Is Certification Required to Work as a Pharmacy Technician?

While certification is not always needed to work as a pharmacy technician, the requirement is becoming more and more common. Even in states that do not have certification requirements, earning yours may advance your career and increase your earning potential.

Pharmacy technician certifications show that you have the needed skills and knowledge to meet job requirements. Certifications show employers, at a glance, that you have the expertise they’re looking for.

Earning certification entails studying for and passing a standardized exam from a credentialing board, then maintaining the credential—usually through continuing education.

How to Become a Certified Pharmacy Technician

Demand for pharmacy technicians is growing nationwide. To differentiate yourself—and make yourself potentially more competitive for jobs and increased pay—consider becoming a certified pharmacy technician.

Getting certified involves passing the exam given by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) or the National Healthcareer Association (NHA). This milestone demonstrates that you have the fundamental knowledge to begin working as a pharmacy technician.

You have several options when it comes to the types of certifications you can earn:

Not all states require pharmacy technicians to be certified, “but there is a growing expectation that you earn a national certification,” explains Glen Gard, CPhT, CSPT, director of sterile compounding compliance at the infusion services company Option Care Health.

What Does Pharmacy Technician Certification Entail?

Before earning your certification from the PTCB or NHA, you’ll need to complete an educational program. Your education options to become a pharmacy technician vary, from a certificate or diploma program to an associate degree or even training provided by an employer. Programs include the basics you’ll need on the job—and to pass the certification exam—including medical terminology, math needed for pharmaceutical calculations and measurements, anatomy and physiology, and drug classifications.

After completing an accredited (and therefore certification board-recognized) education program, you’ll need to meet these certification requirements:

To keep your pharmacy technician certification current, you must renew every two years. Renewals require 20 hours of continuing education credits, including at least one hour in pharmacy law.

Certification by State

“There is not a single national certification requirement for pharmacy technicians, but the field is beginning to standardize,” Gard explains.

Before deciding on a path for education, training, and certification, research the state where you plan to work. The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy has links to pages that detail each state’s requirements. Below is a summarized version of the requirements to work as a pharmacy technician in each state.

Certification Exams

Pharmacy technician certification tests are standardized and given on a computer. Two exams for pharmacy technicians are available:

The PTCB Certification Exam

Before taking the PTCB certification exam, you will need to complete a PTCB-approved education or training program, or have at least 500 hours of work experience. The test consists of 90 multiple-choice questions that cover the following areas:

You can take the exam in testing locations across the country. The test is offered year-round, so you can take it as soon as you feel prepared.

If you do not pass, you may retake the exam as many times as you need to earn a passing score. You’ll need to pay the exam fee ($129) each time you take it.

Once you have passed the exam, you’ll have earned the designation of Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT).

The National Healthcareer Association Certification Test

Aspiring pharmacy technicians can also earn their CPhT designation by passing the National Healthcareer Association (NHA) test. Unlike the PTCB exam, you’ll need to complete a pharmacy technician training program or have at least one year of work experience. Some of the topics you’ll be tested on within the 100 questions include:

The exam registration fee is $115. The computer-based exam can be taken online or in person.

Both the PTCB and NHA designations of CPhT must be renewed every two years. Renewal requirements include a fee and completion of at least 20 hours of continuing education credits, including 1 hour of pharmacy law and 1 hour of patient safety.

Note, too, that exams require completion of a recognized education or training program. That is why it is so important to ensure the institution where you study is approved by the certification board.

Salary

As you consider different paths in healthcare careers, you’ll want to investigate what you can earn. The salary of pharmacy technicians varies. Your pay will be impacted by:

Careers

If you’re just starting your research on how to become a pharmacy technician, you might not realize the diversity of positions within the field. In fact, there are many careers you can pursue as a pharmacy technician.

Your day-to-day work often depends on the setting in which you’re employed. A technician in a compounding pharmacy, for example, will spend their time differently than someone in a home infusion services company.

The range of roles is exciting, Gard says, because you can customize your career to your passions. “It’s a really rewarding profession,” he says. “What you do makes a difference.”