Tennessee Pharmacist license renewal and CE requirements
Tennessee pharmacists must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Tennessee Board of Pharmacy (Tennessee Department of Health).
A pharmacist license runs on a two year cycle that starts in the month of initial licensure, so the expiration month is the licensee's own anniversary month rather than a statewide date. Renewal can be submitted online through the LARS system up to 60 days before the license expires.
Summary
Tennessee pharmacists must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Tennessee Board of Pharmacy (Tennessee Department of Health). A pharmacist license runs on a two year cycle that starts in the month of initial licensure, so the expiration month is the licensee's own anniversary month rather than a statewide date. Renewal can be submitted online through the LARS system up to 60 days before the license expires. Tennessee also mandates specific subjects. Educational training on the prescribing of hormonal contraceptives: a one-time requirement (pharmacists who prescribe hormonal contraceptives under Chapter 1140-15).
Tennessee 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 | 15 contact hours |
| Self-study or online cap | No cap stated |
| Carryover to next cycle | Not stated |
| First renewal exempt | Not stated |
Rule 1140-05-.01 requires at least 30 hours of continuing pharmaceutical education during each two year license cycle, of which at least 15 must be live contact hours. Live hours must come from a program designated live by the ACPE approved provider, from a program the board approved before the license expired, or from an out of state program approved by that state's board of pharmacy. The rule states no cap on home study, so max_self_study_or_online is null; the practical limit is whatever is left after the 15 live hours. The rule gives a full waiver rather than a first renewal exemption: no continuing education is required for a cycle in which the pharmacist was enrolled in a recognized academic program pursuing a pharmacy, medical, osteopathic, or dental degree or an advanced health science degree, or was in a pharmacy residency or fellowship, or was in a course of study leading to nurse practitioner or physician assistant certification. The board may also waive the requirement on a showing of emergency, illness, or other good cause. These figures are the pharmacist requirement and are not the pharmacy technician requirement.
Required CE topics for Tennessee pharmacists
State-specific subject mandates. Where a mandate applies only to some licensees, the scope is listed.
| Topic | Hours | Frequency | Applies to | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Educational training on the prescribing of hormonal contraceptivesA one time training taken before providing contraceptive therapies, not a recurring hour count. It must be approved by the Tennessee Department of Health, listed on the TDH website, and delivered by an ACPE approved provider, and the certificate of completion is kept permanently at the place of practice. An equivalent curriculum based program completed in or after 2017 at a recognized school of pharmacy satisfies it. The rule states no number of hours. | Not stated | One time | pharmacists who prescribe hormonal contraceptives under Chapter 1140-15 | Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1140-15-.03 |
Documentation and audit
| Proof submitted at renewal | No, attestation only |
|---|---|
| Keep records for | Not stated |
| Board audits compliance | Yes |
| Approved providers | The board recognizes any continuing pharmaceutical education hours obtained from an ACPE approved provider (Rule 1140-05-.03). At renewal the pharmacist files a sworn statement on a board form that the required hours were completed, and the board will not renew without it (Rule 1140-05-.02). Proof is produced on request: the board runs a random audit of pharmacists who have renewed, notifying selected licensees in the month after they renewed and requiring proof of all continuing pharmacy education earned in the two year cycle. Falsifying the sworn statement can bring probation, suspension, or revocation plus a civil penalty up to one thousand dollars. CE Broker is the official tracking system for the Tennessee health professional boards and licensees get a free basic account, but the board states registering for an account is not required. The rules read here do not require NABP CPE Monitor. |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a Tennessee RPh/PharmD need to renew?
- Tennessee pharmacists must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Tennessee Board of Pharmacy (Tennessee Department of Health). Rule 1140-05-.01 requires at least 30 hours of continuing pharmaceutical education during each two year license cycle, of which at least 15 must be live contact hours. Live hours must come from a program designated live by the ACPE approved provider, from a program the board approved before the license expired, or from an out of state program approved by that state's board of pharmacy. The rule states no cap on home study, so max_self_study_or_online is null; the practical limit is whatever is left after the 15 live hours. The rule gives a full waiver rather than a first renewal exemption: no continuing education is required for a cycle in which the pharmacist was enrolled in a recognized academic program pursuing a pharmacy, medical, osteopathic, or dental degree or an advanced health science degree, or was in a pharmacy residency or fellowship, or was in a course of study leading to nurse practitioner or physician assistant certification. The board may also waive the requirement on a showing of emergency, illness, or other good cause. These figures are the pharmacist requirement and are not the pharmacy technician requirement.
- How often does a Tennessee RPh/PharmD license need to be renewed?
- Pharmacist licenses in Tennessee renew every two years. A pharmacist license runs on a two year cycle that starts in the month of initial licensure, so the expiration month is the licensee's own anniversary month rather than a statewide date. Renewal can be submitted online through the LARS system up to 60 days before the license expires.
- What specific CE topics are required for Tennessee pharmacists?
- Educational training on the prescribing of hormonal contraceptives: a one-time requirement (pharmacists who prescribe hormonal contraceptives under Chapter 1140-15). Citations: educational training on the prescribing of hormonal contraceptives (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1140-15-.03).
- Do Tennessee pharmacists have to submit CE certificates at renewal?
- Licensees attest to completion at renewal rather than submitting certificates and the board audits a sample of renewals and asks for documentation. The board recognizes any continuing pharmaceutical education hours obtained from an ACPE approved provider (Rule 1140-05-.03). At renewal the pharmacist files a sworn statement on a board form that the required hours were completed, and the board will not renew without it (Rule 1140-05-.02). Proof is produced on request: the board runs a random audit of pharmacists who have renewed, notifying selected licensees in the month after they renewed and requiring proof of all continuing pharmacy education earned in the two year cycle. Falsifying the sworn statement can bring probation, suspension, or revocation plus a civil penalty up to one thousand dollars. CE Broker is the official tracking system for the Tennessee health professional boards and licensees get a free basic account, but the board states registering for an account is not required. The rules read here do not require NABP CPE Monitor.
Sources
Last verified September 10, 2026. Every value above was read from one of these.
- Board of Pharmacy, Tennessee Department of Health (Continuing Education and Frequently Asked Questions tabs)State board page, accessed September 10, 2026
- Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1140-05-.01, Requirements for Pharmacist License RenewalThird-party summary, accessed September 10, 2026
- Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1140-05-.02, Reporting SystemThird-party summary, accessed September 10, 2026
- Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1140-05-.03, Recognition of ProgramsThird-party summary, accessed September 10, 2026
- Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1140-15-.03, Training (Prescribing and Dispensing of Hormonal Contraceptives)Third-party summary, accessed September 10, 2026
- Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1140, Pharmacy, chapter indexThird-party summary, accessed September 10, 2026
The board's own page at tn.gov quotes Rule 1140-05-.01 in full, so the 30 hour total and the 15 live contact hour minimum are confirmed on an official host, and the same page answers the expiration question: all license types issued by the Tennessee Board of Pharmacy have a two year renewal cycle that starts the month of initial licensure. The Tennessee Secretary of State publishes the pharmacy rules only as PDF files at publications.tnsosfiles.com, which were not opened, so the rule text for the reporting, provider recognition, and hormonal contraceptive training rules was read on Cornell LII and is cited as third_party_summary. Scanning the Cornell chapter index for division 1140 found no pharmacist continuing education mandate on opioids, human trafficking, implicit bias, jurisprudence, or any other subject, and no carryover or first renewal provision, so those fields are null or empty. The hormonal contraceptive training in Chapter 1140-15 is a one time prerequisite with no stated hour value, recorded with hours null.
Provided for general reference. Requirements change through legislative sessions and rulemaking, so confirm with the Tennessee Board of Pharmacy (Tennessee Department of Health) before relying on them for a renewal. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.