Licensing & Continuing Education Frequently Asked Questions

What are the requirements for a Pharmaceutical Technician to be issued a certificate of registration?

A person applying for registration as a Pharmaceutical Technician must:

  • Be 18 years of age or older;
  • Be a high school graduate or the equivalent;
  • Not have been convicted of a felony or a misdemeanor that involves moral turpitude, dishonesty or the unlawful possession, sale or use of drugs;
  • Have no history of drug abuse; and
  • Have complied with one of the following requirements:
    • Is licensed or registered as a pharmaceutical technician in a state that licenses or registers pharmaceutical technicians, if the requirements for registration in that state are equivalent to the requirements of this State, and the successful completion of at least 240 hours of employment as a pharmaceutical technician in a pharmacy in that state, which must be verified by the managing pharmacist of the pharmacy.
    • Completed 1,500 hours in Nevada as a registered pharmaceutical technician-in-training;
    • Graduated from a school accredited by the American Society of Health System Pharmacists (ASHP) and have completed 350 hours in Nevada as a registered pharmaceutical technician-in-training; or
    • Graduated from a school in another state that is not accredited by ASHP and have passed the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board’s (PTCB) national examination.
    • The successful completion of a program of training for pharmaceutical technicians conducted by a branch of the Armed Forces of the United States, the Indian Health Service of the United States Department of Health and Human Services or the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.

Authority: NAC 639.240(2)

Does Nevada accept California or Florida pharmacists by reciprocity?

Yes, with some restrictions. Click here for an application along with the details of acceptance. 

Authority: NAC 639.134 

How does a pharmacist transfer a NAPLEX score to Nevada?

A pharmacist would first need to contact NABP prior to taking the NAPLEX, fill out the NABP score transfer paperwork and submit it with the required fee before you sit for the exam. Once the exam is completed, a pharmacist then will have one year to submit the application to Nevada before the score is lost. The Nevada application can be obtained from our website. The Nevada application can be obtained from our website. Click here for an application.

Authority: Access NABP at http://www.nabp.net/

What does a foreign graduate need to do to apply as a pharmacist in Nevada?

Unless the pharmacist graduated from a Canadian school of pharmacy, all other foreign graduates are required to successfully pass the FPGEE. If applying for the NAPLEX or reciprocating from another state, it is required to have the FPGEE certificate when submitting an application. As with all other potential examinees, an applicant is also required to complete 1,740 intern hours in the U.S., to have passing scores on both the NAPLEX and the MPJE, and to have a social security number.

Authority: NAC 639.120 

Can a controlled substances registration for a practitioner be registered to a home address?

No, a Practitioner with controlled substance authority must be registered at a Nevada practicing address. 

Authority: NRS 453.226(5)

How many CE credits does a pharmacist need to renew his or her license?

A pharmacist must have completed 30 hours of CE to renew his or her license. For all pharmacists who live or practice in Nevada, at least one of the hours must be in Nevada law, which can be satisfied in one or three ways:

  • Attendance at a CE program approved by the Board containing at least one hour of Nevada law;
  • Attendance at a full day of one of the Board’s meetings [NOTE: Attendance at a full day of a Board meeting satisfies the one-hour law requirement and also provides three additional hours of approved CE.]; or
  • Taking and passing a written examination obtained from the Board’s office.

NOTE: The Roseman University of Health Sciences schedules CE programs that contain Nevada law CE. Click here for a list of all law CE programs known to Board staff, or you can contact the Roseman University of Health Sciences at 702-990-4433 or you can contact the Dean's office at 702-968-5944. 

Authority: NAC 639.330

Which pharmacists may be excused from full compliance with the 30-hour CE requirement?

The following pharmacists are excused from full compliance with the 30-hour CE requirement:

  • A pharmacist is exempt from all CE requirements for the first two years after graduation from pharmacy school

A pharmacist licensed by reciprocity need only complete CE units proportional to the number of months remaining until the next date of biennial renewal (October 31 of every odd-numbered year), calculated at the rate of 1¼ (1.25) units per month.

Authority: NAC 639.335

Does a pharmacist need to mail in his or her CE certificates when he or she renews a pharmacist’s license?

No a pharmacist does not need to mail in their CE when they renew. If a pharmacist’s license number appears on a random audit list, a letter will be sent requesting the pharmacist submit the required number of CE certificates.

Authority: NAC 639.2977(1) 

Does a Pharmaceutical Technician need CE?

No. Instead, pharmaceutical technicians are required to have 12 hours of in-service training every two-year period between renewals. The pharmacy employing a technician must make and maintain records of the hours of in-service training provided by the pharmacy and verified by the managing pharmacist. A pharmacy may authorize as part of its in-service training that a pharmaceutical technician’s attendance at a CE will count as hours of in-service training. The records must be kept on the pharmacy’s premises and will be reviewed by the Board’s inspector during the annual inspection of the pharmacy.

Authority: NAC 639.254

How do I officially change my address and/or name?

You can change your address, name, practicing address, or personal licensing information in one of three ways:

  • Online by clicking here.
  • Faxing the changes to (775) 850-1444.
  • Mailing the changes to the Board at the address on this website. 

Is a Social Security number required to submit any application?

Yes, a Social Security number is required for a person to submit any type of application.