Pharmacy License from Texas to Tennessee: Does It Transfer? (2026)
Last verified: 2026-07-21 · source: Tennessee Board of Pharmacy ↗
A pharmacist license transfers from Texas to Tennessee by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Tennessee Board of Pharmacy, verify your Texas 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 Texas 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 Texas 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, Texas → Tennessee
| Texas (current) | Tennessee (destination) | |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | $255 (Texas reciprocity application fee $255 paid to TSBP; the NABP Licensure Transfer/eLTP fees ($300 application + $100 per jurisdiction, 2026-07-21) and the MPJE exam fee are separate and paid to NABP) | $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 | ~8 weeks (TSBP advises allowing at least 8 weeks to review the application and supplemental documents (older reciprocity instructions stated 6 weeks); excludes NABP preliminary/eLTP processing (~4-6 weeks) and MPJE result reporting (~3 weeks); licenses are issued weekly, generally on Fridays) | 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 | Texas 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 Texas pharmacist license?
A pharmacist license transfers from Texas to Tennessee by endorsement — there is no automatic reciprocity, but you do not start over. Apply to the Tennessee Board of Pharmacy, verify your Texas 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 Texas 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)
- Texas State Board of Pharmacy — Apply: Reciprocity ↗ (accessed 2026-07-21)
- Texas State Board of Pharmacy — Instructions and Requirements for Licensure by Reciprocity (LIC-014) ↗ (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]