The Short Answer
Ten jurisdictions require the UMPJE as of July 2026: Arizona, Iowa, North Carolina, and Rhode Island (since April 1), Florida, Maryland, Montana, Nebraska, and West Virginia (since June 1), and Washington (since July 1). Ohio and Virginia adopt it October 1, 2026. Kansas accepts either exam through April 2027. Every other jurisdiction still uses the traditional state-specific MPJE — except California, which uses the CPJE, and Arkansas and Nevada, which run their own jurisprudence examinations.
⚠️ Verify Before You Register — Dates Move
Transition dates are set by individual state boards and have shifted during the rollout. This page reflects announcements as of July 2026. Confirm the requirement with your board of pharmacy and your NABP e-Profile before paying any exam fee. If a board's published requirement differs from what you read here, the board is correct.
Group 1: UMPJE Required Now (10 Jurisdictions)
The state-specific MPJE is no longer offered in these jurisdictions. If you are seeking initial licensure or license transfer here, the UMPJE is your only jurisprudence exam option.
| Jurisdiction | UMPJE Required Since | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona | April 1, 2026 | Early adopter. State AZ MPJE discontinued. |
| Iowa | April 1, 2026 | Early adopter. State IA MPJE discontinued. |
| North Carolina | April 1, 2026 | Early adopter. Board publishes a state law supplement candidates are expected to review. |
| Rhode Island | April 1, 2026 | Early adopter. State RI MPJE discontinued. |
| Florida | June 1, 2026 | Largest jurisdiction to transition so far. |
| Maryland | June 1, 2026 | Requires a Maryland-specific state module in addition to the UMPJE. |
| Montana | June 1, 2026 | — |
| Nebraska | June 1, 2026 | — |
| West Virginia | June 1, 2026 | — |
| Washington | July 1, 2026 | Most recent transition. |
Group 2: Transitioning October 1, 2026 (2 Jurisdictions)
Both exams are currently available in these states. If you can test before October 1 and you have already prepared state-specific material, sitting for the state MPJE first may be the lower-risk path. Otherwise prepare against the UMPJE content outline.
| Jurisdiction | UMPJE Required From | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ohio | October 1, 2026 | Ohio MPJE accepted until the transition date. An Ohio law course is also required for licensure. |
| Virginia | October 1, 2026 | Virginia MPJE accepted until the transition date. |
Group 3: Both Exams Accepted (1 Jurisdiction)
| Jurisdiction | Status | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Kansas | Accepts UMPJE or Kansas MPJE | UMPJE only after April 2027 |
Group 4: Jurisdictions Using Their Own Exam (3)
These states have never used the MPJE and are unaffected by the UMPJE rollout.
| Jurisdiction | Exam Required |
|---|---|
| California | CPJE (California Practice Standards and Jurisprudence Examination) |
| Arkansas | State-administered jurisprudence examination |
| Nevada | State-administered jurisprudence examination |
Group 5: Still Using the State-Specific MPJE (35 Jurisdictions)
No transition has been announced for these jurisdictions. Prepare with federal law plus your state's pharmacy practice act — see your state MPJE guide.
| A–I | K–M | N–S | T–W |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama Alaska Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana |
Kentucky Louisiana Maine Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri |
New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Dakota Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania South Carolina South Dakota |
Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Wisconsin Wyoming |
Rollout Timeline at a Glance
| Date | Event | Running Total |
|---|---|---|
| March 13, 2026 | NABP opens UMPJE applications for early adopters | — |
| April 1, 2026 | UMPJE launches — AZ, IA, NC, RI | 4 jurisdictions |
| June 1, 2026 | FL, MD, MT, NE, WV transition | 9 jurisdictions |
| July 1, 2026 | Washington transitions | 10 jurisdictions |
| October 1, 2026 | Ohio and Virginia transition | 12 jurisdictions |
| April 2027 | Kansas dual-acceptance window closes | 13 jurisdictions |
What To Do, Based on Your Situation
Your state already requires the UMPJE
Register through your NABP e-Profile and prepare against the four UMPJE domains. Your study time shifts toward federal law depth and universally applicable state law principles, and away from memorizing one state's CE hours or PDMP system name. Start with the content outline, then work the free UMPJE practice questions.
Your state transitions before your planned test date
You take the exam your jurisdiction requires on the day you sit, not the day you applied. Two options: move your test date earlier than the transition and sit for the state MPJE, or accept the UMPJE and adjust your preparation now. Do not assume an application filed before the transition preserves the old exam — confirm with the board in writing.
You already passed the state MPJE before your state transitioned
You do not retake anything. The transition applies to candidates testing on or after the effective date. Your passing score remains valid for that jurisdiction.
You want licensure in multiple states
This is the UMPJE's actual purpose. Because it tests principles common across jurisdictions rather than one state's statutes, a passing score may satisfy the jurisprudence requirement in several participating states — though each board decides independently, and some require an added state module. If multi-state practice is your goal, see our guide to transferring a pharmacy license between states.
Your state has announced nothing
Take the state-specific MPJE. Most jurisdictions will continue using it well beyond 2026, and waiting for a transition that may be years away costs you licensure time. Use your state guide.