As a leader in healthcare and pharmacy staffing, Pharmaceutical Strategies strives to provide resources to clients and candidates for the betterment of their pharmacy careers. For our candidates, that means assisting them in their education and growth of their careers through additional licensing and certifications. Below you will find a summary of how to apply for and receive a license to practice pharmacy in the state of Illinois.
DESIGNATIONS:
There are three different types of Pharmacy Technician License designations, so for starters, you should ensure that you are qualified for at least one of them and that you decide which one you are interested in applying for;
Registered Pharmacy Technician
A registered pharmacy technician is able to assist in practicing pharmacy as long as they are under the supervision of a registered pharmacist. Before the 2nd renewal, registered pharmacy technicians must either enroll in a pharmacy program at a college or university or complete a pharmacy technician licensing exam by either the National Healthcareer Association or the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board. The Registered Pharmacy Technician designation is very similar to Pharmacy Technician in training licenses available in several other states.
Pharmacy Technician – Certified Designation
A certified pharmacy technician, just like a registered pharmacy technician is able to assist in practicing pharmacy under the supervision of a registered pharmacist, however, they have also received a national pharmacy technician certification from either the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board or the National Healthcareer Association.
Pharmacy Technician – Student Designation
A pharmacy technician student is any registered pharmacy technician that is also currently enrolled in a pharmacy school or department of pharmacy at a college or university.
REQUIREMENTS:
For each designation, the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, IDFPR, requires the completion of an online application, which includes demographics including your SSN, date of birth, full name, etc. All three also required that applicants have a high school diploma or have completed a General Education Development program, although you may be 16 years old to apply to be a Registered Pharmacy Technician, while the student and certified designations require that applicants are 18 years old. All information will be entered into the online portal.
APPLICATION FEES:
All of the designations require the payment of a $40 application fee that can be paid by credit or debit card (all major cards are accepted) or an ACH or eCheck. All fees will be paid through the online portal.
THE PROCESS:
To apply, go to the the IDFPR website, and make your way to the Pharmacy page, which you can find here. Go to the Pharmacy Technician Online application link, if you are a returning application, enter your login information on the left, if not scroll down on the right and click “new applications.” Read the account matching information and click yes or no accordingly. If you have never been licensed as a pharmacy technician in the state of Illinois click no and click next. Follow through the steps to fill out the additional forms and select which designation you are applying for. You will then be prompted to fill out the following:
Public and Mailing address
Personal Information
Date of Birthday
Name change (if applicable)
Record of past licensure
Primary education
Personal history
Child support, student loan, and tax history
Certifying statements
You are able to close and save your application at any point and continue at a later date.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Before applying for the licenses, make sure you check the in-depth checklist provided by the IDFPR which can be found here.
Interested in working as a pharmacy technician? Check out our job postings here, you can search by job title or location. If you’re located in Illinois search “Illinois” in the location search bar and hit enter! For more information, you can email info@pharmaceuticalstrategies.com or call a recruiter at 866-352-3337.