Ariz. Admin. Code § 4-23-1102

Current through Register Vol. 30, No. 50, December 13, 2024

Section R4-23-1102 - Pharmacy Technician Licensure

A. License required. A person shall not work as a pharmacy technician in Arizona unless the person possesses a license issued by the Board. A licensed pharmacy technician shall maintain the certificate of licensure, which is in good standing, at the practice site for inspection by the Board or its designee or review by the public. A license issued by the Board is not transferable.

B. Eligibility. An applicant for licensure as a pharmacy technician, as defined at A.R.S. § 32-1901, shall provide the Board proof the applicant is eligible under A.R.S. § 32-1923.01(A), including documentation the applicant:

1. Passed a Board-approved pharmacy technician examination;

2. Passed the Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Equivalency Examination, if applicable; or

3. Graduated from a Board-approved pharmacy school.

C. Application.

1. An applicant for licensure as a pharmacy technician shall:

a. Submit a completed application electronically or manually on a form furnished by the Board, and

b. Submit with the application form:

i. The documents specified in the application form,

ii. The initial licensure fee specified in R4-23-205, and

iii. The wall license fee specified in R4-23-205.

2. The Board office shall deem an application form received on the date the Board office electronically or manually date-stamps the form.

D. Licensure.

1. If an applicant is found to be ineligible for pharmacy technician licensure under statute and rule, the Board office shall issue a written notice of denial to the applicant.

2. If an applicant is found to be eligible for pharmacy technician licensure under statute and rule, the Board office shall issue a certificate of licensure and a wall license. An applicant who is assigned a license number and granted "open" or "active" status on the Board's license verification site may begin practice as a pharmacy technician. An applicant shall not practice as a pharmacy technician if the Board's license verification site indicates any status other than "open" or "active."

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E. License renewal.

1. To renew a license, a pharmacy technician shall submit a completed license renewal application electronically or manually on a form furnished by the Board with the biennial renewal fee specified in R4-23-205.

2. If the biennial renewal fee is not paid by November 1 of the renewal year specified in A.R.S. § 32-1925, the pharmacy technician license is suspended and the licensee shall not practice as a pharmacy technician. The licensee shall pay a reinstatement penalty as provided in A.R.S. § 32-1925 and R4-23-205 to vacate the suspension.

3. Continuing education requirement. Under A.R.S. § 32-1925(H), continuing professional education is mandatory for a licensee.

a. The Board shall accept continuing education hours awarded only by an approved provider.

b. The Board shall not renew a pharmacy technician license unless the licensee successfully completes 20 continuing education hours during the two years since the licensee's last renewal date and attests to that on the biennial renewal form.

c. Special continuing education requirements. If applicable, during each two-year license period, a pharmacy technician:

i. Shall not administer a vaccine under R4-23-1104(B)(5) unless the pharmacy technician has successfully completed two continuing education hours relating to administration of vaccines; and

ii. As described under A.R.S. § 32-1925(H), shall successfully complete two continuing education hours regarding remote dispensing site pharmacy practices.

d. A pharmacy technician licensee is exempt from the continuing education requirement in subsection (E)(3)(b) between the time of initial licensure and first renewal.

e. A pharmacy technician licensee shall maintain for five years continuing education records that indicate the number of hours successfully completed and the approved provider of each continuing education. The pharmacy technician licensee shall make the records available to the Board on request.

f. The Board shall deem failure to comply with the continuing education requirements as unprofessional conduct and grounds for disciplinary action under A.R.S. § 32-1927.01.

g. A pharmacy technician who is aggrieved by a Board decision concerning continuing education may request a hearing before the Board.

F. Delinquent license for five or more consecutive years. The Board shall reinstate a delinquent Arizona pharmacy technician license only if the individual furnishes satisfactory proof of fitness to be licensed as a pharmacy technician and pays all fees for the two most recent renewal periods and penalty fees. Satisfactory proof includes:

1. For an individual who is practicing as a pharmacy technician out-of-state with a pharmacy technician license issued by another jurisdiction:

a. Proof of current, unrestricted pharmacy technician licensure in another jurisdiction; and

b. Proof of employment as a pharmacy technician during the last 12 months; or

2. For an individual who did not practice as a pharmacy technician within the last 12 months:

a. Take and pass a Board-approved pharmacy technician examination, and

b. Complete 20 continuing education hours.

G. Time frames for pharmacy technician licensure and license renewal. The Board office shall follow the time frames established in R4-23-202(F).

H. Verification of license. A pharmacy permittee or pharmacist-in-charge shall not allow a person to practice as a pharmacy technician until the pharmacy permittee or pharmacist-in-charge verifies the person is currently licensed by the Board as a pharmacy technician.

Ariz. Admin. Code § R4-23-1102

New Section made by final rulemaking at 10 A.A.R. 1192, effective May 1, 2004 (Supp. 04-1). Amended by final rulemaking at 19 A.A.R. 102, effective March 10, 2013 (Supp. 13-1). Amended by final rulemaking at 19 A.A.R. 2911, effective November 10, 2013. Amended by final rulemaking at 25 A.A.R. 1015, effective 6/1/2019. Amended by final rulemaking at 30 A.A.R. 3095, effective 11/30/2024.