Michigan does not require the MPJE for pharmacist licensure. The state’s Joint Committee on Administrative Rules eliminated the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination requirement in early 2024 for both first-time applicants and pharmacists transferring in from other states. The NAPLEX remains the only national exam you need to pass, but Michigan still imposes education, internship, training, and background-check requirements before it will issue your license.
How Michigan Verifies Jurisprudence Competence Without an Exam
With the MPJE gone, Michigan pushed responsibility for jurisprudence knowledge onto two other places: pharmacy schools and continuing education. Schools of pharmacy are expected to graduate students who can practice within legal and ethical boundaries. Once licensed, pharmacists complete one hour of law and ethics continuing education every two years as part of their 30-hour renewal cycle. That single CE hour is the main mechanism Michigan now uses to keep active pharmacists current on regulatory changes.
For out-of-state pharmacists, the state uses a self-attestation model instead of an exam. You sign a statement confirming you have sufficient knowledge of the Michigan Public Health Code and the Board of Pharmacy’s administrative rules to practice competently.1Legal Information Institute. Michigan Administrative Code R 338.523 – Pharmacist License by Endorsement Requirements That attestation carries real weight. If your practice later reveals gaps, the Board can treat it as a licensure issue.
What First-Time Applicants Still Need
Skipping the MPJE does not shorten the path much. Michigan’s licensing checklist runs through several mandatory steps, and submitting an incomplete application creates delays.
Education and Internship
You need a degree from a pharmacy program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education, plus a minimum of 1,600 internship hours. Those hours can come from your program’s clinical rotations, work under a licensed preceptor, or a pre-approved unconventional internship arrangement.2Legal Information Institute. Michigan Administrative Code R 338.515 – Internship Requirements Any internship hours completed within Michigan must be done while holding a valid Michigan intern license, so apply for that early if you plan to train in-state.
The NAPLEX
The North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination is the only national exam Michigan requires. You must pass it before submitting your license application.3State of Michigan. Pharmacy Register through your NABP e-Profile, which links your education credentials, internship hours, and exam results.4National Association of Boards of Pharmacy. NABP e-Profile Terms and Conditions Once the Board confirms your eligibility, you receive an Authorization to Test and schedule through Pearson VUE.
Application, Background Check, and Mandatory Trainings
Michigan processes applications through the LARA online portal. You submit a Certificate of Pharmacy Education and a College of Pharmacy Affidavit, and complete a criminal background check through the Michigan State Police and FBI.3State of Michigan. Pharmacy
Three one-time trainings must be finished before your initial license is issued:
- Human trafficking identification training, required for all Michigan health professionals under MCL 333.16148.5Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. Human Trafficking Requirements for Health Professions
- Implicit bias training, scaled to the length of your license cycle, typically one hour per year of the cycle.6Justia Law. Michigan Administrative Code R 338.7004 – Implicit Bias Training
- A one-time opioid and controlled substances awareness training.
Endorsement Applicants From Other States
If you already hold a license elsewhere, you apply through the endorsement pathway. Michigan does not require the MPJE or any other jurisprudence exam as part of this process.7National Association of Boards of Pharmacy. Which States Require the MPJE or UMPJE Beyond the self-attestation described above, endorsement applicants must hold a license in good standing in their current state, submit an NABP licensure transfer report, pass a criminal background check, and complete the same mandatory trainings required of first-time applicants.1Legal Information Institute. Michigan Administrative Code R 338.523 – Pharmacist License by Endorsement Requirements Do not assume that transferring from another state exempts you from the training requirements.
Michigan Laws You Still Need to Know
No exam means the responsibility to learn state pharmacy law falls on you. A few primary sources cover most of what governs day-to-day practice.
Michigan Public Health Code
Article 15, Part 177 covers pharmacy practice and drug control, including the licensing framework, facility requirements, and the personal compliance duties of a pharmacist-in-charge.8Michigan Legislature. Michigan Compiled Laws 368-1978-15-177 – Pharmacy Practice and Drug Control Article 7 of the same code addresses controlled substances, including scheduling, prescribing, and dispensing requirements specific to Michigan.
Board of Pharmacy Administrative Rules
The Board’s administrative rules fill in operational detail the statutes leave broad, covering internship standards, prescription labeling, and the return and exchange of prescription drugs.9Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. Michigan Administrative Code for Licensing and Regulatory Affairs – Bureau of Professional Licensing Practical experience requirements, for instance, must include training in drug distribution, legal requirements, patient counseling, and evaluating drug therapies.
Federal Rules That Run Alongside
Federal law can impose stricter requirements than Michigan’s. The Controlled Substances Act governs federal scheduling and handling.10Drug Enforcement Administration. The Controlled Substances Act Under current DEA rules, a controlled substance prescription in schedules II through V can be transferred only once between pharmacies, the transfer must happen directly between two licensed pharmacists, and all remaining refills move with it.11Drug Enforcement Administration. Revised Regulation Allows DEA-Registered Pharmacies to Transfer Electronic Prescriptions at a Patients Request When state and federal law conflict, the stricter rule controls.
If You Trained in Michigan but Are Licensing Elsewhere
Most other U.S. states still require the MPJE or the newer Uniform MPJE. Several states began transitioning from the MPJE to the UMPJE in 2026, including Arizona, Florida, Iowa, North Carolina, and Ohio.12National Association of Boards of Pharmacy. UMPJE Participating States
Both exams are 2.5 hours long with 120 computer-adaptive questions, and results are reported as pass or fail.13National Association of Boards of Pharmacy. MPJE Test Day Information You get up to five attempts per jurisdiction on the MPJE, with a 30-day waiting period between attempts. Previous MPJE attempts do not count against your UMPJE attempt limit if a state transitions between exams.14National Association of Boards of Pharmacy. Do Previous MPJE Attempts Count Toward the UMPJE Attempt Limit Register through your NABP e-Profile and select the specific state whose law you need to be tested on.