State Pharmacy Boards: How to Verify Pharmacy Licenses to Avoid Counterfeit Drugs

When you pick up a prescription, you assume the pharmacist handing it to you is licensed, trained, and accountable. But what if they’re not? In 2023, the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) reported that 47% of disciplinary actions against pharmacists involved practicing with an invalid or expired license. That’s not a glitch-it’s a gap in the system. And it’s exactly how counterfeit drugs slip through. State pharmacy boards exist to close that gap. But knowing how to use them? That’s your first line of defense.

What State Pharmacy Boards Actually Do

Every U.S. state, plus D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, has its own pharmacy board. These aren’t just bureaucratic offices. They’re the legal gatekeepers of who can legally dispense medication. Each board licenses pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, sets continuing education rules, investigates complaints, and suspends or revokes licenses when someone breaks the law. They’re the only official source for verifying if a pharmacist is truly authorized to practice.

These boards have been around since 1878, when Massachusetts created the first one. Today, they regulate over 350,000 pharmacists and 300,000 pharmacy technicians. Their job isn’t just to issue cards-it’s to protect lives. A license that’s expired, suspended, or revoked shouldn’t be able to fill a prescription. But without you checking, it might still be.

Why Verification Matters More Than Ever

Counterfeit drugs aren’t just a problem overseas. In 2022, the FDA seized over 1.2 million fake pills in the U.S.-many of them laced with fentanyl. Some of these pills were dispensed by unlicensed individuals posing as pharmacists. How? Because no one checked.

Employers, hospitals, and even patients need to verify licenses directly through state boards. The American Pharmacists Association says third-party services aren’t enough. Why? Because updates lag. A pharmacist under investigation might still show as “Active” for days-or even weeks-on some systems. The Federation of State Medical Boards found pharmacy boards update disciplinary records 15% slower than medical boards. That’s a dangerous delay.

If you’re hiring a pharmacist, running a pharmacy, or even just picking up medication from a new location, don’t trust a business card or a website listing. Go straight to the source.

How to Verify a Pharmacy License: Step by Step

Verifying a license takes less than five minutes. Here’s how:

1. Go to your state’s pharmacy board website. Search for “[Your State] Board of Pharmacy.”
2. Look for “License Verification,” “Verify a License,” or “Public Records.”
3. Enter the pharmacist’s full legal name or license number. Don’t use nicknames or partial names.
4. Check the results for: License Status (Active, Suspended, Revoked), Expiration Date, and License Type (Pharmacist, Technician, etc.).
5. If the status says “Active,” you’re good. If it’s anything else, stop. Report it.

Some states, like Maryland, let you search by city, zip code, or even middle initial. But here’s the trick: less is more. Too many filters can block the right result. Start with just the name and license number. If nothing shows up, try removing the middle initial or using a common variation of the first name.

State Systems Vary-Here’s What to Expect

Not all state boards are built the same. Maryland’s system lets you search by 11 different criteria and handles about 12,000 queries a month. It’s detailed, but sometimes slow-users report delays of up to three weeks after passing exams before their status updates.

Washington, D.C., requires complete names or exact license numbers. Partial searches return errors. No guessing allowed. That’s strict, but it prevents false matches.

Some states charge a small fee-usually under $10-for an official verification letter if you need it for an out-of-state employer. But the online lookup? Always free.

Most boards keep records going back to the 1980s. That means you can check a pharmacist’s history-even if they moved states or changed their name.

NABP Verify: The National Shortcut

If you’re hiring a pharmacist who works in multiple states-or if you’re a pharmacist yourself moving across state lines-NABP Verify is a game-changer. Launched in 2020, this service pulls real-time data from 48 state boards through the License Verification Exchange (LVE). It gives you a digital badge you can share, showing your license is current and valid.

It costs $59 a year, but it saves hours. One pharmacy owner in Colorado cut credentialing time from 14 days to 3 when expanding to three states. For employers managing multi-state teams, it’s worth every penny.

But here’s the catch: NABP Verify is not the official source. It’s a convenience tool. If you’re verifying someone for legal or compliance reasons, you still need to cross-check with the state board. Think of NABP Verify as a flashlight-it helps you find the door, but you still have to turn the key.

What to Do If You Find a Problem

You search for a pharmacist. Their license says “Suspended.” Or “Revoked.” Or it doesn’t show up at all. What now?

Don’t assume it’s a mistake. Don’t assume it’s a glitch. Contact the state board immediately. Most have phone lines and email addresses listed on their verification pages. Maryland’s board can be reached at (410) 764-4755. D.C.’s is at (202) 442-3460.

If you’re an employer, stop the hiring process. If you’re a patient, walk out of the pharmacy. Report the individual to the board and to the FDA’s MedWatch program. Unlicensed practitioners are breaking the law-and putting lives at risk.

In 2022, a pharmacy in Ohio was shut down after an unlicensed tech was filling prescriptions for six months. The state board found 147 patients had received incorrect dosages. All of them trusted the “pharmacist” because the website said they were licensed. They never checked.

What’s Changing in 2025

By the end of 2025, 90% of state pharmacy boards are expected to have real-time license updates. That means if a license is suspended today, it’ll show as suspended tomorrow-not in two weeks. NABP is rolling out technician verification this year, and 23 states now participate in the Interstate Pharmacy Licensure Compact (IPLC), making it easier for pharmacists to practice across borders.

But technology alone won’t fix the problem. The real change comes from you-patients, employers, and even other pharmacists-asking the question: “Is this person licensed?”

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Using third-party job boards or LinkedIn profiles as proof of licensure.
• Assuming a license is valid because the person has a white coat or a pharmacy logo.
• Waiting for a renewal to show up online-some states take weeks to update.
• Using a license number from a different state without verifying the issuing board.
• Not checking technician licenses-they’re just as critical as pharmacist licenses.

The biggest mistake? Thinking it’s someone else’s job to verify. It’s not. It’s yours.

Final Word: You’re the Last Line of Defense

State pharmacy boards are powerful-but only if you use them. They can’t stop a fake pharmacist if no one checks. They can’t protect a child from a counterfeit opioid pill if no one asks, “Is this person licensed?”

Every time you verify a license, you’re not just checking a box. You’re preventing a death. You’re stopping a fraud. You’re keeping medicine safe.

Next time you walk into a pharmacy you’ve never been to, take 90 seconds. Go to the state board website. Search the name. Confirm the status. It’s the easiest, most powerful thing you can do to protect yourself-and everyone around you.