Do you have to keep your original state of licensure?

[vardenafil]

I graduated over 10 years ago from pharmacy school. I have licenses in 3 states. which makes it hard to keep up with all the CE's and not to mention the almost 200 dollars a pop every two years to keep my licenses active. I havent worked in my original state of licensure for almost 8 years now. I dont see myself ever going back. Im thinking of letting it go inactive. My current state has no rules against my original state going inactive. can i let it go inactive? i dont see myself ever moving out of state. but... whats the worst thing that will happen if in 10 years i want to move to a different state?

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[BenJammin]

I was under the impression that you had to keep your original license in order to qualify for reciprocity. How can you renew a reciprocity license if your original is expired?

 

[chuckle beast]

You need to keep your original license active. Or take the NAPLEX again and get a new original license in state you are currently practicing in.

 

[Protongenic]

My understanding is that most pharmacists always keep a "license by examination" active at all times. This is so that they may score-transfer their NAPLEX (and therefore, not having to re-take it again) at a later time, should they choose to practice in another state. Your current licenses are "safe" even if you inactivated all your licenses by examination, since well... you no longer need to score-transfer your NAPLEX to those states. In other words, you've already obtained your licenses.

There is no law to my knowledge that mandates keeping a license by examination active; however, in the event that you've inactivated all your licenses by examination and decided to move to another state, then you'll have to contact the board of pharmacy (BOP) for the state in which you wish to practice. If you meet the eligibility requirements of the BOP of that state, it will notify the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP), who will then provide you with an Authorization To Test for the NAPLEX and/or MPJE. So it's mostly a matter of preference--many people would avoid re-taking the NAPLEX if at all possible by keeping active at least one license by examination.

Check out the NABP Registration Bulletin for more details and fineprints.

Good luck!

 

[vardenafil]

thank guys. sounds like it may be cheaper just to keep my original license active.