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) found 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 that gap is where counterfeit drugs slip through.

Why Verifying a Pharmacy License Matters

Pharmacies aren’t just drug stores. They’re health care providers. A licensed pharmacist doesn’t just count pills-they check for dangerous interactions, confirm dosages, and spot fake medications. But without proper verification, you can’t know who’s behind the counter.

Counterfeit drugs are a growing threat. The World Health Organization estimates that 1 in 10 medical products in low- and middle-income countries are fake. But even in the U.S., unlicensed operators have been caught selling fake insulin, cancer drugs, and erectile dysfunction pills through online pharmacies that look legitimate. These aren’t rare cases. In 2022, the FDA shut down over 1,200 illegal online pharmacies. Many of them operated without any state pharmacy board oversight.

The only way to be sure a pharmacy or pharmacist is legitimate? Go straight to the source: your state’s pharmacy board.

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 bureaucratic red tape machines-they’re frontline defenders of public health.

These boards handle:

• Issuing and renewing licenses for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians
• Setting continuing education requirements
• Investigating complaints about unethical or unsafe practice
• Disciplining or revoking licenses when rules are broken

They also maintain public databases where anyone can check if a pharmacist is currently licensed. As of 2023, 48 of the 56 state boards offer free online license verification. That means you can verify a pharmacist’s credentials in under five minutes-no phone call needed.

How to Verify a Pharmacy License: A Step-by-Step Guide

Verifying a license isn’t complicated. But the process varies by state. Here’s how to do it right:

1. Find your state’s pharmacy board website. Search for “[Your State] Board of Pharmacy.” Avoid third-party sites. Only official state domains (.gov) are trustworthy.
2. Go to the license verification section. It’s usually labeled “Verify a License,” “License Lookup,” or “Public Records.”
3. Enter search criteria. At minimum, you’ll need the pharmacist’s full name or license number. Some boards let you search by city or employer. Don’t use partial names-Maryland’s board warns that incomplete searches often return wrong results.
4. Check the license status. Look for these key details:

• Full name
• License number
• Issue date and expiration date
• Current status: “Active,” “Suspended,” “Revoked,” “Probation,” or “Retired”

If the status says “Active,” you’re good. If it says anything else-stop. Don’t fill that prescription. Report it.

Some states, like Maryland, show additional info like disciplinary history. Others, like D.C., are more basic. But if the license number doesn’t match the name, or the expiration date is past, it’s a red flag.

What to Do If You Can’t Find the License

If the search returns nothing, don’t assume the pharmacist is unlicensed. Sometimes:

• The license just renewed and hasn’t updated yet (Maryland says it can take up to 3 weeks)
• The name was entered wrong (middle initials matter)
• The pharmacist is licensed in another state

If you’re still unsure, call the board. Maryland’s Board of Pharmacy can be reached at (410) 764-4755. D.C. Health offers phone support during business hours. Most boards have staff ready to help.

And if you’re verifying a pharmacist who works for a chain like CVS or Walgreens? Don’t rely on the store’s website. Go directly to the state board. Employers don’t always update their internal systems in real time.

NABP Verify: The National Alternative

If you’re a pharmacist moving between states-or an employer hiring across state lines-checking 56 different websites is a nightmare. That’s where NABP Verify comes in.

Launched in 2020, NABP Verify is a paid service ($59/year) that pulls license data from 46 participating state boards. It gives you a single dashboard showing all active licenses, plus a digital badge you can share to prove compliance.

It’s not a replacement for state boards. It’s a shortcut. The NABP system doesn’t have real-time updates yet-delays of 3-7 days are common. But it’s faster than juggling 10 state portals.

Why Third-Party Sites Are Dangerous

Google “verify pharmacist license” and you’ll get ads for private services. Some charge $20-$50 for a report. But here’s the catch: they’re not official sources.

These companies scrape data from state boards-sometimes months late. They don’t have access to disciplinary actions or pending investigations. In 2022, a pharmacy in Ohio hired a technician based on a third-party verification that showed an “active” license. Two weeks later, the state board revealed the license had been suspended for 11 months due to a theft conviction.

The American Pharmacists Association (APhA) is clear: “Verify directly through the state board. Never rely on third parties alone.”

What Happens When a License Is Revoked

A revoked license means the pharmacist lost their right to practice. Reasons include:

• Diverting controlled substances
• Practicing while impaired
• Dispensing incorrect prescriptions that harmed patients
• Fraudulent record-keeping

Once revoked, the license is permanently marked in the state’s database. Even if the person reapplies years later, the revocation stays on record.

But here’s the scary part: some revoked pharmacists still work under fake names or in unregulated online pharmacies. That’s why verification isn’t a one-time check-it’s an ongoing habit.

How States Are Improving Verification

The system isn’t perfect, but it’s getting better.

In January 2023, Maryland rolled out a new verification portal with mobile-friendly design and faster search. It processed over 150,000 queries in its first six months.

NABP announced in August 2023 that NABP Verify will include pharmacy technicians by mid-2024. That’s huge-technicians handle 70% of prescription filling in many stores.

The Interstate Pharmacy Licensure Compact (IPLC), now active in 23 states, lets pharmacists hold one license that works across multiple states. That reduces paperwork and makes verification easier for cross-border practice.

By 2025, the NABP predicts 90% of state boards will update license statuses in real time-cutting the current 7-14 day lag. That could prevent dozens of cases where patients get meds from someone under investigation.

What You Can Do Right Now

You don’t need to be a pharmacist to protect yourself. Here’s your action plan:

• Always verify the pharmacist’s license before filling a prescription-especially if you’re ordering online.
• Bookmark your state’s pharmacy board site. Save it in your browser. It takes 30 seconds to check.
• Ask your pharmacist: “Can I see your license?” Most will show it willingly.
• Report suspicious activity. If a pharmacy won’t let you verify, or if prices seem too low, contact your state board. You might stop a counterfeit drug ring.

Counterfeit drugs don’t just waste money-they kill. In 2021, the CDC linked fake fentanyl-laced painkillers to over 70,000 overdose deaths. Many of those drugs entered the supply chain through unlicensed pharmacies.

You can’t stop every fake pill. But you can make sure the person handing it to you is real.