Short answer: Four more jurisdictions joined after the early adopters. Montana switched cleanly on June 1, 2026. Maryland, West Virginia, and Washington all kept their state exams running past their UMPJE start date — Maryland until May 2027, Washington until December 2026, West Virginia until August 2026.
If you're in Maryland, Washington, or West Virginia, check your dates before assuming you have to take the UMPJE. You may still have options.
Florida and Nebraska also joined in this wave and have their own articles — Florida because it retired a long-standing state exam outright, Nebraska because its overlap runs to 2028.
The dates
| Jurisdiction | UMPJE start | State MPJE retires | Transfer requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland | June 1, 2026 | May 31, 2027 | Yes |
| Montana | June 1, 2026 | May 31, 2026 | Yes |
| Washington | July 2, 2026 | December 29, 2026 | Yes |
| West Virginia | June 1, 2026 | August 1, 2026 | Yes |
Washington registration opened June 16, 2026.
Montana: clean switch
Montana retired its state MPJE on May 31, 2026, the day before the UMPJE started. No overlap, no decision — the UMPJE is your exam.
If you passed the Montana MPJE on or before May 31, 2026, you don't need to also take the UMPJE.
One Montana-specific note worth knowing: Montana is among the jurisdictions that require exam results to be mailed rather than posted to your NABP e-Profile. Build that into your timeline if you're working toward a start date.
Maryland: a year to decide
Maryland began the UMPJE on June 1, 2026 and keeps the Maryland MPJE available until May 31, 2027.
That's a full year of overlap, and it's a real choice. The question that decides it isn't difficulty — it's scope. If you expect to seek licensure in more than one participating jurisdiction, the UMPJE's score portability is the reason it exists and it compounds with each state. If you're staying in Maryland and already deep into state-specific preparation, the Maryland exam remains legitimate for now.
Confirm your eligibility with the Maryland Board of Pharmacy. During an overlap, which exam you may sit is a board decision.
Washington: latest start, six-month tail
Washington came later than the rest — UMPJE administrations began July 2, 2026, with registration opening June 16. The Washington MPJE runs until December 29, 2026.
That gives roughly six months of overlap. Shorter than Maryland's, long enough to matter if you're testing in the back half of 2026.
Washington candidates should confirm eligibility and any state-specific requirements with the Washington State Board of Pharmacy — and note that the later start means less accumulated experience with the UMPJE among Washington test-takers than in the April adopter states.
West Virginia: two months, effectively closed
West Virginia's overlap was the shortest — UMPJE from June 1, 2026, state exam until August 1, 2026. That window has closed.
For practical purposes West Virginia is now a UMPJE state. If you passed the West Virginia MPJE on or before August 1, 2026, you're set and don't need to retake anything.
What changes about your preparation
Common to all four, if you're moving from a state exam to the UMPJE:
Drop your state's specific provisions that don't generalise — particular thresholds, registration categories, code citations.
Add federal depth. DEA controlled substances, DSCSA, HIPAA, FDA authority, USP compounding standards. Federal law occupies proportionally more of the UMPJE than of a state exam, where it competes with state minutiae.
Keep the reasoning. Corresponding responsibility, prescription validity, prescriber authority, counseling obligations, recordkeeping, board disciplinary authority. Concepts survive the switch.
Expect three answer choices where the state exam used four or five. Fewer throwaway distractors, so more time spent deciding between answers that all read as defensible.
Keep studying your own state's law for practice. Your state's pharmacy practice act governs your daily work regardless of which exam licensed you.
Frequently asked questions
Can I still take my state's MPJE? Maryland, through May 31, 2027. Washington, through December 29, 2026. Montana and West Virginia, no — those windows have closed. Confirm your eligibility with your board.
I passed my state's MPJE before the transition date. Do I need the UMPJE? No. A passing result for a participating jurisdiction on or before its transition date means you don't also take the UMPJE.
What happens to an appointment scheduled after the retirement date? NABP cancels it and issues a full refund.
Can I switch from an MPJE application to the UMPJE? Yes — contact NABP Exam Services to close the active application and receive a refund of the application and exam cost.
Does passing the UMPJE license me in all of these states? No. It satisfies the jurisprudence exam requirement in participating jurisdictions. Each board still has its own application, fees, and additional requirements.
The bottom line
Montana and West Virginia are now straightforwardly UMPJE jurisdictions. Maryland gives you until May 2027 and Washington until December 2026, so candidates there still have a genuine choice — and it turns on whether you might practise in more than one participating state, not on which exam is easier. Whichever you sit, verify your dates and any additional state requirements directly with your board, because the published table changes and the boards set eligibility during overlaps.
References
- National Association of Boards of Pharmacy. UMPJE Participating States. nabp.pharmacy — transition and retirement dates by jurisdiction
- National Association of Boards of Pharmacy. The UMPJE Offers Potential for Streamlined License Portability. nabp.pharmacy
- National Association of Boards of Pharmacy. Uniform MPJE Content Outline (2025)
- National Association of Boards of Pharmacy. NAPLEX/MPJE/UMPJE Candidate Application Bulletin. nabp.pharmacy
- Maryland, Montana, Washington, and West Virginia Boards of Pharmacy — verify current requirements directly
About the author Adetayo Ogunsanya, PharmD, is a licensed clinical pharmacist with over a decade of experience in managed care, utilization management, and prior authorization. He holds active pharmacist licenses in six jurisdictions and has gone through multi-state licensure firsthand.
This article is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy or any state board of pharmacy. MPJE® and Uniform MPJE™ are trademarks of NABP. Dates and requirements change; verify with NABP and your board of pharmacy before making decisions about your application.
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