How to Become a Pharmacy Technician in Michigan

Checked against Michigan Board of Pharmacy (LARA Bureau of Professional Licensing) · Verified 2026-10-14

Exam: Required
Training: Not required
Term: Pharmacy technician licenses are valid for 2 years. A temporary license is valid for 1 year and cannot be renewed.
State fee: $137.70 application fee plus 2-year license (by exam or endorsement); temporary license $15.30 (1 year, non-renewable); renewal $61.20; relicensure $157.70; $20 late fee during the 60-day grace period (LARA guide revised 1/26/2026).
Regulated by: Michigan Board of Pharmacy (LARA Bureau of Professional Licensing)

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Who can apply

Graduate from an accredited high school or equivalent, or pass the GED.
Pass the PTCB exam, the NHA exam, or a Board-approved Michigan employer-based training program exam.
Complete a criminal background check (instructions are emailed after you apply).
Complete one-time human trafficking training and at least 2 hours of implicit bias training within the 5 years before the license is issued.
Show working knowledge of English and have an NABP e-Profile ID.

Step by step

Complete one-time human trafficking training and 2 hours of implicit bias training.
Apply online in MiPLUS for a Pharmacy Technician license and pay $137.70 by card; if you have not yet passed the exam, you can instead get a $15.30 temporary license while you prepare.
Follow the emailed instructions to complete your fingerprint-based criminal background check.
Have PTCB, NHA or your approved employer-based program send your exam results directly to the Bureau.
Wait for approval; the license is emailed as a PDF when issued.
Renew every 2 years in MiPLUS (opens 90 days before expiration) and complete 20 hours of CE.

Official application →

Training and exam

Training: The LARA licensing guide sets no required training hours. A Board-approved Michigan employer-based training program, with its exam, is one of the three accepted ways to meet the exam requirement; the list of approved programs is on the Board's pharmacy page.

Exam: Pass one of: the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) exam, the National Healthcareer Association (NHA) exam, or the exam of a Board-approved Michigan employer-based training program. Scores must be sent directly to the Bureau. A temporary license lets you work while preparing for the exam. No separate state exam.

Practice for the PTCE (PTCB) exam free — medications, federal requirements, patient safety and order entry →

What it costs in Michigan

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

Temporary pharmacy technician license, only if you have not yet passed the exam (1 year, non-renewable)(optional)$15.3
Criminal background check (fingerprinting)$
Human trafficking training and 2 hours of implicit bias training$
PTCE exam fee (PTCB); NHA's exam and employer-program exams are priced separately$129
Pharmacy technician license (application fee plus 2-year license)$137.7

Estimated total in Michigan$266.7Plus 2 items with no state-set price. Add your quotes above to complete the total.

Cost details from the state

Exam fee paid to PTCB (PTCE $129 as of Oct 2026) or NHA, or the cost of an employer-based program exam
Criminal background check / fingerprinting fee (amount not stated in the LARA guide)
Human trafficking and implicit bias training (price set by the provider)

Pay in Michigan

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

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

How long it takes

LARA says the average time to receive a new license is 4 to 6 weeks, and sooner if all required documents arrive with the application.

What other sites get wrong about Michigan

Myth: A Michigan pharmacy technician license costs a $25 application fee plus an annual $30 licensing fee.

Fact: LARA's current guide lists $137.70 for the application fee plus a 2-year license, and $61.20 to renew every 2 years. source

Once you're registered

Renewal: Renew every 2 years in MiPLUS, no sooner than 90 days before expiration, for $61.20. You need 20 hours of Board-approved CE per cycle, including at least 1 hour in pain and symptom management, 1 hour in patient safety, and 1 hour in pharmacy ethics and jurisprudence, with at least 5 hours in live courses and no more than 12 hours in any 24-hour period. You also need 1 hour of implicit bias training for each year of the cycle. A 60-day grace period applies with a $20 late fee; after that the license lapses and you must apply for relicensure ($157.70).

Good to know in Michigan

Temporary license: If you meet every requirement except the exam, you can get a non-renewable temporary license for $15.30. It is valid for 1 year from the date issued.

Transferring from another state: Apply by endorsement if you hold an active technician license or registration by exam in another state. You still need a high school diploma or GED and PTCB, NHA or approved Michigan employer-program exam results sent directly to the Bureau.

Application expires: Your application and fee are valid for two years. If you do not meet the requirements in that time, you must start over.

CE records: You do not submit CE when you renew, but the Board audits randomly after each renewal period. Keep CE documentation for at least 4 years.

Relicensure after a long lapse: Relicensure costs $157.70 and requires proof of 20 CE hours (with the required topics) from the 2 years before you apply. If your license lapsed more than 3 years and you are not currently licensed as a technician in another state, you must also have PTCB, NHA or approved Michigan employer-program exam scores, passed within the 2 years before applying, sent directly to LARA.

Sources

General information, not legal advice. Fees and rules change — confirm with Michigan Board of Pharmacy (LARA Bureau of Professional Licensing) before you apply.