1. Home
  2. Licensees
  3. Personal License Information/Renewal
  4. Pharmacist License
  5. Retired Pharmacists

Retired Pharmacists

A pharmacist who has been issued a license in California may request the board to issue them a "retired pharmacist" or may request to “restore their pharmacist retired license” pursuant to Business and Professions Code section 4200.5.

Section 4200.5 of the Business and Professions Code (BPC) states:

(a) The board shall issue, upon application and payment of the fee established by Section 4400, a retired license to a pharmacist who has been licensed by the board. The board shall not issue a retired license to a pharmacist whose license has been revoked.

(b) The holder of a retired license issued pursuant to this section shall not engage in any activity for which an active pharmacist's license is required. A pharmacist holding a retired license shall be permitted to use the titles “retired pharmacist” or “pharmacist, retired.”

(c) The holder of a retired license shall not be required to renew that license.

(d) (1) The holder of a retired license may request to restore their pharmacist license to active status within three years of issuance of the retired license.

(2) A request made pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be accompanied by the renewal fee established in subdivision (e) of Section 4400 and demonstration that, within the two years preceding the request for restoration, the pharmacist has successfully completed continuing education consistent with the requirements set forth in subdivision (b) of Section 4231.

(3) If more than three years have elapsed since the issuance of the retired license, in order for the holder of a retired license issued pursuant to this section to restore their license to active status, they shall reapply for licensure as a pharmacist consistent with the provisions of Section 4200.

NOTE: In addition to BPC §4200.5, as a condition for restoration of a retired license, you will need to comply with successfully completing a state and federal level criminal offender record information search conducted through the Department of Justice. [Calif. Code of Reg. title 17, §1702] California residents are required to complete the DOJ/FBI fingerprinting via Live Scan.