Maryland Pharmacist license renewal and CE requirements
Maryland pharmacists must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Maryland Board of Pharmacy (Maryland Department of Health).
A pharmacist license expires on the last day of the pharmacist's birth month every other year. Before that date the pharmacist must file a renewal application, pay the fee, and have earned the required continuing education. Online renewal opens 60 days before expiration and is not available after the expiration date; after expiration a reinstatement application is required.
Summary
Maryland pharmacists must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Maryland Board of Pharmacy (Maryland Department of Health). A pharmacist license expires on the last day of the pharmacist's birth month every other year. Before that date the pharmacist must file a renewal application, pay the fee, and have earned the required continuing education. Online renewal opens 60 days before expiration and is not available after the expiration date; after expiration a reinstatement application is required. Maryland also mandates specific subjects. Preventing medication errors, such as appropriate dispensing of opioids: 1 contact hour every renewal cycle. CE credits related to vaccinations: 4 contact hours every renewal cycle (pharmacists certified or registered to administer vaccinations in Maryland). Implicit bias and structural racism training: a one-time requirement (all applicants for renewal of a licence issued by a Maryland health occupations board; due at the applicant's first renewal after April 1, 2026). Hours do not carry over between cycles and the first renewal is exempt.
Maryland 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 | Tied to the licensee's birth month |
| Continuing education required | Yes |
| Hours per cycle | 30 contact hours |
| Live or interactive minimum | 2 contact hours |
| Self-study or online cap | No cap stated |
| Carryover to next cycle | No |
| First renewal exempt | Yes |
| Other accepted activities | Attending a public Board meeting in its entirety (2 CE credits per meeting, maximum 4 CE credits per renewal period); CE credits applied toward another licensing board by a pharmacist who is also an authorized prescriber |
COMAR 10.34.18.03C(1)(a) requires 30 hours of approved CE earned within the 2-year period immediately preceding the license expiration date, of which 1 hour must cover preventing medication errors and 2 hours must be obtained through live instruction. The rule counts hours, not CEUs. Live instruction means a course with real-time interaction with the presenter and includes ACPE programs carrying the letter L in the course identification number (COMAR 10.34.18.01-1). The first-renewal exception in COMAR 10.34.18.02A applies only to a pharmacist who obtains the license within 1 year of completing pharmaceutical education. Pharmacy technicians (20 hours, 10 for a first renewal) and pharmacy interns (no CE) are separate credentials with their own totals and are not included here.
Required CE topics for Maryland pharmacists
State-specific subject mandates. Where a mandate applies only to some licensees, the scope is listed.
| Topic | Hours | Frequency | Applies to | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preventing medication errors, such as appropriate dispensing of opioidsCounts toward the 30 hour total. | 1 contact hour | Every renewal | All licensees | COMAR 10.34.18.03C(1)(a)(i) |
| CE credits related to vaccinationsAn add-on to the vaccination registration, not to the base pharmacist licence. The rule and the board FAQ both state the 4 immunization hours count toward the 30 hour pharmacist total. The board FAQ separately says renewal of the vaccination registration itself requires proof of 2 continuing education hours on immunization plus a current CPR card from a course with a live instructor component. No canonical topic key covers vaccination CE, so the key immunization is used. | 4 contact hours | Every renewal | Pharmacists certified or registered to administer vaccinations in Maryland | COMAR 10.34.18.03C(2) |
| Implicit bias and structural racism trainingStatewide requirement read on the Maryland Department of Health Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities page, which quotes Section 1-225. The applicant attests to completing a program approved by the Cultural and Linguistic Health Care Professional Competency Program; approved programs may be ACCME or ACPE accredited. Each board may, but need not, grant CE credit for it. No hour count is stated, and the Board of Pharmacy pages read did not restate the requirement. | Not stated | One time | All applicants for renewal of a licence issued by a Maryland health occupations board; due at the applicant's first renewal after April 1, 2026 | Md. Code, Health Occupations Section 1-225; Health-General Section 20-1306 |
Documentation and audit
| Proof submitted at renewal | No, attestation only |
|---|---|
| Keep records for | 4 years |
| Board audits compliance | Not stated |
| Approved providers | Programs offered by the Board, the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), ACPE-accredited schools of pharmacy, the FDA, the DEA, and additional providers approved by the Board (COMAR 10.34.18.06A). An unapproved program can be submitted for individual approval if requested in writing at least 90 days before the license expires. |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a Maryland RPh/PharmD need to renew?
- Maryland pharmacists must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Maryland Board of Pharmacy (Maryland Department of Health). COMAR 10.34.18.03C(1)(a) requires 30 hours of approved CE earned within the 2-year period immediately preceding the license expiration date, of which 1 hour must cover preventing medication errors and 2 hours must be obtained through live instruction. The rule counts hours, not CEUs. Live instruction means a course with real-time interaction with the presenter and includes ACPE programs carrying the letter L in the course identification number (COMAR 10.34.18.01-1). The first-renewal exception in COMAR 10.34.18.02A applies only to a pharmacist who obtains the license within 1 year of completing pharmaceutical education. Pharmacy technicians (20 hours, 10 for a first renewal) and pharmacy interns (no CE) are separate credentials with their own totals and are not included here.
- How often does a Maryland RPh/PharmD license need to be renewed?
- Pharmacist licenses in Maryland renew every two years. A pharmacist license expires on the last day of the pharmacist's birth month every other year. Before that date the pharmacist must file a renewal application, pay the fee, and have earned the required continuing education. Online renewal opens 60 days before expiration and is not available after the expiration date; after expiration a reinstatement application is required.
- What specific CE topics are required for Maryland pharmacists?
- Preventing medication errors, such as appropriate dispensing of opioids: 1 contact hour every renewal cycle. CE credits related to vaccinations: 4 contact hours every renewal cycle (pharmacists certified or registered to administer vaccinations in Maryland). Implicit bias and structural racism training: a one-time requirement (all applicants for renewal of a licence issued by a Maryland health occupations board; due at the applicant's first renewal after April 1, 2026). Citations: preventing medication errors, such as appropriate dispensing of opioids (COMAR 10.34.18.03C(1)(a)(i)), CE credits related to vaccinations (COMAR 10.34.18.03C(2)), and implicit bias and structural racism training (Md. Code, Health Occupations Section 1-225; Health-General Section 20-1306).
- Do Maryland pharmacists have to submit CE certificates at renewal?
- Licensees attest to completion at renewal rather than submitting certificates and records must be kept for 4 years. Programs offered by the Board, the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), ACPE-accredited schools of pharmacy, the FDA, the DEA, and additional providers approved by the Board (COMAR 10.34.18.06A). An unapproved program can be submitted for individual approval if requested in writing at least 90 days before the license expires.
- Is the first Maryland RPh/PharmD renewal exempt from CE?
- Yes. Maryland does not require continuing education for a RPh/PharmD's first renewal.
Sources
Last verified September 10, 2026. Every value above was read from one of these.
- COMAR 10.34.18.03, Requirements for Pharmacists Practicing in MarylandStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 10, 2026
- COMAR 10.34.18.02, ExceptionsStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 10, 2026
- COMAR 10.34.18.01-1, Definitions (live instruction)Statute or administrative rule, accessed September 10, 2026
- COMAR 10.34.18.06, Accredited Continuing Education ProgramsStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 10, 2026
- COMAR 10.34.18.07, Acceptance of Previously Unapproved Continuing Education ProgramsStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 10, 2026
- COMAR 10.34.18.08, Miscellaneous (no carryover, Board meeting credit)Statute or administrative rule, accessed September 10, 2026
- Frequently Asked Questions, Maryland Board of PharmacyState board page, accessed September 10, 2026
- Pharmacists, Maryland Board of PharmacyState board page, accessed September 10, 2026
- Implicit Bias and Structural Racism Training for Healthcare Professionals, Maryland Department of HealthState board page, accessed September 10, 2026
Cycle, birth month basis, 30 hours, the 1 hour medication error topic, the 2 hour live minimum, the 4 year retention, the no-carryover rule and the first-renewal exception were read in COMAR 10.34.18 on the state's official regulations library and are repeated on the board's own FAQ. The board did not state whether it runs a formal CE audit; the rule only says supporting documents are retained for inspection by the Board for 4 years after the renewal, so audited is left null. COMAR 10.34.18.03C(1)(b) requires attestation on a Board approved form, so proof_at_renewal is false, although the board FAQ phrases renewal as submitting the application 'along with 30 continuing education credits'. No board page read mentioned NABP CPE Monitor, so no CPE Monitor reporting requirement is recorded. The statewide implicit bias and structural racism attestation was read on the Maryland Department of Health page that quotes Health Occupations Section 1-225, not on a pharmacy board page; this matches the treatment in the existing Maryland PT, RN and dentist records. No jurisprudence, human trafficking, opioid prescribing or controlled substance CE mandate for pharmacists appears in COMAR 10.34.18.
Provided for general reference. Requirements change through legislative sessions and rulemaking, so confirm with the Maryland Board of Pharmacy (Maryland Department of Health) before relying on them for a renewal. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.