What Is the Pharmacy Law for Hawaii?

The Professional and Vocational Licensing (PVL) Division of the State of Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA) is the governing body responsible for overseeing pharmacists and pharmacies in Hawaii. State law mandates that pharmacist candidates seeking licensure must meet certain educational and work experience requirements, and also demonstrate vocational competency through an examination process before they can legally practice in Hawaii.

Governing Statutes and Rules

• Hawaii’s Professional and Vocational Licensing Division regulates pharmacists and pharmacies.

  Chapter 461 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes defines a registered pharmacist as a person licensed to practice in a pharmacy in accordance with its rules. The applicable Hawaii statutes and administrative rules regulating pharmacies and pharmacists include: Hawaii Administrative Rules (HAR) Chapter 95--Pharmacists and Pharmacies, HRS Chapter 461--Pharmacists and Pharmacy, HRS Chapter 328--Food, Drugs and Cosmetics, HRS Chapter 329--Uniform Controlled Substances Act and HRS Chapter 436B--Professional and Vocational Licensing Law. Licensure requirements are subject to change by Hawaii’s DCCA and Board of Pharmacy as new policies and laws are adopted.

Age and Citizenship

• Age and citizenship requirements are detailed in HAR 95 and on the PVL’s Pharmacist Exam and License Application Form. Pharmacist candidates in Hawaii must be at least 18 years of age, and also be a United States citizen, a U.S. national or a U.S. alien authorized to work in the country.

Education and Experience

• Pharmacists must meet certain educational and work experience requirements.

  HRS 461-5 states that a person seeking to become a pharmacist in Hawaii must be a graduate of a pharmacy college or university that is recognized by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE). In addition, HRS 461-8 requires practicing pharmacists to complete 30-credit hours of continuing education training, as a prerequisite for license renewal, before the biennial expiration date. Regarding an applicant’s prior work experience, HRS 461-5 directs completion of at least 1,500 hours of practical work experience in any state of the U.S., under the supervision of a registered pharmacist. For the experience to count, it must be related to the filling of prescriptions, drug dispensing, pharmaceutical preparations and processing of mandated state and federal reports. The 1,500 hours may be earned by working as a pharmacist intern or as a practicing pharmacist in another state.

Licensing Exams

• Hawaii pharmacists must pass national and state board exams.

  Exam requirements are covered on the PVL's Pharmacist Exam and License Application. Candidates must pass both a national and Hawaii-specific board exam before being licensed to practice. A minimum passing score of at least 75 is required for both the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) and the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination (MPJE) for Hawaii. Foreign-educated applicants are subject to additional tests or must submit evidence of a passing grade. These tests include the Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Equivalency Examination (FPGEE), Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and Test of Spoken English (TSE).

Penalties and Sanctions

• Grounds for denial, suspension and revocation of licenses, along with disciplinary sanctions, are spelled out in HAR 16-95-110. The rules apply to the commission of acts of misconduct or omission, for which judgment is reserved. The offender may face fines of up to $1,000 per day for each violation.