Pharmacy License from California to New Mexico: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: New Mexico Board of Pharmacy ↗
A pharmacist license transfers from California to New Mexico by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the New Mexico Board of Pharmacy, verify your California license, and meet New Mexico's endorsement requirements. NAPLEX is not retaken; license history transfers via the NABP eLTP. New Mexico requires passing the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination (MPJE) before the full license is issued; the MPJE must be taken within one year of application or the application is nullified. New Mexico had not adopted the Uniform MPJE (UMPJE) as of 2026-07-21..
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Your California license transfers into New Mexico through the NABP Electronic Licensure Transfer Program — NABP forwards your license and NAPLEX history to the New Mexico Board of Pharmacy — but New Mexico gates the license behind its own pharmacy-law exam. NAPLEX is not retaken; license history transfers via the NABP eLTP. New Mexico requires passing the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination (MPJE) before the full license is issued; the MPJE must be taken within one year of application or the application is nullified. New Mexico had not adopted the Uniform MPJE (UMPJE) as of 2026-07-21.. Coming from California neither speeds this up nor slows it down; the eLTP is origin-neutral, so the timeline below is New Mexico's standard out-of-state queue. Open the e-Profile transfer and book the law exam as early as New Mexico allows.
One wrinkle at the origin: California sits outside the eLTP, so confirm with NABP and the California State Board of Pharmacy how your license history will be transmitted before you rely on the standard transfer timeline.
What changes, California → New Mexico
| California (current) | New Mexico (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | $260 (California pharmacist examination-for-licensure application fee, non-refundable. Non-California residents add a $49 fingerprint-card fee ($32 DOJ + $17 FBI); the CPJE administration fee is paid separately to PSI; and an initial license fee applies on issuance. NABP score/license-transfer fees are separate.) | $200 (New Mexico registration-by-reciprocity fee (16.19.12 NMAC). NABP eLTP fees ($300 application + $100 per jurisdiction) and the MPJE exam fee are separate; military members/spouses/dependents/veterans may qualify for a fee waiver.) |
| Processing time | 6–7 weeks (Board advises allowing 45 days to process the application; excludes CPJE scheduling and fingerprint-card clearance (fingerprint cards take about six weeks).) | ~4 weeks (New Mexico issues an expedited/provisional pharmacist license within 30 days of a complete application (16.19.3.15); full licensure follows after passing the NM MPJE, which must be taken within one year. Excludes NABP eLTP review.) |
| Licensing authority | California State Board of Pharmacy | New Mexico Board of Pharmacy |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — New Mexico sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm New Mexico's current requirements on the New Mexico Board of Pharmacy website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the New Mexico Board of Pharmacy (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Hold a pharmacist license by examination in good standing in another state or territory that grants reciprocal privileges to New Mexico.
- File the NABP license transfer (eLTP) application; New Mexico issues a one-year provisional/expedited pharmacist license on receipt.
- Pass the New Mexico MPJE before issuance of the full license (within one year or the application is nullified).
- Have completed required intern training, or worked one year as a licensed pharmacist in the state of original licensure by examination.
- Provide a moral character voucher and passport-size photo, show no addiction to alcohol/narcotic drugs, and meet good moral character requirements.
- Pay the fees ($200 (New Mexico registration-by-reciprocity fee (16.19.12 NMAC). NABP eLTP fees ($300 application + $100 per jurisdiction) and the MPJE exam fee are separate; military members/spouses/dependents/veterans may qualify for a fee waiver.)) and allow ~4 weeks (New Mexico issues an expedited/provisional pharmacist license within 30 days of a complete application (16.19.3.15); full licensure follows after passing the NM MPJE, which must be taken within one year. Excludes NABP eLTP review.).
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does New Mexico accept a California pharmacist license?
A pharmacist license transfers from California to New Mexico by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the New Mexico Board of Pharmacy, verify your California license, and meet New Mexico's endorsement requirements. NAPLEX is not retaken; license history transfers via the NABP eLTP. New Mexico requires passing the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination (MPJE) before the full license is issued; the MPJE must be taken within one year of application or the application is nullified. New Mexico had not adopted the Uniform MPJE (UMPJE) as of 2026-07-21..
Do I retake the NAPLEX moving from California to New Mexico?
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. New Mexico requires passing the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination (MPJE) before the full license is issued; the MPJE must be taken within one year of application or the application is nullified. New Mexico had not adopted the Uniform MPJE (UMPJE) as of 2026-07-21..
What will the move to New Mexico cost?
$200 (New Mexico registration-by-reciprocity fee (16.19.12 NMAC). NABP eLTP fees ($300 application + $100 per jurisdiction) and the MPJE exam fee are separate; military members/spouses/dependents/veterans may qualify for a fee waiver.) (New Mexico registration-by-reciprocity fee (16.19.12 NMAC). NABP eLTP fees ($300 application + $100 per jurisdiction) and the MPJE exam fee are separate; military members/spouses/dependents/veterans may qualify for a fee waiver.).
How long will licensing in New Mexico take?
~4 weeks (New Mexico issues an expedited/provisional pharmacist license within 30 days of a complete application (16.19.3.15); full licensure follows after passing the NM MPJE, which must be taken within one year. Excludes NABP eLTP review.) — New Mexico issues an expedited/provisional pharmacist license within 30 days of a complete application (16.19.3.15); full licensure follows after passing the NM MPJE, which must be taken within one year. Excludes NABP eLTP review..
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- New Mexico Regulation & Licensing Dept — Board of Pharmacy Applications and Forms ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- New Mexico Administrative Code 16.19.3 — Reciprocity, MPJE and expedited license (16.19.3.8 to .15) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- New Mexico Administrative Code 16.19.12 — Fees (registration by reciprocity $200) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NABP — General Requirements for Licensure Transfer (New Mexico: pass the MPJE) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- California State Board of Pharmacy — Pharmacist Examination for Licensure application packet (17M-29 rev 1/2026): $260 fee, CPJE, 1,500/900 hours, fingerprints, 45-day processing ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- California State Board of Pharmacy — Pharmacist applicants page ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NABP — Licensure Transfer / eLTP (used only to move the NAPLEX record to California) ↗ (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]