Fla. Admin. Code R. 64B16-26.351 (2026)

Pursuant to Section 465.014, F.S., an applicant seeking to be registered as a pharmacy technician in Florida must complete a pharmacy technician training program approved by the Board. The standards for approval of a registered pharmacy technician training program are as follows.

(1) Preapproved pharmacy technician training programs. Automatically approved training programs provided or offered by accredited institutions or entities is dependent upon whether the program or institution is, as of July 1, 2025:

(a) Accredited by a regional, national or specialized accrediting agency recognized by the Secretary of the United States Department of Education;

(b) Accredited by an agency that qualifies for Title IV federal student aid; or

(c) Offered within Florida’s public-school system that comply with the Florida Department of Education Curriculum Framework for Pharmacy Technician (2025-2026), program number 8418200; which is incorporated herein by reference and which can be obtained at https://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-19598 or https://www.fldoe.org/core/fileparse.php/20821/urlt/8418200-2526.rtf; or

(d) Pharmacy technician training programs recognized by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB); or

(e) Pharmacy technician training programs recognized by the National Healthcareer Association.

(2) Federal Armed Services programs. Training programs developed by a branch of the federal armed services on or before December 1, 2025, are approved.

(3) Other non-employer based programs. Programs not listed in subsection (1) or (2), and not employer based must:

(a) Be licensed by the Commission for Independent Education pursuant to Chapter 1005, F.S., or the equivalent licensing authority of another state or jurisdiction or is within the public school system of the State of Florida;

(b) Include classroom study and clinical instruction that includes the following:

1. Introduction to pharmacy and health care systems: Confidentiality and Patient Privacy requirements including HIPAA compliance and patient rights;

2. Pharmacy law: Federal and Florida specific statutes and regulations;

3. Pharmaceutical Concepts – Medical terminology, medication safety (including error prevention), and prescription handling;

4. Records and Inventory management, Inventory control, billing processes, handling of pharmaceutical supplies, labeling requirements, and compliance for controlled substances;

5. Communication and Ethics: Interpersonal skills, diversity awareness, empathetic communication, and professional ethics;

6. Pharmaceutical calculations: Accurate computation of medication dosages and related calculations.

(c) Applies to the Board of Pharmacy on approved form DH-MQA 1239 “Application for Registered Pharmacy Technician Training Programs” and includes the following information

1. Sample transcript and diploma;

2. Curriculum, catalog or other course descriptions; and,

3. Faculty credentials.

(d) Utilize principles of adult education through effective teaching methods and learning experience.

(e) Employ qualified faculty and demonstrate:

1. Evidence of academic preparation or experience in the subject matter with a job description, resume or curriculum vitae which describes the faculty member’s work experience and level of academic preparation.

2. When the subject matter includes pharmacy technician practice, a licensed pharmacist or registered pharmacy technician with expertise in the content area must be involved in planning and instruction.

3. Clinical instruction supervision by licensed pharmacists or registered pharmacy technicians.

(4) Employer sponsored training programs. Programs sponsored by a Florida permitted pharmacy or affiliated group of pharmacies under common ownership must:

(a) Meet the requirements of paragraphs (3)(b), (3)(d), and (3)(e), above;

(b) Be provided solely to employees of the permitted pharmacy or affiliated group;

(c) Contain a minimum of one hundred sixty (160) hours of training to be completed within 12 months. The Program Director may extend participation in the program for an individual employee for six (6) months beyond the program’s length.

(d) Give participants an opportunity to evaluate learning experiences, instructional methods, facilities and resources used for the program and submit a sample evaluation to be reviewed by the Board;

(e) Include a final assessment with a minimum of one hundred (100) questions, requiring a minimum score of seventy percent (70%).

(f) Designate a Program Director. Ensure input from a licensed pharmacist or registered pharmacy technician in overall program planning and evaluation unless the director is a licensed pharmacist or registered pharmacy technician;

(g) Maintain written policies and procedures;

(h) Maintain a system of record-keeping which stores records for at least three (3) years;

(i) Have records available for inspection by the board or department;

(j) Issue authenticated Certificates of Completion; and

(k) Apply directly to the Board of Pharmacy on approved form DH-MQA 1239 “Application for Registered Pharmacy Technician Training Programs.”

(5) Reenrollment in employer-sponsored training programs. Any student who failed to complete an employer sponsored training program within the time periods established in paragraph (4)(c) must be terminated from the program. Reenrollment is at the Program Director’s discretion and pursuant to the program’s policies and procedures. Reenrollment requires completion of the entire program with no credit for prior work.

(6) All applications for approval of a Registered Pharmacy Technician Training Program shall be made on approved form DH-MQA 1239 “Application for Registered Pharmacy Technician Training Programs,” 06/18, which is hereby incorporated by reference. Applications may be obtained from https://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-10116, or the Board of Pharmacy at 4052 Bald Cypress Way, Bin #C04, Tallahassee, FL 32399-3254, (850)488-0595, or the board’s website at http://floridaspharmacy.gov/Applications/app-reg-pharm-tech-prog.pdf, and must include the items required by subsection (3) or (4), above.

Rulemaking Authority 465.005, 465.014(2), (4), (8) FS. Law Implemented 465.014(2), (4) FS. History–New 6-23-10, Amended 11-17-11, 6-19-17, 6-14-18, 12-10-18, 4-4-19, 11-5-25, 8-6-26.

Effective: 8/6/2026.