Pharmacy License from California to Mississippi: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Mississippi Board of Pharmacy ↗
A pharmacist license transfers from California to Mississippi by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Mississippi Board of Pharmacy, verify your California license, and meet Mississippi's endorsement requirements. NAPLEX is not retaken (the applicant must already hold licensure by examination and have passed the NAPLEX in another state); license history transfers via the NABP eLTP. Mississippi requires passing the MPJE — the candidate registers through NABP and receives an Authorization To Test after eligibility is granted; Mississippi has not adopted the Uniform MPJE..
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Your California license transfers into Mississippi through the NABP Electronic Licensure Transfer Program — NABP forwards your license and NAPLEX history to the Mississippi Board of Pharmacy — but Mississippi gates the license behind its own pharmacy-law exam. NAPLEX is not retaken (the applicant must already hold licensure by examination and have passed the NAPLEX in another state); license history transfers via the NABP eLTP. Mississippi requires passing the MPJE — the candidate registers through NABP and receives an Authorization To Test after eligibility is granted; Mississippi has not adopted the Uniform MPJE.. Coming from California neither speeds this up nor slows it down; the eLTP is origin-neutral, so the timeline below is Mississippi's standard out-of-state queue. Open the e-Profile transfer and book the law exam as early as Mississippi allows.
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 → Mississippi
| California (current) | Mississippi (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.) | $200 ($200 Mississippi pharmacist license-by-transfer fee per the board's Applications & Fees schedule; a $40 fingerprint background-check fee also applies, and an optional Mississippi controlled substance registration adds $50. Separate NABP eLTP fees ($300 + $100 per jurisdiction, 2026-07-21) and the MPJE exam fee are additional.) |
| 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 an overall issuance time; after eligibility an Authorization To Test issues in ~24-48 hours, MPJE results reach the board ~3-7 business days after the exam, and the fingerprint background check takes ~10-14 business days. |
| Licensing authority | California State Board of Pharmacy | Mississippi Board of Pharmacy |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Mississippi sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Mississippi's current requirements on the Mississippi Board of Pharmacy website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Mississippi Board of Pharmacy (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Complete the NABP Official Licensure Transfer Application and the Mississippi Transfer Application via the board's Licensure Gateway.
- Register for and pass the MPJE (Authorization To Test issued after eligibility is granted).
- Submit a fingerprint card (form FD-258) and pass a criminal background check.
- Have passed the NAPLEX and hold licensure by examination in another state in good standing.
- Pay the fees ($200 ($200 Mississippi pharmacist license-by-transfer fee per the board's Applications & Fees schedule; a $40 fingerprint background-check fee also applies, and an optional Mississippi controlled substance registration adds $50. Separate NABP eLTP fees ($300 + $100 per jurisdiction, 2026-07-21) and the MPJE exam fee are additional.)) and allow board does not publish an overall issuance time; after eligibility an Authorization To Test issues in ~24-48 hours, MPJE results reach the board ~3-7 business days after the exam, and the fingerprint background check takes ~10-14 business days..
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Mississippi accept a California pharmacist license?
A pharmacist license transfers from California to Mississippi by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Mississippi Board of Pharmacy, verify your California license, and meet Mississippi's endorsement requirements. NAPLEX is not retaken (the applicant must already hold licensure by examination and have passed the NAPLEX in another state); license history transfers via the NABP eLTP. Mississippi requires passing the MPJE — the candidate registers through NABP and receives an Authorization To Test after eligibility is granted; Mississippi has not adopted the Uniform MPJE..
Do I retake the NAPLEX moving from California to Mississippi?
No — the NAPLEX is a one-time national exam that transfers with your record. NAPLEX is not retaken (the applicant must already hold licensure by examination and have passed the NAPLEX in another state); license history transfers via the NABP eLTP. Mississippi requires passing the MPJE — the candidate registers through NABP and receives an Authorization To Test after eligibility is granted; Mississippi has not adopted the Uniform MPJE..
What will the move to Mississippi cost?
$200 ($200 Mississippi pharmacist license-by-transfer fee per the board's Applications & Fees schedule; a $40 fingerprint background-check fee also applies, and an optional Mississippi controlled substance registration adds $50. Separate NABP eLTP fees ($300 + $100 per jurisdiction, 2026-07-21) and the MPJE exam fee are additional.) ($200 Mississippi pharmacist license-by-transfer fee per the board's Applications & Fees schedule; a $40 fingerprint background-check fee also applies, and an optional Mississippi controlled substance registration adds $50. Separate NABP eLTP fees ($300 + $100 per jurisdiction, 2026-07-21) and the MPJE exam fee are additional.).
How long will licensing in Mississippi take?
board does not publish an overall issuance time; after eligibility an Authorization To Test issues in ~24-48 hours, MPJE results reach the board ~3-7 business days after the exam, and the fingerprint background check takes ~10-14 business days. — board does not publish an overall issuance time; after eligibility an Authorization To Test issues in ~24-48 hours, MPJE results reach the board ~3-7 business days after the exam, and the fingerprint background check takes ~10-14 business days..
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- Mississippi Board of Pharmacy — Pharmacists (licensure by transfer) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Mississippi Board of Pharmacy — Applications & Fees ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Mississippi Board of Pharmacy — Licensing and Registration FAQs ↗ (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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