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How to Obtain a Pharmacy Technician Certificate

Pathway Summary

Attention Out of State Pharmacy Technicians:

If you have held a pharmacy technician credential in another U.S. jurisdiction for a minimum of one year and that credential is currently active, please visit  Application Process Transparency – Certified Pharmacy Technicians for further information. If you have not held an out-of-state credential for one year or if your credential is not active, please see below.

 

The pathway to obtaining a pharmacy technician certificate begins with completing the education and training requirements.  To complete the education and training requirements, the applicant must first obtain a pharmacy technician candidate registration.  The candidate registration is a training credential; it authorizes the candidate to perform professional functions in a pharmacy under the supervision of a pharmacist while the candidate is training to become a pharmacy technician.  The registration is valid for a limited period of time - two years - and it is not renewable. 

Pharmacy Technician Candidate Registration

Pharmacy Technician Candidate — an individual, registered by the board, training to become a pharmacy technician, who assists in the practice of pharmacy under the direct and immediate supervision of a Louisiana-licensed pharmacist. 

For information regarding the credentialing process for Pharmacy Technician Candidates please visit the Application Process Transparency - Pharmacy Technician Candidate page. 

After the Issuance of the Pharmacy Technician Candidate Registration

The pharmacy technician candidate registration shall expire two years after the date of issue.  It is a training credential, and it is not renewable.  It is virtual in format, meaning no paper form exists, and it is verifiable at the Board's website.  The training requirements vary slightly depending on the eligibility option originally selected by the applicant:

  • Candidates who obtained their registration by selecting Option A shall complete a nationally-accredited and board-approved training program, obtaining the number of hours of practical experience required by the training program's curriculum. The training program will notify the Board when you have completed the program. 
  • Candidates who obtained their registration by any other method shall earn at least 600 hours of practical experience in a pharmacy in Louisiana, subject to the following limitations - the permit of the pharmacy may not be on probation during the time the hours are earned, and the license of the pharmacist supervising the pharmacy technician candidate may not be on probation during the time the hours are earned. Further, the Board must receive the proper verification that you have completed your required training. 

All pharmacy technician candidates shall successfully complete a board-approved pharmacy technician certification examination in order to qualify for the pharmacy technician certificate.  The board has approved examinations from two organizations:

  • Pharmacy Technician Certification Board [PTCB - www.ptcb.org].  The Pharmacy Technician Certification Examination (PTCE) administered by this organization was approved by the Board effective January 1, 2000.  The board will accept completion certificates issued by PTCB reflecting inital certification on or after January 1, 1995 which is when that organization began. 
  • National Healthcareer Association [NHA - www.nhanow.com].  The Examination for Certification as Pharmacy Technician (ExCPT) administered by this organization was approved by the Board effective January 1, 2018.  The board will accept completion certificates issued by NHA reflecting initial certification on or after January 1, 2018. 

Pharmacy Technician Certificate

Upon completion of the above requirements, the Pharmacy Technician Candidate may apply for the Pharmacy Technician Certificate.

Pharmacy Technician - an individual, certified by the board, who assists in the practice of pharmacy under the direct and immediate supervision of a Louisiana-licensed pharmacist.

For information regarding the credentialing process for Pharmacy Technician Certificate please visit the Application Process Transparency - Pharmacy Technician Certificate page.