Pharmacy License from California to Indiana: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Indiana Board of Pharmacy (Indiana Professional Licensing Agency) ↗
Yes — Indiana recognizes pharmacist licenses from all states, including California. Apply to the Indiana Board of Pharmacy (Indiana Professional Licensing Agency) for a reciprocal license; you will not repeat the full exam or education.
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Verdict
Full reciprocity
Indiana takes a NABP eLTP transfer without adding its own law exam, so a California pharmacist's move is mostly administrative: transfer your license and NAPLEX record through your NABP e-Profile to the Indiana Board of Pharmacy (Indiana Professional Licensing Agency), clear the Clearinghouse disciplinary screen and background check, and you are licensed. NAPLEX is not retaken; license history transfers via the NABP eLTP. Indiana requires NO law exam — no MPJE or state jurisprudence examination is required for a licensure transfer (confirmed by the Indiana Board of Pharmacy and NABP).. Start the e-Profile transfer first — NABP's verification carries the longest lead time.
One wrinkle at the origin: California sits outside the eLTP, so confirm with NABP and the California State Board of Pharmacy how your license history will be transmitted before you rely on the standard transfer timeline.
What changes, California → Indiana
| California (current) | Indiana (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | $260 (California pharmacist examination-for-licensure application fee, non-refundable. Non-California residents add a $49 fingerprint-card fee ($32 DOJ + $17 FBI); the CPJE administration fee is paid separately to PSI; and an initial license fee applies on issuance. NABP score/license-transfer fees are separate.) | $100 (Indiana pharmacist application fee $100 (non-refundable), which applies to reciprocity applications; separate NABP eLTP fees ($300 application + $100 per jurisdiction) apply) |
| Processing time | 6–7 weeks (Board advises allowing 45 days to process the application; excludes CPJE scheduling and fingerprint-card clearance (fingerprint cards take about six weeks).) | board does not publish a reciprocity processing-time estimate; the application is deemed abandoned if not completed within one year; NABP eLTP review is 3-5 business days |
| Licensing authority | California State Board of Pharmacy | Indiana Board of Pharmacy (Indiana Professional Licensing Agency) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Indiana sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Indiana's current requirements on the Indiana Board of Pharmacy (Indiana Professional Licensing Agency) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Indiana Board of Pharmacy (Indiana Professional Licensing Agency) (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Meet the reciprocal requirements defined in IC 25-1-21-5 and submit the Electronic Licensure Transfer (eLTP) request through NABP.
- Complete a criminal background check.
- Provide official verification of any license to practice a health-related profession held in another state (board may require more to determine substantial equivalency).
- Pay the fees ($100 (Indiana pharmacist application fee $100 (non-refundable), which applies to reciprocity applications; separate NABP eLTP fees ($300 application + $100 per jurisdiction) apply)) and allow board does not publish a reciprocity processing-time estimate; the application is deemed abandoned if not completed within one year; NABP eLTP review is 3-5 business days.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Indiana accept a California pharmacist license?
Yes — Indiana recognizes pharmacist licenses from all states, including California. Apply to the Indiana Board of Pharmacy (Indiana Professional Licensing Agency) for a reciprocal license; you will not repeat the full exam or education.
Do I retake the NAPLEX moving from California to Indiana?
No — the NAPLEX is a one-time national exam that transfers with your record. NAPLEX is not retaken; license history transfers via the NABP eLTP. Indiana requires NO law exam — no MPJE or state jurisprudence examination is required for a licensure transfer (confirmed by the Indiana Board of Pharmacy and NABP)..
What will the move to Indiana cost?
$100 (Indiana pharmacist application fee $100 (non-refundable), which applies to reciprocity applications; separate NABP eLTP fees ($300 application + $100 per jurisdiction) apply) (Indiana pharmacist application fee $100 (non-refundable), which applies to reciprocity applications; separate NABP eLTP fees ($300 application + $100 per jurisdiction) apply).
How long will licensing in Indiana take?
board does not publish a reciprocity processing-time estimate; the application is deemed abandoned if not completed within one year; NABP eLTP review is 3-5 business days — board does not publish a reciprocity processing-time estimate; the application is deemed abandoned if not completed within one year; NABP eLTP review is 3-5 business days.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- Indiana PLA — Pharmacy Licensing Information (Reciprocity for Pharmacists; pharmacist application fee $100) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NABP — Electronic Licensure Transfer Program (eLTP) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- California State Board of Pharmacy — Pharmacist Examination for Licensure application packet (17M-29 rev 1/2026): $260 fee, CPJE, 1,500/900 hours, fingerprints, 45-day processing ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- California State Board of Pharmacy — Pharmacist applicants page ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
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