Florida Pharmacist license renewal and CE requirements
Florida pharmacists must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Florida Board of Pharmacy (Department of Health, Division of Medical Quality Assurance).
Pharmacist licenses renew biennially and expire at midnight Eastern time on September 30 of odd numbered years; the current licenses expire September 30, 2027. The renew option appears in the MQA online account no later than 90 days before expiration. Continuing education must be reported to CE Broker before the renewal is submitted. A license not renewed by the expiration date goes delinquent, and a delinquent license that is not made clear and active or clear and inactive before the end of the following licensure cycle becomes null and void automatically.
Summary
Florida pharmacists must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Florida Board of Pharmacy (Department of Health, Division of Medical Quality Assurance). Pharmacist licenses renew biennially and expire at midnight Eastern time on September 30 of odd numbered years; the current licenses expire September 30, 2027. The renew option appears in the MQA online account no later than 90 days before expiration. Continuing education must be reported to CE Broker before the renewal is submitted. A license not renewed by the expiration date goes delinquent, and a delinquent license that is not made clear and active or clear and inactive before the end of the following licensure cycle becomes null and void automatically. Florida also mandates specific subjects. Medication errors: 2 contact hours every renewal cycle. Controlled substances: 2 contact hours every renewal cycle. HIV and AIDS: 1 contact hour at the first renewal only. Human trafficking: a one-time requirement of 1 contact hour. Safe and effective administration of vaccines and epinephrine autoinjection: 3 contact hours every renewal cycle (pharmacists certified to administer a vaccine or epinephrine autoinjection under section 465.189, F.S.). Collaborative pharmacy practice: 8 contact hours every renewal cycle (pharmacists holding a collaborative practice certification). Testing and treatment of minor, nonchronic health conditions: 3 contact hours every renewal cycle (pharmacists holding a test and treat certification).
Florida Pharmacist renewal and continuing education rules
"Not stated" means the board's pages and rules we read do not address it. We do not fill in typical values.
| Renewal cycle | Two-year (24 months) |
|---|---|
| Renewal deadline | Same date for every licensee, 09/30 each cycleFirst renewal is prorated. |
| Continuing education required | Yes |
| Hours per cycle | 30 contact hours |
| Self-study or online cap | No cap stated |
| Carryover to next cycle | Not stated |
| First renewal exempt | No |
| Other accepted activities | Attending a Board of Pharmacy meeting, 5 hours per meeting, maximum 10 hours per biennium; Serving as a Board of Pharmacy member, 5 hours, maximum 10 hours per biennium; Volunteer services to the indigent under section 456.013(9), F.S., up to 5 hours; Post professional degree programs at accredited colleges or schools of pharmacy, 5 hours per semester hour completed in the 24 months before the license expiration date; Post graduate studies, institutes, seminars, lectures, conferences, workshops, correspondence courses and other educational opportunities that advance the practice of pharmacy, if approved by the board on application at least 45 days before the course date |
Section 465.009(1), F.S. requires not less than 30 hours of continuing professional pharmaceutical education in board approved courses during the 2 years before the renewal application. The board's renewal page breaks the 30 into 26 general hours, which may be ACPE or board approved, plus 2 hours on controlled substances and 2 hours on medication errors, both of which must be board approved. The first biennium is reduced: if the first renewal falls 12 months or more after initial licensure the requirement is 15 hours including 2 hours medication errors, 2 hours controlled substances and 1 hour HIV and AIDS; if it falls less than 12 months after licensure only those 5 subject hours are required (1 hour HIV and AIDS, 2 hours medication errors, 2 hours controlled substances). Section 465.009(3), F.S. gives the department authority to reduce hours on initial licensure, and 465.009(4) allows an exception in an emergency or hardship case. The board states no live or in person minimum and no home study cap for pharmacists, and no carryover provision. Florida counts hours, not CEUs. Consultant pharmacist and nuclear pharmacist are separate Florida licenses with their own renewal dates and their own 24 hour requirements; hours used for a consultant pharmacist renewal cannot also count toward the pharmacist's 30, and the same one way rule applies to nuclear pharmacist hours.
Required CE topics for Florida pharmacists
State-specific subject mandates. Where a mandate applies only to some licensees, the scope is listed.
| Topic | Hours | Frequency | Applies to | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medication errorsTwo hours inside the 30, and the course must be board approved rather than merely ACPE accredited. Section 456.013(7), F.S. requires a 2 hour medical errors prevention course covering root cause analysis, error reduction and prevention, and patient safety at every biennial renewal, and states that it counts toward the profession's total. | 2 contact hours | Every renewal | All licensees | Section 456.013(7), F.S.; Rule 64B16-26.103, F.A.C. |
| Controlled substancesTwo hours inside the 30, and the course must be board approved rather than merely ACPE accredited. | 2 contact hours | Every renewal | All licensees | Rule 64B16-26.103, F.A.C. |
| HIV and AIDSThe board lists 1 hour of HIV and AIDS only in the first biennium renewal requirements, both for a first renewal less than 12 months after licensure and for one 12 months or more after licensure; it does not appear in the ongoing 30 hour breakdown. Section 456.033, F.S. matches that: it applies to chapter 465 licensees and requires a board approved HIV and AIDS course no later than upon first renewal, covering transmission, infection control, clinical management and prevention plus current Florida law on testing, confidentiality, treatment and partner notification. Someone holding two or more licenses subject to the section may use one course for all of them. | 1 contact hour | First renewal only | All licensees | Not stated |
| Human traffickingSection 456.0341, F.S. applies to everyone licensed under chapter 465, which is the pharmacy chapter, and required a board approved 1 hour continuing education course on human trafficking by January 1, 2021. The course must cover sex and labor trafficking, how to identify possible victims, how to report cases and what resources exist for victims. Section 456.0341(2) requires the board to count the hour inside the profession's total. The board's pharmacist renewal CE table does not list it, presumably because the statutory deadline has passed for licensees who already held a license, but a newly licensed pharmacist still falls within the section. The same section also requires a posted human trafficking sign in the workplace from January 1, 2025, which is a posting duty rather than a CE requirement. | 1 contact hour | One time | All licensees | Section 456.0341, F.S. |
| Safe and effective administration of vaccines and epinephrine autoinjectionA 3 hour course offered by a statewide professional association of physicians in Florida accredited for AMA PRA Category I credit, completed as part of biennial relicensure or recertification; it may be distance learning. The statute states the course must be included in the 30 hours, and the board's pharmacist renewal page repeats that sentence; the board's separate immunization certification tab describes it as in addition to the pharmacist renewal requirements, which reads as looser wording on a page that also covers technicians. The pharmacist must submit confirmation of completion on a board form when paying renewal fees, and failing to do so revokes the authorization to administer vaccines until the requirement is met. | 3 contact hours | Every renewal | pharmacists certified to administer a vaccine or epinephrine autoinjection under section 465.189, F.S. | Section 465.009(6), F.S. |
| Collaborative pharmacy practiceAn 8 hour board approved course, listed in CE Broker. Not required if the collaborative practice certification was obtained less than 12 months before the certification date for that cycle. The certification renews automatically with the pharmacist license when the course is complete. | 8 contact hours | Every renewal | pharmacists holding a collaborative practice certification | Not stated |
| Testing and treatment of minor, nonchronic health conditionsA 3 hour board approved course related to minor, nonchronic health conditions. The certification renews automatically with the pharmacist license when the course is complete. | 3 contact hours | Every renewal | pharmacists holding a test and treat certification | Section 465.1895, F.S. |
Documentation and audit
| Proof submitted at renewal | No, attestation only |
|---|---|
| Keep records for | Not stated |
| Board audits compliance | Not stated |
| Approved providers | General hours may be ACPE accredited or board approved; the 2 hour controlled substances course and the 2 hour medication errors course must be board approved. Courses approved for pharmacists carry an ACPE-P approval number and those approved for technicians carry ACPE-T; a pharmacist cannot claim a technician course. Providers and approved courses are listed in CE Broker. Certificates are never sent to the board: hours are reported electronically to the Department of Health's tracking system at cebroker.com, and the renewal cannot be completed until they are. Submitting the renewal fee is itself an acknowledgment of compliance with all renewal requirements including continuing education. Individual courses not already approved must be submitted for board approval at least 45 days before the course date. |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a Florida RPh/PharmD need to renew?
- Florida pharmacists must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Florida Board of Pharmacy (Department of Health, Division of Medical Quality Assurance). Section 465.009(1), F.S. requires not less than 30 hours of continuing professional pharmaceutical education in board approved courses during the 2 years before the renewal application. The board's renewal page breaks the 30 into 26 general hours, which may be ACPE or board approved, plus 2 hours on controlled substances and 2 hours on medication errors, both of which must be board approved. The first biennium is reduced: if the first renewal falls 12 months or more after initial licensure the requirement is 15 hours including 2 hours medication errors, 2 hours controlled substances and 1 hour HIV and AIDS; if it falls less than 12 months after licensure only those 5 subject hours are required (1 hour HIV and AIDS, 2 hours medication errors, 2 hours controlled substances). Section 465.009(3), F.S. gives the department authority to reduce hours on initial licensure, and 465.009(4) allows an exception in an emergency or hardship case. The board states no live or in person minimum and no home study cap for pharmacists, and no carryover provision. Florida counts hours, not CEUs. Consultant pharmacist and nuclear pharmacist are separate Florida licenses with their own renewal dates and their own 24 hour requirements; hours used for a consultant pharmacist renewal cannot also count toward the pharmacist's 30, and the same one way rule applies to nuclear pharmacist hours.
- How often does a Florida RPh/PharmD license need to be renewed?
- Pharmacist licenses in Florida renew every two years. Pharmacist licenses renew biennially and expire at midnight Eastern time on September 30 of odd numbered years; the current licenses expire September 30, 2027. The renew option appears in the MQA online account no later than 90 days before expiration. Continuing education must be reported to CE Broker before the renewal is submitted. A license not renewed by the expiration date goes delinquent, and a delinquent license that is not made clear and active or clear and inactive before the end of the following licensure cycle becomes null and void automatically.
- What specific CE topics are required for Florida pharmacists?
- Medication errors: 2 contact hours every renewal cycle. Controlled substances: 2 contact hours every renewal cycle. HIV and AIDS: 1 contact hour at the first renewal only. Human trafficking: a one-time requirement of 1 contact hour. Safe and effective administration of vaccines and epinephrine autoinjection: 3 contact hours every renewal cycle (pharmacists certified to administer a vaccine or epinephrine autoinjection under section 465.189, F.S.). Collaborative pharmacy practice: 8 contact hours every renewal cycle (pharmacists holding a collaborative practice certification). Testing and treatment of minor, nonchronic health conditions: 3 contact hours every renewal cycle (pharmacists holding a test and treat certification). Citations: medication errors (Section 456.013(7), F.S.; Rule 64B16-26.103, F.A.C.), controlled substances (Rule 64B16-26.103, F.A.C.), human trafficking (Section 456.0341, F.S.), safe and effective administration of vaccines and epinephrine autoinjection (Section 465.009(6), F.S.), and testing and treatment of minor, nonchronic health conditions (Section 465.1895, F.S.).
- Do Florida pharmacists have to submit CE certificates at renewal?
- Licensees attest to completion at renewal rather than submitting certificates. General hours may be ACPE accredited or board approved; the 2 hour controlled substances course and the 2 hour medication errors course must be board approved. Courses approved for pharmacists carry an ACPE-P approval number and those approved for technicians carry ACPE-T; a pharmacist cannot claim a technician course. Providers and approved courses are listed in CE Broker. Certificates are never sent to the board: hours are reported electronically to the Department of Health's tracking system at cebroker.com, and the renewal cannot be completed until they are. Submitting the renewal fee is itself an acknowledgment of compliance with all renewal requirements including continuing education. Individual courses not already approved must be submitted for board approval at least 45 days before the course date.
- Is the first Florida RPh/PharmD renewal exempt from CE?
- No. Florida applies the continuing education requirement to the first renewal as well.
Sources
Last verified September 10, 2026. Every value above was read from one of these.
- Pharmacist Renewal, Florida Board of Pharmacy (requirements, fees, continuing education tables for pharmacist, consultant pharmacist, nuclear pharmacist, immunization, test and treat and collaborative practice certifications)State board page, accessed September 10, 2026
- Renewals, Florida Board of PharmacyState board page, accessed September 10, 2026
- Section 465.009, Florida Statutes, Continuing professional pharmaceutical educationStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 10, 2026
- Section 456.013, Florida Statutes, Department; general licensing provisions (2 hour medical errors course, pro bono credit)Statute or administrative rule, accessed September 10, 2026
- Section 456.0341, Florida Statutes, Requirements for instruction on human traffickingStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 10, 2026
- Section 456.033, Florida Statutes, Requirement for instruction for certain licensees on HIV and AIDSStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 10, 2026
- Rule 64B16-26.103, F.A.C., Continuing Education Credits; Renewal (rule metadata and history, effective 5/22/2025)Statute or administrative rule, accessed September 10, 2026
The 30 hour total and the biennial September 30 odd year expiration were confirmed twice over, on the board's own pharmacist renewal page and in Section 465.009(1), F.S. The 26 plus 2 plus 2 breakdown, the first biennium reductions, the alternative credit routes and the certification add ons come from the board's renewal page. The text of Rule 64B16-26.103, F.A.C. could not be read: flrules.org serves every rule as an application/msword forced download, so only the rule's metadata page was read and the rule is cited for the subject minimums the board itself attributes to it. Two consequences. First, the continuing education exemption Florida grants licensees who hold a national specialty certification could not be verified at all; it is not on the board's renewal page and it would sit in the rule, so it is deliberately not recorded here, and a person should open 64B16-26.103 to confirm which courses the exemption still requires. Second, record retention and any audit program are also unstated and left null. One wording inconsistency on the board's own site is worth flagging rather than hiding: Section 465.009(6)(a), F.S. says the 3 hour vaccine administration course must be included in the 30 hours, and the pharmacist renewal page quotes that sentence verbatim, but the board's separate immunization certification tab calls the same course in addition to the pharmacist renewal requirements. The statute controls and is recorded here as included in the 30. Consultant pharmacist (license expiring December 31 of even years, 24 general hours) and nuclear pharmacist (certificate expiring February 28 of even years, 24 general hours) are separate Florida licenses layered on the pharmacist license; they are summarized in the notes but are not folded into the pharmacist total, and each would merit its own record. The topic keys immunization, collaborative_practice and test_and_treat are not on the canonical list. Florida sets no jurisprudence or implicit bias CE requirement for pharmacists, and the 2 hour domestic violence course in section 456.031, F.S. does not reach chapter 465. The 1 hour human trafficking course in section 456.0341, F.S. does reach chapter 465 and is listed here even though the board's renewal page omits it, which is consistent with how it is recorded for other Florida professions in this dataset (fl-pt records it as 1 hour one time, fl-rn as 2 hours every cycle under the nursing board's own rule).
Provided for general reference. Requirements change through legislative sessions and rulemaking, so confirm with the Florida Board of Pharmacy (Department of Health, Division of Medical Quality Assurance) before relying on them for a renewal. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.