UK-qualified pharmacy technicians

To be eligible to register as a pharmacy technician with us, you will need to complete:

  • either one of the recognised competency-based qualifications and one of the recognised knowledge-based qualifications listed in the criteria, or a combined competency qualification, also listed in the criteria
  • a minimum of two years’ work-based experience in the UK, Isle of Man or Channel Islands

Please see the criteria for registration as a pharmacy technician [PDF 747 KB] for more information about what you will need to do. 

Once you have completed your qualifications and work experience, you can apply to register with us.

To apply, create an account and complete the online application available on myGPhC.

Button link to mygphc.org

Read the application guidance to find out what you will need to apply - The document will automatically download, as you click on the link.

Button link to the application guidance document

See the step-by-step guide [PDF 870 KB] to help you complete your online application.

Button link to the step-by-step guide document

Relevant work experience

You will need to need to complete at least two-years of relevant work experience in the UK, Isle of Man or Channel Islands to meet the criteria for registration. 

Within this two-year period, you must complete at least 1,260 hours of work experience in total. You must complete at least 315 hours in each of the two years. 

The earliest date you can join the register is two calendar years after the start date of your first period of work experience (provided you have met the minimum hours requirement).

Even if you complete the minimum of 1,260 working hours before your two-year period is up, you won’t be able to register earlier. 

What counts as ‘relevant work experience’?

When working, you must be under the supervision, direction or guidance of a pharmacist or pharmacy technician. You must be directly accountable to them for at least 14 hours per week.

You can include work experience completed during your pharmacy technician courses, and up to three months before the start of your pharmacy technician course, if you were:

  • working and carrying out the role of a pre-registration trainee pharmacy technician in the United Kingdom, Isle of Man or Channel Islands 
  • under the supervision, direction or guidance of a pharmacist or pharmacy technician to whom you were directly accountable

This is because you must register for, or start, one of the two qualifications required to register as a pharmacy technician within three months of starting to work as a pre-registration trainee pharmacy technician.

Please see the criteria for registration as a pharmacy technician [PDF 747 KB] for more information about qualifying work experience.

Meeting time limits

If you have not managed to complete your work experience within the two-year time limit with good reason, such as maternity, paternity or extended sickness leave, contact us. You may be eligible for an extension. 

See the criteria for registration as a pharmacy technician for more information on extension [PDF 747 KB]

Something to declare?

If you have any issues in section 6 of the application form which might affect your fitness to practice, you must tell us more about these by filling in a Something to declare form. If you have a health issue which may affect your fitness to practise, submit a Something to declare- health form. You may need to provide other documents from your doctor or other health professionals.