How to Become a Pharmacy Technician in Texas
To become a pharmacy technician in Texas, have a high school diploma or GED (or be working toward one), register with the Texas State Board of Pharmacy as a pharmacy technician trainee ($55, valid two years, once only), complete the training your pharmacy's pharmacist-in-charge sets out, pass a Board-approved certification exam, then apply for your registration ($84 for two years). Every rule below is taken from the regulations themselves (22 TAC §297.3, §297.4, §297.6 and §297.8).
Updated October 2026 · Rules checked October 2026 · Sources: 22 TAC §297.3, §297.4, §297.6 and §297.8, IPEDS 2023–24, BLS May 2025
- Minimum training
- By programno fixed hours in the rules
- State license fee
- $84renewal $81 every 2 years
- Colleges with pharmacy tech programs
- 38IPEDS 2023–24
- Texas median pay
- $45,900$22.07/hr · BLS May 2025
What are the Texas pharmacy technician requirements?
| Credential | Pharmacy technician registration |
|---|---|
| Issued by | Texas State Board of Pharmacy |
| Who qualifies | A high school diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED), or working toward one for no more than two years |
| Before training | Register with the Board as a pharmacy technician trainee before you work in a pharmacy, including fingerprints for a criminal history check; you can register as a trainee only once, the registration cannot be renewed, and it expires after two years or when you become a registered pharmacy technician |
| Training | Complete the initial training your pharmacy's pharmacist-in-charge sets out in a training manual, with instruction in areas such as laws and rules, security and safety, drug orders and drug order preparation; the pharmacist-in-charge documents it and certifies that you are competent |
| Exam | Pass a pharmacy technician certification exam approved by the Board and keep a current certification, unless the Board grants you an exemption from certification |
| State fee | $84 initial registration fee (a two-year registration), plus the fingerprinting fees |
| Renewal | Every two years: the $81 renewal fee and 20 hours of continuing education (contact hours), including at least one hour on Texas pharmacy laws or rules, plus the human trafficking prevention course. No continuing education is due in your first registration period, and no more than 5 of the 20 hours may come from in-service training at work. A registration expired 90 days or less renews at one and one-half times the fee, and up to one year at two times the fee; after a year you must apply again as a new registrant |
From 22 TAC §297.3 (registration requirements), 22 TAC §297.4 (fees), 22 TAC §297.6 (training) and 22 TAC §297.8 (continuing education), read in October 2026. Rules change: confirm with the Texas State Board of Pharmacy before you apply.
Step 1: Check that you qualify
A high school diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED), or working toward one for no more than two years.
Step 2: Register before you train in a pharmacy
Register with the Board as a pharmacy technician trainee before you work in a pharmacy, including fingerprints for a criminal history check; you can register as a trainee only once, the registration cannot be renewed, and it expires after two years or when you become a registered pharmacy technician. Fee: $55. Plan your training and exam to fit inside the 2 years.
Step 3: Finish a pharmacy technician training program
Complete the initial training your pharmacy's pharmacist-in-charge sets out in a training manual, with instruction in areas such as laws and rules, security and safety, drug orders and drug order preparation; the pharmacist-in-charge documents it and certifies that you are competent.
38 colleges in Texas 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 Texas?
13 colleges report a price: $9,084 to $18,450, median $17,400 for tuition plus books and supplies (IPEDS 2023–24). More: how much pharmacy technician programs cost by state.
| College (lowest prices) | City | Price |
|---|---|---|
| CTK Healthcare & Career Institute | Irving | $9,084 |
| CCI Training Center-Arlington | Arlington | $9,985 |
| Northwest Educational Center | Houston | $10,700 |
| Southwest School of Business and Technical Careers-San Antonio | San Antonio | $14,850 |
| Pima Medical Institute-El Paso | El Paso | $17,019 |
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 Texas's biggest metro areas
- Pharmacy technician programs in Houston7
- Pharmacy technician programs in San Antonio6
- Pharmacy technician programs in Dallas5
- Pharmacy technician programs in McAllen4
- Pharmacy technician programs in Beaumont3
Step 4: Pass an approved certification exam
Pass a pharmacy technician certification exam approved by the Board and keep a current certification, unless the Board grants you an exemption from certification. Check that your exam is on the approved list before you register for it.
Step 5: Apply to the Texas State Board of Pharmacy
Send the Texas application with your current certification (or the Board's exemption) and your fingerprints for the criminal history check. Fee: $84 initial registration fee (a two-year registration), plus the fingerprinting fees.
Keep it current. Every two years: the $81 renewal fee and 20 hours of continuing education (contact hours), including at least one hour on Texas pharmacy laws or rules, plus the human trafficking prevention course. No continuing education is due in your first registration period, and no more than 5 of the 20 hours may come from in-service training at work. A registration expired 90 days or less renews at one and one-half times the fee, and up to one year at two times the fee; after a year you must apply again as a new registrant.
41,740 pharmacy technicians work in Texas. The median earns $45,900 a year; the top 10% earn $59,260 or more (BLS May 2025). Texas 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 Texas: FAQ
Do you need a license to be a pharmacy technician in Texas?
Yes: a pharmacy technician registration, issued by the Texas State Board of Pharmacy. Its requirements are in 22 TAC §297.3, §297.4, §297.6 and §297.8, summarized on this page.
Can you work in a pharmacy while you train in Texas?
Register with the Board as a pharmacy technician trainee before you work in a pharmacy, including fingerprints for a criminal history check; you can register as a trainee only once, the registration cannot be renewed, and it expires after two years or when you become a registered pharmacy technician. The fee is $55.
How many hours of training does Texas require?
The Texas rules set no fixed number of hours. Your training follows a training manual kept by your pharmacy's pharmacist-in-charge, with instruction in orientation, job descriptions, communication, laws and rules, security and safety, prescription drugs, drug orders and drug order preparation. A licensed nurse or physician assistant can skip parts of it by showing competency in a documented assessment.
Do you need to pass an exam in Texas?
Yes. Pass a pharmacy technician certification exam approved by the Board and keep a current certification, unless the Board grants you an exemption from certification.
How much does it cost to become a pharmacy technician in Texas?
State fees: $55 to register for training, then $84 initial registration fee (a two-year registration), plus the fingerprinting fees. 13 Texas colleges report a program price: $9,084 to $18,450, median $17,400 for tuition plus books and supplies (IPEDS 2023–24). The exam fee is extra.
How much do pharmacy technicians make in Texas?
The median Texas pharmacy technician earned $45,900 a year ($22.07 an hour) in BLS May 2025 data, above the U.S. median of $45,750. The middle half earned $37,730 to $48,960.