Looking to get a pharmacy technician license in Pennsylvania? Following are the important facts you need to know about the requirements for pharmacy technicians in Pennsylvania.
Fact-checked against the state board, September 2026
Does Pennsylvania regulate pharmacy technicians?
Yes. Act 140 of 2020 created a registration requirement for pharmacy technicians, and the State Board of Pharmacy’s rules took effect June 28, 2025. Since June 28, 2026, anyone working as a pharmacy technician in Pennsylvania must hold a pharmacy technician registration or a pharmacy technician trainee registration.
Is certification required to be a pharmacy tech in Pennsylvania?
No. Bear in mind, however, that national certification provides recognition of your knowledge and skills and may make you more marketable, particularly to the large chain pharmacies.
What certification exam(s) is/are approved by the state?
Pennsylvania does not require a certification exam. However, a training program recognized by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) or the National Healthcareer Association (NHA) for admission to their exams counts as a Board-approved training program. Many employers still prefer or require national certification.
When is registration required?
Before you start working. Technician registration opened June 28, 2025, and was mandatory for all practicing technicians by June 28, 2026. If you are still completing training, you can register as a pharmacy technician trainee at age 16 or older.
Is licensure required?
Pennsylvania uses registration rather than licensure, but registration with the State Board of Pharmacy is mandatory.
What do I have to do to become a pharmacy technician in Pennsylvania?
To register as a pharmacy technician you must:
- Be at least 17 years old.
- Have a high school diploma or equivalent.
- Complete a Board-approved pharmacy technician training program.
- Submit to a criminal history record check.
- Complete at least 3 hours of Board-approved training in child abuse recognition and reporting.
- Apply online through the Pennsylvania Licensing System (PALS) and pay the $30 registration fee.
If you haven’t finished training yet, you can apply for a pharmacy technician trainee registration. Trainees must be at least 16, pass a criminal history check, complete the 3-hour child abuse training and pay $15. A trainee registration is issued only once and expires after 2 years or when you become a registered technician. Converting to a full technician registration costs $15.
Is training required?
Yes. You must complete a Board-approved training program with competency testing in 14 areas, including the dispensing process, pharmaceutical calculations, compounding, hazardous drug handling, patient safety, diversion prevention and pharmacy law. Approved providers include pharmacy employers, ASHP/ACPE-accredited programs, programs recognized by PTCB or NHA, accredited schools and colleges, the U.S. Armed Forces, and schools licensed by the State Board of Private Licensed Schools. If you train with your employer, the pharmacist manager certifies your completion on a Board form.
Are there Continuing Education (CE) requirements?
Yes, but only in one area. You need 3 hours of approved child abuse recognition and reporting training for your first registration, and at least 2 hours of approved child abuse recognition and reporting CE for each renewal. If you are nationally certified, you must also meet your certifying body’s own CE requirements (PTCB requires 20 hours every 2 years).
How often is renewal required?
Every 2 years. Pharmacy technician registrations renew in odd-numbered years, and the renewal fee is $70. If you miss the deadline, you must stop working as a technician until you renew and pay an extra $5 for each month you are late. Trainee registrations cannot be renewed.
What should I do if I change jobs or change my home address?
Now that technicians are registered with the State Board of Pharmacy, keep your contact information up to date in your PALS account. Separately, pharmacist managers must notify the Board in writing within 15 days if a technician is fired for a drug-related reason.
Other good info to know about Pennsylvania pharmacy technician requirements
- Technicians and trainees work under the “direct and immediate personal supervision” of a licensed pharmacist. This means the pharmacist reviews each prescription before it is dispensed, verifies the final product, and is on the premises and immediately available.
- Technicians may not perform tasks that require a pharmacist’s professional judgment.
- The Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association (papharmacists.com) has a technician section with registration FAQs and continuing education, and its meetings are good for networking and job hunting.
Essential Contact Info for the Pharmacy Technician in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania State Board of Pharmacy Mail: P.O. Box 2649, Harrisburg, PA 17105-2649 Phone: 1-833-DOS-BPOA (1-833-367-2762), Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Email: [email protected] Website: https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dos/department-and-offices/bpoa/boards-commissions/pharmacy Online registration: PALS, https://www.pals.pa.gov
Professional Association for Pennsylvania Pharmacy Technicians Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association, 508 North Third Street, Harrisburg, PA 17101, (717) 234-6151 https://www.papharmacists.com/
Pennsylvania Q & A
Registered Nurse
by Barbara Parsons
(Harrisburg, PA)
I have been an ER nurse for 40 years, and I am going to retire this year in June. I have extensive pharmacology knowledge and am going to take the pharmacy technician exam to become certified so hopefully I can get a full-time/part-time job because I am not ready to fully retire but this is one area that I know I would do well in. I also have extensive experience with customer service. Wish me luck!
Response from PharmacyTechPros.com: Congratulations on your upcoming retirement from nursing, Barbara! It sounds like you have the perfect background to become a pharm tech. Your prior experience in healthcare should help when applying for a job, as well. We wish you all the best, Barbara!
Ratio of RPh to Technicians
What is the ratio of pharmacists to technicians in Pennsylvania?
Response from PharmacyTechPros.com: According to the Pennsylvania Board of Pharmacy on April 4, 2022, there is no ratio requirement.