How to Become a Pharmacy Technician in Kansas

Checked against Kansas State Board of Pharmacy · Verified 2026-10-14

Exam: Required
Training: Not required
Term: All technician registrations expire October 31 every two years; the current period is November 1, 2024 to October 31, 2026, so a first registration can be shorter than two years.
State fee: $77 application fee with Form LA-14 (Board technician page). The same page says a new application and fingerprint card after an expired registration cost $77 in one answer and $67 in another. The Board FAQ lists a $57 KBI/FBI background check fee payable to the Board; the Board pages do not say whether that is part of the $77. Renewal is $20 every two years. K.S.A. 65-1663 caps the registration fee at $50 and the renewal fee at $25.
Regulated by: Kansas State Board of Pharmacy

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Who can apply

Have graduated from an accredited high school or its equivalent, hold a GED, or be enrolled and in good standing in a high school program.
Submit fingerprints for a KBI/FBI background check and enroll in the KBI/FBI Rap Back program.
A felony conviction is considered but does not automatically bar registration.
Technicians first registered after July 1, 2017 must pass a Board-approved national certification exam (see exam details).

Step by step

Download Form LA-14 (Pharmacy Technician application) from the Board website and order an FD-258 fingerprint card (or get one from a law enforcement agency).
Get fingerprinted.
Mail the completed LA-14, the fingerprint card, the FBI waiver form and the $77 payment to the Board together; the Board does not take online technician applications.
Wait for your registration to be issued before you work; a pending application is not a valid registration.
Pass the PTCB exam (scaled score 1400) or NHA ExCPT (score 390) before your first renewal and send proof to the Board within 30 days of passing.
Renew every two years by October 31 with 20 hours of approved continuing education.

Official application →

Training and exam

Training: No training is required before initial registration, and the Board encourages you to register before starting any education program. After you are registered, the Board requires technician training (K.A.R. 68-5-15): the pharmacist in charge must keep a pharmacy-specific training course, and the pharmacist may assign only tasks you have been trained to perform. The Board sets no hour minimum.

Exam: Technicians who apply for a new registration on or after July 1, 2017 must pass the PTCB certification exam (scaled score of at least 1400) or the NHA ExCPT (score of at least 390) before their first renewal (K.A.R. 68-5-17, amended January 30, 2026). If you cannot pass in time, you may request a one-time six-month extension on the Board's form before your registration expires. Send proof of passing within 30 days of passing or before your first renewal, whichever is earlier. No separate state exam.

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What it costs in Kansas

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 with Form LA-14 (Board-listed fee)$77
KBI/FBI background check ($57 per the Board FAQ; the Board does not say whether it is included in the $77)$
Fingerprinting at the location you choose$
PTCE exam fee (PTCB), due before your first renewal; NHA's ExCPT is priced by NHA$129

Estimated total in Kansas$206Plus 2 items with no state-set price. Add your quotes above to complete the total.

Cost details from the state

Fingerprinting charge at the location you choose (amount depends on the location)
PTCB (PTCE) or NHA (ExCPT) exam fee, paid to the exam provider
2.5% fee for card payments when renewing online

Pay in Kansas

Before you compare job offers, see what a paycheck takes home in Kansas after taxes.

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

How long it takes

The Board asks applicants to allow 3 weeks to process a complete technician application; its FAQ says a complete application with no criminal history typically takes about two weeks.

What other sites get wrong about Kansas

Myth: The Kansas pharmacy technician renewal fee is $25 every two years.

Fact: The Board's current renewal fee for pharmacy technicians is $20 every two years ($25 is only the statutory ceiling in K.S.A. 65-1663). source

Once you're registered

Renewal: Technicians renew every two years for $20. For the cycle ending October 31, 2026, the renewal portal opened September 16, 2026, and registrations not renewed by 11:59 p.m. CST October 31 are cancelled with no grace period. You need 20 hours of ACPE or Board-approved CE earned during the registration period; hours do not carry over and no extensions are granted. CE used for PTCB or NHA recertification also counts. The Board audits technician CE.

Good to know in Kansas

Six-month exam extension: A technician first registered after July 1, 2017 who cannot pass the PTCB or ExCPT before the first renewal may ask the Board for one six-month extension on Form LA-75. The Board asks for the request at least 30 days before the registration expires. It does not waive continuing education.

Expired registration: There is no inactive status for technicians. If your registration expires you must file a new application and fingerprint card.

Report changes: Tell the Board within 30 days of starting or leaving a technician job, or changing your address, email or legal name.

Name badge and display: Wear a name badge showing you are a pharmacy technician while on duty, and display your current registration where you work.

Background check timing: The Board says KBI/FBI background checks usually take about 10-14 business days after it submits your fingerprints. Applications without the background check are accepted but considered incomplete.

Transferring from another state: Kansas has no reciprocal registration for pharmacy technicians. If you are registered in another state, you apply as a new Kansas technician with the full application and fingerprint background check.

Sources

General information, not legal advice. Fees and rules change — confirm with Kansas State Board of Pharmacy before you apply.