Part IV. Requirements for Pharmacy Technician Registration
18VAC110-21-140. Application for registration as a pharmacy technician .
A. Any person wishing to apply for registration as a pharmacy technician shall submit the application fee and an application on a form approved by the board.
B. To be registered as a pharmacy technician, an applicant shall provide evidence of the following:
1. Satisfactory completion of a board-approved training program; and
2. A passing score on a board-approved examination.
C. In lieu of the requirements of subsection B of this section, an applicant may provide evidence of current PTCB certification or NHA certification.
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 39, Issue 7, eff. December 21, 2022.
18VAC110-21-141. Requirements for pharmacy technician training .
A. Any person wishing to apply for registration as a pharmacy technician shall submit the application fee and an application on a form approved by the board.
B. To be registered as a pharmacy technician, an applicant shall provide evidence of the following:
1. Completion of a pharmacy technician training program that is:
a. Jointly accredited by the ASHP and ACPE;
b. An accredited training program operated through the Department of Education's Career and Technical Education Program;
c. Operated through a federal agency or branch of the military; or
d. Accredited by an accreditation body approved by the board.
2. Successfully having passed a national certification examination administered by PTCB or NHA.
C. A pharmacy technician who has previously practiced in another United States jurisdiction may be eligible to obtain registration as a pharmacy technician upon documentation of previous practice and having passed a national certification examination administered by PTCB or NHA.
D. A person who successfully completed or was enrolled in a board-approved pharmacy technician training program but did not successfully pass a national examination prior to July 1, 2022, may be eligible to obtain registration as a pharmacy technician after successfully passing a national certification examination administered by PTCB or NHA and submitting to the board documentation of such completion or enrollment in a board-approved pharmacy technician training program and passing examination score.
E. A person who passed a national certification examination administered by PTCB or NHA but did not complete a board-approved pharmacy technician training program prior to July 1, 2022, may be eligible to obtain registration as a pharmacy technician upon documentation of having passed such examination.
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.
18VAC110-21-150. Criteria for approval for training programs (Effective until July 1, 2022).
A. Any person wishing to apply for approval of a pharmacy technician training program shall submit the application fee, a sample certificate, and an application on a form approved by the board and meet the criteria established in this section.
B. The curriculum of a training program for pharmacy technicians shall include instruction in applicable current laws and regulations and in the tasks that may be performed by a pharmacy technician to include the following or any other task restricted to pharmacy technicians in regulation:
1. The entry of prescription information and drug history into a data system or other recordkeeping system;
2. The preparation of prescription labels or patient information;
3. The removal of the drug to be dispensed from inventory;
4. The counting, measuring, or compounding of the drug to be dispensed;
5. The packaging and labeling of the drug to be dispensed and the repackaging thereof;
6. The stocking or loading of automated dispensing devices or other devices used in the dispensing process; and
7. The acceptance of refill authorization from a prescriber or the prescriber's authorized agent provided there is no change to the original prescription.
C. Each program shall have a program director who shall be either (i) a pharmacist with a current license in any jurisdiction and who is not currently suspended or revoked in any jurisdiction in the United States; (ii) a pharmacy technician with at least one year of experience performing technician tasks who holds a current registration in Virginia or current PTCB certification and who is not currently suspended or revoked as a pharmacy technician in any jurisdiction; or (iii) other person approved and deemed qualified by the board to be a program director.
D. Instructors for the core components listed in subsection B of this section shall meet the requirements for the program director listed in subsection C of this section. The program director may serve as an instructor.
E. The length of the program shall be sufficient to prepare a program participant to sit for the board-approved examination and demonstrate entry-level competency.
F. The program shall maintain records of program participants either on site or at another location where the records are readily retrievable upon request for inspection. A program shall provide a certificate of completion, including the program approval number, to participants who successfully complete the program and provide verification of completion of the program for a participant upon request by the board. Records shall be maintained for two years from date of completion or termination of program.
G. The program shall report within 14 days any substantive change in the program to include a change in program name, program certificate, program director, instructors, name of institution or business if applicable, address, program content, length of program, or location of records.
H. A pharmacy technician training program approval expires after two years, after which the program may apply for renewal. For continued approval, the program shall submit the renewal application, renewal fee, and a self-evaluation report on a form provided by the board at the time of renewal notification. Renewal of a program's approval is at the discretion of the board, and the decision to renew shall be based on documentation of continued compliance with the criteria set forth in this section.
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 39, Issue 7, eff. December 21, 2022.
18VAC110-21-160. (Repealed.)
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 36, Issue 6, eff. December 11, 2019; repealed, Virginia Register Volume 39, Issue 7, eff. December 21, 2022.
18VAC110-21-170. Renewal and reinstatement of registration.
A. Pharmacy technician registrations expire on December 31 and shall be renewed annually prior to that date by the submission of a renewal fee, renewal form, and an e-profile number issued by NABP. A pharmacy technician newly registered on or after July 1 shall not be required to renew that registration until December 31 of the following year. Failure to receive the application for renewal shall not relieve the pharmacy technician of the responsibility for renewing the registration by the expiration date.
B. A pharmacy technician who fails to renew his registration by the expiration date may renew his registration at any time within one year of its expiration by submission of the renewal fee and late fee, renewal form, and attestation of having met the continuing education requirements.
C. A pharmacy technician who fails to renew his registration for more than one year following expiration and who wishes to reinstate such registration 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. Practicing as a pharmacy technician with a lapsed registration shall be illegal and may subject the registrant to disciplinary action by the board.
D. A person who fails to reinstate a pharmacy technician registration within five years of expiration shall:
1. Take and pass a national certification examination administered by PTCB or NHA, unless national certification is currently maintained;
2. Document completion of 20 hours of continuing education; and
3. Pay the current renewal fee and a reinstatement fee.
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 Volume 39, Issue 7, eff. December 21, 2022.
18VAC110-21-180. Requirements for continued competency.
A. A pharmacy technician shall be required to have completed a minimum of 0.5 CEUs or five contact hours of approved continuing education for each annual renewal of registration. Hours in excess of the number required for renewal may not be transferred or credited to another year.
B. An approved continuing education program shall meet the requirements as set forth in 18VAC110-21-120 B or 18VAC110-21-130 B.
C. Upon written request of a pharmacy technician, the board may grant an extension of up to one year in order for the pharmacy technician to fulfill the continuing education requirements for the period of time in question. The granting of an extension shall not relieve the pharmacy technician from complying with current year requirements. Any subsequent extension shall be granted for good cause shown.
D. Up to one hour of the five hours required for annual renewal may be satisfied through delivery of pharmacy services as a pharmacy technician, 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. Documentation showing successful completion of continuing education programs shall be maintained by the pharmacy technician for a period of two years following the renewal of his registration. The pharmacy technician shall provide such documentation to the board upon request in a manner to be determined 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; amended, Virginia Register Volume 39, Issue 7, eff. December 21, 2022.