Wisconsin Pharmacist license renewal and CE requirements
Wisconsin pharmacists must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Wisconsin Pharmacy Examining Board (Department of Safety and Professional Services).
Pharmacist licenses renew every two years. DSPS states that under Wis. Stat. 440.08(2) the required renewal date for the pharmacist credential is May 31 of each even numbered year, and a pharmacist who receives an initial credential in the months just before that date still has to renew by it. Renewal is filed online through LicensE with the fee and a signed statement that the continuing education was completed.
Summary
Wisconsin pharmacists must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Wisconsin Pharmacy Examining Board (Department of Safety and Professional Services). Pharmacist licenses renew every two years. DSPS states that under Wis. Stat. 440.08(2) the required renewal date for the pharmacist credential is May 31 of each even numbered year, and a pharmacist who receives an initial credential in the months just before that date still has to renew by it. Renewal is filed online through LicensE with the fee and a signed statement that the continuing education was completed. The first renewal is exempt.
Wisconsin 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, 05/31 each cycle |
| Continuing education required | Yes |
| Hours per cycle | 30 contact hours |
| Self-study or online cap | No cap stated |
| Carryover to next cycle | Not stated |
| First renewal exempt | Yes |
| Other accepted activities | Course of study and training in administration technique for injectable drug products or devices under Wis. Stat. 450.035(1r); The 12 hour vaccine administration course of study and training under Wis. Stat. 450.035(2) |
Wis. Stat. 450.085(1) and Phar 16.02(1) both require 30 hours of continuing education completed in the two year period immediately preceding the renewal application, and Phar 5.05(2)(b) repeats it as certifying 30 hours during the last biennium. The statute and the rule both say the requirement does not apply to a renewal of a license that expires on the first renewal date after the board initially granted the license, so the first renewal is exempt. The statute treats the pharmacist's injectable administration training under 450.035(1r) and the 12 hour vaccine administration course under 450.035(2) as continuing education courses for this purpose. Neither the statute nor Phar 16 sets a live hour minimum, a home study cap, a subject requirement, or a carryover provision. The board or DSPS may waive all or part of the requirement for exceptional circumstances such as prolonged illness or disability, and service members may request a waiver or extension for hardship. These figures are the pharmacist requirement; pharmacy technician registration renewal is governed by ch. Phar 19.
Required CE topics for Wisconsin pharmacists
The Wisconsin Pharmacy Examining Board (Department of Safety and Professional Services) pages and rules we read do not mandate specific subject areas for this license type. Hours may be in any approved subject.
Documentation and audit
| Proof submitted at renewal | No, attestation only |
|---|---|
| Keep records for | 3 years |
| Board audits compliance | Yes |
| Approved providers | Phar 16.03 recognizes only programs offered by a provider approved by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education at the time of attendance, or other board approved programs, and the rule's own note records that the board had approved no other programs. Evidence of compliance is certification from the providing institution or organization that the pharmacist attended and completed an approved program, in original or verified copy. At renewal the pharmacist signs a statement on the renewal application certifying completion rather than filing the certificates. The pharmacist retains that evidence for three years following the renewal date for the biennium in question, and the board may require any pharmacist to submit it to audit compliance. Neither the statute nor the rule mentions NABP CPE Monitor. |
Common questions
- How many CE hours does a Wisconsin RPh/PharmD need to renew?
- Wisconsin pharmacists must complete 30 contact hours of continuing education every two years to renew their license with the Wisconsin Pharmacy Examining Board (Department of Safety and Professional Services). Wis. Stat. 450.085(1) and Phar 16.02(1) both require 30 hours of continuing education completed in the two year period immediately preceding the renewal application, and Phar 5.05(2)(b) repeats it as certifying 30 hours during the last biennium. The statute and the rule both say the requirement does not apply to a renewal of a license that expires on the first renewal date after the board initially granted the license, so the first renewal is exempt. The statute treats the pharmacist's injectable administration training under 450.035(1r) and the 12 hour vaccine administration course under 450.035(2) as continuing education courses for this purpose. Neither the statute nor Phar 16 sets a live hour minimum, a home study cap, a subject requirement, or a carryover provision. The board or DSPS may waive all or part of the requirement for exceptional circumstances such as prolonged illness or disability, and service members may request a waiver or extension for hardship. These figures are the pharmacist requirement; pharmacy technician registration renewal is governed by ch. Phar 19.
- How often does a Wisconsin RPh/PharmD license need to be renewed?
- Pharmacist licenses in Wisconsin renew every two years. Pharmacist licenses renew every two years. DSPS states that under Wis. Stat. 440.08(2) the required renewal date for the pharmacist credential is May 31 of each even numbered year, and a pharmacist who receives an initial credential in the months just before that date still has to renew by it. Renewal is filed online through LicensE with the fee and a signed statement that the continuing education was completed.
- Does Wisconsin require specific CE topics for pharmacists?
- The Wisconsin Pharmacy Examining Board (Department of Safety and Professional Services) does not list mandated subject areas for RPh/PharmD renewal on the pages we verified; the 30 contact hours may be in any approved subject.
- Do Wisconsin 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. Phar 16.03 recognizes only programs offered by a provider approved by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education at the time of attendance, or other board approved programs, and the rule's own note records that the board had approved no other programs. Evidence of compliance is certification from the providing institution or organization that the pharmacist attended and completed an approved program, in original or verified copy. At renewal the pharmacist signs a statement on the renewal application certifying completion rather than filing the certificates. The pharmacist retains that evidence for three years following the renewal date for the biennium in question, and the board may require any pharmacist to submit it to audit compliance. Neither the statute nor the rule mentions NABP CPE Monitor.
- Is the first Wisconsin RPh/PharmD renewal exempt from CE?
- Yes. Wisconsin 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.
- Wis. Admin. Code ch. Phar 16, Continuing Education for PharmacistsStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 10, 2026
- Wis. Admin. Code ch. Phar 5, License RenewalStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 10, 2026
- Wis. Stat. 450.085, Continuing educationStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 10, 2026
- Wis. Stat. 450.035, Administration of drug products and devices; vaccinesStatute or administrative rule, accessed September 10, 2026
- Pharmacist, Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional ServicesState board page, accessed September 10, 2026
The 30 hour biennial total, the two year look back, the first renewal exemption, the ACPE only provider rule, the three year retention, and the audit power were read in Wis. Stat. 450.085 and Wis. Admin. Code ch. Phar 16 and ch. Phar 5 on the Wisconsin legislature's own site. The renewal date comes from DSPS, which states that under Wis. Stat. 440.08(2) the required renewal date for the pharmacist credential is May 31 of each even numbered year. Note that a 1999 vintage example note in Phar 16.05 still describes a pharmacist renewing on June 1, 2000, so older sources may say June 1; the DSPS credential page is the current statement and is what is recorded. No subject mandate for pharmacists appears in ch. Phar 16, ch. Phar 5, or Wis. Stat. 450.085, so mandatory_topics is an empty array. Wisconsin's vaccine requirements are entry qualifications rather than recurring continuing education: Wis. Stat. 450.035(2) requires a pharmacist to complete 12 hours of ACPE or board approved study and training in vaccination storage, protocols, administration technique, emergency procedures, and record keeping before administering a vaccine, plus liability insurance of at least one million dollars per occurrence, with no repeat interval stated, so those were recorded as accepted activities rather than as a recurring mandated topic. Chapter Phar 15 was repealed and recreated effective October 1, 2025 and now covers compounding, not continuing education.
Provided for general reference. Requirements change through legislative sessions and rulemaking, so confirm with the Wisconsin Pharmacy Examining Board (Department of Safety and Professional Services) before relying on them for a renewal. Spot something out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.