What Is the UMPJE?

In June 2026, pharmacist licensure in the United States got a significant update. The Uniform MPJE (UMPJE) — the uniform version of the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination (MPJE), developed by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) — opened to a second wave of states, with testing beginning June 1, 2026. For the first time, candidates seeking licensure across multiple participating states can sit for a single, shared pharmacy law exam instead of a different state-specific test in each jurisdiction.

This guide explains what the UMPJE is, how it differs from the traditional MPJE, which states accept it, how state-specific "Plus Modules" fill the gap, what happens to the state MPJE during the transition (and why a score you already passed is safe), and what it means if your state hasn't adopted it.

The UMPJE in one sentence

The UMPJE tests the general principles of pharmacy law that are uniform across jurisdictions, plus applicable federal law — rather than the statutes of any one state.

That is the entire point. The traditional MPJE is a state-specific law exam: a candidate licensing in Georgia takes a Georgia MPJE, one licensing in Texas takes a Texas MPJE, and so on. The UMPJE replaces that per-state content with a common core, so that a single passing score can count toward licensure in any participating state.

UMPJE vs. MPJE: what actually changed

Critically, the UMPJE does not automatically replace the MPJE. NABP has been explicit that the state-specific MPJE remains available, and each state board independently chooses whether to adopt the uniform version or keep its current state-specific exam. The two may coexist.

Why NABP built it

The driving goal is license portability. A pharmacist who wants to practice in several states historically had to pass a separate jurisprudence exam for each one — repeated cost, repeated study, repeated waiting. By concentrating the shared legal content into one exam, the UMPJE lets candidates licensing in multiple participating states clear the law requirement once, lowering the time and cost barrier to multi-state licensure.

Rollout timeline

• January 2026 — NABP launched the Pre-UMPJE practice exam (a paid practice test, available through NABP e-Profile).
• April 2026 — First administrations for early-adopter jurisdictions and license-transfer candidates.
• May 4, 2026 — Registration opened for a second wave of jurisdictions.
• June 1, 2026 — Testing opened for the second-wave jurisdictions. Per-state start dates vary, though: NABP's roster shows individual jurisdictions starting anywhere from April 1 to July 2, 2026. Confirm your own state's date on the NABP roster before making any plans.

According to NABP, several more states are expected to transition over the following year.

Which states accept the UMPJE?

As of June 7, 2026, the states listed on NABP's official participating-states page are:

• Arizona
• Florida
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Maryland
• Montana
• Nebraska
• North Carolina
• Ohio
• Rhode Island
• Washington
• West Virginia

The original six early-adopter boards — Arizona, Iowa, Kansas, North Carolina, Ohio, and Rhode Island — began before the general rollout.

The roster is growing in waves, and the count has moved even within NABP's own materials. NABP's May 2026 expansion announcement named five additional jurisdictions, for 11 states total; the live participating-states page has since reached 12. The most recently added states carry the latest start dates — Washington, for instance, opens registration June 9 with testing beginning July 2, 2026. That's normal for a rolling launch, but it's why no fixed list stays correct for long.

A note on accuracy: this roster is moving week to week. Treat any state list you find online — including this one — as a dated snapshot. Before you make a licensure decision, confirm against the official NABP participating-states page and the relevant state board of pharmacy.

State "Plus Modules": how state law still gets tested

If the UMPJE only covers uniform law, what happens to the state-specific rules a pharmacist still has to know? NABP's answer is the "Plus Module": a board can pair the UMPJE with its own supplemental assessment of state law. Plus Modules are encouraged but not required, so implementation varies by state. Verified examples:

• Maryland — Beginning June 1, 2026, applicants choose between the UMPJE and the Maryland MPJE; those who take the UMPJE must also complete a Maryland-specific module (the Board describes it as similar to a CE program — recorded materials plus a competency assessment). As of this writing the Board has said full module details are still forthcoming, so treat the exact format as provisional. (Source: Maryland Board of Pharmacy.)
• Kansas — As of April 1, 2026, candidates pass either the UMPJE plus the Kansas Plus Module, or the Kansas MPJE. There are, however, candidate-specific exceptions — University of Kansas pharmacy graduates, for instance, are exempt from the Plus Module. The Kansas MPJE is scheduled to be retired on April 1, 2027. (Source: Kansas Board of Pharmacy.)
• Ohio — Under a May 2026 update, applicants who take the UMPJE for Ohio licensure must also complete a brief (~60-minute) online review of Ohio pharmacy laws and rules before the license is issued — on-demand, up to three attempts, available starting June 1, 2026. In effect this is Ohio's Plus Module: the UMPJE supplies the uniform law, and the short Ohio course supplies the state-specific layer. (It is separate from Ohio's longer-standing reciprocity law-course/hearing pathway, which applies to license transfers rather than licensure by examination.) (Source: Ohio Board of Pharmacy, "Letter to PharmD Graduates," updated May 2026.)

The takeaway: whether a participating state adds a Plus Module — and what it looks like — is a per-state question. Always check your specific board.

Will the UMPJE replace my state's MPJE?

For a state that has adopted the UMPJE, the answer is eventually. Each board will make the transition on its own schedule. And a passing score you already hold is protected.

Three separate rules govern the whole transition, and once you pull them apart the picture is simple:

1. Two dates define the switch, and each board sets its own. For any one candidate, what matters is (a) the last date you can sit the state-specific MPJE and (b) the first date the UMPJE is available to you. If those dates overlap, you simply choose which exam to sit — the registration system shows both. The gap varies significantly by board: Arizona retired its state MPJE on March 31, 2026 (a clean cutover to UMPJE-only the next day), while Nebraska keeps its state MPJE until May 31, 2028 — a multi-year overlap. There is no single, national switch-off date; each participating board sets its own transition schedule, which is why those two dates sit more than two years apart.

2. A passing score you already earned is grandfathered — you are never forced to retake. NABP states it plainly: "If you already achieved a passing result on your MPJE for a participating jurisdiction on or prior to the transition date, you would not need to also take the UMPJE." A candidate who passed, say, the North Carolina MPJE on March 30, 2026 keeps a valid result even though NC went UMPJE-only on April 1. Passing the old exam two days before the cutover does not void your score.

3. But a passing score is only usable for a limited, state-set window. Grandfathering exempts you from the exam; it does not freeze your score forever. Each board sets how long a passing result can be used to actually complete licensure — two years in North Carolina, five years in New York, for example. This is a distinct and separate concern, of course, from the Authorization to Test and the license application, each of which typically lapses after one year. These score-validity windows apply to any MPJE result, in adopting and non-adopting states alike — New York, for instance, is not a UMPJE state; it's cited here only to show how widely the window varies. So the real risk is not "my score was canceled." It's "I passed, didn't finish licensure in time, my score lapsed, and by then my state offered only the UMPJE."

The practical takeaway: if you're deciding what to do now, ignore the patchwork of historical cutover dates in other states. Only two things matter: your board's last-MPJE date and UMPJE-availability date. And an un-expired passing score already in hand is safe. NABP's roster lists per-state start dates; your state board confirms the last-sitting date and the score-validity window.

What if my state hasn't adopted the UMPJE?

For candidates in those states, nothing changes yet. Boards that have not opted in continue to administer the traditional state-specific MPJE, and that exam remains a valid, fully supported licensure path. Adopting the UMPJE is each board's choice; there is no federal mandate and no forced cutover.

Georgia, specifically

Georgia has not adopted the UMPJE. Candidates seeking licensure in Georgia still take the Georgia MPJE, the state-specific jurisprudence exam covering Georgia pharmacy statutes, Board of Pharmacy rules, and federal law. If you're preparing for licensure in Georgia, the UMPJE's arrival doesn't change what you need to study: Georgia-specific pharmacy law is still the exam. See our complete guide to how to pass the Georgia MPJE — the format, the law that's tested, and a study plan.

Frequently asked questions

Is the UMPJE replacing the MPJE? Not exactly. NABP offers both. Each state board decides whether to adopt the uniform UMPJE or keep its state-specific MPJE.

Does passing the UMPJE license me in every state? No. It counts toward licensure only in states that have adopted it — and some of those also require a state-specific Plus Module. States that haven't adopted it still require their own MPJE.

Does the UMPJE cover federal pharmacy law? Yes. It tests uniform/common pharmacy law principles together with applicable federal law.

I already passed my state's MPJE — do I have to take the UMPJE? No. If you passed your state's MPJE on or before that state's transition date, you do not need to take the UMPJE for that state. Your passing score is still subject to your state's score-validity window (often two to five years) for completing licensure.

When does my state stop offering the state-specific MPJE? It varies by board — from an immediate cutover (Arizona retired its MPJE March 31, 2026) to years out (Nebraska keeps it until May 31, 2028). Check your state board and NABP's roster for your two dates: the last day to sit the state MPJE and the first day the UMPJE is available.

I'm licensed under the UMPJE and want to practice in another participating state — do I have to retake the exam? The destination state's requirement is key.

• You passed UMPJE. Destination state requires UMPJE. You do not re-sit the exam, but you may need to complete the state's Plus Module (see above).
• You passed a state-specific MPJE. Destination state requires UMPJE. You may have to sit for the UMPJE, depending on the destination state's reciprocity laws.
• You passed UMPJE. Destination state requires a state-specific MPJE. You will likely have to sit for the MPJE, depending on the destination state's reciprocity laws.

How long is a UMPJE score valid? Two different clocks, and neither is simply "89 days." First, to transmit a fresh score to additional participating states, you have 89 days from the day you sit the UMPJE to request the transfer in your NABP e-Profile — request it as early as you can, since NABP warns the option can close before the full 89 days. Second, to use a passing score to actually complete licensure, you have the window your state sets — commonly two to five years (two in North Carolina, five in New York, for example). A passing score doesn't vanish at 89 days; that deadline governs only the e-Profile transfer request. If you're already licensed and relocate later, you generally transfer the license through eLTP rather than relying on a score's age.

How does changing states actually work — do I just take the new state's Plus Module? There are two routes, and only one is akin to a "just the Plus Module" route. If you recently passed the UMPJE, you can transmit your score to a new participating state within the 89-day window and complete that state's Plus Module if it has one — no re-exam. If you're already licensed elsewhere, you use NABP's Electronic Licensure Transfer Program (eLTP), which requires an active, unrestricted license in good standing; the destination board then applies its own rules — and many states require you to pass their law exam (the UMPJE in participating states) before transferring a license, on top of any Plus Module. So whether it's "just the Plus Module" depends on whether you already hold a UMPJE pass that state accepts. The board decides — and because the UMPJE is brand-new and still being operationalized, confirm the exact steps with the target state board.

Is there a practice exam? Yes. NABP launched the Pre-UMPJE practice exam in January 2026. It's available for purchase through NABP e-Profile.

Does Georgia use the UMPJE? No. As of June 7, 2026, Georgia still uses the state-specific Georgia MPJE.

Sources

• NABP — Understanding the Uniform MPJE
• NABP — UMPJE Participating States (canonical live roster)
• NABP — Uniform MPJE Launches for Early Adopter Boards of Pharmacy
• NABP — UMPJE Registration Expanded to Additional Jurisdictions
• NABP — New Practice Exam Supports Candidates Taking the Uniform MPJE (Pre-UMPJE; purchasable via e-Profile)
• Ohio Board of Pharmacy — Letter to PharmD Graduates (updated May 2026) (UMPJE applicants must complete the ~60-min Ohio law-and-rules course); Ohio Administrative Code 4729:1-2-01 / 4729:1-2-02
• Maryland Board of Pharmacy — pharmacist licensure / UMPJE information (primary); University of Maryland School of Pharmacy licensing prep (supplementary)
• Kansas Board of Pharmacy — UMPJE licensure requirements
• North Carolina Board of Pharmacy — UMPJE transition and licensure by examination (score validity)
• New York State Education Dept., Office of the Professions — pharmacist licensure FAQ (score validity; Commissioner's Reg §63.3(b))
• Iowa Dept. of Inspections, Appeals & Licensing — Transition to the Uniform MPJE
• NABP — How long is the Authorization to Test valid?
• NABP — How to Apply for the MPJE/UMPJE (UMPJE score transfer: 89-day window, $105/jurisdiction, UMPJE-only)
• NABP — Electronic Licensure Transfer Program (eLTP) (already-licensed transfer; many states require the law exam first; board decides)