Pharmacy License from California to Tennessee: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Tennessee Board of Pharmacy ↗
A pharmacist license transfers from California to Tennessee by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Tennessee Board of Pharmacy, verify your California license, and meet Tennessee's endorsement requirements. NAPLEX is not retaken; the score and license history transfer via the NABP eLTP e-Profile. Tennessee requires passing the MPJE before the reciprocal license is granted. TN 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 Tennessee through the NABP Electronic Licensure Transfer Program — NABP forwards your license and NAPLEX history to the Tennessee Board of Pharmacy — but Tennessee gates the license behind its own pharmacy-law exam. NAPLEX is not retaken; the score and license history transfer via the NABP eLTP e-Profile. Tennessee requires passing the MPJE before the reciprocal license is granted. TN 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 Tennessee's standard out-of-state queue. Open the e-Profile transfer and book the law exam as early as Tennessee 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 → Tennessee
| California (current) | Tennessee (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.) | $485 (Tennessee reciprocal/license-transfer application fee $485 (non-refundable; paid by check or money order to the board — cannot be paid online); 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; a deficiency letter is sent for any missing documents and applications expire 12 months from receipt; excludes NABP eLTP processing and MPJE scheduling |
| Licensing authority | California State Board of Pharmacy | Tennessee Board of Pharmacy |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Tennessee sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Tennessee's current requirements on the Tennessee Board of Pharmacy website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Tennessee Board of Pharmacy (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- File only the NABP eLTP (License Transfer) application; do NOT submit the TN board pharmacist application.
- Pass the MPJE (register through NABP; Pearson VUE issues the Authorization to Test).
- Complete the Declaration of Citizenship form and the Mandatory Practitioner Profile Questionnaire.
- Criminal background check (instructions packet sent after the application is received).
- Pay the fees ($485 (Tennessee reciprocal/license-transfer application fee $485 (non-refundable; paid by check or money order to the board — cannot be paid online); 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; a deficiency letter is sent for any missing documents and applications expire 12 months from receipt; excludes NABP eLTP processing and MPJE scheduling.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Tennessee accept a California pharmacist license?
A pharmacist license transfers from California to Tennessee by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Tennessee Board of Pharmacy, verify your California license, and meet Tennessee's endorsement requirements. NAPLEX is not retaken; the score and license history transfer via the NABP eLTP e-Profile. Tennessee requires passing the MPJE before the reciprocal license is granted. TN had not adopted the Uniform MPJE (UMPJE) as of 2026-07-21..
Do I retake the NAPLEX moving from California to Tennessee?
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 eLTP e-Profile. Tennessee requires passing the MPJE before the reciprocal license is granted. TN had not adopted the Uniform MPJE (UMPJE) as of 2026-07-21..
What will the move to Tennessee cost?
$485 (Tennessee reciprocal/license-transfer application fee $485 (non-refundable; paid by check or money order to the board — cannot be paid online); NABP eLTP fees ($300 application + $100 per jurisdiction, 2026-07-21) and the MPJE exam fee are separate) (Tennessee reciprocal/license-transfer application fee $485 (non-refundable; paid by check or money order to the board — cannot be paid online); NABP eLTP fees ($300 application + $100 per jurisdiction, 2026-07-21) and the MPJE exam fee are separate).
How long will licensing in Tennessee take?
Board does not publish a processing time; a deficiency letter is sent for any missing documents and applications expire 12 months from receipt; excludes NABP eLTP processing and MPJE scheduling — Board does not publish a processing time; a deficiency letter is sent for any missing documents and applications expire 12 months from receipt; excludes NABP eLTP processing and MPJE scheduling.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- Tennessee Board of Pharmacy — Instructions for Obtaining a Reciprocal License ↗ (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
How we verify · All sources · spot an error? [email protected]