(a) General.
  (1) Individuals who are not registered with the Board may not be employed as or perform the duties of a pharmacy technician or pharmacy technician trainee.
  (2) Individuals who have previously applied and registered as a pharmacy technician, regardless of the pharmacy technician's current registration status, may not register as a pharmacy technician trainee.
  (3) Individuals who apply and are qualified for both a pharmacy technician trainee registration and a pharmacy technician registration concurrently will not be considered for a pharmacy technician trainee registration.
(b) Registration for pharmacy technician trainees. An individual may register as a pharmacy technician trainee only once and the registration may not be renewed.
  (1) Each applicant for pharmacy technician trainee registration shall:
    (A) have a high school or equivalent diploma (e.g., GED), or be working to achieve a high school or equivalent diploma. For the purposes of this subparagraph, an applicant for registration may be working to achieve a high school or equivalent diploma for no more than two years;
    (B) complete the Texas application for registration that includes the following information:
      (i) name;
      (ii) addresses, phone numbers, date of birth, and social security number; and
      (iii) any other information requested on the application.
    (C) meet all requirements necessary in order for the Board to access the criminal history record information, including submitting fingerprint information and paying the required fees.
  (2) Once an applicant has successfully completed all requirements of registration, and the board has determined there are no grounds to refuse registration, the applicant will be notified of registration as a pharmacy technician trainee and of his or her pharmacy technician trainee registration number.
  (3) Pharmacy technician trainee registrations expire two years from the date of registration or upon issuance of registration as a registered pharmacy technician, whichever is earlier.
(c) Initial registration for pharmacy technicians.
  (1) Each applicant for pharmacy technician registration shall:
    (A) have a high school or equivalent diploma (e.g., GED), or be working to achieve a high school or equivalent diploma. For the purpose of this clause, an applicant for registration may be working to achieve a high school or equivalent diploma for no more than two years; and
    (B) either have:
      (i) taken and passed a pharmacy technician certification examination approved by the board and have a current certification certificate; or
      (ii) been granted an exemption from certification by the board as specified in §297.7 of this title (relating to Exemption from Pharmacy Technician Certification Requirements); and
    (C) complete the Texas application for registration that includes the following information:
      (i) name;
      (ii) addresses, phone numbers, date of birth, and social security number; and
      (iii) any other information requested on the application.
    (D) meet all requirements necessary in order for the Board to access the criminal history record information, including submitting fingerprint information and paying the required fees; and
    (E) pay the registration fee specified in §297.4 of this title (relating to Fees).
  (2) Once an applicant has successfully completed all requirements of registration, and the board has determined there are no grounds to refuse registration, the applicant will be notified of registration as a registered pharmacy technician and of his or her pharmacy technician registration number. If the pharmacy technician applicant was registered as a pharmacy technician trainee at the time the pharmacy technician registration is issued, the pharmacy technician trainee registration expires.
(d) Renewal.
  (1) All applicants for renewal of a pharmacy technician registration shall:
    (A) complete the Texas application for registration that includes the following information:
      (i) name;
      (ii) addresses, phone numbers, date of birth, and social security number;
      (iii) meet all requirements necessary in order for the Board to access the criminal history record information, including submitting fingerprint information and being responsible for all associated costs; and
      (iv) any other information requested on the application.
    (B) pay the renewal fee specified in §297.4 of this title; and
    (C) complete 20 contact hours of continuing education per renewal period as specified in §297.8 of this title (relating to Continuing Education).
  (2) A pharmacy technician registration expires on the last day of the assigned expiration month.
  (3) As specified in §568.004 of the Act, if the completed application and renewal fee are not received in the board's office on or before the last day of the assigned expiration month, the person's pharmacy technician registration shall expire. An expired registration shall be renewed according to the following schedule.
    (A) If a pharmacy technician registration has expired for 90 days or less, the person may become registered by making application and paying to the board a renewal fee that is equal to one and one-half times the renewal fee for the registration as specified in §297.4 of this title (relating to Fees).
    (B) If a pharmacy technician registration has been expired for more than 90 days but less than one year, the person may become registered by making application and paying to the board a renewal fee that is equal to two times the renewal fee for the registration as specified in §297.4 of this title.
    (C) If a pharmacy technician registration has expired for more than one year, the pharmacy technician may not renew the registration and must complete the requirements for initial registration as specified in subsection (c) of this section.
  (4) After review, the board may determine that paragraph (3)(C) of this subsection does not apply if the registrant is the subject of a pending investigation or disciplinary action.
(e) An individual may use the title "Registered Pharmacy Technician" or "Ph.T.R." if the individual is registered as a pharmacy technician in this state.

Source Note: The provisions of this §297.3 adopted to be effective December 23, 2003, 28 TexReg 11264; amended to be effective September 11, 2005, 30 TexReg 5367; amended to be effective June 11, 2006, 31 TexReg 4640; amended to be effective December 3, 2006, 31 TexReg 9611; amended to be effective September 18, 2007, 32 TexReg 6375; amended to be effective December 14, 2008, 33 TexReg 10028; amended to be effective September 12, 2011, 36 TexReg 5848; amended to be effective June 11, 2015, 40 TexReg 3667; amended to be effective June 12, 2016, 41 TexReg 4258; amended to be effective March 19, 2017, 42 TexReg 1128; amended to be effective March 7, 2018, 43TexReg 1279