First-time renewal: All newly registered Pennsylvania pharmacy technicians must finish the 2-hour Child-Abuse course and pay the $70 PALS renewal fee in 2027; there is no CE waiver for the first cycle. The Board will email reminders via the PALS renewal portal.

Certification: The final rule does not require PTCB® or ExCPT® certification for initial registration or renewal. Instead, you must complete a Board-approved technician-training program (or qualify under the one-year “grandfather” pathway in Act 140). National credentials remain optional but can boost employability.

Immunization authority: Pharmacy technicians may administer vaccines in Pennsylvania only under the federal PREP Act (COVID-19 & influenza) or future state legislation (e.g., SB 511). To qualify, a tech must hold current CPR/BLS, complete an ACPE-accredited hands-on immunization course, and give shots under a pharmacist’s direct supervision, exactly as outlined in the Senate memo on “Making Pennsylvania’s Pharmacy Immunization Statute Consistent with Federal Law.”