How to Become a Pharmacy Technician in California
To become a pharmacy technician in California, have a high school diploma or GED and qualify through one route: a Board-specified training course (an ASHP-accredited or military program, or a course of at least 240 hours), an associate degree in pharmacy technology, graduation from a school of pharmacy, or certification from the PTCB or the NHA. There is no trainee registration and no state exam: apply to the California State Board of Pharmacy ($120) and renew every two years ($150). Every rule below is taken from the regulations themselves (Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code §4115.5 and §4202; 16 CCR §1749, §1793.5, §1793.6 and §1793.65).
Updated October 2026 · Rules checked October 2026 · Sources: Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code §4115.5 and §4202; 16 CCR §1749, §1793.5, §1793.6 and §1793.65, IPEDS 2023–24, BLS May 2025
- Minimum training
- 240 hrsfor a course that is not ASHP or military
- State license fee
- $120renewal $150 every 2 years
- Colleges with pharmacy tech programs
- 64IPEDS 2023–24
- California median pay
- $55,110$26.50/hr · BLS May 2025
What are the California pharmacy technician requirements?
| Credential | Pharmacy technician license |
|---|---|
| Issued by | California State Board of Pharmacy |
| Who qualifies | A high school diploma or a general educational development (GED) certificate, plus any one of the four qualifying routes below |
| Before training | California has no trainee registration. If your training program includes an externship, you can train in a pharmacy as a pharmacy technician trainee under a pharmacist's direct supervision: 120 to 140 hours (up to 340 hours if you rotate between a community and a hospital pharmacy), no more than six consecutive months in a community pharmacy, finished while you are enrolled |
| Training | If you qualify through a training course, it must be one the Board specifies; any course work involving practical training, such as an externship, requires you to be at least 18 |
| Exam | California sets no state exam for pharmacy technicians. A Board-specified 240-hour course must end with a final examination, and the certification route requires certification from the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board or the National Healthcareer Association, whose Board approval runs through June 30, 2027 |
| State fee | $120 license fee, plus the fingerprint fee for the criminal background check |
| Renewal | Every two years: the $150 biennial renewal fee and proof that you completed at least one hour of a cultural competency course in the two years before you renew; the rules we read set no other continuing education hours for technicians. Renewing late adds a $75 penalty, and a license not renewed within 90 days of expiring is cancelled, so you would have to apply again |
From Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code §4115.5, §4202 and 16 CCR §1793.65 (Board of Pharmacy 2026 Lawbook), 16 CCR §1793.6 (training courses), 16 CCR §1793.5 (application), 16 CCR §1749 (fees) and Board of Pharmacy: Pharmacy Technician License, read in October 2026. Rules change: confirm with the California State Board of Pharmacy before you apply.
Step 1: Check that you qualify
A high school diploma or a general educational development (GED) certificate, plus any one of the four qualifying routes below.
- An associate degree in pharmacy technology
- A course of training specified by the Board (see Step 3)
- Graduation from a school of pharmacy recognized by the Board
- Certification from a certifying organization the Board approves: the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board or the National Healthcareer Association
Step 2: Line up an externship (optional)
California has no trainee registration. If your training program includes an externship, you can train in a pharmacy as a pharmacy technician trainee under a pharmacist's direct supervision: 120 to 140 hours (up to 340 hours if you rotate between a community and a hospital pharmacy), no more than six consecutive months in a community pharmacy, finished while you are enrolled.
Step 3: Finish a pharmacy technician training program
If you qualify through a training course, it must be one the Board specifies; any course work involving practical training, such as an externship, requires you to be at least 18.
The Board accepts any one of these as a course of training:
- A pharmacy technician training program accredited by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP)
- A pharmacy technician training program run by a branch of the U.S. armed services, if you hold its certificate of completion
- Any other course with at least 240 hours of instruction covering the Board's seven subject areas (practice settings; duties, ethics and law; terminology; dosage calculations; drug identification; dispensing; and packaging and labeling), ending with a final examination
64 colleges in California report pharmacy technician programs to the U.S. Department of Education; see them with costs and graduates. Pharmacies, hospitals and private schools outside that federal data also train pharmacy technicians, so check a program's approval before you pay.
What do college pharmacy technician programs charge in California?
30 colleges report a price: $2,062 to $27,470, median $18,491 for tuition plus books and supplies (IPEDS 2023–24). More: how much pharmacy technician programs cost by state.
| College (lowest prices) | City | Price |
|---|---|---|
| ABC Adult School | Cerritos | $2,062 |
| Contra Costa Medical Career College | Antioch | $4,227 |
| Downey Adult School | Downey | $5,861 |
| Riverside County Office of Education-School of Career Education | Riverside | $10,556 |
| Charles A Jones Career and Education Center | Sacramento | $11,207 |
Price = tuition plus books and supplies, self-reported by colleges for 2023–24; it covers the college's largest pharmacy technician program. Exam and state fees are extra.
Pharmacy technician programs in California's biggest metro areas
- Pharmacy technician programs in Los Angeles24
- Pharmacy technician programs in Riverside13
- Pharmacy technician programs in San Diego5
- Pharmacy technician programs in San Francisco4
- Pharmacy technician programs in Sacramento4
- Pharmacy technician programs in Fresno3
- Pharmacy technician programs in Bakersfield3
Step 4: Check whether your route needs an exam
California sets no state exam for pharmacy technicians. A Board-specified 240-hour course must end with a final examination, and the certification route requires certification from the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board or the National Healthcareer Association, whose Board approval runs through June 30, 2027.
Step 5: Apply to the California State Board of Pharmacy
Send the Board's pharmacy technician application with fingerprints for the criminal background check and a National Practitioner Data Bank self-query dated within 60 days. The Board tells you within 30 days if your application is missing anything, and decides within 60 days once it is complete. Fee: $120 license fee, plus the fingerprint fee for the criminal background check.
Keep it current. Every two years: the $150 biennial renewal fee and proof that you completed at least one hour of a cultural competency course in the two years before you renew; the rules we read set no other continuing education hours for technicians. Renewing late adds a $75 penalty, and a license not renewed within 90 days of expiring is cancelled, so you would have to apply again.
39,860 pharmacy technicians work in California. The median earns $55,110 a year; the top 10% earn $81,190 or more (BLS May 2025). California pharmacy technician pay by metro area.
How do other states compare?
| State | Training | While training | Fee | Colleges |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | Board-prescribed program | Trainee registration, 36 months | $72 | 13 |
| California | 240-hr course, ASHP or military program, degree, pharmacy school or certification | No registration; externship up to 6 months | $120 | 64 |
| Texas | Pharmacist-in-charge training manual | Trainee registration, 2 years | $84 | 38 |
| Washington | 800 hrs (school) or 520 hrs (on the job) | Pharmacy assistant + endorsement, 2 years | $140 | 10 |
Only states whose pharmacy technician rules we have read in full are listed. How to become a pharmacy technician: all states compared.
Becoming a pharmacy technician in California: FAQ
Do you need a license to be a pharmacy technician in California?
Yes: a pharmacy technician license, issued by the California State Board of Pharmacy. Its requirements are in Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code §4115.5 and §4202; 16 CCR §1749, §1793.5, §1793.6 and §1793.65, summarized on this page.
Can you work in a pharmacy while you train in California?
California has no trainee registration. If your training program includes an externship, you can train in a pharmacy as a pharmacy technician trainee under a pharmacist's direct supervision: 120 to 140 hours (up to 340 hours if you rotate between a community and a hospital pharmacy), no more than six consecutive months in a community pharmacy, finished while you are enrolled.
How many hours of training does California require?
It depends on your route. A Board-specified course that is not ASHP-accredited or military must give at least 240 hours of instruction; an externship, if your program includes one, runs 120 to 140 hours. An associate degree in pharmacy technology, a school of pharmacy or PTCB or NHA certification also qualifies you, with no separate hour count in these rules.
Do you need to pass an exam in California?
No. California sets no state exam for pharmacy technicians. A Board-specified 240-hour course must end with a final examination, and the certification route requires certification from the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board or the National Healthcareer Association.
How much does it cost to become a pharmacy technician in California?
State fees: $120 license fee, plus the fingerprint fee for the criminal background check. 30 California colleges report a program price: $2,062 to $27,470, median $18,491 for tuition plus books and supplies (IPEDS 2023–24). Any certification exam fee is extra.
How much do pharmacy technicians make in California?
The median California pharmacy technician earned $55,110 a year ($26.50 an hour) in BLS May 2025 data, above the U.S. median of $45,750. The middle half earned $46,430 to $65,590.