Utah Pharmacist license renewal and CE requirements
Utah pharmacists must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Utah Division of Professional Licensing, Board of Pharmacy (Utah Department of Commerce).
Pharmacist licenses expire on September 30 of odd numbered years, so the license runs on a two year cycle ending on the same statewide date for everyone. The Division mails a renewal notice to the licensee's address of record at least 60 days before expiration, which is why DOPL asks licensees to keep that address current.
Summary
Utah pharmacists must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Utah Division of Professional Licensing, Board of Pharmacy (Utah Department of Commerce). Pharmacist licenses expire on September 30 of odd numbered years, so the license runs on a two year cycle ending on the same statewide date for everyone. The Division mails a renewal notice to the licensee's address of record at least 60 days before expiration, which is why DOPL asks licensees to keep that address current. Utah also mandates specific subjects. Pharmacy law or ethics: 1 contact hour every renewal cycle. Disease state management and drug therapy, AIDS therapy, patient safety, or immunizations: 15 contact hours every renewal cycle. Vaccine related topics: 2 contact hours every renewal cycle (pharmacists engaging in the administration of vaccines under R156-17b-621). Administration of prescription drugs or devices: 2 contact hours every renewal cycle (pharmacists engaging in the administration of prescription drugs or devices under R156-17b-621 or R156-17b-625). Hormonal contraceptive therapy: 2 contact hours every renewal cycle (pharmacists dispensing a self administered hormonal contraceptive under the Family Planning Access Act).
Utah 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 |
| Live or interactive minimum | 12 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 Utah State Board of Pharmacy meeting, 1 live CE hour each, maximum 2 hours per two year period, which may count as pharmacy law or ethics hours; Lecturing or instructing a CE course or teaching in the profession, 2 CE hours per hour taught, maximum 10 hours per two year period; Programs of certification by qualified individuals, such as certified diabetes educator credentials or board certification, as approved by the Division with the Board |
DOPL states the pharmacist renewal requirement as 30 hours approved by ACPE. Rule R156-17b-309 sets the same 30 hours for each two year renewal cycle and breaks them down: at least 12 hours of live or technology enabled participation in lectures, seminars, or workshops; at least 15 hours in disease state management and drug therapy, AIDS therapy, patient safety, or immunizations; and at least one hour of pharmacy law or ethics. The rule sets no cap on home study, so max_self_study_or_online is null; the practical limit is whatever is left after the 12 live hours. A licensee first licensed during the two year cycle has the required number of hours decreased proportionately by the date of licensure, so there is proration rather than a first renewal exemption. The Division may defer or waive the requirement under R156-1-308d. Public service talks, such as presentations to schoolchildren or service clubs, earn no credit. These figures are the pharmacist requirement: a pharmacy technician needs 20 hours, and current PTCB or ExCPT certification satisfies most of the technician requirement.
Required CE topics for Utah pharmacists
State-specific subject mandates. Where a mandate applies only to some licensees, the scope is listed.
| Topic | Hours | Frequency | Applies to | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pharmacy law or ethicsCounts toward the 30 hours. Up to two hours earned by attending Utah State Board of Pharmacy meetings may be applied to this category. | 1 contact hour | Every renewal | All licensees | Utah Admin. Code R156-17b-309(1)(c) |
| Disease state management and drug therapy, AIDS therapy, patient safety, or immunizationsA subject distribution inside the 30 hour total: at least 15 of the 30 must fall in one or more of these four topics. | 15 contact hours | Every renewal | All licensees | Utah Admin. Code R156-17b-309(1)(b) |
| Vaccine related topicsThe rule says these two hours may be counted as part of the 15 hours required under Subsection (1)(b), so they are not necessarily an addition to the total. | 2 contact hours | Every renewal | pharmacists engaging in the administration of vaccines under R156-17b-621 | Utah Admin. Code R156-17b-309(1)(d) |
| Administration of prescription drugs or devicesUnlike the vaccine hours, the rule does not say these may be counted inside the 15 hour topic block. | 2 contact hours | Every renewal | pharmacists engaging in the administration of prescription drugs or devices under R156-17b-621 or R156-17b-625 | Utah Admin. Code R156-17b-309(1)(e) |
| Hormonal contraceptive therapyRequired of pharmacists dispensing self administered hormonal contraceptives under Title 26, Chapter 62, as defined in R156-17b-621b. | 2 contact hours | Every renewal | pharmacists dispensing a self administered hormonal contraceptive under the Family Planning Access Act | Utah Admin. Code R156-17b-309(1)(f) |
Documentation and audit
| Proof submitted at renewal | No, attestation only |
|---|---|
| Keep records for | 4 years |
| Board audits compliance | Not stated |
| Approved providers | Credit must be approved by, conducted by, or sponsored by an ACPE approved provider, a health related CE approval organization whose education is nationally recognized by a healthcare accrediting agency and related to pharmacy practice, Division training or educational presentations, or ACPE accredited meetings sponsored by the Utah Pharmacy Association, the Utah Society of Health-System Pharmacists, or another professional organization. Utah requires the licensee to keep documentation for four years after the end of the renewal cycle by maintaining registration with the NABP e-Profile CPE Monitor plan or CPE Monitor Plus plan, plus certificates for any CE the NABP plan cannot track. The rule read here does not describe a random audit program, so audited is left null. |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a Utah RPh/PharmD need to renew?
- Utah pharmacists must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Utah Division of Professional Licensing, Board of Pharmacy (Utah Department of Commerce). DOPL states the pharmacist renewal requirement as 30 hours approved by ACPE. Rule R156-17b-309 sets the same 30 hours for each two year renewal cycle and breaks them down: at least 12 hours of live or technology enabled participation in lectures, seminars, or workshops; at least 15 hours in disease state management and drug therapy, AIDS therapy, patient safety, or immunizations; and at least one hour of pharmacy law or ethics. The rule sets no cap on home study, so max_self_study_or_online is null; the practical limit is whatever is left after the 12 live hours. A licensee first licensed during the two year cycle has the required number of hours decreased proportionately by the date of licensure, so there is proration rather than a first renewal exemption. The Division may defer or waive the requirement under R156-1-308d. Public service talks, such as presentations to schoolchildren or service clubs, earn no credit. These figures are the pharmacist requirement: a pharmacy technician needs 20 hours, and current PTCB or ExCPT certification satisfies most of the technician requirement.
- How often does a Utah RPh/PharmD license need to be renewed?
- Pharmacist licenses in Utah renew every two years. Pharmacist licenses expire on September 30 of odd numbered years, so the license runs on a two year cycle ending on the same statewide date for everyone. The Division mails a renewal notice to the licensee's address of record at least 60 days before expiration, which is why DOPL asks licensees to keep that address current.
- What specific CE topics are required for Utah pharmacists?
- Pharmacy law or ethics: 1 contact hour every renewal cycle. Disease state management and drug therapy, AIDS therapy, patient safety, or immunizations: 15 contact hours every renewal cycle. Vaccine related topics: 2 contact hours every renewal cycle (pharmacists engaging in the administration of vaccines under R156-17b-621). Administration of prescription drugs or devices: 2 contact hours every renewal cycle (pharmacists engaging in the administration of prescription drugs or devices under R156-17b-621 or R156-17b-625). Hormonal contraceptive therapy: 2 contact hours every renewal cycle (pharmacists dispensing a self administered hormonal contraceptive under the Family Planning Access Act). Citations: pharmacy law or ethics (Utah Admin. Code R156-17b-309(1)(c)), disease state management and drug therapy, AIDS therapy, patient safety, or immunizations (Utah Admin. Code R156-17b-309(1)(b)), vaccine related topics (Utah Admin. Code R156-17b-309(1)(d)), administration of prescription drugs or devices (Utah Admin. Code R156-17b-309(1)(e)), and hormonal contraceptive therapy (Utah Admin. Code R156-17b-309(1)(f)).
- Do Utah 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. Credit must be approved by, conducted by, or sponsored by an ACPE approved provider, a health related CE approval organization whose education is nationally recognized by a healthcare accrediting agency and related to pharmacy practice, Division training or educational presentations, or ACPE accredited meetings sponsored by the Utah Pharmacy Association, the Utah Society of Health-System Pharmacists, or another professional organization. Utah requires the licensee to keep documentation for four years after the end of the renewal cycle by maintaining registration with the NABP e-Profile CPE Monitor plan or CPE Monitor Plus plan, plus certificates for any CE the NABP plan cannot track. The rule read here does not describe a random audit program, so audited is left null.
- Is the first Utah RPh/PharmD renewal exempt from CE?
- No. Utah 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.
- Renew a License, Pharmacist, Utah Division of Professional LicensingState board page, accessed September 10, 2026
- Pharmacy, Utah Division of Professional LicensingState board page, accessed September 10, 2026
- Utah Admin. Code R156-17b-309, Continuing EducationThird-party summary, accessed September 10, 2026
The two core values are on DOPL's own site: the pharmacist renewal page states that licenses expire on September 30 of odd years and that 30 hours approved by ACPE are required. The breakdown of those 30 hours, the proration for a licensee first licensed mid cycle, the recognized alternative activities, the approved provider list, the CPE Monitor registration requirement, and the four year documentation period were read in Utah Admin. Code R156-17b-309 on Cornell LII, because adminrules.utah.gov is a JavaScript application whose public rule endpoints return 404 to an automated client and le.utah.gov also renders through JavaScript, so neither served the official rule text. dopl.utah.gov redirects to commerce.utah.gov and sits behind a Cloudflare wall for plain HTTP clients, but the commerce.utah.gov pages read normally through the fetch tool used here. The Cornell copy of R156-17b-309 shows its last amendment effective November 10, 2020. The topic key drug_administration is not in the canonical list in the brief and is a new short snake_case key, as is contraception. No opioid, human trafficking, implicit bias, or suicide prevention mandate for pharmacists appears in the rule, and no carryover provision appears, so those are left null or empty.
Provided for general reference. Requirements change through legislative sessions and rulemaking, so confirm with the Utah Division of Professional Licensing, Board of Pharmacy (Utah Department of Commerce) before relying on them for a renewal. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.