Say you’re a community pharmacist working in Charlotte, North Carolina. You unexpectedly lose your job and the nearest opportunity available is in South Carolina. The possibility of applying and starting a new job within a couple of weeks in South Carolina is slim to none. Why? The MPJE.
The MPJE (Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination) is the state law exam pharmacists must pass to practice in a new jurisdiction, and it is changing fast. A growing number of states are replacing it with the UMPJE (Universal Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination), a single exam designed to improve pharmacy license reciprocity between participating states.
The national MPJE (Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination) pass rate for first-time test takers across the US was 74.5% in 2025, compared to the NAPLEX (North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination) first-time pass rate of 86.8% in the same year.
As of August 2026, there are now 13 states that are adopting a new form of the MPJE: the UMPJE (Universal Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination). This exam will allow pharmacists to fulfill jurisprudence exam requirements in any of the 13 participating states without the financial burden and loss of time that would occur prior to the formation of the UMPJE. Not only is the UMPJE being implemented, but the exam content is also being updated in general for the MPJE in 2027.
What is the MPJE and why are certain states transitioning to the UMPJE?
The MPJE is an exam designed for new graduates and pharmacists wanting to practice in other jurisdictions to assess knowledge of state-specific laws and regulations, as well as federal laws. The importance of knowing state laws is essential for pharmacy practice, but exactly how different do laws vary from state to state? Is an exam for each state necessary to practice in that jurisdiction? The NABP (National Association of Boards of Pharmacy) seemed to agree that the UMPJE will:
- Improve License Portability: Instead of waiting to sit for an exam for a specific state, the UMPJE makes it a seamless transition from one state to the next
- Reduce Exam Burden: Pharmacists practicing remotely from different states no longer have the cumbersome need to take multiple, redundant exams
- Standardize Competency: It focuses on federal laws, while also focusing on state laws that are similar across the nation, instead of highly specified state laws
- Decrease Wait Times: Boards of Pharmacy will spend less time reviewing, which will help speed up the licensure process
All of these are key examples of how changing to a more uniform exam will help pharmacists and graduating pharmacists alike in improving access where they would need to practice, all while maintaining key knowledge required by most states.
Won’t the UMPJE leave out key details pertaining to certain state laws?
While this is a common concern in the pharmacy community, there are many states that share very similar laws and regulations. To address state-specific laws that may not be covered by the UMPJE, many states require additional resources and guides to account for this lack of knowledge. For example, North Carolina has a Guide to North Carolina Specific Pharmacy Regulation for New Licensees which is a pamphlet required for pharmacists to familiarize themselves with before practicing in North Carolina. Some important questions to think about are: How much of the initial studying from the law exam do pharmacists actually retain over the years? Couldn’t a quick search of official resources suffice?
What states are transitioning to the UMPJE?
Jurisdiction | UMPJE Start Date | MPJE Retirement Date | UMPJE Requirement for Licensure Transfer |
April 1, 2026 | March 31, 2026 | Yes | |
June 1, 2026 | May 31, 2026 | No | |
April 1, 2026 | March 31, 2026 | Yes | |
April 1, 2026 | March 31, 2027 | Yes | |
June 1, 2026 | May 31, 2027 | Yes | |
June 1, 2026 | May 31, 2026 | Must have a passing UMPJE or MPJE score in any jurisdiction. | |
June 1, 2026 | May 31, 2028 | Yes | |
April 1, 2026 | March 31, 2026 | Yes | |
April 1, 2026 | September 30, 2026 | Must have a passing UMPJE or MPJE score in any jurisdiction. | |
April 1, 2026 | March 31, 2026 | Yes | |
September 1, 2026 | September 30, 2026 | Yes | |
July 2, 2026 | December 29, 2026 | Yes | |
June 1, 2026 | August 1, 2026 | Yes |
Above is a table from the NABP listing states adopting the UMPJE, the date each state retires the MPJE, and whether the UMPJE is required for licensure transfer. At minimum, it would take around 4-6 weeks for a pharmacist to pay for the exam, sit for it, and then wait for licensure in another state, at which point the opportunity they were applying for could have already been taken. Conversely, if a new graduate passed the UMPJE, they could transfer that score to any of the states listed for a $105 UMPJE score transfer fee.
For pharmacists trying to sort out which states require the MPJE versus the UMPJE, this UMPJE states list is a helpful starting point, though it is worth confirming directly with the relevant board of pharmacy since requirements are still evolving.
Valid criticisms of the UMPJE
While there is good evidence to make the MPJE universal, many critics argue that pharmacy law can have significant implications for patient safety. For example, a pharmacist in Florida could pass the UMPJE and have little knowledge about New York-specific pharmacy laws, as pharmacy law can sometimes vary significantly between states. Another valid critique is that it could create false confidence, with a pharmacist thinking they know all the laws because they passed the UMPJE, which could lead to negative consequences down the road. This could also lead to less emphasis in teaching state laws in pharmacy school. If everything is nationalized, there would be less incentive to educate new pharmacists on state-specified laws.
What are the costs associated with each exam?
National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP)
| Application | Examination | |
|---|---|---|
| NAPLEX | $100.00 | $520.00 |
| MPJE | $100.00 per jurisdiction | $170.00 per jurisdiction |
| UMPJE | $100.00 | $350.00 |
| NAPLEX and UMPJE Score Transfer* | Refer to Section 11 of NAPLEX/MPJE Bulletin |
*May be made at time of examination or up to 89 days after exam date.
Above shows a table listing the current prices of the MPJE, UMPJE and NAPLEX applications AND examinations. The UMPJE is a great example of how a uniform exam will decrease paywall burden to practice in other states thereby increasing accessibility to practice as well. With the rise of many telehealth companies, the UMPJE is becoming increasingly important to integrate in the US.
Do all states require the MPJE/UMPJE?
Surprisingly, the answer is no. I too found it shocking that not all states require a law examination, but this has led some pharmacists and policymakers to question whether a state-specific jurisprudence examination remains necessary. Other professions such as physicians, PAs, and NPs do not have to pass a state jurisprudence exam equivalent to the MPJE/UMPJE to be licensed or work in different states. The list below shows the states/jurisdictions in which NO jurisprudence exam (MPJE/UMPJE/separate law exam) is required:
- Alaska
- Idaho
- Indiana
- Michigan
- Vermont
- Virgin Islands
While pharmacy practice is highly regulated at a state level, is there evidence to suggest that there is harm being done to the public in states that don’t require a jurisprudence exam?
Also no. In fact, a 2023 article found no evidence demonstrating a public safety impact after Idaho removed the requirements surrounding a jurisprudence exam altogether in 2018. As pharmacists, it is our professional responsibility to know the laws of the state in which we work. Many pharmacists forget state specific laws after the exam and rely on publicly available resources to investigate specific laws when needed. Additionally, laws that are pertinent to specific practices change depending on work in a clinical, hospital, or industry setting. Other states have removed the MPJE requirement, most notably Michigan in 2024, which defended its choice by stating that pharmacy law is taught as part of its curriculum and that 1 hour of ethics and jurisprudence CE during each renewal cycle of its license is required. It also stated that it is the pharmacist’s professional responsibility to know the laws before starting work.
What other changes regarding the UMPJE/MPJE should I know?
Not only are there changes regarding exam requirements in different states, but there is also a change in content material. The current versus future outline is summarized in the table below:
Competency Statements (% of Exam) | |
MPJE administered until February 28th, 2027 | MPJE administered on or after March 1st, 2027 + UMPJE |
Area 1: Licensure/Personnel (22%) | Domain 1: Pharmacy and Pharmacist Practice (30%) |
Area 2: Pharmacy Practice (33%) | Domain 2: Medication Use Process (Prescribing, Transcribing and Documenting, Dispensing, Administering, and Monitoring) (30%) |
Area 3: Dispensing Requirements (24%) | Domain 3: Regulatory Authority and Legal Obligations (20%) |
Area 4: Pharmacy Operations (21%) | Domain 4: Pharmacy Operations (20%) |
For more in-depth information regarding examination material, visit the NABP website.
Summarizing the differences
Below is a table summarizing current states/jurisdictions and their jurisprudence exam requirements as of June 22, 2026:
UMPJE (13) | No Exam (6) | State-Specific Jurisprudence Exam (not UMPJE or MPJE) (4) | MPJE (29) |
|
|
|
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I hope to see more states adopt the UMPJE in the years to come for the same reasons mentioned earlier. From my perspective, seeing 12 states already adopt the UMPJE is a step in the right direction. Perhaps we will even see a removal of the MPJE/UMPJE altogether in the future. Only time will tell.
Editor’s note: Licensure requirements vary by state and are subject to change. Pharmacists and pharmacy students should confirm current MPJE, UMPJE, and jurisprudence exam requirements with the NABP or their state board of pharmacy before making licensure or career decisions based on this article.
