How to Become a Pharmacy Technician in Tennessee

Who can apply

• Anyone acting as a pharmacy technician must register with the Board.
• You and your employer must sign an affidavit that you have read and understand Tennessee's technician laws and rules; the affidavit stays at the pharmacy.
• You must pay for a criminal background check sent to the Board directly by the Board's vendor.
• Submit a Declaration of Citizenship and your Social Security number with the application.
• National certification (PTCB or ExCPT) is not required.

Step by step

1. Get hired at a Tennessee pharmacy (new probationary employees may work up to 90 days before registering).
2. Create an account at lars.tn.gov, select Board of Pharmacy, and start the Pharmacy Technician Application for Registration.
3. Complete the criminal background check using the Department of Health's instructions (the Board's forms use OCA code 9906).
4. Sign the Pharmacy Technician Affidavit with your employer and keep it on file at the pharmacy.
5. Pay the registration fee and wait for approval; the certificate is mailed to you.
6. Keep your registration certificate at the pharmacy and carry proof of registration while on duty; notify the Board in writing immediately of any change of address or employer.
7. Renew every two years.

Official application →

Training and exam

Training: The Board's rules do not require a training program or set training hours for registration. The pharmacist in charge is responsible for technicians' compliance, and all technician work must be verified by a pharmacist. Students in a formal technician training program are exempt from registration during experiential rotations.

Exam: No exam is required. The Board says Tennessee does not require national certification of pharmacy technicians. Technicians who hold national or state certification count as certified pharmacy technicians and may do extra tasks.

What it costs in Tennessee

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

How long it takes

After an application is approved, the Board says the mailed license typically arrives in 7 to 14 business days.

What other sites get wrong about Tennessee

Once you're registered

Renewal: All Board of Pharmacy licenses run on a 2-year cycle starting the month you were first licensed. Renew online at lars.tn.gov up to 60 days before expiration ($75 plus the $10 peer assistance fee under the current rule). The Board's rules reviewed set no CE requirement for registered technicians; certified technicians who give vaccines or do point-of-care testing need 2 hours of related CE for each of those duties every renewal cycle.

Good to know in Tennessee

Probationary employees: A new employee classified as probationary may do technician tasks without registering for up to 90 days from the date of employment.

Certified pharmacy technicians: Certified technicians may also take new or transferred oral prescriptions, transfer prescriptions between pharmacies, and, with extra training, give vaccines and administer CLIA-waived tests.

Technician ratio: The technician-to-pharmacist ratio is 6:1, but technicians beyond six do not count if they are certified. A pharmacist in charge can ask the Board in writing for a different ratio.

Incomplete applications: An incomplete application is returned with a note on what is missing and held as pending for up to one year from the original application date.

Sources

• Tennessee Board of Pharmacy - home page, applications and FAQ
• Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. Chapter 1140-01 (Oct. 2025) - Rule 1140-01-.10 Fees
• Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. Chapter 1140-02 (Oct. 2025) - Rule 1140-02-.02 Pharmacy Technicians
• TN Board of Pharmacy - Application for Pharmacy Technician Registration (Rev. 01/17)
• TN Board of Pharmacy - Application to Reapply for Pharmacy Technician Registration (Rev. 01/18)
• TN Department of Health - Criminal Background Checks