Pharmacy License from New York to District of Columbia: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: District of Columbia Board of Pharmacy (DC Health, Health Regulation and Licensing Administration) ↗
A pharmacist license transfers from New York to District of Columbia by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the District of Columbia Board of Pharmacy (DC Health, Health Regulation and Licensing Administration), verify your New York license, and meet District of Columbia's endorsement requirements. NAPLEX is not retaken; license history transfers via the NABP eLTP. The District of Columbia requires passing the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination for the District of Columbia (MPJE) before the reciprocity license is granted..
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Your New York license transfers into District of Columbia through the NABP Electronic Licensure Transfer Program — NABP forwards your license and NAPLEX history to the District of Columbia Board of Pharmacy (DC Health, Health Regulation and Licensing Administration) — but District of Columbia gates the license behind its own pharmacy-law exam. NAPLEX is not retaken; license history transfers via the NABP eLTP. The District of Columbia requires passing the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination for the District of Columbia (MPJE) before the reciprocity license is granted.. Coming from New York neither speeds this up nor slows it down; the eLTP is origin-neutral, so the timeline below is District of Columbia's standard out-of-state queue. Open the e-Profile transfer and book the law exam as early as District of Columbia allows.
What changes, New York → District of Columbia
| New York (current) | District of Columbia (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | $339 (New York fee for licensure plus first registration, paid with Form 1; not charged twice if already paid with the NABP application. NABP eLTP fees ($300 application + $100 per jurisdiction) and the MPJE exam fee are separate.) | $280 (District of Columbia application fee (non-refundable) per the DC Health Board of Pharmacy reciprocity checklist. Separate NABP eLTP fees apply ($300 application + $100 per jurisdiction) plus the MPJE exam fee.) |
| Processing time | NYS Education Department does not publish a specific endorsement processing time; add NABP eLTP review, Board approval to sit for the MPJE, and MPJE scheduling. | DC Health does not publish a stated processing time for pharmacist licensure by reciprocity on the checklist. |
| Licensing authority | New York State Board of Pharmacy (NYS Education Department, Office of the Professions) | District of Columbia Board of Pharmacy (DC Health, Health Regulation and Licensing Administration) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — District of Columbia sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm District of Columbia's current requirements on the District of Columbia Board of Pharmacy (DC Health, Health Regulation and Licensing Administration) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the District of Columbia Board of Pharmacy (DC Health, Health Regulation and Licensing Administration) (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Complete the NABP Electronic Licensure Transfer application through NABP (eLTP).
- Pass the MPJE for the District of Columbia.
- Submit a criminal background check.
- Submit the completed online application with a passport photo, government-issued ID, and Social Security number or work-authorization proof.
- Pay the fees ($280 (District of Columbia application fee (non-refundable) per the DC Health Board of Pharmacy reciprocity checklist. Separate NABP eLTP fees apply ($300 application + $100 per jurisdiction) plus the MPJE exam fee.)) and allow DC Health does not publish a stated processing time for pharmacist licensure by reciprocity on the checklist..
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does District of Columbia accept a New York pharmacist license?
A pharmacist license transfers from New York to District of Columbia by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the District of Columbia Board of Pharmacy (DC Health, Health Regulation and Licensing Administration), verify your New York license, and meet District of Columbia's endorsement requirements. NAPLEX is not retaken; license history transfers via the NABP eLTP. The District of Columbia requires passing the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination for the District of Columbia (MPJE) before the reciprocity license is granted..
Do I retake the NAPLEX moving from New York to District of Columbia?
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. The District of Columbia requires passing the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination for the District of Columbia (MPJE) before the reciprocity license is granted..
What will the move to District of Columbia cost?
$280 (District of Columbia application fee (non-refundable) per the DC Health Board of Pharmacy reciprocity checklist. Separate NABP eLTP fees apply ($300 application + $100 per jurisdiction) plus the MPJE exam fee.) (District of Columbia application fee (non-refundable) per the DC Health Board of Pharmacy reciprocity checklist. Separate NABP eLTP fees apply ($300 application + $100 per jurisdiction) plus the MPJE exam fee.).
How long will licensing in District of Columbia take?
DC Health does not publish a stated processing time for pharmacist licensure by reciprocity on the checklist. — DC Health does not publish a stated processing time for pharmacist licensure by reciprocity on the checklist..
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- DC Health Board of Pharmacy — Pharmacist Licensure Checklist of Requirements (Reciprocity) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- DC Health — Board of Pharmacy ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NABP — Electronic Licensure Transfer Program (eLTP) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NYS Office of the Professions — Licensure Transfer by Endorsement (step-by-step instructions; fee $339; apply via NABP eLTP; pass the MPJE) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NYS Office of the Professions — Pharmacist License Requirements (age 21, ACPE degree, NAPLEX/MPJE within 5 years, PharmD experience exemption) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NABP — General Requirements for Licensure Transfer (New York: pass the MPJE) ↗ (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]