Reviewed by: Dr. KimDao Collier | Updated April 2025
A career as a pharmacy technician can be rewarding. If you are interested in entering the healthcare field, making a difference in people's lives, and having options of what type of environment you would like to work in, then a career as a pharmacy technician may be perfect for you! You can become a pharmacy technician by completing your high school diploma or equivalent, enrolling in an accredited pharmacy technician training program(e.g., online pharmacy technician certificate program from U.S. Career Institute), and passing an industry-recognized pharmacy technician certification exam (e.g., PTCE, ExCPT).
When looking for pharmacy technician schools, it is essential to know what your state requires so you can ensure you have the right preparation to meet those requirements. The data below is current as of December 2024. Be sure to check with your state board of pharmacy to verify the requirements and regulations for pharmacy technicians in your area.
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State Requirements for Pharmacy Technician Certification
- Alabama: License or registration
- Alaska: License or registration
- Arizona: Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) and License or registration
- Arkansas: License or registration
- California: License or registration
- Colorado: Certification and License or registration
- Connecticut License or registration
- Delaware: No Requirements
- District of Columbia:License or registration
- Florida: License or registration
- Georgia: License or registration
- Hawaii: No Requirements
- Idaho: Certification and License or registration
- Illinois: Certification and License or registration
- Indiana: License or registration
- Iowa: Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) and License or registration
- Kansas: Certification and License or registration
- Kentucky:License or registration
- Louisiana: Certification and License or registration
- Main: License or registration
- Maryland License or registration
- Massachusetts: Tech on Board and License or registration
- Michigan: Tech on Board and License or registration
- Minnesota: License or registration
- Mississippi: Certification and License or registration
- Missouri: License or registration
- Montana: Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) and License or registration
- Nebraska: Certification and License or registration
- Nevada: Certification and License or registration
- New Hampshire: License or registration
- New Jersey: License or registration
- New Mexico: Certification and License or registration
- New York: No Requirements
- North Carolina: Certification and License or registration
- North Dakota: Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) and License or registration
- Ohio: License or registration
- Oklahoma: License or registration
- Oregon: Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) and License or registration
- Pennsylvania: No Requirements
- Rhode Island: Certification and License or registration
- South Carolina: License or registration
- South Dakota: Certification and License or registration
- Tennessee: License or registration
- Texas: Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) and License or registration
- Utah: Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) and License or registration
- Vermont: Certification and License or registration
- Virginia: Certification and License or registration
- Washington: Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) and License or registration
- West Virginia: License or registration
- Wisconsin: No Requirements
- Wyoming Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) and License or registration
Source: *https://www.ptcb.org/resources/state-regulations-and-map