How to become a pharmacy technician in Alabama
Alabama counts a passing PTCE score as your required training. So Foothills plus the PTCE covers it. You still register with the Alabama State Board of Pharmacy and pay for a background check.
The 5 steps in Alabama
- Register with the Board. Register as a pharmacy technician with the Alabama State Board of Pharmacy. The fee is about $60. Plan on a background check you pay for.
- Take the Foothills course. Study online at your own pace. Most students finish in about 4 months.
- Pass the PTCE within 6 months. Alabama gives new techs 6 months after registering to finish approved training. Passing the PTCE counts.
- Send your PTCE proof. Send proof to the Board within 10 days of finishing. Don't let the 6 month window slip.
- Keep up with CE. Renew every 2 years with 6 hours of CE, 2 of them live.
Costs beyond Foothills in Alabama
- State registration, about $60 (confirm with the Board)
- Background check (cost varies)
- Renewal every 2 years, about $60
Checked against the Alabama State Board of Pharmacy's own rules in October 2026. Rules and fees change, so always confirm current details with the Alabama State Board of Pharmacy. Sources: 1, 2, 3.
Get PTCB certified from anywhere in Alabama
Foothills is a PTCB-recognized online program, built and taught by a licensed pharmacist with 33 years in the field. Finish it and you're eligible to sit for the PTCE.
100% online and self-paced, so it fits around work. Most students are ready in about 4 months. College programs can run $1,500 to $5,000. Foothills is about $541 start to certified.
Foothills · cost to certification
EnrollmentOne-time, instruction + portal$180
Two digital textbooksAccess codes included$232
PTCE exam feePaid to PTCB when you're ready≈ $129
Total, start to certified≈ $541
Enroll for $180
Alabama questions
Yes. You register with the Alabama State Board of Pharmacy before you work.
The Foothills course by itself is not on the approved list. What counts is passing the PTCE, which Foothills prepares you for.
In practice, yes. Passing it is how a Foothills grad meets the training rule.
Foothills is about $541 total: $180 enrollment, about $232 for two digital textbooks, and about $129 for the PTCE. Add about $60 for registration plus your background check.
About $541 all-in: $180 to enroll, about $232 for two digital textbooks, and about $129 for the PTCE. State fees are separate (see above). See the full cost breakdown.