Pharmacy License from California to Virginia: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Virginia Board of Pharmacy (Department of Health Professions) ↗
A pharmacist license transfers from California to Virginia by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Virginia Board of Pharmacy (Department of Health Professions), verify your California license, and meet Virginia's endorsement requirements. NAPLEX is not retaken; the score and license history transfer via the NABP license transfer (e-Profile). Virginia requires passing the Virginia MPJE; the Board plans to transition to the Uniform MPJE (UMPJE) tentatively in fall 2026 (with at least 90 days notice) and will not issue a license on a UMPJE score earned elsewhere until it transitions..
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Your California license transfers into Virginia through the NABP Electronic Licensure Transfer Program — NABP forwards your license and NAPLEX history to the Virginia Board of Pharmacy (Department of Health Professions) — but Virginia gates the license behind its own pharmacy-law exam. NAPLEX is not retaken; the score and license history transfer via the NABP license transfer (e-Profile). Virginia requires passing the Virginia MPJE; the Board plans to transition to the Uniform MPJE (UMPJE) tentatively in fall 2026 (with at least 90 days notice) and will not issue a license on a UMPJE score earned elsewhere until it transitions.. Coming from California neither speeds this up nor slows it down; the eLTP is origin-neutral, so the timeline below is Virginia's standard out-of-state queue. Open the e-Profile transfer and book the law exam as early as Virginia 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 → Virginia
| California (current) | Virginia (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.) | $235 (Virginia pharmacist license initial application fee (18VAC110-21-20), non-refundable; active annual renewal is $120. Separate NABP eLTP fees ($300 + $100 per jurisdiction) and the MPJE exam fee apply.) |
| 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).) | Neither the Board FAQ nor the fee regulation states a processing time; add time for NABP license transfer review and MPJE scheduling |
| Licensing authority | California State Board of Pharmacy | Virginia Board of Pharmacy (Department of Health Professions) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Virginia sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Virginia's current requirements on the Virginia Board of Pharmacy (Department of Health Professions) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Virginia Board of Pharmacy (Department of Health Professions) (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Complete the NABP license transfer process through your NABP e-Profile.
- Pass the Virginia MPJE (Virginia plans to move to the Uniform MPJE tentatively in fall 2026).
- Submit the online pharmacist application and pay the non-refundable fee.
- Pay the fees ($235 (Virginia pharmacist license initial application fee (18VAC110-21-20), non-refundable; active annual renewal is $120. Separate NABP eLTP fees ($300 + $100 per jurisdiction) and the MPJE exam fee apply.)) and allow Neither the Board FAQ nor the fee regulation states a processing time; add time for NABP license transfer review and MPJE scheduling.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Virginia accept a California pharmacist license?
A pharmacist license transfers from California to Virginia by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Virginia Board of Pharmacy (Department of Health Professions), verify your California license, and meet Virginia's endorsement requirements. NAPLEX is not retaken; the score and license history transfer via the NABP license transfer (e-Profile). Virginia requires passing the Virginia MPJE; the Board plans to transition to the Uniform MPJE (UMPJE) tentatively in fall 2026 (with at least 90 days notice) and will not issue a license on a UMPJE score earned elsewhere until it transitions..
Do I retake the NAPLEX moving from California to Virginia?
No — the NAPLEX is a one-time national exam that transfers with your record. NAPLEX is not retaken; the score and license history transfer via the NABP license transfer (e-Profile). Virginia requires passing the Virginia MPJE; the Board plans to transition to the Uniform MPJE (UMPJE) tentatively in fall 2026 (with at least 90 days notice) and will not issue a license on a UMPJE score earned elsewhere until it transitions..
What will the move to Virginia cost?
$235 (Virginia pharmacist license initial application fee (18VAC110-21-20), non-refundable; active annual renewal is $120. Separate NABP eLTP fees ($300 + $100 per jurisdiction) and the MPJE exam fee apply.) (Virginia pharmacist license initial application fee (18VAC110-21-20), non-refundable; active annual renewal is $120. Separate NABP eLTP fees ($300 + $100 per jurisdiction) and the MPJE exam fee apply.).
How long will licensing in Virginia take?
Neither the Board FAQ nor the fee regulation states a processing time; add time for NABP license transfer review and MPJE scheduling — Neither the Board FAQ nor the fee regulation states a processing time; add time for NABP license transfer review and MPJE scheduling.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- Virginia Administrative Code 18VAC110-21-20 (Fees) — pharmacist license $235, active renewal $120 ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Virginia Board of Pharmacy — FAQ (licensure by endorsement via NABP; Virginia MPJE to UMPJE transition, fall 2026) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NABP — Electronic Licensure Transfer Program (eLTP) ↗ (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)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
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