Pharmacist Registration
The granting of the professional title of Pharmacist, its use, and the practice of the pharmaceutical profession in Portugal depend on registration as a full member of the Portuguese Pharmaceutical Society.
| REGISTRATION OF HOLDERS OF PORTUGUESE ACADEMIC DEGREES |
The following holders of higher education degrees from Portuguese institutions can register with the Portuguese Pharmaceutical Society:
- Integrated Master's Degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences, awarded by a Portuguese higher education institution within the framework of the study organization resulting from the implementation of Decree-Law No. 74/2006, of March 24 (Bologna Process), and subsequent amendments;
- Bachelor's Degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences, awarded by a Portuguese higher education institution within the framework of the study organization prior to the implementation of Decree-Law No. 74/2006, of March 24 (Bologna Process), and subsequent amendments;
- Bachelor's Degree in Pharmacy, awarded by a Portuguese higher education institution following a course of study within the framework of the study organization prior to the regime introduced by Decree No. 111/78, of May 27.
Registration must be made with the Regional Section that has jurisdiction over the district where the pharmacist practices the profession. If the pharmacist is not yet practicing, they should register with the Regional Section corresponding to their current place of residence.
- Central Regional Section: covers the districts of Aveiro, Castelo Branco, Coimbra, Guarda, Leiria, and Viseu;
- Northern Regional Section: covers the districts of Braga, Bragança, Porto, Viana do Castelo, and Vila Real;
- Southern and Autonomous Regions Regional Section: covers the districts of Beja, Évora, Faro, Lisbon, Portalegre, Santarém, Setúbal, Ponta Delgada, and Funchal.
Required documentation for registration:
- Certificate of Qualifications
- One (1) passport-size photo + one (1) additional photo if requesting a personalized ID card (optional)
- Citizen Card or equivalent
For more information, contact the Regional Section where you intend to register and access the Admission Regulation of the Portuguese Pharmaceutical Society.
| PROFESSIONALS FROM EUROPEAN UNION MEMBER STATES |
Professionals from European Union (EU) Member States or the European Economic Area (EU + Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway) whose qualifications were obtained outside Portugal can register with the Portuguese Pharmaceutical Society.
Professional qualifications will be recognized under Law No. 9/2009, of March 4, which transposes Directive 2005/36/EC, of September 7, and subsequent legislative updates. Alternatively, you can obtain recognition of your professional pharmacist qualifications through the European Professional Card (EPC) if you are already professionally established in an EU country. Refer to the Your Europe portal to learn how to get qualifications recognized through the EPC.
Required documentation for the recognition of professional qualifications through the Portuguese Pharmaceutical Society:
- Citizen Card / identification card
- Proof of non-suspension or prohibition of practice
(A declaration of non-suspension or prohibition of practice issued by the Competent Authority of the pharmaceutical profession in the country of origin. If you have never practiced the pharmaceutical profession in the country of origin or any EU country, a sworn statement attesting that the graduate has never practiced the pharmaceutical profession in the country where the diploma was obtained or in any other country will suffice. This document can be included in the same document as the "Proof of honorability, good conduct, or absence of bankruptcy.")
- Proof of honorability, good conduct, or absence of bankruptcy
(A declaration of good repute, good conduct (Good Standing), or absence of bankruptcy issued by the Competent Authority of the pharmaceutical profession in the country of origin. If you have never practiced the pharmaceutical profession in the country of origin or any EU country, a sworn statement attesting that the graduate is not in breach of the pharmaceutical profession in the country where the diploma was obtained or in any other country will suffice. This document can be included in the same document as the "Proof of non-suspension or prohibition of practice.")
- Original diploma of course completion
If you do not hold Portuguese nationality and have not obtained your academic degree in a Portuguese-speaking country, you will also be required to take a language proficiency test, conducted by a jury, which has a cost of €50.
The jury for the portuguese language test is composed of:
- Jorge Manuel Gonçalves Aperta (President);
- Ricardo Santos, as Secretary-General of the OF;
- Diogo Morim, as Head of International Affairs Department of the OF;
- Maria Luís Santos, as Secretary-General of the Northern Regional Section of the OF (SRN-OF);
- Camilo Rebelo, as Executive Secretary of the Southern and Autonomous Regions Section of the OF (SRSRA-OF).
- Ana Filipa Lourenço, as Technical Secretary of the Center Regional Section of the OF (SRC-OF).
Only after this process can you register with the Portuguese Pharmaceutical Society, and you will need the following documents:
- One (1) passport-size photo + one (1) additional photo if requesting a personalized ID card (optional)
- Citizen Card or equivalent
| HOLDERS OF FOREIGN ACADEMIC DEGREES (NON-EU) |
Individuals with higher academic degrees in Pharmaceutical Sciences from non-EU countries can register with the Portuguese Pharmaceutical Society if they have obtained specific recognition for one of the Portuguese higher academic degrees that allow registration with the Portuguese Pharmaceutical Society, namely the Integrated Master's Degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences. More information can be found here.
The specific recognition of the diploma requires an assessment of the program content of the previously obtained diploma in the country of origin and a subsequent comparison with the program content of the Integrated Master's Degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences at a Portuguese Public University (available in Lisbon, Porto, Coimbra, Covilhã, and Faro) - these are the requirements for the specific recognition of an academic degree from a non-EU country. This process must be carried out through the Faculty's Secretariat.
Only after going to a Faculty and completing the specific recognition process (which may include completing compensatory measures) and obtaining a valid diploma in Portugal, can you register with the Portuguese Pharmaceutical Society.
The legal framework for the recognition of academic degrees and diplomas awarded by foreign higher education institutions that correspond to Portuguese qualifications is established through Decree-Law No. 66/2018, of August 16, and subsequent amendments.
After the specific recognition, the documentation required to start the registration process with the Portuguese Pharmaceutical Society is as follows:
- Citizen Card / identification card
- Proof of non-suspension or prohibition of practice
(A declaration of non-suspension or prohibition of practice issued by the Competent Authority of the pharmaceutical profession in the country of origin. If you have never practiced the pharmaceutical profession in the country of origin or any EU country, a sworn statement attesting that the graduate has never practiced the pharmaceutical profession in the country where the diploma was obtained or in any other country will suffice. This document can be included in the same document as the "Proof of good repute, good conduct, or absence of bankruptcy.")
- Proof of honourability, good conduct, or absence of bankruptcy
(A declaration of good repute, good conduct (Good Standing), or absence of bankruptcy issued by the Competent Authority of the pharmaceutical profession in the country of origin. If you have never practiced the pharmaceutical profession in the country of origin or any EU country, a sworn statement attesting that the graduate is not in breach of the pharmaceutical profession in the country where the diploma was obtained or in any other country will suffice. This document can be included in the same document as the "Proof of non-suspension or prohibition of practice.")
- Original diploma of course completion
- Certificate from the Faculty of Pharmacy confirming the specific recognition of the Master's Degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences
- Minutes of the Jury from the Faculty of Pharmacy that granted the specific recognition of the Master's Degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences
- Proof of residence in national territory
- According to the Fee and Dues Regulation of the Order of Pharmacists, the fee for process analysis is €50. If you are not a native speaker of an official Portuguese language, you must also pass a language proficiency test conducted by the admission jury, which costs €50.
If you do not hold Portuguese nationality and have not obtained your academic degree in a Portuguese-speaking country, you will also be required to take a language proficiency test, conducted by a jury, which has a cost of €50.
The jury for the portuguese language test is composed of:
- Jorge Manuel Gonçalves Aperta (President);
- Ricardo Santos, as Secretary-General of the OF;
- Diogo Morim, as Head of International Affairs Department of the OF;
- Maria Luís Santos, as Secretary-General of the Northern Regional Section of the OF (SRN-OF);
- Camilo Rebelo, as Executive Secretary of the Southern and Autonomous Regions Section of the OF (SRSRA-OF);
- Ana Filipa Lourenço, as Technical Secretary of the Center Regional Section of the OF (SRC-OF).
Only after this process can you register with the Portuguese Pharmaceutical Society, and you will need the following documents:
- One (1) passport-size photo + one (1) additional photo if requesting a personalized ID card (optional)
- Citizen Card or equivalent
Contact Information for the Portuguese Pharmaceutical Society
Rua da Sociedade Farmacêutica 18
1169-075 Lisboa
Phone: (+351) 213 191 380