Pharmacy License from Pennsylvania to Tennessee: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Tennessee Board of Pharmacy ↗
A pharmacist license transfers from Pennsylvania to Tennessee by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Tennessee Board of Pharmacy, verify your Pennsylvania license, and meet Tennessee's endorsement requirements. NAPLEX is not retaken; the score and license history transfer via the NABP eLTP e-Profile. Tennessee requires passing the MPJE before the reciprocal license is granted. TN had not adopted the Uniform MPJE (UMPJE) as of 2026-07-21..
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Verdict
Licensure by endorsement
Your Pennsylvania license transfers into Tennessee through the NABP Electronic Licensure Transfer Program — NABP forwards your license and NAPLEX history to the Tennessee Board of Pharmacy — but Tennessee gates the license behind its own pharmacy-law exam. NAPLEX is not retaken; the score and license history transfer via the NABP eLTP e-Profile. Tennessee requires passing the MPJE before the reciprocal license is granted. TN had not adopted the Uniform MPJE (UMPJE) as of 2026-07-21.. Coming from Pennsylvania neither speeds this up nor slows it down; the eLTP is origin-neutral, so the timeline below is Tennessee's standard out-of-state queue. Open the e-Profile transfer and book the law exam as early as Tennessee allows.
What changes, Pennsylvania → Tennessee
| Pennsylvania (current) | Tennessee (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) | $485 (Tennessee reciprocal/license-transfer application fee $485 (non-refundable; paid by check or money order to the board — cannot be paid online); NABP eLTP fees ($300 application + $100 per jurisdiction, 2026-07-21) and the MPJE exam fee are separate) |
| 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 | Board does not publish a processing time; a deficiency letter is sent for any missing documents and applications expire 12 months from receipt; excludes NABP eLTP processing and MPJE scheduling |
| Licensing authority | Pennsylvania State Board of Pharmacy | Tennessee Board of Pharmacy |
The destination column is what you must satisfy — Tennessee sets the rules for this move.
Step by step
- Confirm Tennessee's current requirements on the Tennessee Board of Pharmacy website (linked below) — rules change.
- Submit the endorsement application to the Tennessee Board of Pharmacy (application linked below).
- Arrange license verification from your current state via the verification system.
- File only the NABP eLTP (License Transfer) application; do NOT submit the TN board pharmacist application.
- Pass the MPJE (register through NABP; Pearson VUE issues the Authorization to Test).
- Complete the Declaration of Citizenship form and the Mandatory Practitioner Profile Questionnaire.
- Criminal background check (instructions packet sent after the application is received).
- Pay the fees ($485 (Tennessee reciprocal/license-transfer application fee $485 (non-refundable; paid by check or money order to the board — cannot be paid online); NABP eLTP fees ($300 application + $100 per jurisdiction, 2026-07-21) and the MPJE exam fee are separate)) and allow Board does not publish a processing time; a deficiency letter is sent for any missing documents and applications expire 12 months from receipt; excludes NABP eLTP processing and MPJE scheduling.
Official links
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Does Tennessee accept a Pennsylvania pharmacist license?
A pharmacist license transfers from Pennsylvania to Tennessee by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Tennessee Board of Pharmacy, verify your Pennsylvania license, and meet Tennessee's endorsement requirements. NAPLEX is not retaken; the score and license history transfer via the NABP eLTP e-Profile. Tennessee requires passing the MPJE before the reciprocal license is granted. TN had not adopted the Uniform MPJE (UMPJE) as of 2026-07-21..
Do I retake the NAPLEX moving from Pennsylvania to Tennessee?
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 eLTP e-Profile. Tennessee requires passing the MPJE before the reciprocal license is granted. TN had not adopted the Uniform MPJE (UMPJE) as of 2026-07-21..
What will the move to Tennessee cost?
$485 (Tennessee reciprocal/license-transfer application fee $485 (non-refundable; paid by check or money order to the board — cannot be paid online); NABP eLTP fees ($300 application + $100 per jurisdiction, 2026-07-21) and the MPJE exam fee are separate) (Tennessee reciprocal/license-transfer application fee $485 (non-refundable; paid by check or money order to the board — cannot be paid online); NABP eLTP fees ($300 application + $100 per jurisdiction, 2026-07-21) and the MPJE exam fee are separate).
How long will licensing in Tennessee take?
Board does not publish a processing time; a deficiency letter is sent for any missing documents and applications expire 12 months from receipt; excludes NABP eLTP processing and MPJE scheduling — Board does not publish a processing time; a deficiency letter is sent for any missing documents and applications expire 12 months from receipt; excludes NABP eLTP processing and MPJE scheduling.
Sources
Primary sources only — official boards and compact commissions. Data last verified 2026-07-21.
- Tennessee Board of Pharmacy — Instructions for Obtaining a Reciprocal License ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- NABP — Electronic Licensure Transfer Program (eLTP) ↗ (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)
Reviewed by Billy Reiner, Editor · verified against primary sources 2026-07-21
How we verify · All sources · spot an error? [email protected]