Questions about your membership?

We've got the answers.

If I join partway through the year do I still pay full price? If I join partway through the year do I still pay full price?

If you join as a new member after 18 March you’ll pay a pro-rata fee based on the number of months left in the membership year.

If you are a pre-registration trainee joining as an Associate, your membership fee is not pro-rated.

If you join or upgrade in the same year that you qualify, you will be charged a reduced pro-rated amount from the date you join or upgrade for the remainder of that year and the following membership year. Therefore if you both qualify and upgrade to Member in 2021, your membership will remain valid until the end of February 2023.

I don’t live in Great Britain, can I join? I don’t live in Great Britain, can I join?

Yes. Anyone eligible for membership, whose correspondence address is outside Great Britain, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands can join and will be charged the overseas fee.

Where can I access my payment information? Where can I access my payment information?

You'll find all your recent membership payments listed in My RPS Receipts & Transactions, which can be downloaded as a PDF file.

Please note that payments will only be visible once they have been paid, the payment has cleared and has been updated on our system. So if you paid by Direct Debit this can take a couple of extra days after the funds have left your account for the bank to update us.

Can I use the letters MRPharmS, FRPharmS, SRPharmS or ARPharmS after my name? Can I use the letters MRPharmS, FRPharmS, SRPharmS or ARPharmS after my name?

For as long as you remain a member of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society you are able to display the relevant membership postnominal letters after your name e.g. MRPharmS (Member of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society). This is in line with other professional bodies and royal colleges.

These letters are prominent and visible characteristics of your commitment to your profession.

However, these letters are not to be mistaken for a qualification or a licence to practice. The GPhC is the supplier of the restricted title “pharmacist” and therefore the right to practice as a pharmacist. Modern regulators do not supply official postnominals in the way that professional bodies do.

When do I need to renew my membership? When do I need to renew my membership?

The membership year for the Society runs from 1 March each year. Members are sent a renewal notice in January each year.

I’ve recently changed address, who do I need to tell? I’ve recently changed address, who do I need to tell?

If your correspondence details change, simply log in to the website and change them in the My Profile section where you can also:

  • Tell us how you’d like us to address you when we write to you, e.g. Dear John or Dear Mr Smith
  • Tell us if you’ve changed your name or prefer to be known by another name, e.g. your middle name
  • Add or update your contact details, including your email address and telephone number(s)
  • Choose the communications you’d like to receive from us
  • Tell us your sector of practice and your specialisms

Alternatively, contact the membership team directly on 0333 733 2570 or 0207 572 2737, or email [email protected], and we’ll update your details for you.

If you are registered with the GPhC you will need to inform them separately of any change of details.

Does membership allow me to practice as a pharmacist in Great Britain? Does membership allow me to practice as a pharmacist in Great Britain?

No. The Royal Pharmaceutical Society is the dedicated professional body for pharmacists and pharmacy in Great Britain. We do not regulate pharmacists. This is now undertaken by the General Pharmaceutical Council.

I would like to resign from the register I would like to resign from the register

The register of pharmacists is now administered by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). You can contact the GPhC by calling 020 3713 8000 or emailing [email protected].

Can I apply for Qualified Persons (QP) eligibility assessment via the Society? Can I apply for Qualified Persons (QP) eligibility assessment via the Society?

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society, Royal Society of Biology and Royal Society of Chemistry operate an assessment procedure for their members for eligibility to act as a QP. Applying for QP eligibility assessment is a separate process to applying for RPS membership.

RPS Members, Fellows, Associate and Pharmaceutical Scientist members are able to apply for QP eligibility assessment via the RPS.

For further details on QP eligibility assessment, please see our Qualified persons page

How much does an overseas retired member pay? How much does an overseas retired member pay?

Anyone based overseas* who wants to join the RPS needs to pay £109 (or £104 if they have a UK bank account and want to pay by annual DD). This is the only rate available to people based overseas even if they are retired, on maternity leave or not working.

The discounted rate of £109 recognises that people based overseas are unable to get involved in as many events and meetings as those based in GB. However, there is a higher cost associated with sending the PJ and membership correspondence to overseas members, which is why the fee cannot be discounted further.

*Overseas is outside of Great Britain, the Isle of Man and Channel Islands.

Is the membership fee tax deductible? Is the membership fee tax deductible?

If you are a 20% tax payer then the saving is approx £3.45 per month, which is a total annual saving of approx £41.40 against the member fee of £207. If you are a 40% tax payer then the saving is approx £6.90 per month, which is a total saving of approx £82.80 against the member fee of £207.

To claim relief on your membership fees you will need to contact your tax office and apply, stating that you wish to claim the allowance against your professional fees paid to the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (a HMRC list 3 organisation).

Please note: Tax relief can only be claimed if the member is working and their membership is relevant to the job they are working in.  

How do I reclaim my tax? How do I reclaim my tax?

Find out more on our page about Reclaiming your tax.

For further information on our available membership types, please see our membership page.