Overview
- The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) is the independent regulator that oversees pharmaceutical practice in England, Scotland and Wales. All pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and pharmacy owners need to complete GPhC registration
- UK pharmacists need an MPharm degree, 52 weeks’ of foundation training, and a pass mark or higher in the GPhC registration exam in order to complete their registration
- EEA-qualified pharmacists need a relevant qualification from their country in order to register with the GPhC, while overseas pharmacists from outside of the EEA will also need to complete the OSPAP qualification
- GPhC registration needs to be renewed every 12 months.
What is the GPhC?
The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) is the independent regulatory body that oversees the practice of pharmacists across England, Scotland and Wales. Pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and pharmacy premises each need to register with the GPhC in order to practise or operate in Britain; the regulator maintains an up-to-date register of those who are qualified and deemed fit to practise.
Overall, the GPhC’s key priority is to ensure safe, effective pharmacy care is delivered to all patients, in line with best practice standards and industry regulations.
Who needs to register with the GPhC?
GPhC registration is required for:
- All pharmacists practicing in the UK
- All pharmacy technicians working in the UK
- All pharmacy owners in the UK. This includes registered pharmacy premises, and any organisation selling or supplying pharmacy or prescription-only medicines
Student or trainee pharmacists do not need to register with the GPhC, but following qualification, all pharmacists and pharmacy technicians must complete GPhC registration in order to practise in the UK. Registration then needs to be renewed every 12 months, otherwise you cannot continue to practise.
Understanding GPhC registration requirements
The GPhC registration requirements are slightly different, depending on the country a pharmacist trained in. Check the deadlines for registering for the Common Registration Assessment as part of the next cohort.
For UK-qualified pharmacists
If you qualified in England, Scotland or Wales, you’ll need:
- A UK-accredited, four-year Master of Pharmacy (MPharm) degree
- To have completed 52 weeks of foundation pharmacist training in England, Scotland or Wales
- To pass the GPhC Common Registration Assessment, with a pass mark or higher.
If you qualified in Northern Ireland, you’ll need:
- A UK-accredited MPharm degree
- 52 weeks’ foundation training, completed in Northern Ireland
- A pass mark or higher in the Common Registration Assessment, held jointly by the GPhC and Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland (PSNI)
For EEA-qualified pharmacists
If you initially qualified as a pharmacist in a country within the European Economic Area (EEA), you can still register with the GPhC in the UK if you pass the assessment and demonstrate fitness to practise, but you’ll also need to hold a relevant qualification that:
- Was awarded in an EEA country listed in Annex – specifically section 5.6.2 of Directive 2005/36/EC
- You started studying for after the reference date specified against the EEA country where the qualification was awarded
- Meets the minimum training requirements described in Article 44 of the above Directive.
In order to register with the GPhC, you’ll need to provide supporting information about your specific qualification, and arrange for the pharmaceutical regulatory body in your country to send any relevant documents to the GPhC for assessment.
For overseas (non-EEA) pharmacists
If you’re an overseas pharmacist who initially qualified outside of the EEA, you’ll need to complete the following in order to register with the GPhC:
- The Overseas Pharmacists Assessment Programme (OSPAP), a one-year postgraduate diploma designed to prepare international pharmacists for UK practice and assess English language proficiency
- 52 weeks of foundation training in England, Scotland or Wales. This must be signed off as satisfactory or higher by a supervisor
- A pass mark or higher in the GPhC Common Registration Assessment.
Pharmacists from outside the EEA must also have the right to study and work in the UK.
For pharmacy technicians
To complete your pharmacy technician registration with the GPhC, and you qualified in the UK, you’ll need to complete the following:
- A recognised competency-based, and a recognised knowledge-based qualification OR a combined qualification
- At least two years’ work experience in the UK
- If you originally qualified in Northern Ireland, you may also need to complete an application form, obtained from the GPhC.
What does ‘fitness to practise’ look like?
As part of your GPhC registration, you need to demonstrate your fitness to practise. This will be tested via the registration exam, as well as an assessment of your health, character, professionalism, English language proficiency, and adherence to the GPhC’s nine standards for pharmacy professionals. These state that all pharmacists and pharmacy technicians must:
- Provide person-centred care
- Work in partnership with others
- Communicate effectively
- Maintain, develop and use your professional knowledge and skills
- Use professional judgement
- Behave professionally
- Respect patients’ confidentiality and privacy
- Speak up in the event of any concerns, or when something goes wrong
- Demonstrate leadership
When declaring your fitness to practise, you must also declare any past criminal convictions, cautions, or previous findings against you by a health or social regulator anywhere in the world.
What does the GPhC registration exam involve?
Candidates take the GPhC registration exam digitally, and it’s divided into two parts:
- Part 1: the first part of the exam is a closed book paper, which assesses data interpretation skills and your ability to complete pharmacy calculations
- Part 2: this part of the assessment features multiple choice questions on different aspects of pharmaceutical knowledge to test your clinical judgement in a variety of pharmacy practice scenarios
You’ll be assessed on your ability to make decisions that prioritise patient care and public safety, and you must achieve a pass mark or higher in both parts during the same sitting in order to pass the GPhC registration exam.
What happens if I fail the GPhC registration assessment?
If you fail your initial attempt at GPhC registration, or fail to pass an annual renewal, you can appeal your result or retake the assessment. However, each candidate has a maximum of three attempts to pass within a given time period; if you continue to fail the GPhC assessment, you won’t be able to practise until you pass. Feedback is provided along with your result, so you’ll be able to see the areas that require more work and spend time focusing on these as you prepare to retake the exam.
What is the pharmacist registration fee in the UK?
The GPhC registration fees as of September 2025 are as follows:
- Annual pharmacist registration fee: £293
- Annual pharmacy technician fee: £138
- Pharmacy premises renewal fee: £416
- Overseas pharmacist (non-EEA) eligibility assessment fee: £783
What support is available for newly registered pharmacists?
There is lots of support out there for newly registered pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, including:
- Peer support: talk to your colleagues, manager, and fellow healthcare professionals to share concerns, offer advice, and continue learning following your initial registration with the GPhC
- Mentorship: if you feel like you’d benefit from additional support outside of your workplace, look into pharmacy mentorship schemes, to receive career advice and guidance from an experienced mentor
- Pharmacy networks: look into joining professional organisations such as the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) or UKCPA (UK Clinical Pharmacy Association) to access resources, networking opportunities, and more. These organisations can offer support throughout your career, from training through to qualification and beyond.
- Pharmacist Support: if you need extra support with areas such as finances, mental health or work-life balance, the independent charity Pharmacist Support provides a range of support services to pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in the UK
Join UKCPA for support throughout your pharmacy career
Qualified pharmacists and pharmacy technicians can join UKCPA for less than £3 per week. Become a member to receive ongoing training, education and support throughout your pharmacy career, including:
- Access to an extensive resource library, submitted by your peers
- Dedicated pharmacy communities, focused on different specialisms
- Forum discussions, where you can share knowledge and advice with fellow pharmacy professionals
- Expert-led education and training, to help you continue your professional development
- A calendar of in-person and virtual events, where you can network with other healthcare professionals
