Upgrade Your Pharmacy Technician Trainee Registration to a Registered Pharmacy Technician

A Pharmacy Technician is an individual who is registered with Texas State Board of Pharmacy (TSBP) as a pharmacy technician and whose responsibility in a pharmacy is to provide technical services that do not require professional judgment regarding preparing and distributing drugs and who works under the direct supervision of and is responsible to a pharmacist. 
Pharmacy Technicians must first take and pass a national certification examination through Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) or Exam for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians (ExCPT).  The certification must be current (future expiration date).  See www.ptcb.org or www.nhanow.com/certifications/pharmacy-technician for certification information. 
If you have never had a technician trainee registration, refer to the “initial pharmacy technician” registration process at: http://www.pharmacy.texas.gov/regtech.asp  
All application fees are non-refundable – including applications made in error. 
To obtain an upgrade from a technician trainee to a technician, complete the following:

Step 1:  Log-in to your secure online account.   This should be the same information you used apply for technician trainee.

Step 2:  Click on your pharmacy registration number to the right of the page.  Select “upgrade to technician” hyperlink on left side of page.  Verify your address is correct (an address where you receive mail from the U.S. Postal Service, including apartment number).

Step 3:  Provide the PTCB or ExCPT number and expiration date.  The certification must be current (future expiration date).  See www.ptcb.org or www.nhanow.com for certification information.

Step 4:  Pay the application fee with MasterCard, Visa, Discover, or American Express

Step 5: Applicants are required to complete a fingerprint session, unless their Tech Trainee registration is currently active AND they were fingerprinted for TSBP after June 1, 2015.  The fee for fingerprinting is less than $50. Fingerprint session instructions will be sent to the applicant via email after the application has been received by the board.  For more information see FAQ for Fingerprinting.
Applicants (using an address) not located in Texas, will receive a packet in the mail with a fingerprint form and instructions sheet because the approved state vendor does not always allow a digital scan. The fingerprint packet is automatically mailed to the address provided on the application. Allow 2 to 3 weeks the packet to arrive via U.S. Postal Service.

If you have submitted an application and did not receive an auto response email, including fingerprint information with a copy of your application, contact the Board at (512) 305-8000.

Step 6:  :  Allow a minimum of three (3) weeks for registration to be issued (unless you have something on your background – refer to “Information Regarding Criminal History”).
Once an application is approved, a registration number is issued with ACTIVE status.  Do not perform technician trainee duties until the ACTIVE status and registration number is issued.
Once the registration has been issued, allow a minimum of 48 hours for a certificate to be available for online printing.  ACTIVE registrations are verifiable online at: http://www.pharmacy.texas.gov/dbsearch/tech_search.asp

Applicants are urged to refrain from contacting TSBP staff regarding open applications, especially if the application is not yet issued due to criminal history. Repeated attempts to reach staff further delays processing time. All “Yes” responses to Criminal Background Questions and any “Hits” of criminal history on your fingerprint results must be reviewed by an in-house enforcement officer. This review process may take several months. If you have nothing on your background, and it has been more than 4 weeks since you applied AND got fingerprinted, then perhaps you should contact TSBP staff.

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