New Hampshire Pharmacist license renewal and CE requirements
New Hampshire pharmacists must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the New Hampshire Board of Pharmacy (Office of Professional Licensure and Certification).
Pharmacist licenses are valid for two years from the date of issuance, so the expiration date is an anniversary of the licensee's own issuance rather than a common statewide date. The completed renewal application, the renewal fee and any supporting documents must be filed on or before the expiration date; a license not renewed by then is expired and the holder may not practice until it is reinstated, and an expired license lapses one year after expiration. OPLC notifies licensees at least two months before expiration, and its site says an email reminder goes out 90 days ahead, but failure to receive notice does not excuse a late renewal. Renewal applicants must also be registered with the New Hampshire Prescription Drug Monitoring Program.
Summary
Requirements are changing. New Hampshire's renewal timing is mid-transition. The Board of Pharmacy rules still say pharmacist renewals are filed by December 15 of each even-numbered year against a January 1 renewal date, and they were last amended in October 2020. Their authorizing statutes, RSA 318:25 and RSA 318:29, were repealed effective September 1, 2023, and RSA 310:8, effective July 15, 2023, now makes every license issued by the Office of Professional Licensure and Certification valid for two years from its date of issuance and expressly supersedes conflicting terms in a board's own statute. OPLC's pharmacy FAQ says the same. Confirm your own expiration date in the OPLC licensing system rather than assuming a December 15 even-year deadline.
New Hampshire pharmacists must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the New Hampshire Board of Pharmacy (Office of Professional Licensure and Certification). Pharmacist licenses are valid for two years from the date of issuance, so the expiration date is an anniversary of the licensee's own issuance rather than a common statewide date. The completed renewal application, the renewal fee and any supporting documents must be filed on or before the expiration date; a license not renewed by then is expired and the holder may not practice until it is reinstated, and an expired license lapses one year after expiration. OPLC notifies licensees at least two months before expiration, and its site says an email reminder goes out 90 days ahead, but failure to receive notice does not excuse a late renewal. Renewal applicants must also be registered with the New Hampshire Prescription Drug Monitoring Program. New Hampshire also mandates specific subjects. Current basic or higher cardiopulmonary resuscitation certification: required every renewal cycle (immunizing pharmacists who administer vaccines). Hours do not carry over between cycles and the first renewal is exempt.
New Hampshire 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 original issue date |
| Continuing education required | Yes |
| Hours per cycle | 30 contact hours |
| Live or interactive minimum | 10 contact hours |
| Self-study or online cap | No cap stated |
| Carryover to next cycle | No |
| First renewal exempt | Yes |
| Other accepted activities | Leading, instructing or lecturing to groups of nurses, physicians, pharmacists or others on pharmacy related topics, capped at 4 hours per cycle and not usable toward the live minimum; Satisfactory completion of courses in a postgraduate pharmacy curriculum or program covering pharmacy, pharmaceutical calculations, pharmaceutical chemistry, pharmacology, therapeutics, pharmacy management, pharmaceutical jurisprudence or related pharmaceutical sciences; Home study audio or video programs, provided the program requires a written exam scored by the provider; Continuing education units approved by another state board of pharmacy, if they meet or exceed the Ph 403 requirements |
New Hampshire defines a CEU as 10 contact hours (Ph 403.01(g)) but states the requirement in hours first: all pharmacists licensed in New Hampshire acquire a total of 30 hours (3.0 CEUs) during the 24 months immediately preceding the license renewal date, and at least 10 hours (1.0 CEUs) of that total must be earned in a live setting. Because the rule leads with hours, the total is recorded in contact hours and no conversion is carried. Audio and video programs with group discussion and a facilitator count as live, and ACPE approved webinars whose program number contains an L count as live. Excess hours earned in one licensure period are not carried into the next, and no credit is given for a repeat program, meaning any program carrying the same ACPE, CME or board program identification number. Pharmacists filing their first biennial licensure renewal are exempt from continuing education entirely. The board waives some or all of the requirement for up to one calendar year on written request for hardships such as illness or incapacity. Military personnel and spouses are not exempt from the hours because correspondence courses are available, but are exempt from the live requirement if assigned to a foreign country. Reinstatement requires the same 30 hours with 10 live, earned in the 24 months before the reinstatement application. These figures are the pharmacist requirement; registered, certified and licensed advanced pharmacy technicians are separate credentials with their own rules, and advanced technicians doing compounding have a distinct 0.4 CEU requirement that is not part of this record.
Required CE topics for New Hampshire pharmacists
State-specific subject mandates. Where a mandate applies only to some licensees, the scope is listed.
| Topic | Hours | Frequency | Applies to | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current basic or higher cardiopulmonary resuscitation certificationNot continuing education hours. A pharmacist who administers vaccines must hold current basic or higher CPR certification from the American Heart Association, the American Red Cross or another nationally recognized issuer, and must have completed vaccine administration training through an ACPE approved program, a curriculum based program from an ACPE accredited college of pharmacy, a state or local health department program, or a program recognized by the board, including hands-on injection technique and recognition and treatment of emergency reactions. The statute sets the training as an entry requirement and attaches no recurring hour count. | Not stated | Every renewal | Immunizing pharmacists who administer vaccines | RSA 318:16-b, III(d); Ph 1303.01(b) |
Documentation and audit
| Proof submitted at renewal | No, attestation only |
|---|---|
| Keep records for | 3 years |
| Board audits compliance | Yes |
| Approved providers | Hours must come from accredited programs, meaning continuing education sponsored by providers approved by the American Council on Pharmaceutical Education (ACPE) or the Canadian Council on Continuing Education in Pharmacy (CCCEP), or from board approved programs, meaning programs reviewed and recommended by the board's continuing education advisory council and approved by the board, or approved by a Canadian provincial or territorial pharmacy licensing authority. In-state providers may be approved by the board for two years at a time under Ph 403.12. The board does not issue a renewal unless the pharmacist indicates on the renewal application, under penalty of unsworn falsification, that the required hours were completed. The pharmacist keeps all certificates and other documented evidence of participation for at least three years and makes them available for random audit or verification. Not less than 10 percent of registrants are randomly selected by the board after October 1 of every even-numbered year to check compliance. OPLC states that pharmacy licensees may continue using NABP's CPE Monitor to track continuing education and that it is not requiring Board of Pharmacy licensees to use CE Broker for this purpose at this time. |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a New Hampshire RPh/PharmD need to renew?
- New Hampshire pharmacists must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the New Hampshire Board of Pharmacy (Office of Professional Licensure and Certification). New Hampshire defines a CEU as 10 contact hours (Ph 403.01(g)) but states the requirement in hours first: all pharmacists licensed in New Hampshire acquire a total of 30 hours (3.0 CEUs) during the 24 months immediately preceding the license renewal date, and at least 10 hours (1.0 CEUs) of that total must be earned in a live setting. Because the rule leads with hours, the total is recorded in contact hours and no conversion is carried. Audio and video programs with group discussion and a facilitator count as live, and ACPE approved webinars whose program number contains an L count as live. Excess hours earned in one licensure period are not carried into the next, and no credit is given for a repeat program, meaning any program carrying the same ACPE, CME or board program identification number. Pharmacists filing their first biennial licensure renewal are exempt from continuing education entirely. The board waives some or all of the requirement for up to one calendar year on written request for hardships such as illness or incapacity. Military personnel and spouses are not exempt from the hours because correspondence courses are available, but are exempt from the live requirement if assigned to a foreign country. Reinstatement requires the same 30 hours with 10 live, earned in the 24 months before the reinstatement application. These figures are the pharmacist requirement; registered, certified and licensed advanced pharmacy technicians are separate credentials with their own rules, and advanced technicians doing compounding have a distinct 0.4 CEU requirement that is not part of this record.
- How often does a New Hampshire RPh/PharmD license need to be renewed?
- Pharmacist licenses in New Hampshire renew every two years. Pharmacist licenses are valid for two years from the date of issuance, so the expiration date is an anniversary of the licensee's own issuance rather than a common statewide date. The completed renewal application, the renewal fee and any supporting documents must be filed on or before the expiration date; a license not renewed by then is expired and the holder may not practice until it is reinstated, and an expired license lapses one year after expiration. OPLC notifies licensees at least two months before expiration, and its site says an email reminder goes out 90 days ahead, but failure to receive notice does not excuse a late renewal. Renewal applicants must also be registered with the New Hampshire Prescription Drug Monitoring Program.
- What specific CE topics are required for New Hampshire pharmacists?
- Current basic or higher cardiopulmonary resuscitation certification: required every renewal cycle (immunizing pharmacists who administer vaccines). Citations: current basic or higher cardiopulmonary resuscitation certification (RSA 318:16-b, III(d); Ph 1303.01(b)).
- Do New Hampshire pharmacists have to submit CE certificates at renewal?
- Licensees attest to completion at renewal rather than submitting certificates, the board audits a sample of renewals and asks for documentation, and records must be kept for 3 years. Hours must come from accredited programs, meaning continuing education sponsored by providers approved by the American Council on Pharmaceutical Education (ACPE) or the Canadian Council on Continuing Education in Pharmacy (CCCEP), or from board approved programs, meaning programs reviewed and recommended by the board's continuing education advisory council and approved by the board, or approved by a Canadian provincial or territorial pharmacy licensing authority. In-state providers may be approved by the board for two years at a time under Ph 403.12. The board does not issue a renewal unless the pharmacist indicates on the renewal application, under penalty of unsworn falsification, that the required hours were completed. The pharmacist keeps all certificates and other documented evidence of participation for at least three years and makes them available for random audit or verification. Not less than 10 percent of registrants are randomly selected by the board after October 1 of every even-numbered year to check compliance. OPLC states that pharmacy licensees may continue using NABP's CPE Monitor to track continuing education and that it is not requiring Board of Pharmacy licensees to use CE Broker for this purpose at this time.
- Is the first New Hampshire RPh/PharmD renewal exempt from CE?
- Yes. New Hampshire does not require continuing education for a RPh/PharmD's first renewal.
Sources
Last verified September 11, 2026. Every value above was read from one of these.
- New Hampshire Code of Administrative Rules, Board of Pharmacy, Ph 100 through Ph 2600 (General Court of New Hampshire)Statute or administrative rule, accessed September 11, 2026
- RSA 310:8, License Renewals and Reinstatements, Expiration and LapseStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 11, 2026
- RSA 318:16-b, Pharmacist Administration of VaccinesStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 11, 2026
- RSA 318:29, repealed by 2023, 79:318, VIII, effective September 1, 2023Statute or administrative rule, accessed September 11, 2026
- FAQs for Pharmacy, New Hampshire Office of Professional Licensure and CertificationState board page, accessed September 11, 2026
- Board of Pharmacy, New Hampshire Office of Professional Licensure and CertificationState board page, accessed September 11, 2026
- Board of Pharmacy Education and Training, New Hampshire Office of Professional Licensure and CertificationState board page, accessed September 11, 2026
The 30 hour total, the 10 hour live minimum, the 24 month window, the first biennial renewal exemption, the no-carryover and no-repeat rules, the three year retention and the 10 percent random audit were read in the full text of Ph 403 on the General Court's rules site, which is the official host. The two year renewal term was read in RSA 310:8 on the official statute site and is restated on OPLC's own pharmacy FAQ. The oplc.nh.gov pages return 403 to automated clients and were read in a browser instead. Renewal basis needs care. Ph 401.01 and Ph 401.02, last amended October 15, 2020, still direct pharmacists to file by December 15 of each even-numbered year, and Ph 403.02(d) still describes a license renewal date of January 1. Their authorizing statutes, RSA 318:25 and RSA 318:29, were repealed effective September 1, 2023, and RSA 310:8 II, effective July 15, 2023, makes OPLC licenses valid for two years from the date of issuance and says the licensing terms in that section supersede any conflicting terms in a statute administered by a listed board. OPLC's pharmacy FAQ says licenses issued from July 15, 2023 expire two years from issuance and cites RSA 310:8. Because both sides carry stated effective dates and the later statute expressly supersedes, the basis is recorded as issue_date and the stale rule text is flagged in the advisory rather than left as an unresolved conflict. The substance of the continuing education rule is unaffected: 30 hours with 10 live in the 24 months before renewal. The board mandates no continuing education subjects for pharmacists, so the only entry in mandatory_topics is the CPR certification that immunizing pharmacists must keep current, filed under a coined topic key cpr_certification that is not on the canonical list. ACPE accreditation is required for the main accepted provider route. CPE Monitor is permitted for tracking but the board does not state it as a reporting mandate, and OPLC says pharmacy licensees are not required to use CE Broker at this time. NAPLEX and the New Hampshire MPJE are entry examinations and are not recorded as continuing education.
Provided for general reference. Requirements change through legislative sessions and rulemaking, so confirm with the New Hampshire Board of Pharmacy (Office of Professional Licensure and Certification) before relying on them for a renewal. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.