Pharmacy License from North Carolina to District of Columbia: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: District of Columbia Board of Pharmacy (DC Health, Health Regulation and Licensing Administration) ↗
A pharmacist license transfers from North Carolina to District of Columbia by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the District of Columbia Board of Pharmacy (DC Health, Health Regulation and Licensing Administration), verify your North Carolina license, and meet District of Columbia's endorsement requirements. NAPLEX is not retaken; license history transfers via the NABP eLTP. The District of Columbia requires passing the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination for the District of Columbia (MPJE) before the reciprocity license is granted..
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Your North Carolina license transfers into District of Columbia through the NABP Electronic Licensure Transfer Program — NABP forwards your license and NAPLEX history to the District of Columbia Board of Pharmacy (DC Health, Health Regulation and Licensing Administration) — but District of Columbia gates the license behind its own pharmacy-law exam. NAPLEX is not retaken; license history transfers via the NABP eLTP. The District of Columbia requires passing the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination for the District of Columbia (MPJE) before the reciprocity license is granted.. Coming from North Carolina neither speeds this up nor slows it down; the eLTP is origin-neutral, so the timeline below is District of Columbia's standard out-of-state queue. Open the e-Profile transfer and book the law exam as early as District of Columbia allows.
What changes, North Carolina → District of Columbia
| North Carolina (current) | District of Columbia (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | $600 (North Carolina reciprocity application fee, non-refundable/non-transferable. NABP eLTP fees ($300 application + $100 per jurisdiction) and the UMPJE exam fee are separate.) | $280 (District of Columbia application fee (non-refundable) per the DC Health Board of Pharmacy reciprocity checklist. Separate NABP eLTP fees apply ($300 application + $100 per jurisdiction) plus the MPJE exam fee.) |
| Processing time | ~2 weeks (Board allows ~10 business days to review the application; add 10 business days for each clarification request. Application expires one year from submission; excludes NABP eLTP review and exam scheduling.) | DC Health does not publish a stated processing time for pharmacist licensure by reciprocity on the checklist. |
| Licensing authority | North Carolina Board of Pharmacy | District of Columbia Board of Pharmacy (DC Health, Health Regulation and Licensing Administration) |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — District of Columbia sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm District of Columbia's current requirements on the District of Columbia Board of Pharmacy (DC Health, Health Regulation and Licensing Administration) website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the District of Columbia Board of Pharmacy (DC Health, Health Regulation and Licensing Administration) (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Complete the NABP Electronic Licensure Transfer application through NABP (eLTP).
- Pass the MPJE for the District of Columbia.
- Submit a criminal background check.
- Submit the completed online application with a passport photo, government-issued ID, and Social Security number or work-authorization proof.
- Pay the fees ($280 (District of Columbia application fee (non-refundable) per the DC Health Board of Pharmacy reciprocity checklist. Separate NABP eLTP fees apply ($300 application + $100 per jurisdiction) plus the MPJE exam fee.)) and allow DC Health does not publish a stated processing time for pharmacist licensure by reciprocity on the checklist..
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does District of Columbia accept a North Carolina pharmacist license?
A pharmacist license transfers from North Carolina to District of Columbia by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the District of Columbia Board of Pharmacy (DC Health, Health Regulation and Licensing Administration), verify your North Carolina license, and meet District of Columbia's endorsement requirements. NAPLEX is not retaken; license history transfers via the NABP eLTP. The District of Columbia requires passing the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination for the District of Columbia (MPJE) before the reciprocity license is granted..
Do I retake the NAPLEX moving from North Carolina to District of Columbia?
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. The District of Columbia requires passing the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination for the District of Columbia (MPJE) before the reciprocity license is granted..
What will the move to District of Columbia cost?
$280 (District of Columbia application fee (non-refundable) per the DC Health Board of Pharmacy reciprocity checklist. Separate NABP eLTP fees apply ($300 application + $100 per jurisdiction) plus the MPJE exam fee.) (District of Columbia application fee (non-refundable) per the DC Health Board of Pharmacy reciprocity checklist. Separate NABP eLTP fees apply ($300 application + $100 per jurisdiction) plus the MPJE exam fee.).
How long will licensing in District of Columbia take?
DC Health does not publish a stated processing time for pharmacist licensure by reciprocity on the checklist. — DC Health does not publish a stated processing time for pharmacist licensure by reciprocity on the checklist..
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- DC Health Board of Pharmacy — Pharmacist Licensure Checklist of Requirements (Reciprocity) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- DC Health — Board of Pharmacy ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NABP — Electronic Licensure Transfer Program (eLTP) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- North Carolina Board of Pharmacy — Licensure by Reciprocity (fee $600; UMPJE effective 2026-04-01; intern-hour and background-check rules) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NABP — General Requirements for Licensure Transfer (North Carolina: pass the UMPJE prior to submitting the transfer application) ↗ (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]