Pharmacy License from Montana to California: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: California State Board of Pharmacy ↗
No — California has no reciprocity or endorsement path for Montana pharmacist license holders. You must apply to the California State Board of Pharmacy as a new applicant and meet California's full licensing requirements, including its exams.
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Verdict
Full re-application
There is no eLTP transfer into California: it does not participate in the program, so your Montana license cannot be forwarded the standard way. You license through the California State Board of Pharmacy on its own terms. California grants no licensure by reciprocity/endorsement and does not accept the eLTP as a licensure pathway. A pharmacist licensed elsewhere transfers only their NAPLEX record to California through the NABP (score transfer or licensure-transfer application); a NAPLEX passed on or after January 1, 2004 need not be retaken. The applicant must still qualify as a new applicant and pass the California Practice Standards and Jurisprudence Examination for Pharmacists (CPJE). The MPJE/UMPJE is not accepted (up to four CPJE attempts before additional coursework is required).. Treat this as California's own licensure process rather than a transfer — the examination and practice-experience hours are the timeline drivers, not the paperwork, so budget months and start early.
What changes, Montana → California
| Montana (current) | California (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | $180 (Montana '$180 License Transfer/Credential Application Fee' paid through the online portal; the $70 Montana application fee applies to the examination path, not to transfer; separate NABP e-LTP fees apply ($300 application + $100 per jurisdiction) plus the UMPJE/MPJE exam fee paid to NABP (Montana lists a $25 law-exam 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.) |
| Processing time | Montana board does not publish a processing-time estimate for license transfer; the board makes the applicant eligible to test through NABP after the e-LTP application is received | 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).) |
| Licensing authority | Montana Board of Pharmacy | California State Board of Pharmacy |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — California sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Review California's initial-licensure requirements on the California State Board of Pharmacy website (linked below).
- Expect to meet California's education/experience requirements and pass its required exams — prior out-of-state licensure may still count toward experience.
- Submit the standard (new applicant) application with fees ($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.)).
- Allow 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 links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does California accept a Montana pharmacist license?
No — California has no reciprocity or endorsement path for Montana pharmacist license holders. You must apply to the California State Board of Pharmacy as a new applicant and meet California's full licensing requirements, including its exams.
Do I retake the NAPLEX moving from Montana to California?
No — the NAPLEX is a one-time national exam that transfers with your record. California grants no licensure by reciprocity/endorsement and does not accept the eLTP as a licensure pathway. A pharmacist licensed elsewhere transfers only their NAPLEX record to California through the NABP (score transfer or licensure-transfer application); a NAPLEX passed on or after January 1, 2004 need not be retaken. The applicant must still qualify as a new applicant and pass the California Practice Standards and Jurisprudence Examination for Pharmacists (CPJE). The MPJE/UMPJE is not accepted (up to four CPJE attempts before additional coursework is required)..
What will the move to California cost?
$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.) (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.).
How long will licensing in California take?
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).) — Board advises allowing 45 days to process the application; excludes CPJE scheduling and fingerprint-card clearance (fingerprint cards take about six weeks)..
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 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)
- Montana Board of Pharmacy — Pharmacist license information (fees, transfer path) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Montana Board of Pharmacy — Pharmacist Licensing Requirements and Application Checklist ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NABP — Uniform MPJE Participating States ↗ (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]