Part III. Requirements for Renewal or Reinstatement of Licensure
18VAC110-21-110. Renewal and reinstatement of license.
A. Pharmacist licenses expire on December 31 and shall be renewed annually prior to that date by the submission of a renewal fee, renewal form, an e-profile number issued by NABP, and statement of compliance with continuing education requirements.
B. A pharmacist newly licensed on or after October 1 shall not be required to renew that license until December 31 of the following year.
C. A pharmacist who fails to renew his license by the expiration date may renew his license at any time within one year of its expiration by submission of the renewal fee and late fee, renewal form, and statement of compliance with continuing education requirements.
D. A pharmacist who fails to renew his license for more than one year following expiration and who wishes to reinstate such license shall submit an application for reinstatement, pay the current renewal fee and a reinstatement fee, and submit documentation showing compliance with continuing education requirements. Reinstatement is at the discretion of the board and may be granted by the executive director of the board provided no grounds exist to deny said reinstatement.
E. A pharmacist who has been registered as inactive for more than one year must apply for reactivation, submit documentation showing compliance with continuing education requirements, and pay the difference between the inactive fee and the current year active renewal fee in order to resume active licensure.
F. In order to reactivate or reinstate a license to active status, a pharmacist who holds an inactive license, who has allowed his license to lapse, or who has had his license suspended or revoked must submit evidence of completion of CEUs or hours equal to the requirements for the number of years in which his license has not been active, not to exceed a total of 60 hours of CE.
G. A pharmacist whose license has been lapsed, is in inactive status, or has been suspended or revoked for more than five years shall, as a condition of reinstatement or reactivation in addition to 60 hours CE, take and receive a passing score on the board-approved law examination and furnish acceptable documentation of one of the following:
1. Active pharmacy practice within the past five years as a properly licensed pharmacist in another state; or
2. Practical experience as a pharmacy intern registered with the board of at least 160 hours within six months immediately prior to being reinstated or reactivated.
H. The practice of pharmacy without a current, active pharmacist license is unlawful and shall constitute grounds for disciplinary action by the board.
Statutory Authority
§§ 54.1-2400 and 54.1-3307 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 36, Issue 6, eff. December 11, 2019.
18VAC110-21-120. Requirements for continuing education.
A. A pharmacist shall be required to have completed a minimum of 1.5 CEUs or 15 contact hours of continuing pharmacy education in an approved program for each annual renewal of licensure. CEUs or hours in excess of the number required for renewal may not be transferred or credited to another year.
B. A pharmacy education program approved for continuing pharmacy education is:
1. One that is approved by the ACPE;
2. One that is approved as a Category I continuing medical education course, the primary focus of which is pharmacy, pharmacology, or drug therapy; or
3. One that is approved by the board in accordance with the provisions of 18VAC110-21-130.
C. Of the 15 contact hours required for annual renewal, at least three hours shall be obtained in courses or programs that are live or real-time interactive. Included in the three hours, the following may be credited:
1. A maximum of one hour for attendance at a board meeting or formal hearing;
2. A maximum of one hour for serving as a preceptor for a pharmacy student or resident in an accredited school or program or for a foreign-trained student obtaining hours of practical experience; or
3. A maximum of two hours for the delivery of volunteer pharmacy services in accordance with provisions of subsection D of this section.
D. Up to two hours of the 15 hours required for annual renewal may be satisfied through delivery of pharmacy services as a pharmacist, without compensation, to low-income individuals receiving health services through a local health department or a free clinic organized in whole or primarily for the delivery of those services. One hour of continuing education may be credited for three hours of providing such volunteer services, as documented by the health department or free clinic.
E. The board may grant an extension pursuant to § 54.1-3314.1 E of the Code of Virginia. Any subsequent extension shall be granted only for good cause shown.
F. Pharmacists are required to attest to compliance with the CE requirements in a manner approved by the board at the time of their annual license renewal. Following each renewal period, the board may conduct an audit of the immediate past two years CE documents to verify compliance with the requirements. Pharmacists are required to maintain for two years following renewal the original certificates documenting successful completion of CE, showing the date and title of the CE program or activity, the number of CEUs or contact hours awarded, and a certifying signature or other certification of the approved provider. Pharmacists selected for audit must provide these original documents to the board by the deadline date specified by the board in the audit notice.
Statutory Authority
§§ 54.1-2400 and 54.1-3307 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 36, Issue 6, eff. December 11, 2019; amended, Virginia Register Volume 37, Issue 12, eff. March 18, 2021.
18VAC110-21-130. Approval of continuing education programs.
A. The board will approve without application or further review any program offered by an ACPE-approved provider and will accept for credit certificates bearing the official ACPE logo and program number.
B. The board may approve an individual CE program under the following provisions:
1. An approved individual program is a course, activity, or lecture that includes subject matter related to the competency of the practice of pharmacy and that has been approved for CE credit by the board.
2. In order to receive approval for an individual program, the sponsor or provider must apply prior to offering the program on a form provided by the board. The information that must be provided shall include:
a. Name of provider;
b. Location;
c. Date and time of program;
d. Charges to participants;
e. Description of program content and objectives;
f. Credentials of speaker or author;
g. Method of delivery;
h. Evaluation procedure;
i. Evidence of a post assessment;
j. Credits requested;
k. Mechanism for recordkeeping; and
l. Any such information as the board deems necessary to assure quality and compliance.
3. The sponsor applying for board approval of an individual program shall pay a fee as required in 18VAC110-21-20 C 5.
4. The board shall notify the provider or sponsor within 60 days following the receipt of a completed application of approval or disapproval of a program and the number of credits that may be awarded. The board shall also assign an expiration date for approval of the program not to exceed two years from the date of approval.
5. The provider of an approved program shall provide to each participant who completes the required hours and passes the post-test a certification with the name of the provider, name of the participant, description of course and method of delivery, number of hours credited, date of completion, and program identification number.
6. The provider of an approved program shall maintain all records on that program, program participants, and hours awarded for a period of five years and shall make those records available to the board upon request.
7. The board shall periodically review and monitor programs. The provider of a CE program shall waive registration fees for a representative of the board for that purpose.
8. Any changes in the information previously provided about an approved program or provider shall be submitted, or the board may withdraw its approval. If a provider wants to give a live program more than once, all program dates shall either be submitted on the original application or provided to the board in subsequent correspondence at least five days prior to giving the program.
Statutory Authority
§§ 54.1-2400 and 54.1-3307 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 36, Issue 6, eff. December 11, 2019.
18VAC110-21-135. Registration as a pharmacy technician trainee.
A. A person desiring to gain practical pharmacy experience toward completion of a pharmacy technician training program in Virginia shall first register with the board as a pharmacy technician trainee on a form provided by the board prior to engaging in the duties of a pharmacy technician pursuant to § 54.1-3321 of the Code of Virginia.
B. In order to be eligible to register as a pharmacy technician trainee, an applicant shall be enrolled in a pharmacy technician training program. An expiration date, not to exceed two years, shall be assigned to the registration to cover the estimated time period for the trainee to complete the practical pharmacy experience required for completion of the training program and pass the required examination. If the trainee is no longer enrolled in the training program, takes a voluntary break from the program, or is otherwise not actively progressing toward completion of such program, the registration is no longer valid and shall be returned to the board immediately.
C. A pharmacy technician trainee shall be directly monitored by a supervising pharmacist who holds a current active license and assumes full responsibility for the training and supervision of the trainee.
D. A pharmacy technician trainee shall notify the board in writing of any change in address of record within 14 days of such change.
Statutory Authority
§§ 54.1-2400 and 54.1-3307 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 39, Issue 7, eff. December 21, 2022.