Registering a pharmacy premises

Under the Medicines Act 1968, you must apply to register a premises as a pharmacy if your service model includes one of:

  • the sale of Pharmacy (P) medicines
  • the supply of P medicines or Prescription Only Medicines (POMs) against prescriptions, which requires the product to be labelled for a specific patient as a dispensed medicinal product
  • the supply of P medicines or Prescription Only Medicines (POMs) against prescriptions written by veterinary practitioners for the treatment of animals under the ‘cascade’

'Pharmacy' is a protected title in legislation. To protect public safety, it is an offence to use the term 'pharmacy' in respect of a retail business that is not a registered pharmacy (or the pharmacy department of a hospital or health centre). 

If you use the title ‘pharmacy’ in relation to a business not registered with us, we will consider what risks there may be to public safety and then decide on the actions we may need to take to protect patients and the public.  

We will investigate cases where the use of the ‘pharmacy’ title is linked to a product or service linked to medicinal or health type services and where there is a real risk that patient patients or members of the public could reasonably be misled, or where public health and wellbeing could be implicated.

To help us process your application promptly, please send a scanned copy to us by email at the address on the form. Please do not submit more than one copy of your application as it may mean that you are inadvertently charged twice. 

Registering a new pharmacy

To apply to register a new pharmacy premises, please complete a pharmacy premises registration application - (on click the document will attempt to download automatically).

Make sure you read the guidance that comes with the application form before submitting your application, to help make sure that you provide all the information we require, in the correct format.

If you are submitting an application on behalf of a corporate body (such as a limited company or NHS Trust) that does not currently own registered pharmacy premises, you must also nominate a superintendent pharmacist.

Complete the nomination of a superintendent form and include it with your application. The document will automatically download, as you click on the above link.

As part of your application, you will need to carry out an assessment to show how you will meet the standards for registered pharmacies [PDF 985 KB] from the first day your pharmacy is open. 

If you plan to operate a pharmacy service over the internet, you will also need to show us how you propose to meet our guidance for registered pharmacies providing pharmacy services at a distance, including on the internet [PDF 576 KB]

Registering a temporary pharmacy

If you are applying to register a temporary pharmacy for an exhibition or event please complete the temporary premises application form

You can return the completed form and supporting documents to us, by post, or you can email a single scanned PDF copy of your completed form via email to us at premises@pharmacyregulation.org.

If you send your application by post, we recommend using a trackable service such as Royal Mail ‘Signed For’. This method keeps your documents secure and protects your details. Use your tracking number to find out when your application has been delivered.

Providing pharmacy services online? Apply to use the internet pharmacy logo

The GPhC operates a voluntary internet pharmacy logo scheme to provide reassurance to patients and the public that they are purchasing medicines online from registered pharmacies who have to meet GPhC standards.

If you would like to apply to use our voluntary internet pharmacy logo, please read the conditions for use first  [PDF 180 KB]

If you think your pharmacy service can meet the conditions of use, download and complete the application form - (on click the document will attempt to download automatically).