General Overview of Public Act 285, the Pharmacy Technician Licensure and Certification Bill

by Ashley Builta, Pharm.D., MPA fellow of association management and business development

This post provides a brief overview of the pharmacy technician certification and licensure legislation, Senate Bill (SB) 92. Please note that we are not aware of the exact process of how and when pharmacy technicians can begin to apply for licensure. We will let you know as soon as the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs notify us of that process. Please read the following information to understand the bill provisions and other licensure details. 

SB 92, which adds mandatory licensure for pharmacy technicians to the Michigan Public Health Code, was signed into law on Sept. 30, 2014, by Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder and is now Public Act (PA) 285 of 2014. PA 285, which will likely take effect on Dec. 22, 2014, specifically outlines requirements for certification and licensure of pharmacy technicians in Michigan. Additionally, it re-distributes the seats of the public members serving on the Michigan Board of Pharmacy to four public members and one pharmacy technician.

How This Affects Pharmacy Technicians

• Pharmacists and anyone who owns, manages and operates a pharmacy will be responsible for ensuring that the pharmacy technicians working for them will be properly licensed or otherwise authorized by the state.
• Pharmacy technicians will be required to have one of three pharmacy technician licenses (a regular license, temporary license or a limited license) in order to be employed and perform the tasks of a pharmacy technician. If you have been a pharmacy technician prior to this mandate, please read the limited license section below to learn about how this law affects you.

Section 17739 defines the functions of a pharmacy technician. Pharmacy technicians can:

• Assist in the dispensing process
• Handle transfer of prescriptions, except controlled substances
• Compound drugs
• Prepare or mix IV drugs
• Contact prescribers for order clarification, not including drug regimen review or clinical or therapeutic interpretation
• Receive verbal prescription orders, except for controlled substances

Only pharmacists, pharmacy interns or pharmacy technicians may perform the above tasks, and must be licensed by the state. Pharmacy technicians can only preform the above tasks if they are under the supervision and personal charge of a pharmacist.

Pharmacy Technician License

To become licensed as a pharmacy technician, an individual must

• Submit a completed application for licensure to the state with a $25 application fee
• Pay $30 for the initial license
• Have graduated from high school or passed the GED; and
• Submit proof of having passed a pharmacy technician certification exam, or employer-based exam, which must be approved by the Michigan Board of Pharmacy.

 Note: The pharmacy technician license must be renewed every two years and costs $30 annually, totaling $60 every two years. To renew the pharmacy technician license, the pharmacy technician must complete 20 hours of approved continuing education within the two-year period immediately prior to submitting the renewal application.

Temporary Pharmacy Technician License

To obtain a temporary license, an individual must:

• Be preparing to take the pharmacy technician certification exam (e.g., a student in a pharmacy technician program approved by the Michigan Board of Pharmacy
• Submit a completed application for licensure to the state with a $25 application fee
• Pay the $15 licensing fee

Note: The temporary license is only good for 210 days after it has been issued. It cannot be renewed.

Limited Pharmacy Technician License

If you have been practicing as a pharmacy technician prior to the implementation of this new statute, there is a grandfather clause in the form of a limited pharmacy technician license. To obtain a limited license, an individual must:

• Be employed as a pharmacy technician at a pharmacy on the effective date
• Be continuously employed by that same pharmacy since the effective date
• Submit a completed application for licensure to the state with a $25 application fee
• Pay $10 for the initial license
• Submit proof of completing a minimum of 1,000 hours practicing as a pharmacy technician in the two years immediately prior to submitting the application

Note: The limited pharmacy technician license must be renewed every two years and costs $10 annually, totaling $20 every two years. To renew the limited license, the pharmacy technician must complete 20 hours of approved continuing education within the two-year period immediately prior to submitting the renewal application.

The limited license is no longer valid if:

• A pharmacy technician is no longer employed by the pharmacy they were employed at and practicing for as a pharmacy technician since the effective date
• A pharmacy technician practices at any other pharmacy

Note: If either of these two situations occurs, the pharmacy technician’s limited license is void, and they must apply for the pharmacy technician licensure and take a certification exam.

Type of License	Length of Validity	Renewable	Cost	Requirements for Licensure	Requirements for License Renewal
Pharmacy Technician	Two years	Yes	$25 initial application fee $30 license fee paid initially, then every two years total, $60 for renewal	Submit a completed application Have graduated from high school or passed the GED Submit proof of having passed a pharmacy technician certification exam, or employer-based exam	Submit a completed application Have completed 20 hours of approved continuing education within the two-year period immediately prior to submitting the application
Temporary License	210 days	No	$25 initial application fee $15 license fee	Submit a completed application Be preparing to take the pharmacy technician certification exam	Not applicable
Limited License	Two years	Yes	$25 initial application fee $10 license fee paid initially, then every two years total, $20 for renewal	Submit a completed application Be employed as a pharmacy technician on the effective date AND be continuously employed by that same pharmacy since the effective date Submit proof of completing a minimum of 1,000 hours practicing as a pharmacy technician in the two years immediately prior to submitting the application	Same as pharmacy technician license However, becomes invalid if: A pharmacy technician is no longer employed by the pharmacy they were employed at and practicing for as a pharmacy technician since the effective date AND/OR A pharmacy technician practices at any other pharmacy

This document serves as an overview of Public Act 285. If you have any questions about this bill, please contact either Amanda Lick, MPA manager of advocacy, governmental and regulatory affairs at Amanda@MichiganPharmacists.org or Eric Roath, MPA director of professional practice, at Eric@MichiganPharmacists.org.