Iowa

Iowa State Board of Pharmacy requires that candidates who wish to practice as pharmacy technicians must have completed an approved course. Currently, there are two such courses available – from both the PTCB and the National Healthcareer Association (NHA). Either of these two exams is permitted by the State Board.

Candidates must be 18-years old at the time of application.

Iowa State Requirements

To register as a pharmacy technician in Iowa, the State Board has issued their own requirements for candidates to meet. These include:

• Candidates must be 18-years or older.
• Candidates must have earned a high school diploma or GED.
• Candidates are expected to undergo a thorough criminal background check – including having fingerprints taken (though fingerprints are not required for candidates under the age of 18).
• Certification is required to practice in the state of Iowa – either through the PTCB exam or through the National Healthcareer Association ExCPT exam.
• Candidates must pay $40.00 application fee within 30-days of commencing work in a pharmacy, or $80.00 if sent more than 30-days.

Iowa Pharmacy Technician Average Salary: $15.83/hr

Requirements for PTCB Continuous Education

To maintain the pharmacy tech license in Iowa, candidates must complete CE – or continuous education.

PTCB requires:

• Candidates must have completed at least 20-hours of CE in a 2-year cycle.
• Candidates must have completed at least 1-hour of this training in pharmacy law and regulations, and an additional hour in patient safety.
• PTCB requires that CE must be related to the professional work and practice of a pharmacy technician.
• Candidates must pay the requisite fee of $40.00, which must be paid every 2-years.