The Arizona State Board of Pharmacy's nondisciplinary civil penalties are capped at $25,000 in any 6-month period, some permit holders' disciplinary civil penalties get the same cap, and people holding a board registration are now named alongside licensees and permit holders in the board's enforcement rules.
Official title: pharmacy board; civil penalties.
- September 12, 2026
What changes
BeforeThe law set no maximum total for the board's nondisciplinary civil penalties, which the board sets in rule.
NowThe maximum nondisciplinary civil penalty may not exceed $25,000 in any 6-month period. The board and its executive director may issue a smaller penalty and may take into account the person's or business's activities over the previous 48 months.
BeforeA permit holder found in violation after a formal hearing could face a civil penalty of up to $1,000 per violation, with no total cap.
NowThe $1,000-per-violation limit stays. For permit holders that are not directly performing patient care, these penalties may not exceed $25,000 in total in any 6-month period.
BeforeThe board's powers to revoke, suspend, put on probation or warn named licenses, permits, licensees and permittees.
NowThese powers, and the board's rules on revocation, suspension, reinstatement and probation, now also name registrations and registrants.
BeforeNondisciplinary penalty rules named licensees and permittees, for example for late profile updates, not reporting criminal charges or outside discipline, and not renewing within 60 days.
NowRegistrants are now covered by these same rules. A registrant who fails to renew within 60 days after the registration expires is subject to a penalty. A registrant who fails to pay a nondisciplinary penalty gets a board hearing.
BeforeAt each board meeting, the executive director had to list actions taken on interim consent agreements, requests for court documents and reviews of prescription information.
NowThe executive director must instead list complaints dismissed or closed without action and requests for court documents.
Who it affects
- People and businesses licensed, registered or permitted by the Arizona State Board of Pharmacy
- Permit holders that do not directly provide patient care
- Arizona State Board of Pharmacy and its executive director
What you need to do
People who hold a board registration are now covered by the board's penalty rules, such as updating their online profile within 10 days after a change in contact information or employment, notifying the board of new criminal charges or outside discipline, and renewing within 60 days after expiration; if more than 60 days have passed after expiration, they must appear before the board.
What the law doesn't answer
- Who counts as a "registrant" (for example, which pharmacy workers hold a board registration)
- Which permit holders count as "not directly performing patient care"
- How the 6-month period for the $25,000 caps is measured
- How the board will weigh activity from the previous 48 months when setting a penalty
- Whether the new caps apply to penalties for violations that happened before the law took effect
This summary describes the law as enacted. Later laws, court rulings or referendum petitions can change the picture. Check the official text for the current wording.