Pharmacist Registration

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Pharmacist Registration

To practice as a pharmacist in British Columbia, you must be registered as a Full Pharmacist by completing the College’s application process.  Your first step is to pre-register with the College through the applicable category.  Once you have met all the requirements, you can then apply for Full Pharmacist Registration.

  1. Pre-Registration
    Use the table below to determine which pre-registration category is applicable to you and refer to the specific webpage for steps to complete your registration process:

    Pre-Registration Category Description of Category
    Pharmacist from Canada (CTFA) For pharmacists currently registered as a practising pharmacist in another Canadian province or territory.
    Pharmacist from Canada (Non-CTFA) For pharmacists who were previously registered or is listed in the non-patient care register in another Canadian province or territory.
    Pharmacist from United States For pharmacists currently or previously registered as a practicing pharmacist in the United States.
    International Pharmacy Graduate (IPG) For pharmacists currently registered outside of Canada or the U.S., or for pharmacy graduates who obtained their pharmacy degree outside of Canada or the U.S. (non-CCAPP/ACPE accredited).
    Student Pharmacist (UBC) For students enrolled in the Entry-to-Practice PharmD program at the University of British Columbia (UBC).
    New Pharmacy Graduate from Canada For new pharmacy graduates from another province or territory in Canada (CCAPP accredited pharmacy program).
    New Pharmacy Graduate from United States For new pharmacy graduates from the United States (ACPE accredited pharmacy program).

    The categories (and the links) in the table above are intended for applicants who wish to apply for Full Pharmacist Registration.  If you are a pharmacy student from a pharmacy school outside BC and wish to complete your practicum/structured practical training or will be providing pharmacy services under the supervision of a Full Pharmacist in BC, you must registered as a Student Pharmacist with the College before you begin your practicum. Steps to complete the registration for this category can be found here: Pharmacy Student from Outside BC
     

  2. Full Pharmacist Registration

    The steps to complete your Full Pharmacist Registration is outlined on the same webpage as your pre-registration category (see table above).

    Your application will be reviewed within 5 business days upon receipt of payment and required documents, including your PEBC result.

    The College will send you a confirmation notice by email once your Full Pharmacist Registration has been completed and your registration number has been issued.  At that time, you will be able to access your registration card through eServices and you may practice as a pharmacist in BC.

    Your registration certificate will be mailed to you in 8 weeks.

    Your registration is valid for 12 months and must be renewed annually. For more information, see registration renewal.

Other Registration Classes for Pharmacists

The College also has other registration classes:

  • Temporary (Emergency) Pharmacist
    • If an emergency has been declared by the Registrar, a pharmacist registered in another jurisdiction in Canada or the USA may be granted temporary registration in BC. Temporary Registration is only valid for 90 days and can only be renewed once.
    • Application Form - Temporary Pharmacist
       
  • Limited Pharmacist
    • A pharmacist who has not completed all the requirements for Full Pharmacist Registration, approved by the Registration Committee, may provide pharmacy services under the supervision of a Full Pharmacist.
    • Effective August 1, 2019:  Applications for this registration class must be reviewed by the Registration Committee pursuant to section 44(1)(a)(iii) and section 44(1)(b)(iii) of the HPA Bylaws.  This extends the time period for processing the application.  The Registration Committee may grant an applicant Limited Pharmacist Registration if, in its opinion, the applicant is capable of practising as a Limited Pharmacist without any risk to public health and safety.
    • Limited Pharmacist registration may be renewed twice and must not exceed 3 years from your initial registration.
    • Application Form - Limited Pharmacist

General Information

Use the information and resources below to ensure that you have all of the necessary documentation for your pre-registration and/or full registration application. You may want to print this page to use as a reference. Specific requirements for pre-registration and full registration can be found in the information page for your category (refer to the table above).

All required documents must be mailed to the College office at 200 – 1765 West 8th Ave, Vancouver BC V6J 5C6. Faxed or scanned copies via email will not be accepted.

Required Documents

Submitting Your Documents

  • Submit both sides of any documents that are double-sided, e.g. birth certificate, Canadian Citizenship card or certificate. 
  • Documents in a language other than English must be translated by a certified translator.
  • Documents that are required to be notarized must be completed by a Notary Public or lawyer.  Other professionals will not be accepted.​
Notarized Identification Form

You must complete and mail the Notarized Identification form along with a notarized copy of your primary ID to the College. Notarized documents can only be completed by a Notary Public or lawyer. Other professionals will not be accepted.

To complete the form, you will need the following items:

  1. One passport photograph taken within one year

  2. One of the following primary identification:

    • Birth certificate
    • Canadian citizenship card/certificate
    • Notarized affidavit (if applicable)

     

  3. One of the following secondary identification:

    • Passport
    • Valid Canadian driver’s license
    • British Columbia identification card
    • Naturalization certificate
    • Canadian Forces identification
Letter of Standing

If you are or have been registered as a health professional in any jurisdiction, you will be required to submit a Letter of Standing.  The letter must be dated no earlier than 3 months before the date of your application and must be sent directly to the College from your current and/or previous regulatory body, otherwise it will not be accepted. 

All Letters of Standing must be mailed to the College directly from your current/previous regulatory body. However, pharmacy regulatory bodies from other Canadian provinces may send the Letters of Standing to the College via mail, email (registration@bcpharmacists.org) or fax (604-733-2493/1-800-377-8129).

If you have never been previously registered as a health professional, you are not required to submit a letter of standing.

Proof of Name Difference

If your name is inconsistent on any of your provided documents (e.g. name change, different spellings), you must mail a copy of the name change certificate or marriage certificate to the College.

If the name change/marriage certificate cannot account for the differences (e.g. different spelling), you must mail the original copy of your notarized affidavit (see sample affidavit) to the College.

Notarized Affidavits

A notarized affidavit is a written statement that is required if you are unable to provide the original document confirming the facts of your application. Notarized documents must be completed by a Notary Public or lawyer. Other professionals will not be accepted. If you are submitting a notarized affidavit, mail the original copy of the notarized affidavit to the College using the sample template(s) below:

 
Processing Times

The processing of your application will be completed only when the College receives all required documents and your Criminal Record Check (CRC) result from the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General (“the Ministry”). 

You must mail in your required documents. Your application will be reviewed within 5 business days upon receipt of payment and documents. You will be notified by email if there are any outstanding requirements. 

The registration process takes at least 30 business days to complete due to the CRC process. Processing times may be extended if additional adjudication or fingerprinting is required by the Ministry.

A confirmation email will be sent to you upon completion of the registration process.

Payment

Registration fees can be found in the HPA Fee Schedule.  All fees are non-refundable.

Only Visa and Mastercard are accepted methods of payment.

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