13.1 Drug Outlet Classes, Registration, Changes of Ownership/Location/Name & Non-Resident Pharmacies
Key Takeaways
Under ORS 689.305, every Oregon drug outlet registers annually as a retail, institutional, manufacturer, wholesale distributor, nonprescription or third-party logistics outlet.
Oregon retail and institutional pharmacy registrations expire March 31 each year, cannot be transferred, are not prorated, and a new pharmacy needs a scaled floor plan and Board approval.
In Oregon, an ownership change needs Board approval and 15 days' advance notice, a location change needs approval and a report within 15 days, and a name change needs a no-fee application 15 days ahead.
A non-resident pharmacy serving Oregon must register and have an Oregon-licensed PIC who works at least 20 hours per week, notify the Board of a PIC change within 10 business days and replace the PIC within 90 days.
Oregon mobile pharmacy licenses (HB 4131, 2026) become available January 1, 2027 for critical access pharmacies, hospitals, FQHCs and counties.
Why this matters
Area 4.7 covers the registration, renewal and reinstatement of practice settings. In Oregon, every drug outlet registers annually with the Board (ORS 689.305). The registration type controls what the outlet may do. Changes of ownership, location or name trigger specific notice and approval duties.
Drug outlet classes (ORS 689.305; OAR chapter 855)
| Statutory class | Common Oregon registrations |
|---|---|
| Retail drug outlet | Community and mail-order pharmacies; remote dispensing site pharmacies (OAR 855-139); Pharmacy Prescription Kiosks (855-141) and Lockers (855-143); central fill and remote processing designations added to a retail registration |
| Institutional drug outlet | Hospital and other inpatient pharmacies; drug rooms; correctional, home infusion, home dialysis and long-term care settings |
| Manufacturer | Including FDA 503B outsourcing facilities (OAR 855-183) |
| Wholesale distributor, third-party logistics provider | Wholesale drug outlets (OAR 855-065); drug distribution agents (855-062) |
| Nonprescription drug outlet | Retail sellers of OTC drugs; medical device, equipment and gas (MDEG) outlets (OAR 855-035) |
Other Board registrations cover:
- Dispensing practitioner drug outlets (OAR 855-043), for practitioners who dispense from their offices.
- Charitable pharmacies (OAR 855-044; ORS 689.770–.780).
- Community health clinics, animal euthanasia programs and Schedule II precursor outlets.
- Non-resident pharmacies (OAR 855-041-1060), for out-of-state pharmacies serving Oregon patients.
An individual employed by a registered corporation doesn't register separately (ORS 689.305(2)(b)). No one may advertise or claim to be a pharmacy without a registration (OAR 855-041-1095), and no outlet may operate before its certificate is issued (ORS 689.335).
Registering a retail or institutional pharmacy (OAR 855-041-1080)
- New pharmacies apply with a floor plan drawn to scale and need Board approval.
- The application identifies the location and the owners, including partners or the five largest stockholders. It must also disclose anyone with an ownership interest who has a financial interest in a long-term care facility (ORS 689.315).
- The application names the pharmacist-in-charge (ORS 689.315(2)(c)).
- Registrations expire March 31 every year. A late fee applies if the renewal fee isn't paid on time. Registrations are non-transferable and not prorated.
- Registrations, the DEA registration and licenses are displayed conspicuously (ORS 689.315(4); ORS 689.615).
Changes that trigger Board action
| Change | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Ownership | Needs Board approval and a new certificate. The Board gets 15 days' advance notice. A change in business structure, such as LLC to corporation or an asset acquisition, counts as a change of ownership (OAR 855-041-1080(11)–(14)) |
| Location | Needs Board approval and a new certificate, with an application, fee and scaled floor plan. Report the move within 15 days after it occurs (OAR 855-041-1085) |
| Business name | A new application at least 15 days before the change. No fee (OAR 855-041-1090) |
| PIC | Report within 15 days in the electronic licensing record (OAR 855-041-1010) |
| Starting compounding | Notify the Board within 15 days (OAR 855-183) |
| Starting or ending drug take-back | Notify the Board within 30 days (OAR 855-041-1046) |
| Closing | The temporary, permanent and emergency procedures in OAR 855-041-1092 (section 12.1) |
| Disasters affecting drug integrity | Report immediately (ORS 689.325(2)) |
Non-resident pharmacies (OAR 855-041-1060)
A non-resident pharmacy is any establishment outside Oregon that dispenses, delivers or distributes drugs to Oregon, or provides pharmacy services there. It must:
- Register with the Board and stay registered in its home state.
- Designate an Oregon-licensed PIC who is also licensed in the home state, works at least 20 hours per week there, and completes the annual self-inspection.
- Have its Oregon-licensed PIC in place within four months of initial registration.
- After a PIC change, notify the Board within 10 business days, name a contact pharmacist, and appoint a new Oregon-licensed PIC within 90 days. If it fails to, it must stop serving Oregon.
- File a closure notice within 30 days if it closes.
New for 2027: mobile pharmacies
Under 2026 Oregon Laws chapter 116 (HB 4131), effective June 5, 2026 and operative January 1, 2027, the Board will license mobile pharmacies for retail drug outlets with a permanent location that are critical access pharmacies, hospitals, federally qualified health centers or counties. Requirements include:
- A pharmacist physically present during operating hours.
- Records of drugs moved to and dispensed from the mobile unit, logged in the parent's records within 24 hours.
- Compliance with DEA storage requirements for controlled substances.
- A patient communication plan and coordination with local public health.
- Limits on staying at one location (10 consecutive days) or within a 5-mile radius (14 consecutive days), except during declared emergencies.
Tip
Count the clocks: ownership change 15 days before; name change 15 days before; location change reported within 15 days after; PIC change within 15 days; registration renewal by March 31; non-resident PIC change 10 business days, with a replacement in 90 days.
Exam scenario
A regional chain buys an independent Oregon pharmacy and plans to move it two blocks and rename it. The buyer must give the Board 15 days' advance notice of the ownership change, obtain approval and a new certificate, and submit ownership details. The move needs Board approval, a floor plan and a new certificate, and is reported within 15 days of the move. The rename needs a no-fee application at least 15 days in advance. The new owner keeps or names a PIC and reports any PIC change within 15 days. The new PIC completes the self-inspection and the full controlled-substance inventory within 15 days.
When do Oregon retail and institutional drug outlet (pharmacy) registrations expire?
June 30 of odd-numbered years
December 31 every year
January 31 every year
March 31 every year
An Oregon pharmacy's corporate owner converts from an LLC to a corporation. What does OAR 855-041-1080 require?
It is treated as a change of ownership: Board approval, a new certificate and at least 15 days' advance notice
Nothing; only a sale to a new company is a change of ownership
Only an updated DEA registration
Notice at the next March 31 renewal
A Washington mail-order pharmacy serving Oregon patients loses its Oregon-licensed PIC. What must it do under OAR 855-041-1060?
Nothing, if its Washington PIC remains
Stop shipping immediately until a PIC is hired
Notify the Board within 10 business days, name a contact pharmacist and hire a new Oregon-licensed PIC within 90 days, or stop serving Oregon
Notify the Board within 15 days and replace the PIC within 4 months
Sections you finish are checked off in the contents.