How to Become a Pharmacy Technician in Idaho

Checked against Idaho Board of Pharmacy (Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses, DOPL) · Verified 2026-10-14

Exam: Not required
Training: Not required
Term: New applicants receive at least a 2-year registration that expires on their birthday.
State fee: $70 application fee (new applicants receive a 2-year registration). Applicants 18 and older also pay a $32 background check fee. Renewal is $30 per year, or $60 for a 2-year renewal. Reinstatement is $35. Idaho Code 54-1720 caps the technician fee at $35 initial and $35 per annual renewal.
Regulated by: Idaho Board of Pharmacy (Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses, DOPL)

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Who can apply

Provide a current government-issued photo ID.
Applicants 18 and older must complete a fingerprint-based criminal history check; applicants under 18 do not pay the background check fee.
Idaho's Pharmacy Act (Idaho Code Title 54, Chapter 17) sets no minimum age, education level or exam for technician registration.

Step by step

Create an account in DOPL's online licensing system (eDOPL) and apply for a Pharmacy Technician registration.
Pay the $70 application fee, plus the $32 background check fee if you are 18 or older.
Get fingerprinted on an FD-258 card at a local law enforcement agency or at a LiveScan location, using ORI ID920260Z and reason 'IDC-54-1718 Licensure'.
Mail or deliver the original fingerprint card to DOPL, 11341 W. Chinden Blvd., Building 4, Boise, ID 83714 (scans and faxes are not accepted; do not fold the card).
Wait for DOPL to issue your registration, then work under a pharmacist's direction.
Renew every two years before your birthday.

Official application →

Training and exam

Training: Idaho law sets no training program or minimum hours for technician registration. A technician performs pharmacy support services under the direction of a pharmacist, and what may be delegated is judged under Idaho's standard-of-care approach in Idaho Code 54-1705.

Exam: No state exam and no national certification exam is required to register as a pharmacy technician in Idaho.

No national exam required here. If you plan to get PTCB certified anyway, practice for the PTCE free →

What it costs in Idaho

Fixed amounts are set by the state. Items marked “your quote” are priced by private sellers, so enter what you’re quoted.

Pharmacy technician application (2-year registration)$70
Background check fee (applicants 18 and older)$32
Fingerprinting at law enforcement or a LiveScan site$
PTCE exam fee (PTCB), optional because Idaho does not require certification$129

Estimated total in Idaho$102Plus 1 item with no state-set price. Add your quotes above to complete the total.

Cost details from the state

Fingerprinting charge at the law enforcement agency or LiveScan vendor (amount not stated by DOPL)
Cost of retaking prints if the ORI or reason field is wrong or blank (paid by the applicant)

Help while you start out in Idaho

Starting out on an entry-level wage? Check the SNAP income limits in Idaho by household size.

What other sites get wrong about Idaho

Myth: The initial Idaho pharmacy technician application fee is $35.

Fact: DOPL's current Board of Pharmacy fee schedule lists a $70 application fee for a pharmacy technician registration (new applicants get a 2-year registration), plus a $32 background check fee for applicants 18 and older. source

Once you're registered

Renewal: Technician registrations now run on a 2-year cycle that ends on your birthday. You can renew up to 60 days before expiration; the renewal fee is $60 for two years ($30 per year). If you miss the deadline you pay reinstatement fees ($35) plus a 2-year fee, and the reinstated registration expires on your next birthday. Idaho Code Title 54, Chapter 17 contains no continuing-education requirement for technicians.

Good to know in Idaho

Under 18: Applicants under 18 are not required to complete the fingerprint-based criminal history check and do not pay the $32 background check fee.

Fingerprint cards: Cards received before your online application is complete are held for only 6 months and then destroyed.

Move to 2-year cycle: Since July 1, 2025, DOPL has been moving individual licenses to 2-year terms that expire on the licensee's birthday. Existing registrants are moved based on birth year, so check your eDOPL account for your exact expiration date.

Sources

General information, not legal advice. Fees and rules change — confirm with Idaho Board of Pharmacy (Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses, DOPL) before you apply.