Pharmacy License from California to Washington: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Washington State Pharmacy Quality Assurance Commission (Department of Health) ↗
A pharmacist license transfers from California to Washington by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Washington State Pharmacy Quality Assurance Commission (Department of Health), verify your California license, and meet Washington's endorsement requirements. NAPLEX is not retaken; the score and license history transfer via the NABP Electronic Licensure Transfer Program (e-LTP / e-Profile). Washington requires passing the state pharmacy-law exam: as of July 2, 2026 it accepts the Uniform MPJE (UMPJE) in addition to the MPJE, and the MPJE retires December 29, 2026..
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Your California license transfers into Washington through the NABP Electronic Licensure Transfer Program — NABP forwards your license and NAPLEX history to the Washington State Pharmacy Quality Assurance Commission (Department of Health) — but Washington gates the license behind its own pharmacy-law exam. NAPLEX is not retaken; the score and license history transfer via the NABP Electronic Licensure Transfer Program (e-LTP / e-Profile). Washington requires passing the state pharmacy-law exam: as of July 2, 2026 it accepts the Uniform MPJE (UMPJE) in addition to the MPJE, and the MPJE retires December 29, 2026.. Coming from California neither speeds this up nor slows it down; the eLTP is origin-neutral, so the timeline below is Washington's standard out-of-state queue. Open the e-Profile transfer and book the law exam as early as Washington 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 → Washington
| California (current) | Washington (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.) | $465 (Washington pharmacist license-by-transfer/reciprocity application fee (DOH), non-refundable. Separate NABP eLTP fees ($300 + $100 per jurisdiction) and the MPJE/UMPJE exam fee apply; the fingerprint background check is at the applicant's own expense.) |
| 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).) | Official DOH materials do not state an overall issuance timeframe; the NABP application is valid for one year from the date the department receives it |
| Licensing authority | California State Board of Pharmacy | Washington State Pharmacy Quality Assurance Commission (Department of Health) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Washington sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Washington's current requirements on the Washington State Pharmacy Quality Assurance Commission (Department of Health) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Washington State Pharmacy Quality Assurance Commission (Department of Health) (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Complete the NABP Electronic Licensure Transfer Program (e-LTP) application.
- Pass the Washington pharmacy-law exam (MPJE or, from July 2, 2026, the Uniform MPJE).
- Be a graduate of an accredited U.S. pharmacy school or college.
- Have each state where you hold or held a license submit a verification form to the Commission.
- Fingerprint-based state and federal criminal background check (at applicant's own expense).
- Pay the fees ($465 (Washington pharmacist license-by-transfer/reciprocity application fee (DOH), non-refundable. Separate NABP eLTP fees ($300 + $100 per jurisdiction) and the MPJE/UMPJE exam fee apply; the fingerprint background check is at the applicant's own expense.)) and allow Official DOH materials do not state an overall issuance timeframe; the NABP application is valid for one year from the date the department receives it.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Washington accept a California pharmacist license?
A pharmacist license transfers from California to Washington by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Washington State Pharmacy Quality Assurance Commission (Department of Health), verify your California license, and meet Washington's endorsement requirements. NAPLEX is not retaken; the score and license history transfer via the NABP Electronic Licensure Transfer Program (e-LTP / e-Profile). Washington requires passing the state pharmacy-law exam: as of July 2, 2026 it accepts the Uniform MPJE (UMPJE) in addition to the MPJE, and the MPJE retires December 29, 2026..
Do I retake the NAPLEX moving from California to Washington?
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 Electronic Licensure Transfer Program (e-LTP / e-Profile). Washington requires passing the state pharmacy-law exam: as of July 2, 2026 it accepts the Uniform MPJE (UMPJE) in addition to the MPJE, and the MPJE retires December 29, 2026..
What will the move to Washington cost?
$465 (Washington pharmacist license-by-transfer/reciprocity application fee (DOH), non-refundable. Separate NABP eLTP fees ($300 + $100 per jurisdiction) and the MPJE/UMPJE exam fee apply; the fingerprint background check is at the applicant's own expense.) (Washington pharmacist license-by-transfer/reciprocity application fee (DOH), non-refundable. Separate NABP eLTP fees ($300 + $100 per jurisdiction) and the MPJE/UMPJE exam fee apply; the fingerprint background check is at the applicant's own expense.).
How long will licensing in Washington take?
Official DOH materials do not state an overall issuance timeframe; the NABP application is valid for one year from the date the department receives it — Official DOH materials do not state an overall issuance timeframe; the NABP application is valid for one year from the date the department receives it.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- Washington DOH — Pharmacy Professions Licensing Information (reciprocity/transfer via e-LTP; MPJE; $465 transfer fee) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Washington DOH — Pharmacist License by Transfer/Reciprocity Application Packet (DOH 690-113, June 2026; UMPJE accepted from 2026-07-02, MPJE retires 2026-12-29) ↗ (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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