Why was my license issued for only 30 days?

The Texas State Board of Pharmacy (TSBP) follows the initial pharmacist licensing procedure outlined in Board rule 283.9.

Once an applicant has successfully completed the requirements of licensure, the applicant will be notified a license number has been issued. The notice letter, which is mailed to the pharmacist, will serve as authorization for the person to practice pharmacy in Texas for a period of 30 days from the date of the notice letter.

During the first 30 days of licensure, the pharmacist completes an initial license application and pays a prorated initial license fee as specified in Board rule 295.5. The fee is prorated based on the length of the initial license period, which can range from 18 to 30 months, with the expiration date being in the birth month of the pharmacist.

If the initial renewal application and fee are not received by the board within 30 days from the date of the notice letter, the status of the person's license to practice pharmacy will change to delinquent. A person may not practice pharmacy with a delinquent or expired license.

A delinquent fee will be applied to the renewal fee if the license is not renewed by the expiration date. A second delinquent fee will be applied to the renewal fee in 90 days from the expiration date, if the license is not renewed. The status of the license will change to expired if the license is not renewed in one year from the expiration date. A person with an expired license may not practice pharmacy, and he or she will be required to apply for a new license.

Why is the new license expiration date not in two years?

During the first 30 days of licensure, a pharmacist must renew the license to extend the expiration date to one in the future in the birth month of the pharmacist. The initial renewal fee is prorated, based on the time period until the next expiration date, which depends on the date of licensure and the birth month of the pharmacist.

The following example will show you the process for renewal at the 30-day mark, initial renewal, and subsequent regular renewals. In this example, this pharmacist was licensed in October 2022 and has a birth month of March:

First (30-day) Renewal:

A pharmacist license is issued on October 13, 2022 with an expiration date of November 12, 2022. This is a period of 30 days.

To renew, the pharmacist submits an initial renewal application online and pays a prorated fee. The pharmacist is exempt from CE requirements for this 30-day renewal period.

Second (Initial) Renewal:

The new expiration date following the 30-day renewal is March 31, 2025, and the pharmacist must renew their license again by that date. Per Board rule 295.8, this is technically known as the initial license period.

Before March 31, 2025, the pharmacist is still exempt from most CE requirements, but must meet certain legislatively mandated CE requirements*, submit a renewal application online, and pay a two-year fee.

*Information regarding the legislatively mandated CE requirements for the initial license period are mentioned below. They can also be found in this single-page summary and in more detail on our pharmacist CE FAQ page.

Subsequent (Regular) Renewals:

The new expiration date following the March 2025 renewal will be March 31, 2027. To renew with an active status in 2027, all CE requirements of Rule 295.8 must be met in the license period and reported on the March 2027 renewal application.

This and all future renewals will be due every two years by the end of March (i.e., the example pharmacist's birth month).

Do I need CE for this 30-day period?

No, you will not need to meet any CE requirements within the first thirty days of licensure.

Do I need CE for my initial license period (after the 30-day renewal)?

A newly licensed Texas pharmacist is exempt from most of the CE requirements of Board rule 295.8 during the initial license period, but will have to meet certain legislatively mandated requirements.

See the Continuing Education — Pharmacists page for details about what CE is required for newly licensed pharmacists.

For clarification, here is the definition of your initial license period (Board rule 295.8):

Initial license period--The time period between the date of issuance of a pharmacist's license and the next expiration date following the initial 30-day expiration date. This time period ranges from eighteen to thirty months depending upon the birth month of the licensee.

Where do I complete and pay for my initial renewal application?

You can access your online account here. The online system requires use of a computer or a laptop using a compatible browser version as indicated on the login page.

Your TSBP online account is the same account you used to apply for a pharmacist license. When logged into your online account, you should see your license information on the right side of the Quick Start Menu. Select the option to renew your initial license. This will direct you to the online initial renewal application.

Don't see your license number information when logged into your account? Contact the Online Help desk to update your account information, since you may have two online accounts using different email addresses. If you receive an error message indicating your license is linked to another user id, you may have two online accounts, and this will require email assistance of the Online Help Desk at https://licsys.hpc.texas.gov/contact/.

When do I receive a renewal certificate/pocket card for my license, and the large wall certificate?

In two business days following the completion of your initial renewal application and payment of the fee, you will be able to print a renewal certificate/pocket card from the online certificate printing section on the TSBP website at https://www.pharmacy.texas.gov/certificates/printing/.

In approximately four to six months from the date of licensure, a large wall certificate will be mailed to a pharmacist at the home address on file with TSBP. Maintain a current home address with TSBP and update the address through your online account if needed.