Community Pharmacy
Supplies medicines and pharmaceutical care directly to the public.
Permit renewal for 2027 opens 1 January
Electronic Pharmacy Registration & Licensing Portal
Apply, pay verified fees, follow your inspection, receive a permit anyone can verify, and renew it every year. Everything happens online with the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria.
Operated under the Electronic Pharmacy Regulations, 2026 (S.I. No. 8 of 2026)
Verified fees
Confirmed through PCN Online Payment
Tracked inspection
Scheduled and recorded in the portal
Verifiable permit
Anyone can check it, by permit number or QR code
Annual renewal
Due by 31 January every year
How it works
Regulations 3–5
From application to permit in five steps
You can follow every stage from your dashboard, from your first upload to the moment your permit is issued.
Create an account
Register and verify your email address.
Apply
Choose a category, verify the pharmacist and premises numbers, and upload your documents.
Pay inspection fee
Pay through PCN Online Payment. The Council confirms the payment itself.
Inspection
An inspector is assigned and visits. Any directives are issued in the portal.
Approval & permit
After recommendation and approval, pay the registration fee and receive your permit.
Categories
Choose the category that fits your premises
Your premises must be on the Council's register for the category you choose.
Wholesale
Supplies medicines in bulk to other licensed premises.
Distribution
Distributes medicines and health products.
Aggregator
One application that links several registered premises.
Every electronic pharmacy operating in Nigeria must be registered with the Council (Reg. 3). Each Superintendent Pharmacist may register only one electronic pharmacy (Reg. 34(4)).
Requirements
What you need before you apply
1
Pharmacist registration numberFor the Superintendent Pharmacist, who must be current and in good standing.
2
Premises registration numberThe premises must be on the Council's register for the category you choose.
3
Mandatory documentsScanned copies, stored privately.
4
A way to pay through PCN Online PaymentFor the inspection, registration and renewal fees.
You can save a draft at any point. You can submit only when every requirement is in place.
Electronic pharmacy document checklist
0% · 0 of 0 ready
Permit renewal
Regulations 6, 9(4) & 41
Renew every year to keep your permit active
A permit is valid until 31 December of the year it is issued. Renew it in January for the new year. These dates apply every year.
✉
Before expiry
Reminders sent
We remind you by email and on your dashboard before your permit expires.
31
31 Dec 2026
Permit expires
Your permit shows as Expired. It stays on your dashboard.
Jan
1 – 31 Jan 2027
Renew at the normal fee
Renew and pay within January to avoid any penalty.
+50%
From 1 Feb 2027
Late fee added
50% of the applicable fee is added to your renewal automatically.
1. Sign in and open your permit
Choose Renew permit on your dashboard. Expired records stay visible, so nothing is lost.
2. Check your details
Check the permit details shown. A change of Superintendent Pharmacist, premises, platform or scope is applied for to the Registrar within 30 days. Reg. 13
3. Pay through PCN Online Payment
Your renewal fee is shown before you pay. The payment is verified before your renewal moves on.
4. Approval & renewed permit
The Council approves your renewal and issues the renewed permit, which can be verified online right away.
You can renew even while you have another registration application open.
Electronic Pharmacy Regulations, 2026
The rules behind the portal
S.I. No. 8 of 2026, published in Official Gazette No. 33, Vol. 113 (13 February 2026). The key provisions for applicants and permit holders. Read or download the official Regulations (PDF).
Regs 3–5
Registration & licensingEvery electronic pharmacy must register with the Council and hold a licence.
Reg. 6
Annual renewalPermits expire on 31 December. Renewal is due on 1 January.
Reg. 34(4)
One per pharmacistEach Superintendent Pharmacist may register only one electronic pharmacy.
Reg. 41
Late renewalNot renewed by 31 January: 50% of the applicable fee is added.
What a licensed e-pharmacy website must show
a
Pharmacist detailsName, registration number and licence status of the Superintendent Pharmacist and other professionalsb
Registered addressLicensed premises address, plus your own address if it is differentc
Phone & emailContact details for the electronic pharmacye
Premises reg. numberShown on the homepagef
Licence numberShown on the homepageg
Complaints routeHow users can make a complainth
Authorised PCN logoOnly the logo the Council has authorised (Reg. 34)i
Council contactsContact information of the Councild
POM declarationThe required Prescription-Only Medicines statementj
Other requirementsAnything else the Council may requireRequired declaration, Reg. 12(d):
the electronic pharmaceutical service provider will only dispense Prescription Only Medicines to a person who has a valid prescription issued by a licenced health care professional or authorised prescriber, having a physical address and contact details in Nigeria
Pharmacist online at all times
A pharmacist must always be available to counsel clients. Reg. 21
Verify client identity
Check the prescription, personal details, national ID and phone number. Reg. 22
No controlled drugs online
Controlled medicines and dangerous drugs must never be sold online. Reg. 24
Keep records for 5 years
Keep supply, prescription and consultation records, and protect user data. Regs 30–31
Offences & penalties
Operating without a valid licence is costly
Part VI of the Regulations. Directors, managers and the Superintendent Pharmacist can be held personally liable for offences committed by a company (Reg. 50).
OffenceFineImprisonmentReg.
Late renewal (after 31 January)+50% fee—41
False statement or misrepresentation to obtain registration or a licence₦500,000Administrative fine39
Fake licence, certificate or logo, or PCN logo used without registration₦2,000,000or 2 years, plus closure40
Operating an e-pharmacy without registration or a licence₦2,500,000and/or 2 years, plus closure42
Operating an aggregator without registration or a licence₦3,000,000and/or 2 years43
Refusing backend access, or obstructing inspectors₦2,000,000and/or 2 years44–45
Dispensing Prescription-Only Medicines without a valid prescription₦2,000,000and/or 2 years46
Selling controlled drugs online, or cross-border online drug sale or purchase₦2,500,000and/or 2 years47–49
Public permit verification
Check a pharmacy permit
Enter a permit number or scan the QR code on the permit. You don't need an account.
Active
Suspended
Expired
Results show the registered name, category, permit number, validity dates and current status.
SPECIMEN
Pharmacy Council of NigeriaPremises Permit
- Registered name
- Example Pharmacy Ltd
- Category
- Community Pharmacy
- Permit number
- FCT2024PMT001
- Status
- Active
- Issued
- — — ——
- Valid until
- 31 December
Specimen · illustrative only
Office of the Registrar
Applications go to the Registrar of the Council
Under the Electronic Pharmacy Regulations, 2026, registration and licensing applications are made to the Registrar by the designated Superintendent Pharmacist. The Registrar also handles changes to licences and notices of breach.
- Report changes of Superintendent Pharmacist, site, platform or scope within 30 days Reg. 13
- Send any revised service level agreement with an aggregator within 30 days Reg. 4(5)
- Respond to a notice of breach within 14 days Reg. 14
Help & security
Keep your account and payments safe
Your documents are private
Your uploaded documents are stored privately in the portal.
Pay only on the payment page
Fees are paid only on the payment provider's own pages, never anywhere else.
We never ask for passwords
The Council will never ask for your password by phone, email or message.
Keep your email current
Renewal reminders and decisions are sent to your registered email address.
Frequently asked questions
Still need help? Send the Council a message about your account, an application, a payment or a permit.
When does my permit expire?
Every permit is valid until 31 December of the year it was issued. Renewal for the next year is due from 1 January. Reg. 6
What happens if I renew after 31 January?
The portal automatically adds a late fee of 50% of the applicable fee to your renewal. Reg. 41
Can I renew while another application is in progress?
Yes. You can have only one registration application open per account at a time, but renewals are never blocked by this rule.
My permit shows "Expired". Have I lost my record?
No. Expired records stay on your dashboard. Sign in and choose Renew permit. If it is after 31 January, the late fee will be added.
Our Superintendent Pharmacist has changed. What do we do?
Apply to the Registrar for approval within 30 days of the change. Each Superintendent Pharmacist may register only one electronic pharmacy. Regs 13 & 34(4)
How do I know my payment went through?
Payments are confirmed through PCN Online Payment and the Council's own verification. The status updates on your dashboard. If you contact the Council about a payment, include the payment reference shown in the portal.
Can I pause my e-pharmacy instead of renewing?
You can request a temporary closure of up to 12 months, but renewal fees remain payable for that period. Reg. 32(3)
How can the public check that a pharmacy is licensed?
Use Verify a permit above, or scan the QR code on the permit. You don't need an account.
Ready to register or renew your permit?
Create an account to start a new application, or sign in to renew before 31 January.