Pharmacy License from North Carolina to Maryland: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Maryland Board of Pharmacy ↗
A pharmacist license transfers from North Carolina to Maryland by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Maryland Board of Pharmacy, verify your North Carolina license, and meet Maryland's endorsement requirements. NAPLEX is not retaken; NAPLEX scores and license history transfer via the NABP e-Profile (eLTP). Maryland requires passing a pharmacy jurisprudence exam with a score of 75 or higher (valid one year from the test date): Maryland is a Uniform MPJE (UMPJE) jurisdiction with the UMPJE effective June 1, 2026 while the Maryland-specific MPJE is being retired May 31, 2027, so during that transition either exam satisfies the requirement..
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Your North Carolina license transfers into Maryland through the NABP Electronic Licensure Transfer Program — NABP forwards your license and NAPLEX history to the Maryland Board of Pharmacy — but Maryland gates the license behind its own pharmacy-law exam. NAPLEX is not retaken; NAPLEX scores and license history transfer via the NABP e-Profile (eLTP). Maryland requires passing a pharmacy jurisprudence exam with a score of 75 or higher (valid one year from the test date): Maryland is a Uniform MPJE (UMPJE) jurisdiction with the UMPJE effective June 1, 2026 while the Maryland-specific MPJE is being retired May 31, 2027, so during that transition either exam satisfies the requirement.. Coming from North Carolina neither speeds this up nor slows it down; the eLTP is origin-neutral, so the timeline below is Maryland's standard out-of-state queue. Open the e-Profile transfer and book the law exam as early as Maryland allows.
What changes, North Carolina → Maryland
| North Carolina (current) | Maryland (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.) | $300 ($300 Maryland reciprocity application fee (non-refundable administrative fee), paid by check or money order with the mailed application. Separate NABP eLTP fees ($300 application + $100 per jurisdiction, 2026-07-21) and the UMPJE/MPJE exam fee are additional and not included here.) |
| 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 weeks (board asks applicants to allow about two weeks to process the application, then 7-10 business days for the printed license; excludes NABP eLTP review and UMPJE/MPJE scheduling.) |
| Licensing authority | North Carolina Board of Pharmacy | Maryland Board of Pharmacy |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Maryland sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Maryland's current requirements on the Maryland Board of Pharmacy website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Maryland Board of Pharmacy (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Complete the NABP License Transfer Application through your NABP e-Profile (eLTP).
- Submit the Maryland Board reciprocity application by mail with the $300 fee and your NABP e-Profile number.
- Pass the pharmacy jurisprudence exam (UMPJE, or the Maryland MPJE during the transition) with a score of 75 or higher.
- Document at least 520 hours of pharmacy practice experience after graduation from an ACPE- or Board-approved school.
- Foreign graduates must hold NABP FPGEC certification.
- Pay the fees ($300 ($300 Maryland reciprocity application fee (non-refundable administrative fee), paid by check or money order with the mailed application. Separate NABP eLTP fees ($300 application + $100 per jurisdiction, 2026-07-21) and the UMPJE/MPJE exam fee are additional and not included here.)) and allow ~2 weeks (board asks applicants to allow about two weeks to process the application, then 7-10 business days for the printed license; excludes NABP eLTP review and UMPJE/MPJE scheduling.).
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Maryland accept a North Carolina pharmacist license?
A pharmacist license transfers from North Carolina to Maryland by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Maryland Board of Pharmacy, verify your North Carolina license, and meet Maryland's endorsement requirements. NAPLEX is not retaken; NAPLEX scores and license history transfer via the NABP e-Profile (eLTP). Maryland requires passing a pharmacy jurisprudence exam with a score of 75 or higher (valid one year from the test date): Maryland is a Uniform MPJE (UMPJE) jurisdiction with the UMPJE effective June 1, 2026 while the Maryland-specific MPJE is being retired May 31, 2027, so during that transition either exam satisfies the requirement..
Do I retake the NAPLEX moving from North Carolina to Maryland?
No — the NAPLEX is a one-time national exam that transfers with your record. NAPLEX is not retaken; NAPLEX scores and license history transfer via the NABP e-Profile (eLTP). Maryland requires passing a pharmacy jurisprudence exam with a score of 75 or higher (valid one year from the test date): Maryland is a Uniform MPJE (UMPJE) jurisdiction with the UMPJE effective June 1, 2026 while the Maryland-specific MPJE is being retired May 31, 2027, so during that transition either exam satisfies the requirement..
What will the move to Maryland cost?
$300 ($300 Maryland reciprocity application fee (non-refundable administrative fee), paid by check or money order with the mailed application. Separate NABP eLTP fees ($300 application + $100 per jurisdiction, 2026-07-21) and the UMPJE/MPJE exam fee are additional and not included here.) ($300 Maryland reciprocity application fee (non-refundable administrative fee), paid by check or money order with the mailed application. Separate NABP eLTP fees ($300 application + $100 per jurisdiction, 2026-07-21) and the UMPJE/MPJE exam fee are additional and not included here.).
How long will licensing in Maryland take?
~2 weeks (board asks applicants to allow about two weeks to process the application, then 7-10 business days for the printed license; excludes NABP eLTP review and UMPJE/MPJE scheduling.) — board asks applicants to allow about two weeks to process the application, then 7-10 business days for the printed license; excludes NABP eLTP review and UMPJE/MPJE scheduling..
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- Maryland Board of Pharmacy — Pharmacist License Application Instructions – Reciprocity (rev. 06/09/2025) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Maryland Board of Pharmacy — Frequently Asked Questions ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NABP — Uniform MPJE Participating States ↗ (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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