Licensing Requirements
• Completed Application
• Nonrefundable fees
• Verification of Education and Training
• National Certification Examination
National Certification Examination
All applicants must provide verification of successful completion of a commission-approved program or seek commission approval of training acquired in another state or country. The Washington Pharmacy Commission requires all applicants to provideproof of passing a national pharmacy technician certification examination administeredby a program accredited by the National Commission for CertifyingAgencies (NCCA).
Information on approved exams can be found by visiting theInstitute for Credentialing Excellence.
Note: National Certification as a pharmacy technician is not a substitute forcommission- approved training or training/education that is considered equivalentby the Commission.Applicants who Have Completed Pharmacy QualityAssurance Commission Approved Pharmacy TechnicianProgram
All training programs must include educational as well as experiential training.
You must submit the following:
•Instructional and Practical/Experiential Training
* Director’s Certification of Pharmacy Technician Education and Training Form
•Legal Aspects of Pharmacy Practice
*Affidavit of eight hours Washington State pharmacy law study. Theverification of law study form must be signed by a pharmacist currently licensed to practice in Washington State.
•Copy of National Certification Examination Certificate or Official Score Report.There are hospitals and retail pharmacies throughout the state with approved programs.The director of the approved program must complete the director’s certification to verifysuccessful completion of the on-the-job (OJT) training or formal academic program.The following retailers have training programs that are approved nationally or formultiple states.
• Fred Meyer (WA, OR, AK, and ID)
• Rite Aid
• Safeway
• Sav-on (Albertsons)
• Walgreens
• Wal-Mart
Applicants who Have Completed an Out-of-State PharmacyTechnician Program
Training received in another state must meet the same basic criteria as a WashingtonCommission-approved program. All training programs must include educational as wellas experiential training.
In order to have your out-of-state on-the-job (OJT) or academic program approved, youwill need to submit a request for an evaluation of your training program.Your request for approval of your training must be accompanied by a completed pharmacy technicianapplication.
Formal/Academic Training Program
• Instructional and Practical/Experiential Training:
* Copy of official transcripts showing a diploma or certificate earned for Pharmacy Technician; and School catalog describing the coursework;
OR
* Copy of official transcripts showing a diploma or certificate earned forPharmacy Technician; and the signed Affidavit of Formal/Academic
Technician Education and Training
AND
• Verification of current active pharmacy practice (mark form with n/a if not applicable)
• Legal Aspects of Pharmacy Practice
* Affidavit of eight hours Washington State pharmacy law study. Theverification of law study form must be signed by a pharmacist currently
licensed to practice in Washington State.
• Copy of National Certification Examination Certificate or Official Score Report.
Note: Official transcript must be sent from your school directly to:
Pharmacy Technician Credentialing
PO Box 47877
Olympia WA 98504-7877
Out-of-State Pharmacy On-the-Job Pharmacy TechnicianTraining Program
• Instructional and Practical/Experiential Training (all items required)
* Affidavit of on-the-job Pharmacy Technician Education and Training
* Training course outline
* Letter of Recommendation
* Verification of current active pharmacy practice (mark form with n/a if notapplicable).
AND
• Legal Aspects of Pharmacy Practice
*Affidavit of eight hours Washington State pharmacy law study. Theverification of law study form must be signed by a pharmacist currently licensed to practice in Washington State.
• Copy of National Certification Examination Certificate or Official Score Report.
Military Trained Pharmacy Technicians
The Washington State Pharmacy Commission accepts pharmacy technician training received through any branch of the U.S. Armed Forces.
• A copy of your diploma or DD 214 form.
• Affidavit of eight hours Washington State pharmacy law study. The verification oflaw study form must be signed by a pharmacist currently licensed to practice inWashington State.
• National Certification Examination Certificate or Card
Foreign Trained Pharmacist or Medical School Degree Graduates
• Educational Training
* Copy of a certified translation of official transcript and diploma.
* Proof of passing Test of English as a Foreign Language (iBT).
AND
• Practical/Experiential Training
* 520 hours of supervised experience in a Washington State approvedtechnician training program.
AND
• Legal Aspects of Pharmacy Practice
* Affidavit of 8 hours Washington State pharmacy law study. The verification of law study form must be signed by a pharmacist currently licensed to practicein Washington State.
• Test of English as a Foreign Language
* Foreign trained pharmacy technicians where English is not the primary language must pass the TOEFL iBT. The TOEFL iBT is the sole English
language proficiency examination accepted.
TOEFL iBT – minimum passing scores
• Reading: 21
• Listening: 18
• Speaking: 26
• Writing: 24
• Copy of National Certification Examination Certificate or Official Score Report.