Licensed Pharmacies: How to Verify Your Pharmacy Is Legitimate and Avoid Counterfeit Drugs

Every year, millions of people in the U.S. buy prescription drugs online. Some of them are saving time and money. Others are risking their lives. The difference? One is a licensed pharmacy. The other is a fake website selling fake pills.

You don’t need to be a pharmacist to tell the difference. You just need to know where to look-and what to look for. Too many people skip this step. They see a low price, a fast delivery, and a professional-looking website. They click "Buy Now." And then they wonder why their blood pressure medication didn’t work-or why they ended up in the ER.

What Makes a Pharmacy Licensed?

A licensed pharmacy isn’t just a business with a website. It’s a regulated health care provider. Each one must be approved by the state board of pharmacy where it operates. That means the pharmacists have passed exams like the NAPLEX, the facility meets safety standards, and the pharmacy keeps records of every prescription it fills.

In 2023, there were about 66,000 licensed pharmacies in the U.S. That sounds like a lot. But here’s the problem: the FDA estimates that 1% to 3% of the $575 billion U.S. prescription drug market comes from unlicensed, illegal sources. That’s between $5.75 billion and $17.25 billion in counterfeit or unsafe drugs circulating every year.

These aren’t just random scams. Some look like real pharmacies. They use real logos, fake NABP seals, and even copy real addresses. One consumer in 2023 lost $850 to a site that showed a forged NABP accreditation seal. That’s why you can’t trust appearance alone.

The Three Ways to Verify a Pharmacy

If you’re buying medication online-or even if you’re switching to a new local pharmacy-check its legitimacy using these three methods. Don’t pick one. Use all three.

1. Check your state’s board of pharmacy website. Every state has a public database where you can search by pharmacy name or license number. In California, you enter the license number without any prefixes like "PH" or "P"-just the digits. Florida offers free, instant verification. California takes up to 30 days for written requests, but their online system works fast. If the pharmacy says it’s licensed but doesn’t show up in the database, walk away.
2. Look for VIPPS accreditation. The Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites (VIPPS) program, run by the NABP, is the gold standard for online pharmacies. Only pharmacies that meet strict safety, privacy, and licensing rules get this seal. As of 2023, the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists found that VIPPS identifies 98.7% of illegitimate online pharmacies. You’ll find the VIPPS logo on the website’s footer. Click it. It should link directly to the NABP’s verification page.
3. Use NABP’s License Verification portal. The NABP Verify program lets you search across all participating states at once. It’s not free-it costs $125 a year for professionals-but consumers can use it for free. Type in the pharmacy’s name or license number, and it pulls real-time data from state boards. If the license is inactive, suspended, or under investigation, you’ll see it immediately.

These aren’t optional steps. They’re your safety net.

Red Flags That Mean Walk Away

Here’s what real licensed pharmacies never do:

• They never sell prescription drugs without a valid prescription. If a site lets you buy Adderall or insulin without uploading a script, it’s illegal.
• They never hide their physical address. Use Google Maps Street View. If the address is a residential house, a PO box, or a warehouse with no signage, that’s a red flag.
• They always have a licensed pharmacist available to answer questions. In 45 states, it’s required by law. If you call and get an automated message or a call center in another country, that’s not a pharmacy-it’s a storefront for fraud.
• They don’t offer "discounts" that sound too good to be true. A 90-day supply of Lipitor for $10? That’s not a deal. That’s a death sentence waiting to happen.

One woman in California, Maria Chen, caught a problem this way. She verified her pharmacy’s license after noticing her medication looked different. The system showed the pharmacist-in-charge had resigned-but the pharmacy kept operating. That’s a violation of California law. She reported it. The pharmacy was shut down.

Why State Laws Vary (And Why It Matters)

Not all states have the same rules. That’s why verification can feel confusing.

Some states require fingerprint background checks for pharmacists. Others accept online checks. California charges $120 for a license verification request. Florida charges nothing. And 17 states require extra paperwork for pharmacies shipping drugs across state lines.

This patchwork system is a problem. A 2023 study found that the average consumer spends just 2.7 minutes checking a pharmacy’s legitimacy. Most people don’t realize that a license from Texas doesn’t mean the pharmacy is legal in New York. That’s why using NABP Verify or VIPPS is so important-they cut through the state-by-state mess.

There’s also the issue of fake seals. Some illegal sites copy the VIPPS logo and put it on their homepage. But if you click it and it doesn’t take you to the NABP’s official site, you’re being fooled. Always check the URL. It should be www.nabp.pharmacy.

What Happens When You Buy from an Unlicensed Pharmacy?

Counterfeit drugs aren’t just ineffective. They’re dangerous.

Some contain the wrong dose. Others have no active ingredient at all. Some are laced with fentanyl, rat poison, or industrial chemicals. The NABP found that unlicensed pharmacies are 4.7 times more likely to dispense incorrect medications-and 8.2 times more likely to be involved in controlled substance diversion.

And it’s getting worse. In 2023, the FDA increased enforcement actions against illegal online pharmacies by 22%. More sites are popping up. More people are getting hurt. The FDA’s 2024 Strategic Plan includes $15 million to improve detection of these sites-and a goal to cut consumer harm by 40% by 2026.

But technology alone won’t fix this. You have to be the first line of defense.

How to Make Verification a Habit

Verifying a pharmacy shouldn’t be a one-time task. It should be part of your routine.

• When you get a new prescription, check the pharmacy’s license before you pick it up.
• If you’re switching to an online pharmacy, verify it before you pay.
• Even if you’ve used a pharmacy for years, check again every year. Licenses can be suspended. Pharmacists can leave. Rules change.

Set a reminder on your phone. Add it to your medication checklist. Make it as normal as checking the expiration date on your pills.

And if you find a fake pharmacy? Report it. The FDA has a portal for reporting suspicious sites. The NABP also takes tips. Your report could stop someone else from getting hurt.

What’s Changing in 2025?

The system is improving-but slowly. In January 2024, NABP launched Phase 2 of its InterConnect system, which now lets 43 states update license statuses in real time. That means if a pharmacy loses its license, you’ll know within hours-not weeks.

California also updated its rules: any out-of-state pharmacy shipping to California residents must now offer an 800 number for direct pharmacist access. That’s a big step toward accountability.

By 2027, experts predict we’ll see national licensure standards that cut down the current confusion. But until then, you’re still responsible for checking.

The bottom line? Licensed pharmacies save lives. Unlicensed ones put them at risk. There’s no middle ground.