Washington Pharmacist license renewal and CE requirements
Washington pharmacists must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Washington State Pharmacy Quality Assurance Commission (Washington State Department of Health).
A pharmacist credential must be renewed every two years on the practitioner's birthday. At renewal the pharmacist signs a declaration that the continuing education requirement has been met. A license expired for less than three years can be returned to active status by paying the fees and completing 15 continuing pharmacy education hours for each year it was expired.
Summary
Washington pharmacists must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Washington State Pharmacy Quality Assurance Commission (Washington State Department of Health). A pharmacist credential must be renewed every two years on the practitioner's birthday. At renewal the pharmacist signs a declaration that the continuing education requirement has been met. A license expired for less than three years can be returned to active status by paying the fees and completing 15 continuing pharmacy education hours for each year it was expired. Washington also mandates specific subjects. Training in suicide screening and referral: a one-time requirement of 3 contact hours. Health equity training: 1 contact hour every renewal cycle. Hours do not carry over between cycles.
Washington 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 date |
| Continuing education required | Yes |
| Hours per cycle | 30 contact hours |
| Self-study or online cap | No cap stated |
| Carryover to next cycle | No |
| First renewal exempt | Not stated |
WAC 246-945-178 requires the equivalent of 30 hours of continuing education each license renewal cycle, and because the license renews every two years that is the two year total. All 30 hours must come from a provider accredited by ACPE, with two exceptions the rule carves out: the one time suicide screening and referral training and the health equity training, both of which count toward the 30 hours. The pharmacist must register with a program designated by the commission for tracking completed continuing pharmacy education hours. Hours cannot be carried over to the next renewal cycle, which chapter 246-12 WAC also states as a general rule, and the same course taken twice in a cycle counts once. The rule sets no live hour minimum and no cap on home study. The commission may excuse or extend the requirement for illness or other extenuating circumstances under WAC 246-12-210. These figures are the pharmacist requirement; a pharmacy technician needs 20 hours under WAC 246-945-220.
Required CE topics for Washington pharmacists
State-specific subject mandates. Where a mandate applies only to some licensees, the scope is listed.
| Topic | Hours | Frequency | Applies to | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Training in suicide screening and referralA one time training due by the end of the first full renewal cycle after initial licensure. It must be at least three hours, drawn from the department's model list of approved suicide prevention training programs, and include content on imminent harm via lethal means. The hours count toward the 30 hour total, and the rule exempts this training from the ACPE provider requirement. | 3 contact hours | One time | All licensees | WAC 246-945-178(4) |
| Health equity trainingAt least one hour each license renewal cycle. It may come from an ACPE accredited provider or from a health equity training program on the department's approved list, and the hours count toward the 30 hour total. | 1 contact hour | Every renewal | All licensees | WAC 246-945-178(5); WAC 246-12-830 |
Documentation and audit
| Proof submitted at renewal | No, attestation only |
|---|---|
| Keep records for | 4 years |
| Board audits compliance | Yes |
| Approved providers | Continuing education must be delivered by a provider accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education, except the one time suicide screening and referral training and the health equity training, which may come from the department's approved lists. Pharmacists must register with a program designated by the commission for tracking completed continuing pharmacy education hours. Compliance is verified at renewal by a signed declaration rather than by filing certificates (WAC 246-12-180). Up to twenty-five percent of practitioners are randomly audited after the credential is renewed, and a practitioner has sixty days to supply acceptable documentation (WAC 246-12-190). Records documenting attendance and a description of the learning must be kept for four years (WAC 246-12-200). |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a Washington RPh/PharmD need to renew?
- Washington pharmacists must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Washington State Pharmacy Quality Assurance Commission (Washington State Department of Health). WAC 246-945-178 requires the equivalent of 30 hours of continuing education each license renewal cycle, and because the license renews every two years that is the two year total. All 30 hours must come from a provider accredited by ACPE, with two exceptions the rule carves out: the one time suicide screening and referral training and the health equity training, both of which count toward the 30 hours. The pharmacist must register with a program designated by the commission for tracking completed continuing pharmacy education hours. Hours cannot be carried over to the next renewal cycle, which chapter 246-12 WAC also states as a general rule, and the same course taken twice in a cycle counts once. The rule sets no live hour minimum and no cap on home study. The commission may excuse or extend the requirement for illness or other extenuating circumstances under WAC 246-12-210. These figures are the pharmacist requirement; a pharmacy technician needs 20 hours under WAC 246-945-220.
- How often does a Washington RPh/PharmD license need to be renewed?
- Pharmacist licenses in Washington renew every two years. A pharmacist credential must be renewed every two years on the practitioner's birthday. At renewal the pharmacist signs a declaration that the continuing education requirement has been met. A license expired for less than three years can be returned to active status by paying the fees and completing 15 continuing pharmacy education hours for each year it was expired.
- What specific CE topics are required for Washington pharmacists?
- Training in suicide screening and referral: a one-time requirement of 3 contact hours. Health equity training: 1 contact hour every renewal cycle. Citations: training in suicide screening and referral (WAC 246-945-178(4)) and health equity training (WAC 246-945-178(5); WAC 246-12-830).
- Do Washington 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 4 years. Continuing education must be delivered by a provider accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education, except the one time suicide screening and referral training and the health equity training, which may come from the department's approved lists. Pharmacists must register with a program designated by the commission for tracking completed continuing pharmacy education hours. Compliance is verified at renewal by a signed declaration rather than by filing certificates (WAC 246-12-180). Up to twenty-five percent of practitioners are randomly audited after the credential is renewed, and a practitioner has sixty days to supply acceptable documentation (WAC 246-12-190). Records documenting attendance and a description of the learning must be kept for four years (WAC 246-12-200).
Sources
Last verified September 10, 2026. Every value above was read from one of these.
- Chapter 246-945 WAC, Pharmacy (WAC 246-945-178 Pharmacist continuing education; WAC 246-945-173 Expired pharmacist license; WAC 246-945-990 Pharmaceutical licensing fees and renewal cycle)Statute or administrative rule, accessed September 10, 2026
- Chapter 246-12 WAC, Administrative Procedures and Requirements for Credentialed Health Care Providers (Part 7, Continuing Education)Statute or administrative rule, accessed September 10, 2026
- Pharmacy Professions, Continuing Education, Washington State Department of HealthState board page, accessed September 10, 2026
- Pharmacy Professions, Washington State Department of HealthState board page, accessed September 10, 2026
The 30 hour total, the ACPE provider requirement, the commission designated tracking program, the no carryover rule, the one time suicide screening and referral training, and the health equity hour are all in WAC 246-945-178 as amended effective January 18, 2024, and the Department of Health's own pharmacy continuing education page states the same 30 hours, ACPE requirement, tracking registration, and no carryover. The two year cycle ending on the practitioner's birthday is WAC 246-945-990(1). The declaration of compliance, the random audit of up to twenty-five percent of practitioners, and the four year record retention are the department wide rules in chapter 246-12 WAC Part 7, which chapter 246-945 incorporates. WAC 246-945-178 states no live hour minimum, no home study cap, and no first renewal exemption, so those are null. On health equity, other Washington records in this dataset record two hours every cycle, which is the department wide minimum in WAC 246-12-820 of two hours every four years. The pharmacy rule instead sets at least one hour each two year renewal cycle, which works out to the same two hours over four years, so the figures are consistent rather than in conflict; the pharmacy specific one hour per cycle is what is recorded here because that is what WAC 246-945-178(5) says. WAC 246-12-830 supplies the content standard for that training, including implicit bias content.
Provided for general reference. Requirements change through legislative sessions and rulemaking, so confirm with the Washington State Pharmacy Quality Assurance Commission (Washington State Department of Health) before relying on them for a renewal. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.