Mesh
How to perform a California Pharmacist License Lookup - This guide supplies everything you need to verify Pharmacist and Pharmacy Technician licenses in California using authoritative state sources. Please share whether this guide was helpful! success@meshverify.com.
California State Board of Pharmacy
Quick Links and Contact Information
Use for:
Pharmacist (RPh) licenses, intern pharmacist licenses, advanced practice pharmacist (APh) recognition, and related Board of Pharmacy–issued licenses and permits.
Official license lookup portal URL:
https://search.dca.ca.gov/
Board website:
https://www.pharmacy.ca.gov/
Verification instructions page:
https://pharmacy.ca.gov/about/verify_lic.shtml
Phone number(s):
(916) 518-3100
Email or web contact form:
https://www.pharmacy.ca.gov/about/contact.shtml
Physical or mailing address:
California State Board of Pharmacy
2720 Gateway Oaks Drive, Suite 100
Sacramento, CA 95833
What This Lookup Verifies
The California Pharmacist License Lookup confirms whether an individual holds a license issued by the California State Board of Pharmacy and whether that license is active, inactive, expired, or subject to disciplinary action. When accessed directly through the California Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) License Search, this constitutes primary source verification.
Manual reviewers validate the following fields in the California Pharmacist License Lookup:
License number
License type
License status
Issue date
Expiration date
Issuing board
Any posted disciplinary indicators or enforcement actions
License conditions or restrictions, when displayed
Which Board Should Be Used?
Using the wrong board results in false negatives in the California Pharmacist License Lookup. Always confirm the claimed role before searching.
|
License Category (Claimed Role) |
Issuing Board |
|
Pharmacist (RPh) |
California State Board of Pharmacy |
|
Pharmacist Intern |
California State Board of Pharmacy |
|
Advanced Practice Pharmacist (APh) |
California State Board of Pharmacy |
Manual Verification Steps
1. Open the official California Pharmacist License Lookup portal: https://search.dca.ca.gov/.2. Select Advanced Search to narrow results before searching.
3. In Advanced Search, select California State Board of Pharmacy as the board or bureau.
4. Select the correct License Type based on the claimed role.
5. Search by license number first; if unavailable, search by last name and first name while keeping board and license type filters applied.
6. Open the full license record. Do not rely on summary search results.
7. Confirm the following required fields: licensee name, license number, license type, license status, issue date, expiration date, and issuing board.
8. Review the record for any disciplinary indicators, restrictions, or linked enforcement documents.
9. If disciplinary information is present or unclear, open all linked documents when available or contact the Board using the information above and document the outreach.
License Status Interpretation
Active
Meaning: License is current and authorizes practice under the privileges of the listed license type.Reviewer action: Pass verification if identity and license type match; record status and expiration date from the California Pharmacist License Lookup.
Active with Discipline or Restrictions
Meaning: License is not in an active practice status or has passed its expiration date.Reviewer action: Treat as not authorized for practice; escalate per policy and request updated information, then re-verify.
Expired / Inactive
Meaning: License is active but includes public disciplinary history or conditions.Reviewer action: Review all posted enforcement information and document what was reviewed; escalate per internal policy.
Suspended / Revoked
Meaning: License is not valid for practice and is subject to enforcement action.Reviewer action: Do not pass verification; document status and escalate immediately.
Example License Number Formats
Reference only. Fictional examples.
Pharmacist (RPh): RPH 12XXX
Pharmacist Intern: INT 45XXX
Advanced Practice Pharmacist (APh): APH 78XXX
Unique License Types
California State Board of Pharmacy license types you may encounter:
Pharmacist (RPh)
Pharmacist Intern
Advanced Practice Pharmacist (APh)
Designated Representative (for non-pharmacist roles)
Nonresident Pharmacist licenses
If the license type does not authorize independent pharmacist practice or does not match the claimed role, flag the record for review and resolve the mismatch before passing the California Pharmacist License Lookup.
Common Manual Review Mistakes
Searching the wrong board and concluding the license does not exist
Relying on summary search results instead of opening the full record
Passing an intern or non-practice license as a full pharmacist license
Assuming “Active” means unrestricted practice
Missing expiration dates or disciplinary indicators
Failing to review linked enforcement documents
Streamline manual review with Professional License Verify
Manual California Pharmacist License Lookup works. It does not scale.
Mesh Professional License Verify automates this exact workflow as Primary License Verification (PLV) with consistent outputs, evidence capture, and monitoring.
LinkedIn
