell the Board. Use the ‘Change of Name/Address/Employer’ option under Online Services on the Board’s website, or mail the change to Maryland Board of Pharmacy, P.O. Box 2051, Baltimore, MD 21203-2051.
Other good info to know about Maryland pharmacy tech requirements
- Registered technicians can now administer certain vaccines: COVID-19, flu and pneumococcal vaccines to adults 18 and older, and RSV and shingles vaccines to adults 50 and older. You need ACPE-approved vaccine training, current CPR certification from in-person instruction, and written Board approval, and you must complete two hours of vaccination CE each renewal cycle. Technician trainees may not give vaccines.
- Technicians may only perform pharmacy tasks that do not require a pharmacist’s professional judgment.
- The supervising pharmacist is responsible for the tasks delegated to you.
Essential Contact Info for Maryland Pharmacy Techs
Maryland Board of Pharmacy https://health.maryland.gov/pharmacy/Pages/index.aspx 4201 Patterson Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21215 Phone: (410) 764-4755 | (800) 542-4964 (Maryland only) | Fax: (410) 358-6207 Email: [email protected] Technician applications: P.O. Box 2013, Baltimore, MD 21203-2013
Professional Association for Maryland pharmacy techs Maryland Pharmacists Association: https://marylandpharmacist.org/
Maryland Q & A
Certification For Maryland
by Iris
(Annapolis)
I am PTCB certified, do I need to obtain state certification for the state of Maryland?
Response from PharmacyTechPros.com: You need to register as a pharmacy technician with Maryland’s Board of Pharmacy. Follow this link to download a registration form.
Wishing you all the best!
Technician
by Chris
(Baltimore)
Easy if you have a background/degree in biology/pre-med and experience with computers.
Response from PharmacyTechPros.com: Chris, we agree with you. If you’ve been a pre-med student or have a biology background you’ll find pharmacy technician work relatively easy to pick up.
Wishing you all the best!