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Licensure in California
Overview
NAPLEX |
California Practice Standards and Jurisprudence Examination for Pharmacists (CPJE) |

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Licensure in California

To become licensed to practice pharmacy in California, you must meet the Registered Pharmacist requirements of the California Board of Pharmacy provided in Pharmacist Licensure Examinations.

The licensing process is primarily composed of 2 examinations:

  1. North American Pharmacist Licensure Exam (NAPLEX)
  2. California Practice Standards and Jurisprudence Examination for Pharmacists (CPJE)

Your applications for the NAPLEX and the CPJE are submitted separately, but in parallel. A flowchart of this process appears below.

flowchart

Flowchart for Pharmacist Licensure and Examination
PDF, 1 page, 67 KB
Requires Adobe Reader

To become licensed elsewhere, see Licensure Out of State.

Steps to Licensure

  1. Submit the Applications:
    1. Apply online for the NAPLEX exam. For details, see NAPLEX.

    2. Send your California Practice Standards and Jurisprudence Examination for Pharmacists (CPJE) application to the UCSF School of Pharmacy OSACA with the application checklist.

    These can be sent the month you graduate and should not be sent earlier.

    The OSACA will send your application materials, final transcript, and the affidavit of the intern hours you earn through the curriculum directly to the California Board of Pharmacy.

  2. Await Confirmation of Eligibility: After the California Board receives your complete CPJE application and verification of graduation from UCSF, it confirms your eligibility to take both exams. You will receive an eligibility or deficiency letter within 15 days of receipt of materials in the Board office.
  3. Schedule and Take the Exams: Once confirmed, schedule appointments to take both exams. There is an additional US$33.00 fee to take the CPJE, which you submit after you receive the authorization to test.
  4. Submit the Licensing Fee: After you are notified that you have passed both exams, submit a licensing fee to the California Board. Notification generally occurs 30 days after you take the exam.
  5. Receive License: When your fee has been processed, the California Board issues your pharmacist license.

Go To: Licensure & Examinations

Shortcut to This Page

To reach this page quickly or share it with others, use pharmacy.ucsf.edu/go/license, which redirects to a longer URL.

What is required to apply?
When do I apply?

We encourage you to submit your applications as soon as you have all the required materials:

NAPLEX

The NAPLEX requires you to apply online. Register for the NAPLEX the month you graduate. See details: NAPLEX.

CPJE

The California Practice Standards and Jurisprudence Examination for Pharmacists (CPJE) in California requires:

Submit the application for the Pharmacist Licensure and Examination in California once all documents are ready (at the earliest the month you graduate), but begin gathering all the required materials prior to graduation since it will take more time than the NAPLEX. See details: Pharmacist Licensure and Examination (CPJE).