In California, pharmaceutical professions, including Pharmacy Technician, are regulated by the State Board of Pharmacy, a division of the Department of Consumer Affairs. There are actually three very different ways to obtain the necessary credentials to become a Pharmacy Technician in California. In this guide, we'll describe each of these processes to you and tell you how to both obtain and maintain in good standing your California Pharmacy Technician license.

Obtaining a License

What's the Difference between a Pharmacist and a Pharmacy Technician?

Before we go directly into the different methods of obtaining licensure, let's first discuss exactly what a Pharmacy Technician is and is not allowed to do. In other words, how is a Technician different from a Pharmacist? In fact, as a pharmacy technician, you'll be assisting directly with, if not performing entirely independently, some of the most vital pharmaceutical functions: conversing with both doctors and patients, dispensing medications, dealing with insurance companies, and ensuring patient compliance with medication regimes. Pharmacists, who are required to be educated in the actual chemistry and biology of medication, will give actual advice to patients with medication questions, take a larger role in ensuring safety, and prepare any custom medication orders. All pharmacy technicians must be supervised by a pharmacist, and the latter profession has significant education requirements.

The Steps to Become a Pharmaceutical Technician

With that out of the way, let's take a look at how to actually become a pharmacy technician. As mentioned, California provides three different ways, though each requires at least a GED or high school diploma. You must also be at least 18 years old to obtain a license.

• The first method is the most common and traditional: complete an educational program in pharmaceutical technology, which typically requires obtaining an Associate's Degree (though this is not strictly necessary). A list of these programs based in California can be found here. It's very important to note, though, that some pharmacies actually run accredited educational programs themselves, which can be a far cheaper and more interesting method of completing the educational requirements. Call around to your local pharmacies to find out more.

• The second is simply to become verified by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board. This also has a strong educational component, which can also be completed within a pharmacy. Because the PTCB is a national organization, though, it is an efficient way to be able to obtain a license easily in any state, including California.

• If you have been trained in pharmaceutical tech by a branch of the armed forces, California will also license you. In essence, if this applies to you, you'll know – at some point during your service you'll have obtained form DD214, which you can then provide to CA along with your application to become certified.

Once you've successfully completed one of the above three methods, it's time to complete an application! You can find that application here, and it provides some more procedural details. The cost of the application is 105 dollars, and you will be asked to submit your proof of method completion. There is also a mandatory fingerprinting, which can be completed either through the Live Scan program or the California government, for a fee of 49 dollars. The application will take at least 90 days to process. After 90 days, you may contact the Board to inquire about your application's status.

Maintaining a License

Unlike in many states, California pharmacist licenses (including tech licenses) do not all expire on the same day. Rather, you will be given a unique expiration date when you obtain your license. Expiration occurs every two years. Renewal can be completed online for a fee of 130 dollars. Pharmaceutical technicians do not have any mandatory continuing education requirements. You can begin the renewal process online by clicking this link.

All disciplinary proceedings and so-called “enforcement actions” are handled directly by the Board of Pharmacy. These actions can be begun by a complaint by a member of the public, or be initiated by the Board itself if it sees any “red flags” in your record. The Board reserves the right to suspend your license, revoke it, or issue a public reprimand, and in some cases can refer cases to appropriate legal authorities for further prosecution. A detailed guide to the complaint process, including an outline of what constitutes pharmaceutical misconduct, is available here.

Note that California, due to a law passed in 2012, has the ability to either deny or suspend a license of any kind, including pharmacy technician, due to certain unpaid taxes. If you believe yourself to be behind on your taxes, click here to learn a bit more about whether this law effects you.