National Association of Boards of Pharmacy

What National Association of Boards of Pharmacy does

NABP generates revenue through examination fees, multi-year accreditation subscriptions (3-year terms with annual compliance reviews), inspection program fees, continuing education subscriptions (CPE Monitor standard and Plus tiers), and licensure verification and transfer services (eLTP, NABP Verify). The organization is transitioning from print-based to subscription-based digital products, with the Survey of Pharmacy Law converting to an interactive web platform in Q1 2026, and is launching new examination products including the Uniform MPJE (June 2026), Pre-UMPJE (January 2026), and NAPLEX Advantage. Distribution occurs primarily through the NABP website and e-Profile portal, Pearson VUE testing centers for examinations, the Pulse platform (pulse.pharmacy), and direct engagement with member state boards of pharmacy.

Name

National Association of Boards of Pharmacy

Legal name

National Association of Boards of Pharmacy

Website

https://nabp.pharmacy

Company type

Private

Founded year

1904

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

NABP is a 120+ year old nonprofit membership organization that supports all US state boards of pharmacy through standardized licensure examinations, pharmacy accreditation programs, regulatory inspections, and the Pulse pharmaceutical supply chain traceability platform serving 150+ regulators.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pharmacy Regulatory Services

NAICS

Pharmacy Benefit Management and Other Third Party Administration of Insurance and Pension Funds (524292), Testing Laboratories and Services (54138)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734), Wholesale-Drugs, Proprietaries & Druggists' Sundries (5122), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Pharmacy Benefit Management (PBM) & Pharmacy Network Administration (HLAFALAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

PBM Technology Platforms (ePA/eRx/Real-Time Benefit Tools) (HLAEAKAL), Pharmacy Benefit Management (PBM) & Formulary Management IT (HLACAKAD)

Keywords

• Pharmacy accreditation services
• Pharmacist licensure examinations
• Pharmacy inspection programs
• Supply chain verification
• Continuing education tracking

Headquarters

HQ city

Mount Prospect

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Accreditation and Inspection Services: NABP generates revenue through fees for accreditation programs (Community Pharmacy, Compounding Pharmacy, Digital Pharmacy, DMEPOS Pharmacy, Drug Distributor, Healthcare Merchant, Home Infusion Therapy Pharmacy, OTC Medical Device Distributor, Specialty Pharmacy), inspection programs (Verified Pharmacy Program, Supply Chain Inspection, Preoperational Inspection), and compliance reviews. Programs are offered as 3-year accreditation terms with annual compliance reviews.
2. Examination and Licensure Services: NABP administers standardized examinations including NAPLEX, MPJE/UMPJE, FPGEE, and practice exams (Pre-NAPLEX, NAPLEX Advantage, Pre-MPJE, Pre-UMPJE, Pre-FPGEE) for pharmacist licensure evaluation. Revenue is generated through examination application and administration fees.
3. CPE Monitor and Continuing Education: NABP provides continuing pharmacy education credit management through CPE Monitor, with a standard plan and an enhanced Plus plan with additional features, generating subscription-type recurring revenue.
4. Licensure Transfer and Verification Services: NABP offers the Electronic Licensure Transfer Program (eLTP) for transferring pharmacist licenses between states, and NABP Verify for license monitoring and credential verification services for employers and regulatory bodies. These background screening and verification services are provided under FCRA compliance.
5. Survey of Pharmacy Law Subscription: The Survey of Pharmacy Law publication is transitioning to a subscription-based digital service launching Q1 2026, providing interactive access to pharmacy law data across jurisdictions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

NABP administers standardized pharmacist licensure examinations (NAPLEX, MPJE/UMPJE, FPGEE), delivers 3-year pharmacy accreditation programs across multiple pharmacy and distributor types, conducts uniform inspection programs (Verified Pharmacy Program, Supply Chain Inspection), and operates digital platforms including Pulse for supply chain traceability, NABP e-Profile for account management, CPE Monitor for continuing education tracking, and NABPLAW for legal reference. Revenue is generated through examination fees, accreditation subscription terms, inspection program fees, membership dues from state boards of pharmacy, and platform subscriptions.

Product overview

NABP operates as a portfolio of interconnected programs spanning examination services, accreditation and inspection programs, and digital platforms. The core examination suite includes NAPLEX, MPJE/UMPJE, and FPGEE for pharmacist licensure evaluation, supplemented by practice exam products (Pre-NAPLEX, NAPLEX Advantage, Pre-UMPJE). The accreditation and inspection programs cover multiple pharmacy types (Specialty, Community, Compounding, Digital, DMEPOS, Home Infusion Therapy, Drug Distributor, Healthcare Merchant, OTC Medical Device) through the Verified Pharmacy Program (VPP), Supply Chain Inspection, and Preoperational Inspection Program. Digital platforms include Pulse by NABP (supply chain traceability), NABP e-Profile (account management), NABP Verify (license monitoring), NABPLAW Online (legal database), and CPE Monitor (continuing education tracking). The portfolio is unified through the NABP e-Profile system and serves member boards of pharmacy, pharmacies, pharmacists, and other healthcare stakeholders.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Pulse by NABP: Digital platform developed by NABP to enhance visibility into the pharmaceutical supply chain and help ensure compliance with the Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA), protecting patients from counterfeit or substandard medications.
• NAPLEX
• MPJE
• UMPJE
• FPGEE
• eLTP
• NABP Verify
• Verified Pharmacy Program (VPP)

Products and services

• Pulse by NABP Digital platform for pharmaceutical supply chain traceability and product verification. Helps regulators and pharmacies identify illegitimate products, verify authorized trading partners, and ensure compliance with the Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA).
• NABP e-Profile Online account management system for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and businesses to manage licensure, examination applications, accreditations, and continuing education records.
• NABP Verify License monitoring and FCRA-compliant background screening service that allows boards of pharmacy and employers to confirm whether a pharmacist is in good standing across jurisdictions and to verify professional credentials, education, employment, and disciplinary history.
• NABPLAW Online Online legal database providing access to pharmacy law information, model acts, and regulatory resources for boards of pharmacy and industry professionals.
• CPE Monitor Continuing pharmacy education credit management and tracking system offered with a standard plan and an enhanced Plus plan, monitoring pharmacist progress toward continuing education compliance requirements.
• NAPLEX North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination used by boards of pharmacy to evaluate general practice knowledge as part of pharmacist licensure process.
• MPJE / UMPJE Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination and Uniform MPJE assess application of pharmacy regulations as a key part of the licensure process; UMPJE is the uniform national version launching in June 2026.
• FPGEE Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Equivalency Examination for foreign-educated pharmacists seeking licensure in the United States.
• NABP Practice Exams (Pre-NAPLEX, NAPLEX Advantage, Pre-MPJE, Pre-UMPJE, Pre-FPGEE) Official practice exams helping pharmacist licensure candidates prepare for NABP examinations, including Pre-NAPLEX, NAPLEX Advantage (with comprehensive performance reports mapped to the NAPLEX Content Outline), Pre-MPJE, Pre-UMPJE, and Pre-FPGEE.
• Specialty Pharmacy Accreditation 3-year accreditation program for pharmacies providing advanced levels of pharmacy services and disease management for patients taking medications requiring special handling, storage, and dispensing. NABP has performed 450+ inspections at specialty pharmacy practice settings since launching this accreditation in 2019.
• Community Pharmacy Accreditation 3-year accreditation program for community pharmacies demonstrating compliance with quality and safety standards.
• Compounding Pharmacy Accreditation 3-year accreditation program ensuring pharmacies meet standards for sterile and non-sterile compounding practices in compliance with USP standards.
• Digital Pharmacy Accreditation 3-year accreditation program for pharmacies operating digitally or through telepharmacy services.
• DMEPOS Pharmacy Accreditation 3-year accreditation for pharmacies providing Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies.
• Home Infusion Therapy Pharmacy Accreditation 3-year accreditation for licensed pharmacies providing home infusion therapy services, deemed by CMS in 2020 for Medicare Part B billing eligibility. NABP is one of six CMS-approved accrediting organizations in this category.
• Drug Distributor Accreditation 3-year accreditation program for wholesale drug distributors ensuring compliance with supply chain security standards.
• Healthcare Merchant Accreditation 3-year accreditation for healthcare merchants operating in the pharmacy supply chain.
• OTC Medical Device Distributor Accreditation 3-year accreditation for distributors of over-the-counter medical devices.
• Verified Pharmacy Program (VPP) Most widely recognized multistate, uniform inspection program accepted by state boards of pharmacy across the nation. Provides verified pharmacy licensure details, inspection reports, and compliance data to boards.
• Supply Chain Inspection Inspection program for wholesale distributors and third-party logistics providers to ensure supply chain security and compliance.
• Preoperational Inspection Program Inspection program for new pharmacy facilities prior to opening to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.
• Survey of Pharmacy Law Comprehensive reference publication covering pharmacy law across US jurisdictions, being upgraded to a subscription-based interactive digital tool with customizable data visualization and cross-state comparison of legal provisions.
• eLTP (Electronic Licensure Transfer Program) Electronic Licensure Transfer Program enabling pharmacists to transfer their existing license to another state or jurisdiction.
• Background Screening Services FCRA-compliant professional credential verification services for employers including verification of professional licensure, registration, credentials, pharmacy education, employment data, and regulatory or law enforcement discipline.

Quantifiable outcome

• NABP has performed over 3,500 regulatory compliance inspections with more than 450 inspections at specialty pharmacy practice settings since launching Specialty Pharmacy Accreditation in 2019.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Pharmacy-based Vaccine Access Work Group (12 pharmacy organizations)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 October 2025The Pharmacy-based Vaccine Access Work Group, comprising representatives from 12 pharmacy organizations, jointly published guiding principles for state policy on pharmacy personnel-administered vaccines. This marked an unprecedented level of inter-organizational collaboration in the field, addressing regulatory ambiguity caused by state statutes that reference federal bodies such as the CDC, ACIP, and FDA.
• International Narcotics Control Board (INCB)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2025NABP partnered with the International Narcotics Control Board and regulators in Kenya and Uganda to launch Operation African Star 2, a pilot program using the Pulse by NABP traceability platform to track medications through the supply chain from port entry to pharmacy shelves. During the operation, dozens of diverted products were identified, leading to investigations by national health regulatory authorities.
• Regulators in Kenya and UgandacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2025National health regulatory authorities in Kenya and Uganda participated in Operation African Star 2, completing hands-on workshops and initiating field operations in July 2025. The operation identified dozens of diverted products and led to investigations by national health regulatory authorities in each country.
• Universal Postal UnionminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2025The Universal Postal Union provided support for Operation African Star 2, contributing to the international effort to protect pharmaceutical supply chains through the Pulse by NABP platform.
• USAID Office of Inspector General (USAID-OIG)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2025USAID-OIG provided support for Operation African Star 2 as part of the international collaboration to track medications through the supply chain.
• Pharmaceutical Security InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2025The Pharmaceutical Security Institute supported Operation African Star 2, contributing expertise to the international pharmaceutical supply chain security initiative.
• FDA Office of Criminal InvestigationsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2025The FDA Office of Criminal Investigations supported Operation African Star 2, providing law enforcement expertise to the international pharmaceutical supply chain security initiative.
• WalgreenscoreTechnology or Integration · 10 September 2024Walgreens joined Pulse, NABP's digital platform developed to enhance visibility into the pharmaceutical supply chain and help ensure compliance with the Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA). The platform verifies that only authorized trading partners supply Walgreens, protecting patients from counterfeit or substandard medications. NABP plans to offer free registration on the Pulse platform to all members of the prescription drug supply chain after the initial onboarding phase.
• Pearson VUEcoreTechnology or IntegrationPearson VUE serves as NABP's test administration vendor, administering NABP examinations including NAPLEX, MPJE, and FPGEE at testing centers. Pearson uses palm vein scanning technology for candidate identity verification and examination security. Test results and palm vein scans are sent to Pearson via encrypted transmission and securely stored.
• United Nations Permanent Forum on International Pharmaceutical CrimeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNABP presented the findings of Operation African Star 2 at the United Nations Permanent Forum on International Pharmaceutical Crime in September 2025, highlighting the need for continued collaboration across public, private, and nonprofit sectors to protect supply chains globally.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• LSPedia: LSPedia is a DSCSA compliance and supply chain traceability technology provider serving pharmaceutical manufacturers, wholesalers, and dispensers. It is an emerging for-profit competitor to NABP's Pulse platform in the DSCSA-compliance traceability market.
• TraceLink: TraceLink is a for-profit DSCSA compliance and pharmaceutical supply chain serialization platform. It competes directly with Pulse in the DSCSA traceability space serving pharmaceutical manufacturers, distributors, and dispensers, representing a commercial alternative to NABP's nonprofit Pulse platform.
• Pharmacy Quality Solutions (PQS): PQS provides pharmacy quality measurement and benchmarking services used by health plans, PBMs, and pharmacies. It operates in adjacent pharmacy analytics/quality reporting space and has been acquired by Innovaccer, reflecting the type of for-profit analytics player operating near NABP's PBM analytics-adjacent services.

Direct peers

• Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC): ACHC is a nonprofit healthcare accreditation organization offering pharmacy, specialty pharmacy, and home infusion accreditation programs. It is a direct competitor in pharmacy accreditation and was publicly recognized alongside NABP for accrediting Rx to Go, indicating overlapping customer relationships.
• URAC: URAC is a nonprofit healthcare accreditation organization offering specialty pharmacy, PBM, and pharmacy quality accreditation. It directly competes with NABP in specialty pharmacy accreditation and was recognized alongside NABP in the Rx to Go accreditation, making it a strong comparable peer.
• Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE): ACPE is the national accrediting body for professional pharmacy degree programs and continuing pharmacy education providers. While NABP accredits pharmacies, ACPE accredits pharmacy schools, making them parallel pharmacy professional accreditation organizations within the same regulatory ecosystem.

Broad incumbents

• CoverMyMeds: CoverMyMeds (owned by McKesson) operates electronic prior authorization and medication access technology that intersects with pharmacy workflow and PBM services. It is a broad incumbent in pharmacy technology, sharing a customer base of pharmacies and prescribers with NABP's portfolio.
• Surescripts: Surescripts operates the nation's largest health information network for electronic prescriptions and pharmacy interoperability. It is a broad incumbent in pharmacy interoperability, an adjacent space to NABP's Pulse platform, though Surescripts focuses on prescribing data rather than supply chain traceability.
• American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP): ASHP is a national professional association for pharmacists that, like NABP, develops standards, advocates for pharmacy practice, and provides resources to the pharmacy profession. It serves a broader advocacy and education role while NABP focuses on regulatory programs, but they share overlapping stakeholder communities.

Others

• National Council for Prescription Drug Programs (NCPDP): NCPDP is a nonprofit standards development organization creating pharmacy interoperability standards (e.g., SCRIPT, Telecommunication) that underpin ePrescribing and pharmacy data exchange. It is an enabling/ecosystem peer to NABP — NABP's Pulse platform and NABP Verify operate against the standards NCPDP develops.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/nabp
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCiRvxhkTgJvoldooGkE7uRg
• Facebookfacebook.com/118476676709
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/national-association-of-boards-of-pharmacy

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about National Association of Boards of Pharmacy