Pharmacy License from Pennsylvania to Montana: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Montana Board of Pharmacy ↗
A pharmacist license transfers from Pennsylvania to Montana by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Montana Board of Pharmacy, verify your Pennsylvania license, and meet Montana's endorsement requirements. NAPLEX is not retaken; license history transfers via the NABP e-LTP. Montana requires passing its NABP-administered pharmacy law exam; Montana transitioned to the Uniform MPJE (UMPJE) effective June 1, 2026 (the legacy Montana MPJE retired May 31, 2026), so transfer applicants now sit the UMPJE..
Verify this exact pair in the checker
Same data, interactive — with share link and board links.
Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Your Pennsylvania license transfers into Montana through the NABP Electronic Licensure Transfer Program — NABP forwards your license and NAPLEX history to the Montana Board of Pharmacy — but Montana gates the license behind its own pharmacy-law exam. NAPLEX is not retaken; license history transfers via the NABP e-LTP. Montana requires passing its NABP-administered pharmacy law exam; Montana transitioned to the Uniform MPJE (UMPJE) effective June 1, 2026 (the legacy Montana MPJE retired May 31, 2026), so transfer applicants now sit the UMPJE.. Coming from Pennsylvania neither speeds this up nor slows it down; the eLTP is origin-neutral, so the timeline below is Montana's standard out-of-state queue. Open the e-Profile transfer and book the law exam as early as Montana allows.
What changes, Pennsylvania → Montana
| Pennsylvania (current) | Montana (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | $45 (Pennsylvania reciprocity application fee paid on PALS; separate NABP eLTP fees apply ($300 application + $100 per jurisdiction) plus the MPJE exam fee. Foreign pharmacy graduates additionally need FPGEC certification) | $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)) |
| Processing time | Board does not publish a fixed timeline; applications are processed in the order received, and supporting documents (FBI check within 180 days; others under six months) must be current when submitted | 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 |
| Licensing authority | Pennsylvania State Board of Pharmacy | Montana Board of Pharmacy |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Montana sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Montana's current requirements on the Montana Board of Pharmacy website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Montana Board of Pharmacy (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- Apply for licensure transfer through the NABP Electronic Licensure Transfer Program (e-LTP).
- Register with NABP for and pass the Montana pharmacy law exam (UMPJE as of June 1, 2026).
- Provide verification of all professional licenses ever held (waived for licenses NABP verifies via e-LTP).
- Pay the fees ($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))) and allow 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.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Montana accept a Pennsylvania pharmacist license?
A pharmacist license transfers from Pennsylvania to Montana by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Montana Board of Pharmacy, verify your Pennsylvania license, and meet Montana's endorsement requirements. NAPLEX is not retaken; license history transfers via the NABP e-LTP. Montana requires passing its NABP-administered pharmacy law exam; Montana transitioned to the Uniform MPJE (UMPJE) effective June 1, 2026 (the legacy Montana MPJE retired May 31, 2026), so transfer applicants now sit the UMPJE..
Do I retake the NAPLEX moving from Pennsylvania to Montana?
No — the NAPLEX is a one-time national exam that transfers with your record. NAPLEX is not retaken; license history transfers via the NABP e-LTP. Montana requires passing its NABP-administered pharmacy law exam; Montana transitioned to the Uniform MPJE (UMPJE) effective June 1, 2026 (the legacy Montana MPJE retired May 31, 2026), so transfer applicants now sit the UMPJE..
What will the move to Montana cost?
$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)) (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)).
How long will licensing in Montana take?
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 — 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.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 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)
- Pennsylvania State Board of Pharmacy — Reciprocal Licensure Instructions (PharmM) ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Pennsylvania Pharmacist Licensure Snapshot (Department of State) — $45 fee ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NABP — Electronic Licensure Transfer Program (eLTP) ↗ (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]