Pharmacy License from Michigan to West Virginia: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: West Virginia Board of Pharmacy ↗
A pharmacist license transfers from Michigan to West Virginia by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the West Virginia Board of Pharmacy, verify your Michigan license, and meet West Virginia's endorsement requirements. NAPLEX is not retaken; the score and license history transfer via the NABP license transfer (Preliminary Application for Transfer / e-Profile). West Virginia requires passing the West Virginia MPJE; the state has not adopted the Uniform MPJE..
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Your Michigan license transfers into West Virginia through the NABP Electronic Licensure Transfer Program — NABP forwards your license and NAPLEX history to the West Virginia Board of Pharmacy — but West Virginia gates the license behind its own pharmacy-law exam. NAPLEX is not retaken; the score and license history transfer via the NABP license transfer (Preliminary Application for Transfer / e-Profile). West Virginia requires passing the West Virginia MPJE; the state has not adopted the Uniform MPJE.. Coming from Michigan neither speeds this up nor slows it down; the eLTP is origin-neutral, so the timeline below is West Virginia's standard out-of-state queue. Open the e-Profile transfer and book the law exam as early as West Virginia allows.
What changes, Michigan → West Virginia
| Michigan (current) | West Virginia (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | $137.7 (LARA pharmacist licensure-by-endorsement total paid via MiPLUS (application processing fee plus the pharmacist license fee; the pharmacist license line alone is ~$60.60). An optional Michigan controlled substance license adds ~$85.85. No MPJE/UMPJE exam fee applies because Michigan requires no jurisprudence exam. Separate NABP eLTP fees ($300 + $100 per jurisdiction, 2026-07-21) are additional. michigan.gov blocked direct fetch, so confirm the current total in MiPLUS.) | $250 (West Virginia pharmacist reciprocity application fee (W. Va. Code R. 15-16-7). Separate NABP eLTP fees ($300 + $100 per jurisdiction) and the MPJE exam fee apply; a criminal background check fee is also charged.) |
| Processing time | LARA does not publish a guaranteed processing timeframe; the application remains valid for two years from the date received. Endorsement review runs after the NABP transfer report and the fingerprint background check clear; a missing out-of-state license verification is the most common cause of delay. | The Board rule does not state a processing time; add time for NABP transfer review, the MPJE, and the background check |
| Licensing authority | Michigan Board of Pharmacy (LARA, Bureau of Professional Licensing) | West Virginia Board of Pharmacy |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — West Virginia sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm West Virginia's current requirements on the West Virginia Board of Pharmacy website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the West Virginia Board of Pharmacy (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Submit the NABP Preliminary Application for Transfer through your NABP e-Profile.
- Pass the West Virginia MPJE.
- Be in good standing in the state or country you are transferring from.
- Complete a national criminal history records check.
- Pay the fees ($250 (West Virginia pharmacist reciprocity application fee (W. Va. Code R. 15-16-7). Separate NABP eLTP fees ($300 + $100 per jurisdiction) and the MPJE exam fee apply; a criminal background check fee is also charged.)) and allow The Board rule does not state a processing time; add time for NABP transfer review, the MPJE, and the background check.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does West Virginia accept a Michigan pharmacist license?
A pharmacist license transfers from Michigan to West Virginia by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the West Virginia Board of Pharmacy, verify your Michigan license, and meet West Virginia's endorsement requirements. NAPLEX is not retaken; the score and license history transfer via the NABP license transfer (Preliminary Application for Transfer / e-Profile). West Virginia requires passing the West Virginia MPJE; the state has not adopted the Uniform MPJE..
Do I retake the NAPLEX moving from Michigan to West Virginia?
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 license transfer (Preliminary Application for Transfer / e-Profile). West Virginia requires passing the West Virginia MPJE; the state has not adopted the Uniform MPJE..
What will the move to West Virginia cost?
$250 (West Virginia pharmacist reciprocity application fee (W. Va. Code R. 15-16-7). Separate NABP eLTP fees ($300 + $100 per jurisdiction) and the MPJE exam fee apply; a criminal background check fee is also charged.) (West Virginia pharmacist reciprocity application fee (W. Va. Code R. 15-16-7). Separate NABP eLTP fees ($300 + $100 per jurisdiction) and the MPJE exam fee apply; a criminal background check fee is also charged.).
How long will licensing in West Virginia take?
The Board rule does not state a processing time; add time for NABP transfer review, the MPJE, and the background check — The Board rule does not state a processing time; add time for NABP transfer review, the MPJE, and the background check.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- W. Va. Code R. 15-16-6 — Reciprocity; Licensure of Pharmacists From Other States or Countries (WV MPJE required; good standing; background check) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- W. Va. Code R. 15-16-7 — Application (reciprocity application fee $250) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NABP — Electronic Licensure Transfer Program (eLTP) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Mich. Admin. Code R. 338.523 — Pharmacist license by endorsement; requirements (Michigan rule) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Michigan LARA — Pharmacy (Bureau of Professional Licensing) ↗ (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]