Pharmacy License from North Carolina to Louisiana: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Louisiana Board of Pharmacy ↗
A pharmacist license transfers from North Carolina to Louisiana by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Louisiana Board of Pharmacy, verify your North Carolina license, and meet Louisiana's endorsement requirements. NAPLEX is not retaken; license history transfers via the NABP eLTP. Louisiana requires passing the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination for Louisiana (MPJE-La); the NABP Official Application for License Transfer is completed after the MPJE-La is passed and before the state pharmacist-license application. Louisiana is not an NABP UMPJE participating jurisdiction as of 2026-07-21..
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Your North Carolina license transfers into Louisiana through the NABP Electronic Licensure Transfer Program — NABP forwards your license and NAPLEX history to the Louisiana Board of Pharmacy — but Louisiana gates the license behind its own pharmacy-law exam. NAPLEX is not retaken; license history transfers via the NABP eLTP. Louisiana requires passing the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination for Louisiana (MPJE-La); the NABP Official Application for License Transfer is completed after the MPJE-La is passed and before the state pharmacist-license application. Louisiana is not an NABP UMPJE participating jurisdiction as of 2026-07-21.. Coming from North Carolina neither speeds this up nor slows it down; the eLTP is origin-neutral, so the timeline below is Louisiana's standard out-of-state queue. Open the e-Profile transfer and book the law exam as early as Louisiana allows.
What changes, North Carolina → Louisiana
| North Carolina (current) | Louisiana (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | $600 (North Carolina reciprocity application fee, non-refundable/non-transferable. NABP eLTP fees ($300 application + $100 per jurisdiction) and the UMPJE exam fee are separate.) | $450 (Louisiana Board license-transfer fee. Separate NABP eLTP fees apply ($300 application + $100 per jurisdiction) plus the MPJE-La exam fee; fingerprint/background-check costs are additional) |
| Processing time | ~2 weeks (Board allows ~10 business days to review the application; add 10 business days for each clarification request. Application expires one year from submission; excludes NABP eLTP review and exam scheduling.) | 2–3 weeks (Board issues the credential within 14 business days (about 2-3 weeks) of the final requirement being fulfilled if nothing prevents issuance; excludes NABP eLTP review and MPJE-La scheduling) |
| Licensing authority | North Carolina Board of Pharmacy | Louisiana Board of Pharmacy |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Louisiana sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Louisiana's current requirements on the Louisiana Board of Pharmacy website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Louisiana Board of Pharmacy (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Pass the MPJE-Louisiana (MPJE-La) before submitting the license-transfer application.
- Complete the NABP Official Application for License Transfer (eLTP), then submit the Application for New Louisiana Pharmacist License.
- Complete a criminal background check with the Louisiana State Police (LSP) and the FBI.
- Pay the fees ($450 (Louisiana Board license-transfer fee. Separate NABP eLTP fees apply ($300 application + $100 per jurisdiction) plus the MPJE-La exam fee; fingerprint/background-check costs are additional)) and allow 2–3 weeks (Board issues the credential within 14 business days (about 2-3 weeks) of the final requirement being fulfilled if nothing prevents issuance; excludes NABP eLTP review and MPJE-La scheduling).
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Louisiana accept a North Carolina pharmacist license?
A pharmacist license transfers from North Carolina to Louisiana by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Louisiana Board of Pharmacy, verify your North Carolina license, and meet Louisiana's endorsement requirements. NAPLEX is not retaken; license history transfers via the NABP eLTP. Louisiana requires passing the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination for Louisiana (MPJE-La); the NABP Official Application for License Transfer is completed after the MPJE-La is passed and before the state pharmacist-license application. Louisiana is not an NABP UMPJE participating jurisdiction as of 2026-07-21..
Do I retake the NAPLEX moving from North Carolina to Louisiana?
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. Louisiana requires passing the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination for Louisiana (MPJE-La); the NABP Official Application for License Transfer is completed after the MPJE-La is passed and before the state pharmacist-license application. Louisiana is not an NABP UMPJE participating jurisdiction as of 2026-07-21..
What will the move to Louisiana cost?
$450 (Louisiana Board license-transfer fee. Separate NABP eLTP fees apply ($300 application + $100 per jurisdiction) plus the MPJE-La exam fee; fingerprint/background-check costs are additional) (Louisiana Board license-transfer fee. Separate NABP eLTP fees apply ($300 application + $100 per jurisdiction) plus the MPJE-La exam fee; fingerprint/background-check costs are additional).
How long will licensing in Louisiana take?
2–3 weeks (Board issues the credential within 14 business days (about 2-3 weeks) of the final requirement being fulfilled if nothing prevents issuance; excludes NABP eLTP review and MPJE-La scheduling) — Board issues the credential within 14 business days (about 2-3 weeks) of the final requirement being fulfilled if nothing prevents issuance; excludes NABP eLTP review and MPJE-La scheduling.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- Louisiana Board of Pharmacy — Application Process Transparency, Pharmacist License ($450, 14-business-day issuance, transfer applicants exempt from experience hours) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Louisiana Board of Pharmacy — Examinations (Pharmacy Interns & Pharmacists) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NABP — Uniform MPJE participating states (Louisiana not listed) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NABP — Electronic Licensure Transfer Program (eLTP) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- North Carolina Board of Pharmacy — Licensure by Reciprocity (fee $600; UMPJE effective 2026-04-01; intern-hour and background-check rules) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NABP — General Requirements for Licensure Transfer (North Carolina: pass the UMPJE prior to submitting the transfer application) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
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