Hours and breaks by state
Which states limit a pharmacist’s or technician’s hours, or require a break?
14 of the 51 jurisdictions have an hour cap, a rest gap between shifts or a mandatory break in their pharmacy law. Every row is read from the primary statute or regulation, cited, and dated; the rest say that nothing was found, and when we looked. Last verification pass: 2026-10-19. How we verify.
| State | The rule | Citation | Read |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware | Delaware requires pharmacist breaks, and only the pharmacist’s. The full rule, with its wording and FAQ → | 24 Del. Admin. Code 2500 § 21.2.5 | 2026-10-12 |
| Illinois | Yes. 225 ILCS 85/15.1(c) lets the pharmacy stay open if the pharmacist remains on the premises and available for emergencies. Staff may keep working within their scope, only prescriptions a pharmacist has already verified may be sold, and patients needing counseling are offered the chance to wait or a follow-up call. With two or more pharmacists on duty, breaks must be staggered so one is always on duty. The full rule, with its wording and FAQ → | 225 ILCS 85/15.1(a) | 2026-09-07 |
| Kentucky | Kentucky sets no technician ratio. It points to rest and lunch breaks for every employee. The full rule, with its wording and FAQ → | 201 KAR 2:450 § 2(3) | 2026-10-12 |
| Louisiana | Louisiana requires a rest break after six hours. It does not say how long. The full rule, with its wording and FAQ → | LAC 46:LIII.1107(C) | 2026-09-17 |
| Massachusetts | Massachusetts also limits hours, and the limit follows the clock, not the calendar. The full rule, with its wording and FAQ → | 247 CMR 9.01(17) | 2026-09-17 |
| Minnesota | Minnesota: no required day longer than 12 continuous hours, and a 30-minute break when working longer than six continuous hours. The full rule, with its wording and FAQ → | Minn. R. 6800.2160, authority Minn. Stat. 151.06, adopted 41 SR 1382 | 2026-09-17 |
| Montana | Montana sets no technician ratio. It sets a break for the pharmacist. The full rule, with its wording and FAQ → | ARM 24.174.411(1) | 2026-10-13 |
| New Hampshire | A rule on hours or breaks was found in this state’s pharmacy law; its page is in preparation and will state the rule with its citation. | 2026-10-12 | |
| North Carolina | North Carolina caps a pharmacist's day at 12 continuous hours and requires two breaks past six. The full rule, with its wording and FAQ → | 21 NCAC 46 .2512 | 2026-10-20 |
| Ohio | Ohio also requires a 30-minute break past six hours. The full rule, with its wording and FAQ → | OAC 4729:5-5-02.2 | 2026-09-28 |
| Rhode Island | Rhode Island sets no technician ratio. It requires adequate staffing and adequate rest periods. The full rule, with its wording and FAQ → | 216-RICR-40-15-1.6.1(E) | 2026-10-13 |
| Vermont | Vermont requires two breaks on a shift of 8 hours or more, and the pharmacy must ensure they are taken. The full rule, with its wording and FAQ → | Vermont Board of Pharmacy Admin. Rules 8-9(a) | 2026-10-12 |
| Virginia | Virginia limits a pharmacist's day, and only the pharmacist's. The full rule, with its wording and FAQ → | 18VAC110-20-110(B) | 2026-09-18 |
| West Virginia | West Virginia caps 12 continuous hours and requires breaks at eight and twelve. The full rule, with its wording and FAQ → | W. Va. C.S.R. § 15-15-8 | 2026-09-17 |
States where no hour, rest or break rule was found
Each entry rests on a dated read of that state’s pharmacy law; the date is when we looked. A state’s own page, where one exists, states its technician ratio.
- AlabamaChecked 2026-09-17
- AlaskaChecked 2026-10-12
- ArizonaChecked 2026-10-12
- ArkansasChecked 2026-09-17
- CaliforniaChecked 2026-09-17
- ColoradoChecked 2026-09-17
- ConnecticutChecked 2026-10-12
- District of ColumbiaChecked 2026-10-12
- FloridaChecked 2026-09-17
- GeorgiaChecked 2026-09-17
- HawaiiChecked 2026-10-12
- IdahoChecked 2026-09-17
- IndianaChecked 2026-09-18
- IowaChecked 2026-09-17
- KansasChecked 2026-10-12
- MaineChecked 2026-10-12
- MarylandChecked 2026-10-12
- MichiganChecked 2026-10-12
- MississippiChecked 2026-10-12
- MissouriChecked 2026-10-12
- NebraskaChecked 2026-10-12
- NevadaChecked 2026-09-17
- New JerseyChecked 2026-09-17
- New MexicoChecked 2026-10-12
- New YorkChecked 2026-09-17
- North DakotaChecked 2026-09-17
- OklahomaChecked 2026-09-17
- OregonChecked 2026-10-12
- PennsylvaniaChecked 2026-09-18
- South CarolinaChecked 2026-09-17
- South DakotaChecked 2026-10-13
- TennesseeChecked 2026-09-17
- TexasChecked 2026-09-17
- UtahChecked 2026-10-12
- WashingtonChecked 2026-09-18
- WisconsinChecked 2026-09-17
Not yet verified: Wyoming. The rule text an answer would rest on has not been read in full, so RxShift states nothing for it yet.
Where a rule’s text leaves a choice, RxShift applies the stricter reading and says so on the state’s page, which carries the full wording, the FAQ and the verification record. Informational only, not legal advice; always confirm against the cited source.