MPJE

Overview

The Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination (MPJE) is a pharmacy law exam run by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP). Since 1998 it has tested a candidate's knowledge of state-specific pharmacy law and regulation, as well as federal law. State boards of pharmacy use it as part of the licensing process, including when a licensed pharmacist moves to another state.

A uniform version, the UMPJE, launched in 2026. The MPJE tests the law of one specific state, while the UMPJE tests the general principles of state law that are common to all jurisdictions, plus federal law. Your board of pharmacy decides which one you take.

NABP lists 13 jurisdictions that have adopted the UMPJE, with start dates in 2026: Arizona, Iowa, Kansas, North Carolina, Ohio and Rhode Island (1 April); Florida, Maryland, Montana, Nebraska and West Virginia (1 June); Washington (2 July); and Virginia (1 September). Some of them keep the state-specific MPJE running alongside for a while; for example, NABP lists MPJE retirement dates of 31 March 2027 for Kansas, 31 May 2027 for Maryland and 31 May 2028 for Nebraska. Other jurisdictions use the state-specific MPJE.

Who can apply

NABP says the exams are taken by recent pharmacy college graduates, licensed pharmacists who want to practise in another jurisdiction, and pharmacists with FPGEC certification.

• A candidate who has never taken the MPJE or UMPJE, is not licensed in the US, or has never sent NABP an official transcript must have one sent directly by their college of pharmacy to NABP.

• For the state-specific MPJE, NABP confirms eligibility only for certain jurisdictions (listed under Fees); elsewhere the board of pharmacy runs its own eligibility process. NABP confirms eligibility for all UMPJE jurisdictions.

• Early testing before graduation is a voluntary option, with applications accepted from 1 August to 1 December. It is open to final-year students at a participating ACPE-accredited college who have completed the didactic curriculum, including the pharmacy law course, and whose graduation is more than 6 months away. NABP lists these jurisdictions for it: Arizona, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

Exam pattern

The split of 100 scored and 20 pretest questions comes from NABP's January 2024 MPJE fact sheet, which also says most questions are multiple-choice, with some select-all-that-apply items. The UMPJE content outline is also built on 100 scored questions.

Only one attempt is allowed before graduation, and it counts toward the attempt limit. A student who fails an early attempt must wait until after graduation to retest through the standard process.

Syllabus

MPJE before 1 March 2027. The MPJE Competency Statements apply, with four areas: Licensure and Personnel (22%), Pharmacist Practice (33%), Dispensing Requirements (24%) and Pharmacy Operations (21%). Questions test both federal law and the law of the state you are applying to.

MPJE from 1 March 2027. A new MPJE Content Outline, announced by NABP in June 2026, replaces the competency statements. It has four domains: Pharmacy and Pharmacist Practice (30%), Medication Use Process (30%), Regulatory Authority and Legal Obligations (20%) and Pharmacy Operations (20%).

UMPJE. The UMPJE Content Outline uses the same four domains and weights, about 30, 30, 20 and 20 of the 100 scored questions. Topics include scope of practice, non-pharmacist staff, compounding standards, prescription validity, dispensing and labelling, controlled substances, the roles of federal and state regulators, and pharmacy licensing and records. It covers principles common to all states plus federal law, and is not mainly a federal law exam.

Marking and results

In most jurisdictions, results are posted in the NABP e-Profile within 14 business days after the exam. Guam, Illinois and Minnesota require candidates to get results from the state board directly. NABP converts the raw score into a scaled score to allow for the different questions each candidate sees, but candidates receive only a pass or fail result.

A candidate who fails gets a performance report showing how they did in each content area. A passing result is not a licence; only a board of pharmacy can issue one.

To retake the exam, a candidate applies again and pays the application and exam fees again. The board must approve eligibility again, and a new Authorization to Test is issued only after the waiting period set out in the NABP bulletin.

Fees

As listed on the NABP site in 2026:

• The application fee varies by jurisdiction.

• For the state-specific MPJE, NABP itself confirms eligibility in Arizona, Colorado, the District of Columbia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Nebraska, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Utah and Wisconsin, and charges an extra $85 for this when you apply.

• Sending a UMPJE score to each additional jurisdiction costs $105.

Check the current NABP bulletin for the full fee schedule.

How to apply

1. Read the Candidate Application Bulletin and confirm whether your jurisdiction uses the state-specific MPJE or the UMPJE.

2. Apply for eligibility in the Exam Services section of your NABP e-Profile. If you need testing accommodations, submit NABP's request form with your application.

3. Once eligibility is granted, buy the exam. NABP emails an Authorization to Test (ATT).

4. Book your appointment with Pearson.

After the exam

Score transfer is available only for the UMPJE, not the state-specific MPJE. You can add transfers when you apply, or through the e-Profile up to 89 days after the exam. NABP advises buying a transfer promptly, because a late request may no longer be possible.

Preparation tips

• Study the competency statements or the content outline that applies to your exam and test date.

• Use NABP's sample items and its official practice exams, the Pre-MPJE and Pre-UMPJE.

• Read the Test Day Bulletin so the test centre process is familiar.

• Bring one current, unexpired, government-issued (US or Canadian) photo ID with a signature, such as a passport or driver's licence. The name must match your ATT letter and e-Profile, with only limited flexibility for middle names. Arrive at least 30 minutes early.