Pharmacy technician (PTCE, ExCPT)
Becoming a certified pharmacy technician
Independent site, not affiliated with the certifying body or the test vendor. Applications, payments and scheduling happen only on their own websites.
The finder shows both national exams with their routes, fees and renewal. Below, the path from first job to certificate, and where state law comes in.
Both lead to the CPhT credential; many state boards accept either. Check what your state board of pharmacy requires.
PTCB
PTCE
- Exam:
- 90 questions, 110 minutes
- Fee:
- $129
- To qualify:
- A PTCB-recognized program, or 500 hours of work as a pharmacy technician
- Renewal:
- Every 2 years, 20 hours of continuing education, $55
NHA
ExCPT
- Exam:
- 120 questions, 130 minutes
- Fee:
- not published by the NHA
- To qualify:
- A training program finished within 5 years, or 1,200 hours of supervised work in the last 3 years
- Renewal:
- Every 2 years, 20 hours of continuing education
Pharmacy technician certification is a national credential, the CPhT, that tells a state board and an employer that a technician has passed an exam on medications, pharmacy law, safety and dispensing. Two bodies award it: the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board, through the PTCE ($129 per attempt), and the National Healthcareer Association, through the ExCPT. Each sets its own route to eligibility. The PTCB accepts completion of a recognized education or training program, or 500 hours of work as a technician; the NHA accepts a program finished within five years or 1,200 hours of supervised work within three. Certification is separate from the state: most states require technicians to register with or be licensed by the board of pharmacy, and some of them require national certification as a condition, sometimes within a set time after hire. The CPhT from the PTCB is renewed every 2 years with 20 hours of continuing education and a $55 fee.
What the exam costs
Exam fee
$129
- One attempt
- $129
- Paid to
- PTCB
Each attempt is paid again in full.
Questions, formats and fees by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method and sources
The path, in four steps
- Check your state. Read the technician page of your state board of pharmacy: registration, license, age, background check, and whether national certification is required and by when.
- Choose a route. A training program (for the PTCB, one it recognizes) or work experience. On the job, keep a record of your hours and of the supervisor who can attest them.
- Choose an exam. The PTCE or the ExCPT; the comparison page sets them side by side.
- Apply, prepare, pass, renew. Apply to the certifier, prepare with practice sets and full mocks, sit the exam, and keep up continuing education for renewal.
Certification and state registration are different things
The PTCB and the NHA certify; the state board registers or licenses. A technician may need both: certification to satisfy the board's condition or the employer, registration to work legally in the state. Each has its own fee and its own renewal date. When you move to another state, the national certification goes with you, but the state registration does not: you apply again in the new state.
Renewal and continuing education
The PTCB's CPhT runs for 2 years. Renewal requires 20 hours of continuing education, at least one in pharmacy law and one in patient safety, and the $55 fee (PTCB renewal requirements). The NHA renews its pharmacy credential on a two-year cycle with 20 hours of continuing education. Keep certificates of completion; both certifiers can audit them.
Beyond the CPhT
The PTCB also offers advanced credentials and assessment-based certificates for technicians who specialize, for example in sterile compounding. They come after the CPhT and have their own eligibility rules; the PTCB site lists them. They are outside the scope of this site, which covers the entry-level exams.
Where to start practicing
Whichever exam you choose, the knowledge is largely shared. Begin with the combined practice test, then move to the PTCE or ExCPT sets. The cost page and the fee calculator above help plan the budget.
This site is independent of the PTCB, the NHA and the state boards; it handles no application or payment.