Pharmacy License from California to South Carolina: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: South Carolina Board of Pharmacy ↗
A pharmacist license transfers from California to South Carolina by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the South Carolina Board of Pharmacy, verify your California license, and meet South Carolina's endorsement requirements. NAPLEX is not retaken; the score and license history transfer via the NABP e-Profile/eLTP. South Carolina requires passing the MPJE (South Carolina edition) and attending a monthly virtual board interview before the license is granted. SC had not adopted the Uniform MPJE (UMPJE) as of 2026-07-21..
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Your California license transfers into South Carolina through the NABP Electronic Licensure Transfer Program — NABP forwards your license and NAPLEX history to the South Carolina Board of Pharmacy — but South Carolina gates the license behind its own pharmacy-law exam. NAPLEX is not retaken; the score and license history transfer via the NABP e-Profile/eLTP. South Carolina requires passing the MPJE (South Carolina edition) and attending a monthly virtual board interview before the license is granted. SC had not adopted the Uniform MPJE (UMPJE) as of 2026-07-21.. Coming from California neither speeds this up nor slows it down; the eLTP is origin-neutral, so the timeline below is South Carolina's standard out-of-state queue. Open the e-Profile transfer and book the law exam as early as South Carolina 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 → South Carolina
| California (current) | South Carolina (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.) | $375–$473 (SC Board of Pharmacy application fee $375 (non-refundable) plus a $98 initial licensure fee due after passing the MPJE; the $250 MPJE exam fee and NABP eLTP fees ($300 application + $100 per jurisdiction, 2026-07-21) are separate) |
| 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 processing time; the path is application -> board email to register for the MPJE -> pass the MPJE -> monthly virtual board interview -> initial licensure application -> license issued; application is valid one year from receipt |
| Licensing authority | California State Board of Pharmacy | South Carolina Board of Pharmacy |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — South Carolina sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm South Carolina's current requirements on the South Carolina Board of Pharmacy website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the South Carolina Board of Pharmacy (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Complete the NABP eLTP (Licensure Transfer) application through your NABP e-Profile.
- Pass the MPJE (South Carolina edition); $250 MPJE exam fee paid to NABP/Pearson VUE.
- Attend the required monthly virtual board interview (Webex) before licensure.
- Complete 500 hours of practical experience only if you were first licensed within the past year.
- Submit a Verification of Lawful Presence affidavit and a 2x2 photo.
- Pay the fees ($375–$473 (SC Board of Pharmacy application fee $375 (non-refundable) plus a $98 initial licensure fee due after passing the MPJE; the $250 MPJE exam fee and NABP eLTP fees ($300 application + $100 per jurisdiction, 2026-07-21) are separate)) and allow Board does not publish a processing time; the path is application -> board email to register for the MPJE -> pass the MPJE -> monthly virtual board interview -> initial licensure application -> license issued; application is valid one year from receipt.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does South Carolina accept a California pharmacist license?
A pharmacist license transfers from California to South Carolina by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the South Carolina Board of Pharmacy, verify your California license, and meet South Carolina's endorsement requirements. NAPLEX is not retaken; the score and license history transfer via the NABP e-Profile/eLTP. South Carolina requires passing the MPJE (South Carolina edition) and attending a monthly virtual board interview before the license is granted. SC had not adopted the Uniform MPJE (UMPJE) as of 2026-07-21..
Do I retake the NAPLEX moving from California to South Carolina?
No — the NAPLEX is a one-time national exam that transfers with your record. NAPLEX is not retaken; the score and license history transfer via the NABP e-Profile/eLTP. South Carolina requires passing the MPJE (South Carolina edition) and attending a monthly virtual board interview before the license is granted. SC had not adopted the Uniform MPJE (UMPJE) as of 2026-07-21..
What will the move to South Carolina cost?
$375–$473 (SC Board of Pharmacy application fee $375 (non-refundable) plus a $98 initial licensure fee due after passing the MPJE; the $250 MPJE exam fee and NABP eLTP fees ($300 application + $100 per jurisdiction, 2026-07-21) are separate) (SC Board of Pharmacy application fee $375 (non-refundable) plus a $98 initial licensure fee due after passing the MPJE; the $250 MPJE exam fee and NABP eLTP fees ($300 application + $100 per jurisdiction, 2026-07-21) are separate).
How long will licensing in South Carolina take?
Board does not publish a processing time; the path is application -> board email to register for the MPJE -> pass the MPJE -> monthly virtual board interview -> initial licensure application -> license issued; application is valid one year from receipt — Board does not publish a processing time; the path is application -> board email to register for the MPJE -> pass the MPJE -> monthly virtual board interview -> initial licensure application -> license issued; application is valid one year from receipt.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- South Carolina Board of Pharmacy — Pharmacist Application by Reciprocity (Requirements & Instructions, rev 7/22) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- South Carolina Board of Pharmacy — Pharmacist Applications and Forms ↗ (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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