Step-by-Step Guide to Renewing Your CPhT Certification for Free

I know what you’re thinking: “I passed my NHA certification exam—I’m all set!” Well, yes and no.

The good news: your NHA certification is valid for two years. The not-so-good news: to keep it active (and avoid retaking the exam), you’ll need to complete Continuing Education modules—called CEs—and pay a renewal fee to the NHA. Trust me, renewing is much easier (and cheaper) than letting your certification expire and paying to have it reinstated. Nobody wants that.

The even better news? Many CE modules are available online for free. Some platforms may charge, but you don’t have to spend money if you know where to look. Mrs. Grisham and I recently renewed our own certifications and realized how stressful it can be when you’re unsure what to do—or how to upload your CE credits correctly in your NHA account.

Pro tip: Don’t wait until your certification is about to expire to start your CE modules. Spread them out over time to avoid last-minute panic.

To help take the guesswork and stress out of the process, Mrs. Grisham and I put together this step-by-step guide to walk you through renewing your certification.

(And if you don’t believe us, just ask my man crush…)

Step 1: Create Your NABP Account

You’ll need a NABP (National Association of Boards of Pharmacy) number before you can complete CE modules.

Go to the official NABP site and start your registration here: Create NABP Account
Follow each step listed. You’ll need to:
1. Register for a free NABP account
2. You'll need your NHA Certification ID number — find this by logging into NHA and checking your account profile under "Certifications."
  1. If you're a past KLR student, remember: you created your NHA account during class as an onboarding assignment
  2. Use the same email you used in class
  3. If you don’t remember your password, use the reset password option
3. Along with your NHA certification number, you will need to know the following:
  1. Certifying Authority: Choose National Healthcareer Association - CPhT
  2. License Number: This is your NHA Certification ID
  3. License Type: Select Pharmacy Technician Certification (PTCB, ICPT/NHA)
  4. Expiration Date: This can also be found in your NHA account under Certifications
4. Save your NABP number (write it down or take a screenshot) — you’ll need it each time you complete a CE module. I personally keep mine on a Google Doc and saved in the same folder as my saved CE certificates - more on that later.

Step 2: Create a Free Pharmacy Times Account

This is our favorite platform for CE modules and it’s the one we used to renew!

1. Go to Pharmacy Times CE Registration and create your account

2. Then click on the Pharmacy Technician Link or Click Here

3. Look to the left side of the screen under “Professional Focus.” Choose

modules marked for Pharmacy Technicians (they must be tech-specific to

count!)

IMPORTANT: Some students have messaged us saying they couldn’t find the free ones. Make sure you’re registered with a free account — you do NOT need a yearly membership to access the CE modules listed.

Step 3: Complete 20 Credit Hours of CE

Some modules require reading and comprehension while others require watching a video and answering questions afterwards. You are free to back out at any time to review the material or rewatch a portion of the video.

To renew your certification, NHA requires:

● 20 total credit hours

● 1 hour in Pharmacy Law

● 1 hour in Patient Safety

*Be sure to have 1 credit hour each in Law and Patient Safety!

Modules range from 1/2–2 credit hours, so choose enough to meet the full 20 hours.

NHA may make it seem like you only need 10 hours — but Pharmacy Techs must complete 20 total. Think 1 credit equals 1 credit hour.

*You will also need to take note of how many hours each module is worth, as you'll need that information when uploading your certificates to the NHA website.

Step 4: Save and Upload Your Certificates

After finishing each module, you will be asked to rate the activity and then you will be taken to the PTCE Monitor Submission Portal.
Click on Submit on the bottom right of the screen.
You will then receive an email from the PTCE:
Click on View Certificate:
It will then open in a new window and show the following:
On the top right of the certificate you can either download it directly or hit the print icon and under “Destination” choose “Save as PDF.” Download the certificate (PDF) and save it to a file or folder that you will have easy access to.
Now go to NHA's website and log in
1. If you're a past KLR student, remember: you created your NHA account during class as an onboarding assignment
2. Use the same email you used in class
3. If you don’t remember your password, use the reset password option
Go to the "External CE" section (bottom left of your dashboard)
Click on the link and you will see the upload screen. You will need to provide the Title of your module and Hours Spent.
1. *This is where the NHA site can be confusing.
2. You will need to enter 2 “Hours Spent” for every 1 Credit Hour.
3. Example: If your CE module says it was worth 1 credit hour, then you will need to enter 2 Hours Spent on the NHA site and it will automatically enter 1 Credit into the “Credits” field. This means you must complete 20 Hours of CE for the 10 Credits that the NHA is requiring for renewal.
4. If you module is less than one, still enter two hours spent, but ensure you upload additional CE that will add up to what you need in total or your certification will NOT be renewed. You can’t cheat the system!
5. Next, click on “Add Item” and browse for your folder you saved your certificates in and upload them for credit.

You should then see:

You can then navigate to “My CE History” by clicking on the link on the left hand side of the page and you will see that it was successfully uploaded:

Be sure to keep a copy of all certificates in a safe place in case of an audit! This can be a digital folder as I’ve suggested previously.

What’s an audit? It’s when the certification board randomly checks to make sure you completed valid CE hours. If you can’t provide proof, you could lose your certification or your certification will not be renewed.

Step 5: Renew Your Certification

Once you’ve uploaded all 20 hours of CE:

Click “Renew Certifications” on the left side of the page and then click “Renew and Pay.” You will see a CE Progress indicator when you have uploaded all 10 credit hours - Be sure this is actually 20 hours equalling 10 credits or you will be audited and denied renewal.
1. *Notice - You will NOT be able to use the NHA’s CE to renew your Pharmacy Technician Certification. You MUST upload External CE only.
Choose the certification that is eligible for renewal and click “Renew and Pay” again.
Pay the current fee of $55 (subject to change)

That’s it! Once approved, you’re certified for another 2 years.

State License vs. NHA Certification

This guide helps you renew your NHA certification — which is recognized nationwide. But your license is state-specific and is required to work in a pharmacy in the state you are working in. If you're unsure about your license, reach out to a member of the pharmacy team directly.

Pharmacy Technician License Renewal Overview

We know our students come from all over the country, but because the majority of our students are from Indiana, we’ll use Indiana as our primary example. Still, we’ve included other state-specific details to help those outside Indiana understand what may apply in their area.

Indiana License Renewal Details

Renewal Frequency: Every two years (biennially)
Expiration Date: June 30 of even-numbered years (e.g., 2024, 2026)
Renewal Fee: $25 (subject to change)
How to Renew: Online through the Indiana MyLicense website

Note: Indiana does not require continuing education (CE) hours for pharmacy technician license renewal.

Other Location Examples

Kentucky:

Pharmacy technicians in Kentucky must renew their registration annually. The renewal period opens in March and closes at the end of March.

Renewal Fee: $25 (subject to change)
CE Required: No
How to Renew: Through the Kentucky State Board of Pharmacy website

Texas:

Texas pharmacy technician licenses must be renewed every two years, based on the end of the month in which the original license was issued.

Renewal Fee: $81 (subject to change)
CE Required: Yes, 20 hours of CE including at least 1 hour in Texas-specific pharmacy law
How to Renew: Through the Texas State Board of Pharmacy website

Washington, DC:

Pharmacy technicians in Washington, DC must renew their registration every two years.

Renewal Fee: $50, plus a $50 criminal background name search fee (subject to change)
CE Required: Yes, 20 total hours
- 2 hours in pharmacy law
- 2 hours in medication safety
- 2 hours in cultural competency or specialized clinical training
- 10% must be related to public health priorities set by the Director
How to Renew: Online through the DC Health License Renewal Portal
Inactive Status Option: DC allows licensees to renew and place their license on paid inactive status, which does not require CE until reactivation
Additional Notes: A new account must be created in the renewal portal, even if one was used in the past. NABP e-Profile numbers are required during renewal.

Pro Tip:

Always check your state’s (or district’s) Board of Pharmacy website for the most accurate and current information. Renewal timelines, CE requirements, and fees may vary and are subject to change. Staying up to date will help you avoid delays, penalties, or license lapses.

Final Message from Mr. & Mrs. Grisham

We know this can feel like a lot, but remember what we say about negative thoughts? Roll them up and throw them in the trash! You’ve got this! We created this guide because we truly care about helping you succeed even after class is over. We’re always here to support you, so don’t hesitate to reach out. You can always reach us by email!

Remember, YOU CAN DO HARD THINGS!

KLR Pharmacy Technician Department

Mr. Grisham - brent@klronlinecertifications.com

Mrs. Grisham - shawna@klronlinecertifications.com