How to choose a pharmacy in Australia

What should I look for in a pharmacy?

Four things matter most, and only you can weigh them.

• Hours. A pharmacy near home that closes at 6 pm is no help if you finish work at 7. Look for one open on the evenings and weekends you’re likely to need it.
• Services. If you want vaccinations, a medicines review, your tablets packed into a weekly dose aid, or home delivery, check the pharmacy offers them. Our guide to pharmacy services explains each one.
• Getting there. Parking, public transport and step-free access count for a lot when you’re unwell or carrying a child.
• Prices. From 1 January 2026 a PBS script costs at most $25, or $7.70 with a concession card, plus any brand premium. Below that, and for private scripts, prices can vary between pharmacies, so it can pay to compare. Read what a PBS script costs in 2026.

To see which pharmacies are open now and when they close, use Near me, or browse pharmacies by state. The directory lists 6,454 pharmacies.

Why use the same pharmacy for all my scripts?

Mostly for the PBS Safety Net. Once your family’s PBS spending in a calendar year reaches the threshold ($1,748.20, or $277.20 with a concession card, in 2026), you can apply for a Safety Net card and your scripts get cheaper. Getting there means keeping track of what you spend. If you always use the same pharmacy, you can ask it to keep a computer record of your spending, and it can tell you when you’re near the threshold.

A regular pharmacy also gets to know you. That makes it easier to ask questions, and easier for the pharmacist to notice when something about your medicines has changed.

Can I use more than one pharmacy?

Yes. An eScript isn’t tied to any pharmacy. Any pharmacy that accepts electronic prescriptions can fill it, and each repeat’s token can go to a different one. If you have an Active Script List, give each pharmacy you use your consent to see it. Read how eScripts and the Active Script List work.

If you use several pharmacies, ask each one for a printout of what you’ve spent on PBS medicines, so you can track the Safety Net yourself. Services Australia has a Safety Net prescription record form you can hand to each pharmacist to fill in.

Pharmacists can also upload prescription and dispense records to My Health Record, so a pharmacist you haven’t used before may be able to see what you’ve been given elsewhere.

How do I switch pharmacies?

1. eScripts: there’s nothing to move. Take your token to the new pharmacy, or let it see your Active Script List.
2. Paper repeats: if your old pharmacy holds paper repeats for you, ask it to hand them back or pass them on. Some can’t be handed back. In WA, for example, paper repeats for Schedule 8 medicines, such as strong opioid pain relief, stay with the pharmacy until it posts them to your new one.
3. Your Safety Net record: ask the old pharmacy for a printout of what you’ve spent on PBS medicines this year.
4. Services: if the old pharmacy packed your dose aid or delivered your medicines, set that up with the new one before your next supply is due.

How do I check a pharmacist is registered?

Pharmacists in Australia are registered with the Pharmacy Board of Australia. Look one up by name on Ahpra’s public register of practitioners, to see whether they’re registered.