Rhode Island Pharmacist license renewal and CE requirements
Rhode Island pharmacists must complete 15 contact hours of continuing education every year to renew their license with the Rhode Island Board of Pharmacy (Rhode Island Department of Health).
A pharmacist license expires December 31, and the renewal application and fee must reach the Department of Health by December 31 of each even numbered year. The renewal is then granted for up to two years. Renewal notices go out about 60 days before the expiration date, and the pharmacist must have an NABP eProfile number to renew. Continuing education is counted every calendar year even though the license itself renews every two years.
Summary
Rhode Island pharmacists must complete 15 contact hours of continuing education every year to renew their license with the Rhode Island Board of Pharmacy (Rhode Island Department of Health). A pharmacist license expires December 31, and the renewal application and fee must reach the Department of Health by December 31 of each even numbered year. The renewal is then granted for up to two years. Renewal notices go out about 60 days before the expiration date, and the pharmacist must have an NABP eProfile number to renew. Continuing education is counted every calendar year even though the license itself renews every two years. Rhode Island also mandates specific subjects. Law, as classified by ACPE: 1 contact hour every renewal cycle. Continuing education in the area of immunizations: 1 contact hour every renewal cycle (immunizing pharmacists). Current basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation training: required every renewal cycle (immunizing pharmacists). Board approved continuing education in areas of practice related to collaborative practice agreements: 5 contact hours every renewal cycle (pharmacists participating in a collaborative pharmacy practice agreement). The first renewal is exempt.
Rhode Island 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, 12/31 each cycle |
| Continuing education required | Yes |
| Hours per cycle | 15 contact hoursCounted over a annual window, separate from the renewal cycle. |
| Live or interactive minimum | 5 contact hours |
| Self-study or online cap | No cap stated |
| Carryover to next cycle | Not stated |
| First renewal exempt | Yes |
| Other accepted activities | Courses completed in an accredited postgraduate Doctor of Pharmacy curriculum or program |
Rhode Island states the requirement in hours with the CEU figure in parentheses: at least fifteen (15) hours, one and a half (1.5) continuing education units, so hours are recorded and contact_hour_equivalent is null. The license cycle and the continuing education cycle are different lengths. The license renews every two years, by December 31 of each even year, while the 15 hours must be completed between January 1 and December 31 of each calendar year, which is why continuing_education.cycle_months is 12 against a 24 month renewal. Five of the 15 hours each calendar year must be live hours. For the first year of licensure following graduation from a college of pharmacy a pharmacist is not subject to the continuing education requirements, except for the immunization hour required of immunizing pharmacists. In emergency or hardship cases a pharmacist may apply to the board for an exemption. The rules set no carryover provision and no cap on home study beyond the five live hours. These are pharmacist figures; Pharmacy Technician II renewal is annual with ten hours under a different section and was not used here.
Required CE topics for Rhode Island pharmacists
State-specific subject mandates. Where a mandate applies only to some licensees, the scope is listed.
| Topic | Hours | Frequency | Applies to | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Law, as classified by ACPEOne hour, or 0.1 continuing education units, of the required 15 hours each calendar year. | 1 contact hour | Every renewal | All licensees | 216-RICR-40-15-1.5.15(A) |
| Continuing education in the area of immunizationsOne hour, 0.1 continuing education units, of the required 15 hours each year, so it is inside the total rather than added to it. It is the one requirement a first year graduate is still subject to. | 1 contact hour | Every renewal | immunizing pharmacists | 216-RICR-40-15-1.5.15(A)(1); 216-RICR-40-15-1.12.1(B)(7) |
| Current basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation trainingA certification rather than an hour count. The pharmacist must possess evidence of current basic CPR training from the American Heart Association, the American Red Cross or a similar organization. | Not stated | Every renewal | immunizing pharmacists | 216-RICR-40-15-1.12.1(B)(6) |
| Board approved continuing education in areas of practice related to collaborative practice agreementsAt least five additional contact hours, 0.5 continuing education units, each year, on top of the 15. Documentation is kept at the practice site for inspection by the Boards of Medical Licensure and Discipline and of Pharmacy. | 5 contact hours | Every renewal | pharmacists participating in a collaborative pharmacy practice agreement | 216-RICR-40-15-1.5.15(A)(2) |
Documentation and audit
| Proof submitted at renewal | No, attestation only |
|---|---|
| Keep records for | 2 years |
| Board audits compliance | Not stated |
| Approved providers | Courses must be sponsored by a recognized provider, defined as any person, group or organization the board approves as responsible and competent, and including providers accredited by an appropriate national, regional or state accreditation agency. Providers approved by the Accreditation Council for Pharmaceutical Education, by another state's board of pharmacy, or of American Medical Association Category I programs are recognized providers. The renewal application includes a signed affidavit that the courses were completed. Certificates are not filed with the application, but must be retained and safeguarded for two years following the date the course was completed and produced for review by the Department if requested. |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a Rhode Island RPh/PharmD need to renew?
- Rhode Island pharmacists must complete 15 contact hours of continuing education every year to renew their license with the Rhode Island Board of Pharmacy (Rhode Island Department of Health). Rhode Island states the requirement in hours with the CEU figure in parentheses: at least fifteen (15) hours, one and a half (1.5) continuing education units, so hours are recorded and contact_hour_equivalent is null. The license cycle and the continuing education cycle are different lengths. The license renews every two years, by December 31 of each even year, while the 15 hours must be completed between January 1 and December 31 of each calendar year, which is why continuing_education.cycle_months is 12 against a 24 month renewal. Five of the 15 hours each calendar year must be live hours. For the first year of licensure following graduation from a college of pharmacy a pharmacist is not subject to the continuing education requirements, except for the immunization hour required of immunizing pharmacists. In emergency or hardship cases a pharmacist may apply to the board for an exemption. The rules set no carryover provision and no cap on home study beyond the five live hours. These are pharmacist figures; Pharmacy Technician II renewal is annual with ten hours under a different section and was not used here.
- How often does a Rhode Island RPh/PharmD license need to be renewed?
- Pharmacist licenses in Rhode Island renew every two years. A pharmacist license expires December 31, and the renewal application and fee must reach the Department of Health by December 31 of each even numbered year. The renewal is then granted for up to two years. Renewal notices go out about 60 days before the expiration date, and the pharmacist must have an NABP eProfile number to renew. Continuing education is counted every calendar year even though the license itself renews every two years.
- What specific CE topics are required for Rhode Island pharmacists?
- Law, as classified by ACPE: 1 contact hour every renewal cycle. Continuing education in the area of immunizations: 1 contact hour every renewal cycle (immunizing pharmacists). Current basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation training: required every renewal cycle (immunizing pharmacists). Board approved continuing education in areas of practice related to collaborative practice agreements: 5 contact hours every renewal cycle (pharmacists participating in a collaborative pharmacy practice agreement). Citations: law, as classified by ACPE (216-RICR-40-15-1.5.15(A)), continuing education in the area of immunizations (216-RICR-40-15-1.5.15(A)(1); 216-RICR-40-15-1.12.1(B)(7)), current basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation training (216-RICR-40-15-1.12.1(B)(6)), and board approved continuing education in areas of practice related to collaborative practice agreements (216-RICR-40-15-1.5.15(A)(2)).
- Do Rhode Island pharmacists have to submit CE certificates at renewal?
- Licensees attest to completion at renewal rather than submitting certificates and records must be kept for 2 years. Courses must be sponsored by a recognized provider, defined as any person, group or organization the board approves as responsible and competent, and including providers accredited by an appropriate national, regional or state accreditation agency. Providers approved by the Accreditation Council for Pharmaceutical Education, by another state's board of pharmacy, or of American Medical Association Category I programs are recognized providers. The renewal application includes a signed affidavit that the courses were completed. Certificates are not filed with the application, but must be retained and safeguarded for two years following the date the course was completed and produced for review by the Department if requested.
- Is the first Rhode Island RPh/PharmD renewal exempt from CE?
- Yes. Rhode Island 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.
- 216-RICR-40-15-1, Pharmacists, Pharmacies, and Manufacturers, Wholesalers, and Distributors, Rhode Island Department of StateStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 10, 2026
- Pharmacy, Rhode Island Department of Health licensingState board page, accessed September 10, 2026
The December 31 even year renewal filing deadline, the up to two year license term, the NABP eProfile requirement, the 15 hours per calendar year, the one law hour, the five live hours, the immunizing pharmacist hour, the collaborative practice hours, the first year graduate exemption and the two year certificate retention are read from sections 1.5.14, 1.5.15, 1.5.16 and 1.12.1 of 216-RICR-40-15-1 on the Rhode Island Department of State rules site. The Department of Health pharmacy page states the same 15 hours each calendar year, the five classroom hours, the one immunization hour, and that any pharmacist license issued or renewed during the 2024 renewal cycle and after is valid for two years expiring December 31 of even years. The regulation describes certificate review on request rather than a defined random audit program, so documentation.audited is left null. Rhode Island mandates no opioid, human trafficking, implicit bias or cultural competency subject for pharmacists.
Provided for general reference. Requirements change through legislative sessions and rulemaking, so confirm with the Rhode Island Board of Pharmacy (Rhode Island Department of Health) before relying on them for a renewal. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.