Frequently Asked Questions

Pharmacy technicians work under the supervision of a pharmacist to prepare and dispense medications. Typical duties include entering and filling prescriptions, performing pharmacy calculations, managing inventory, processing insurance claims and helping patients at the counter. Technicians work in retail, hospital, mail-order, long-term care and specialty pharmacies.

Requirements are set by each state, but most include:

• Age: at least 18 in most states (a few allow 16 or 17 under certain conditions)
• Education: a high school diploma or GED
• Registration or license: most states require you to register with, or be licensed by, the state Board of Pharmacy
• Background check: most states and employers require a criminal background check, and some require drug screening
• Training and/or certification: some states require a training program or national certification (PTCB or NHA), and many employers prefer it even where it isn’t required

Because the rules vary, always check with your state Board of Pharmacy. For a state-by-state overview, read our article: State Requirements.

It depends on your state and employer. Some states require national certification; others only require registration with the Board of Pharmacy. Even when it isn’t required, certification makes you more competitive and often leads to higher pay. The two national certifications are the CPhT from the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) and the CPhT from the National Healthcareer Association (NHA), earned by passing the ExCPT exam.

To be eligible for the PTCB exam, you must meet one of these pathways:

• Pathway 1: complete a PTCB-Recognized Education/Training Program (or be within 60 days of completing one)
• Pathway 2: have at least 500 hours of work experience as a pharmacy technician

You must also fully disclose any criminal and State Board of Pharmacy actions and comply with PTCB policies. The exam has 90 multiple-choice questions with 1 hour 50 minutes of testing time, and the fee is currently $129.

Read more in our article Requirements for Pharmacy Technician Testing, or visit ptcb.org for the latest details.

To sit for the NHA ExCPT exam you need a high school diploma or GED, plus one of the following:

• Completion of a pharmacy technician training or education program within the last 5 years, or
• 1 year of supervised pharmacy work experience (at least 1,200 hours) within the last 3 years

The exam has 100 multiple-choice questions and can be taken at a testing center or with live remote proctoring. See Requirements for Pharmacy Technician Testing or visit nhanow.com for current details and fees.

Both the PTCB and NHA certifications must be renewed every 2 years. Renewal requires 20 hours of continuing education (CE), including hours in pharmacy law and patient safety, plus a renewal fee. Check with your certifying organization for the exact CE rules.

Pay depends on your state, practice setting, experience and certification. For an overview, read our article Understanding Pharmacy Technician Salaries in the United States.