Pharmacy License from California to South Dakota: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: South Dakota Board of Pharmacy ↗
A pharmacist license transfers from California to South Dakota by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the South Dakota Board of Pharmacy, verify your California license, and meet South Dakota's endorsement requirements. NAPLEX is not retaken; license history transfers via the NABP eLTP. South Dakota requires passing the MPJE, South Dakota Edition (minimum scaled score 75), before the reciprocal license is granted. SD 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 Dakota through the NABP Electronic Licensure Transfer Program — NABP forwards your license and NAPLEX history to the South Dakota Board of Pharmacy — but South Dakota gates the license behind its own pharmacy-law exam. NAPLEX is not retaken; license history transfers via the NABP eLTP. South Dakota requires passing the MPJE, South Dakota Edition (minimum scaled score 75), before the reciprocal license is granted. SD 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 Dakota's standard out-of-state queue. Open the e-Profile transfer and book the law exam as early as South Dakota 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 Dakota
| California (current) | South Dakota (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.) | $150 (South Dakota reciprocity license fee $150 (non-refundable; waived for deployed active-duty military or spouse); NABP eLTP fees ($300 application + $100 per jurisdiction, 2026-07-21) and the MPJE exam fee 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; after the online application the board mails an information packet and fingerprint cards, then approves MPJE eligibility; the applicant has one year from submission to complete all requirements |
| Licensing authority | California State Board of Pharmacy | South Dakota Board of Pharmacy |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — South Dakota sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm South Dakota's current requirements on the South Dakota Board of Pharmacy website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the South Dakota Board of Pharmacy (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Hold an active pharmacist license in another state for more than one year (contact the board if less).
- Complete the NABP eLTP (license transfer) application and register for the MPJE (SD Edition).
- Pass the MPJE, South Dakota Edition (minimum scaled score 75).
- Fingerprint-card criminal background check (results valid only six months).
- Pay the fees ($150 (South Dakota reciprocity license fee $150 (non-refundable; waived for deployed active-duty military or spouse); NABP eLTP fees ($300 application + $100 per jurisdiction, 2026-07-21) and the MPJE exam fee are separate)) and allow Board does not publish a processing time; after the online application the board mails an information packet and fingerprint cards, then approves MPJE eligibility; the applicant has one year from submission to complete all requirements.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does South Dakota accept a California pharmacist license?
A pharmacist license transfers from California to South Dakota by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the South Dakota Board of Pharmacy, verify your California license, and meet South Dakota's endorsement requirements. NAPLEX is not retaken; license history transfers via the NABP eLTP. South Dakota requires passing the MPJE, South Dakota Edition (minimum scaled score 75), before the reciprocal license is granted. SD had not adopted the Uniform MPJE (UMPJE) as of 2026-07-21..
Do I retake the NAPLEX moving from California to South Dakota?
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. South Dakota requires passing the MPJE, South Dakota Edition (minimum scaled score 75), before the reciprocal license is granted. SD had not adopted the Uniform MPJE (UMPJE) as of 2026-07-21..
What will the move to South Dakota cost?
$150 (South Dakota reciprocity license fee $150 (non-refundable; waived for deployed active-duty military or spouse); NABP eLTP fees ($300 application + $100 per jurisdiction, 2026-07-21) and the MPJE exam fee are separate) (South Dakota reciprocity license fee $150 (non-refundable; waived for deployed active-duty military or spouse); NABP eLTP fees ($300 application + $100 per jurisdiction, 2026-07-21) and the MPJE exam fee are separate).
How long will licensing in South Dakota take?
Board does not publish a processing time; after the online application the board mails an information packet and fingerprint cards, then approves MPJE eligibility; the applicant has one year from submission to complete all requirements — Board does not publish a processing time; after the online application the board mails an information packet and fingerprint cards, then approves MPJE eligibility; the applicant has one year from submission to complete all requirements.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- South Dakota Board of Pharmacy — Pharmacist Licensure by Reciprocity, Initial Application Instructions (Rev 9/25) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- South Dakota Board of Pharmacy — Pharmacists licensing requirements ↗ (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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