Pharmacy License from Pennsylvania to Arizona: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Does Arizona accept a Pennsylvania pharmacist license?
A pharmacist license transfers from Pennsylvania to Arizona by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Arizona State Board of Pharmacy, verify your Pennsylvania license, and meet Arizona's endorsement requirements. NAPLEX is not retaken; license history transfers via the NABP eLTP. Arizona requires passing the Uniform MPJE (UMPJE), which replaced the Arizona-specific MPJE effective April 1, 2026 (the Arizona MPJE was retired March 31, 2026). If you have already passed the UMPJE in another state you need not retake it; you submit the eLTP application and apply with the Arizona board. Retakes are limited (petition the executive director after 3 failures, the Board after 4; five attempts maximum).
Verify this exact pair in the checker
Same data, interactive — with share link and board links.
Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Your Pennsylvania license transfers into Arizona through the NABP Electronic Licensure Transfer Program — NABP forwards your license and NAPLEX history to the Arizona State Board of Pharmacy — but Arizona gates the license behind its own pharmacy-law exam. Coming from Pennsylvania neither speeds this up nor slows it down; the eLTP is origin-neutral, so the timeline below is Arizona's standard out-of-state queue. Open the e-Profile transfer and book the law exam as early as Arizona allows.
What's different between Pennsylvania and Arizona
Computed from both states' verified data rows, in both directions, and from the route every other origin gets into Arizona. Exam notes are our summary of each board's published rules, with sources below.
- Route, each way
Pennsylvania to Arizona (this page): Licensure by endorsement.
Arizona to Pennsylvania (the reverse move): Licensure by endorsement.
The route is the same in both directions.
- Does coming from Pennsylvania matter?
Coming from Pennsylvania does not change the answer: every origin (the other 49 states and DC) gets the same result for a move into Arizona.
- Application fee
Arizona lists $300–$350 for an out-of-state applicant and Pennsylvania lists $45 for the reverse move; neither may be the full cost.
- Exam rules on record
Arizona and Pennsylvania carry different exam notes (our summaries, below); any state law or jurisprudence exam is listed with each state's requirements.
- Arizona (this move): NAPLEX is not retaken; license history transfers via the NABP eLTP. Arizona requires passing the Uniform MPJE (UMPJE), which replaced the Arizona-specific MPJE effective April 1, 2026 (the Arizona MPJE was retired March 31, 2026). If you have already passed the UMPJE in another state you need not retake it; you submit the eLTP application and apply with the Arizona board. Retakes are limited (petition the executive director after 3 failures, the Board after 4; five attempts maximum).
- Pennsylvania (the reverse move): NAPLEX is not retaken; license history transfers via the NABP eLTP. Pennsylvania requires passing the Pennsylvania MPJE unless you were initially licensed before January 26, 1983, or you passed the FDLE (Federal Drug Law Exam) for the license that is the basis of the transfer.
What changes, Pennsylvania → Arizona
| Pennsylvania (current) | Arizona (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | $45 (Pennsylvania reciprocity application fee paid on PALS; separate NABP eLTP fees apply ($300 application + $100 per jurisdiction) plus the MPJE exam fee. Foreign pharmacy graduates additionally need FPGEC certification) | $300–$350 (Two official Arizona figures disagree: the Board's current reciprocity instruction sheet (ASBP_Reciprocity_Instructions.pdf) and a 2020 instruction sheet both state a $300 application fee, while the live online reciprocity application charges '$350.00 License application fee'; the range captures both — confirm at submission. Non-refundable. Separate NABP eLTP fees ($300 application + $100 per jurisdiction) and the UMPJE exam fee apply and are not included here.) |
| Processing time | Board does not publish a fixed timeline; applications are processed in the order received, and supporting documents (FBI check within 180 days; others under six months) must be current when submitted | Board does not publish a processing-time figure for reciprocity; timing depends on UMPJE scheduling/results and NABP eLTP review |
| Licensing authority | Pennsylvania State Board of Pharmacy | Arizona State Board of Pharmacy |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Arizona sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Arizona's current requirements on the Arizona State Board of Pharmacy website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Arizona State Board of Pharmacy (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Take and pass the Uniform MPJE (UMPJE); it need not be taken in Arizona.
- Submit the NABP eLTP license transfer application, then apply with the Arizona State Board of Pharmacy.
- Hold a pharmacist license obtained by examination that is current and in good standing in another jurisdiction.
- Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, or hold a valid U.S. passport (non-immigrant visa holders must contact the Board before applying).
- Pay the fees listed above, and allow for the processing time shown there.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Do I retake the NAPLEX moving from Pennsylvania to Arizona?
No — the NAPLEX is a one-time national exam that transfers with your record.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- Arizona State Board of Pharmacy Newsletter (April 2026) — Uniform MPJE Fact Sheet: UMPJE effective 2026-04-01, AZ MPJE retired 2026-03-31 ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Arizona State Board of Pharmacy — Application for Pharmacist Licensure by Reciprocity (online portal; fee shown $350.00) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Arizona State Board of Pharmacy — Application Instructions for Pharmacist Applying by Reciprocity (instruction sheet; fee $300) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NABP — Electronic Licensure Transfer Program (eLTP) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Pennsylvania State Board of Pharmacy — Reciprocal Licensure Instructions (PharmM) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Pennsylvania Pharmacist Licensure Snapshot (Department of State) — $45 fee ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
Reviewed by the License Reciprocity Editorial Team · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
How we verify · All sources · Corrections log · spot an error? hello@licensereciprocity.com