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D.C. pharmacist license search Covers: Select the profession in DC Health’s public health-professional search.District of Columbia Board of Pharmacy
District of Columbia Pharmacy CE Requirements
District of Columbia pharmacists need 40 contact hours of continuing education every 2 years. 4 state-mandated topics may apply, depending on the license and practice.
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At a glance
District of Columbia pharmacy license renewal
| Licenses covered | Pharmacist (RPh) [1] |
|---|---|
| CE required for renewal | Yes [1] |
| Hours per CE period | 40 contact hours [1] |
| CE period | Every 2 years [2] |
| Renewal and reporting | Licenses expire on the last day of the licensee’s birth month in odd or even years matching the birth year. [1] |
| State-mandated topics | Medication and dispensing errors; LGBTQ cultural competency; Live continuing education; District public health priorities [1] |
This summary covers the licenses listed above. The topics below are selected verified requirements; consult the board’s full rules for all subjects and conditions.
State-mandated topics
- Medication and dispensing errors — 2 hours [1]
At least 2 hours must cover medication or dispensing errors.
- LGBTQ cultural competency — 2 hours [1]
At least 2 hours must cover cultural competency or specialized clinical training focused on LGBTQ patients or clients.
- Live continuing education — 10 hours [1]
At least 10 of the 40 contact hours must be obtained at live continuing education programs.
- District public health priorities — 4 hours [1]
At least 10% of the 40-hour pharmacist total must address public health priorities designated by the Director.
Rules change, and your own license record decides your deadline. Confirm with the District of Columbia Board of Pharmacy ↗ before you renew.
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Confirm your due date, complete the required education, and submit to the licensing authority.
Renewal Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Covers: District of Columbia Board of Pharmacy.Renewal at a glance
| Credential | Pharmacist |
|---|---|
| Renewal cycle | Renewed licenses and registrations expire on the last day of the birth month. [source] |
| Verified fees | A current fee has not been confirmed in this guide. Check the board’s fee schedule before paying. |
| Renewal application | Renewal Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) |
Fees can differ for active, inactive, late, and reinstatement applications. Your official license record controls your deadline.
Source review dates · 4 sources
Dates show when we retrieved the source pages. They do not certify a person’s license, guarantee a portal is online, or establish that every renewal rule was reviewed.
- Board of Pharmacy | Contact Your Board | NABP Retrieved Oct 13, 2026
- Mobile Online Services | dchealth Retrieved Oct 13, 2026
- Board of Pharmacy | dchealth Retrieved Oct 13, 2026
- 2025%20Pharmacist%20and%20Pharmacy%20Technician%20Renewals%20FAQ%20Final_1_0.pdf Retrieved Oct 13, 2026
Free continuing education
Free pharmacy CE
The District of Columbia Board of Pharmacy pages we checked do not name an accreditor we track, so we do not mark individual courses as accepted here. Check a course's approval against the board's rule before relying on it.
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More exam preparation for pharmacists →District of Columbia MPJE Pharmacy Jurisprudence
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These are exam-preparation resources, separate from continuing education credit. Exam registration fees and eligibility are set by the exam sponsor.
Questions
District of Columbia pharmacy CE, answered
How many CE hours do District of Columbia pharmacists need?
District of Columbia pharmacists need 40 contact hours of continuing education every 2 years. 4 state-mandated topics may apply, depending on the license and practice. Licenses expire on the last day of the licensee’s birth month in odd or even years matching the birth year.
Does District of Columbia require specific CE topics for pharmacists?
Medication and dispensing errors (2 hours): At least 2 hours must cover medication or dispensing errors. LGBTQ cultural competency (2 hours): At least 2 hours must cover cultural competency or specialized clinical training focused on LGBTQ patients or clients. Live continuing education (10 hours): At least 10 of the 40 contact hours must be obtained at live continuing education programs. District public health priorities (4 hours): At least 10% of the 40-hour pharmacist total must address public health priorities designated by the Director.
Do free online CE courses count in District of Columbia?
The board pages we checked do not say which providers are accepted. Confirm with the District of Columbia Board of Pharmacy.
Sources & verification
Every fact above links to the official page it comes from. We fetched each page on the date shown and confirmed the exact wording below appears on it.
- 2025%20Pharmacist%20and%20Pharmacy%20Technician%20Renewals%20FAQ%20Final_1_0.pdf ↗dchealth.dc.gov · PDF · Retrieved Oct 28, 2026
Quoted wording (8)
“gender identity and expression (“LGBTQ”) iii. A minimum of ten (10) contact hours of the required forty (40) continuing education credits shall be obtained by attendance at live continuing education programs iv. At least ten percent (10%) of the total required continuing education shall be in the subjects determined by the Director as public health priorities of the”
“gender identity and expression (“LGBTQ”) iii. A minimum of ten (10) contact hours of the required forty (40) continuing education credits shall be obtained by attendance at live continuing education programs iv. At least ten percent (10%) of the total required continuing education shall be in the subjects determined by the Director as public health priorities of the”
“gender identity and expression (“LGBTQ”) iii. A minimum of ten (10) contact hours of the required forty (40) continuing education credits shall be obtained by attendance at live continuing education programs iv. At least ten percent (10%) of the total required continuing education shall be in the subjects determined by the Director as public health priorities of the”
“expiration date? Beginning this renewal period, renewed licenses and registrations will now expire on the last day of your birth month. Furthermore, the expiration date will coincide with your birth year. If your birth year falls in an odd year, your license will expire in the next odd year. Similarly,”
“For Pharmacists (40 hours) i. At least two (2) hours in medication/dispensing errors ii. At least two (2) hours in cultural competency or specialized clinical training focusing on patients or clients who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, gender non-conforming, queer, or question their sexual orientation or gender identity and expression (“LGBTQ”) iii. A minimum of ten (10) contact hours of the required forty (40) continuing education credits shall be obtained by attendance at live continuing education programs iv. At least ten percent (10%) of the total required continuing education shall be in the subjects determined by the Director as public health priorities of the District every five (5) years or less frequently, as deeme”
“For Pharmacists (40 hours) i. At least two (2) hours in medication/dispensing errors ii. At least two (2) hours in cultural competency or specialized clinical training focusing on patients or clients who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, gender non-conforming, queer, or question their sexual orientation or gender identity and expression (“LGBTQ”) iii. A minimum of ten (10) contact hours of the required forty (40) continuing education credits shall be obtained by attendance at live continuing education programs iv. At least ten percent (10%) of the total required continuing education shall be in the subjects determined by the Director as public health priorities of the District every five (5) years or less frequently, as deeme”
“A minimum of ten (10) contact hours of the required forty (40) continuing education credits shall be obtained by attendance at live continuing education programs iv. At least ten percent (10%) of the total required continuing education shall be in the subjects determined by the Director as public health priorities of the District every five (5) years or less frequently, as deemed appropriate by the Director Public Health Priorities Link For Pharmacy Technicians (20 hours) i. At least two (2) con”
“At least ten percent (10%) of the total required continuing education shall be in the subjects determined by the Director as public health priorities of the District every five (5) years or less frequently, as deemed appropriate by the Director Public Health Priorities Link For Pharmacy Technicians (20 hours) i. At least two (2) contact hours of continuing education credit in pharmacy law ii. At least two (2) contact hours in medication safety iii. At least two (2) hours in cultural competency or specialized clinical training focusing on patients or clients who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexu”
- Board of Pharmacy | dchealth ↗dchealth.dc.gov · HTML · Retrieved Oct 28, 2026
Quoted wording (1)
“Education (CE) requirements for licensees who have received less than two (2) years on their license term during this transition period. This applies only to this one‑time transition into the birth‑month renewal cycle. License holders are still responsible for the two”