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USA · Exams · Licensing exams

NAPLEX and MPJE (pharmacist licensing exams)

Pharmacists pass two NABP exams for a license: the NAPLEX on general practice (225 questions in 6 hours) and a law exam, either the state's MPJE or, in adopting states, the Uniform MPJE (120 questions in 2.5 hours). Both are reported pass or fail.

NAPLEX225 Qs6 hours
MPJE / UMPJE120 Qs2.5 hours
Results14 daysBusiness days, pass/fail
NAPLEX attempts5Max 3 in 12 months
Test datesFees and fee helpOfficial practicePharmacy license steps

Made by National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP). Who: Pharm.D. graduates and FPGEC-certified foreign-educated pharmacists. Checked on the owner's own pages, 21 Oct 2026.

Who takes it

  • Recent pharmacy graduates take the NAPLEX shortly after their degree; foreign-educated pharmacists take it after earning FPGEC Certification.
    NABP
    NAPLEX: who takes it and how to apply (score transfer $105)National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP)
    Checked
    21 Oct 2026
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  • Apply in the Exam Services section of your NABP e-Profile and pay; your school sends an official transcript. NABP itself confirms eligibility, for an extra $85, for Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, D.C., Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Nebraska, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Utah and Wisconsin; other boards confirm it themselves.
    NABP
    NAPLEX: who takes it and how to apply (score transfer $105)National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP)
    Checked
    21 Oct 2026
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  • The UMPJE is open to ACPE-accredited graduates, FPGEC-certified pharmacists and licensed pharmacists transferring a license.
    NABP
    UMPJE Participating States (start and MPJE retirement dates)National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP)
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    21 Oct 2026
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Format and sections

ExamQuestionsTimeDelivery
NAPLEX: general pharmacy practice2256 hoursComputer, fixed form
NABP
NAPLEX Test Day Information (6 hours, 225 questions, attempt limits)National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP)
Checked
21 Oct 2026
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MPJE: one state's laws plus federal law1202.5 hoursComputer adaptive
NABP
MPJE/UMPJE Test Day Information (2.5 hours, 120 questions, attempts)National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP)
Checked
21 Oct 2026
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UMPJE: law principles shared by most states plus federal law1202.5 hoursComputer adaptive
NABP
MPJE/UMPJE Test Day Information (2.5 hours, 120 questions, attempts)National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP)
Checked
21 Oct 2026
View source

Source:

NABP
MPJE/UMPJE Test Day Information (2.5 hours, 120 questions, attempts)National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP)
Checked
21 Oct 2026
View source

  • The Uniform MPJE launched in 2026 for jurisdictions that adopt it; the MPJE stays state-specific elsewhere.
    NABP
    MPJE and Uniform MPJE (UMPJE)National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP)
    Checked
    21 Oct 2026
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Scoring

  • Results are pass or fail, posted in your NABP e-Profile within 14 business days for most boards; a failed exam comes with a performance report.
    NABP
    NAPLEX Results (pass/fail within 14 business days)National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP)
    Checked
    21 Oct 2026
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  • Attempts: NAPLEX 5 in total and no more than 3 in 12 months; MPJE 5 per jurisdiction; UMPJE 5 in total.
    NABP
    MPJE/UMPJE Test Day Information (2.5 hours, 120 questions, attempts)National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP)
    Checked
    21 Oct 2026
    View source
  • A pass is not a license: only boards of pharmacy issue licenses.
    NABP
    NAPLEX Results (pass/fail within 14 business days)National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP)
    Checked
    21 Oct 2026
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Fees and fee waivers

  • NAPLEX score transfer to other boards: $105 per jurisdiction, within 89 days after the exam. MPJE scores cannot be transferred.
    NABP
    NAPLEX: who takes it and how to apply (score transfer $105)National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP)
    Checked
    21 Oct 2026
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  • NABP's exam pages do not print the exam fees; they are in the Candidate Application Bulletin, and NABP notes timelines and fees vary by jurisdiction. An armed forces discount is available.
    NABP
    NAPLEX: who takes it and how to apply (score transfer $105)National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP)
    Checked
    21 Oct 2026
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Test dates

  • No national dates: after you buy the exam you get an Authorization to Test by email, then schedule with Pearson.
    NABP
    NAPLEX: who takes it and how to apply (score transfer $105)National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP)
    Checked
    21 Oct 2026
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Where it is accepted

Jurisdictions using the Uniform MPJE:

NABP
UMPJE Participating States (start and MPJE retirement dates)National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP)
Checked
21 Oct 2026
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JurisdictionUMPJE startsMPJE retired
ArizonaApr 1, 2026Mar 31, 2026
FloridaJune 1, 2026May 31, 2026
IowaApr 1, 2026Mar 31, 2026
KansasApr 1, 2026Mar 31, 2027
MarylandJune 1, 2026May 31, 2027
MontanaJune 1, 2026May 31, 2026
NebraskaJune 1, 2026May 31, 2028
North CarolinaApr 1, 2026Mar 31, 2026
OhioApr 1, 2026Sept 30, 2026
Rhode IslandApr 1, 2026Mar 31, 2026
VirginiaSept 1, 2026Sept 30, 2026
WashingtonJuly 2, 2026Dec 29, 2026
West VirginiaJune 1, 2026Aug 1, 2026

Official practice

  • Pre-NAPLEX, NABP's official practice exam: 100 retired NAPLEX questions in 140 minutes with a scaled score (paid; up to two a year).
    NABP
    Pre-NAPLEX: the official NAPLEX practice examNational Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP)
    Checked
    21 Oct 2026
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Used by these careers and colleges

Careers on this site whose step-by-step roadmap includes this exam, and the license it leads to.

The license at the end of this route

Careers that need it

Sources

Where these facts come from

Official and primary sources only, each checked on the date shown. Rules on testing, aid, licensing and immigration change, so confirm a detail with its source before you rely on it.