# How to Check an Online Pharmacy Is Legit | Pick My Pharmacy URL: https://pickmypharmacy.co.uk/answers/how-do-i-check-if-an-online-pharmacy-is-legit/ Description: Check any UK online pharmacy on the GPhC register at pharmacyregulation.org. Legitimate sites display their GPhC premises number — red flags listed. --- - [Home](/) - /[Answers](/answers/) - /How do I check if an online pharmacy is legit? Choosing a Pharmacy # How do I check if an online pharmacy is legit? By [Kaiser Khan](/author/kaiser-khan/) · Updated 15 July 2026 In short Look up the pharmacy on the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) register at pharmacyregulation.org. Every legitimate online pharmacy in Great Britain must be GPhC-registered and display its premises registration number on its website. If you cannot find a GPhC number on the site, or the register entry does not match the site's name and address, do not order from it. At a glance - ·All GB online pharmacies must be registered with the GPhC — check at pharmacyregulation.org - ·Legit sites display their GPhC premises number, registered address, and superintendent pharmacist - ·Since Brexit, GB pharmacies no longer use the EU common logo — the GPhC register is the authoritative check (Northern Ireland still uses the EU logo) - ·Prescription-only medicines always require a prescription or prescriber consultation — no exceptions - ·Online prescribing services in England must also be CQC-registered - ·Prices far below every competitor are a classic sign of an illegal seller ## Step 1: find the GPhC premises number on the website Every registered pharmacy website in Great Britain is required to show its GPhC premises registration number — usually in the footer, on the 'About' page, or on a dedicated regulation page. It should sit alongside the pharmacy's registered name, its physical premises address (a real UK address, not just a PO box), and the name of its superintendent pharmacist. If you scroll the site and can find none of this, treat that as a hard stop. A legitimate pharmacy has nothing to hide about its registration; an illegal seller has everything to hide. Be aware that criminal sites sometimes copy a real pharmacy's number, which is why step two matters. ## Step 2: verify it on the GPhC register Go to pharmacyregulation.org and use the online register search. Enter the premises number or the pharmacy name and check that the register entry matches what the website claims: same trading name, same address, same registration status ('registered', with no conditions you would want to know about). You can also look up the superintendent pharmacist by name to confirm they are a registered pharmacist. This step takes two minutes and defeats the most common scams — cloned numbers, invented registrations, and overseas sites dressed up as UK pharmacies. For online prescribing (where a doctor or prescriber consults and issues the prescription), also check the provider on the Care Quality Commission website, since online prescribing services in England must be CQC-registered. ## Red flags that mean walk away The clearest warning sign is a site offering prescription-only medicines with no prescription and no consultation — that is illegal in the UK, full stop, and it is also how counterfeit and dangerously mislabelled medicines reach people. Other red flags: no GPhC number or one that fails verification; no UK premises address or phone contact; prices dramatically below every legitimate competitor; pressure tactics such as countdown timers on medicines; a medicine name in the web address itself (legitimate pharmacies do not trade on a product-name URL); sloppy site design with spelling and grammar errors; pop-up ads; exaggerated claims like ‘100% safe’, ‘no side effects’, or ‘quick results’; spelling and packaging oddities in product photos; payment only by bank transfer or cryptocurrency; being asked to leave the medicine or website name out of your bank transaction reference; and sites that promote high-risk prescription medicines like a retail sale rather than a healthcare decision. This mirrors the ten tell-tale signs the GPhC and MHRA publish in their fake-pharmacy awareness campaign. One note on logos: since Brexit, pharmacies in Great Britain no longer display the EU common logo (Northern Ireland pharmacies still do), so its absence means nothing — and no 'MHRA logo' is required either. The register check is what counts. ## What a legitimate online pharmacy looks like A genuine UK online pharmacy is a registered 'distance-selling' pharmacy: a real dispensary with a GPhC-inspected premises, a responsible pharmacist on duty, and the same legal duties as your high-street chemist. It will ask for a prescription (or route you through a proper prescriber consultation) for any prescription-only medicine, ask safety questions even for pharmacy-only medicines, offer a way to speak to a pharmacist, and deliver in professional packaging with patient information leaflets included. Many dispense NHS prescriptions too — you can nominate them like any other pharmacy. All online pharmacies listed on Pick My Pharmacy show their GPhC premises number with a link to verify it on the register yourself; if you are ever unsure about a medicine you have bought online, stop taking it and speak to a pharmacist or GP. Next step ## Compare Pharmacies for What You Need See NHS services, private prices, and reviews side by side — GPhC-checked, free, and no obligation. Pharmacies you don't pick never see your details. [Browse pharmacies](/pharmacies/)[Prescription Cost calculators →](/calculators/) ## People Also Ask What if a website sells medicines without any UK registration?+ Do not buy from it, even for unlicensed 'supplements'. Unregistered sellers operate outside UK safety law, and medicines from them are frequently counterfeit, contaminated, or wrongly dosed. You can report illegal sellers to the MHRA's Yellow Card scheme and the GPhC. Does a professional-looking website mean a pharmacy is genuine?+ No. Criminal sites often look polished and use stolen branding, fake reviews, and copied registration details. Only the GPhC register check — matching name, address, and number — confirms a pharmacy is genuine. Should a UK online pharmacy display the EU common logo?+ Not in Great Britain — GB pharmacies stopped using the EU common logo after Brexit, and the GPhC register is now the authoritative verification route. Pharmacies in Northern Ireland still use the EU logo. Don't judge a GB site by the presence or absence of EU logos. Are the big-name online pharmacies automatically safe?+ Well-known chains and established online pharmacies are GPhC-registered, but always be alert to lookalike domains impersonating famous brands. Check the URL carefully and verify the GPhC number if anything seems off — impersonation sites are a common phishing tactic. Keep reading - [Are online pharmacies safe to use?](/answers/are-online-pharmacies-safe/) - [What is the GPhC (General Pharmaceutical Council)?](/answers/what-is-the-gphc/) - [What is a distance-selling pharmacy?](/answers/what-is-a-distance-selling-pharmacy/) - [What is a superintendent pharmacist?](/answers/what-is-a-superintendent-pharmacist/) - [What does a private prescription cost in the UK?](/answers/what-does-a-private-prescription-cost/) - [How do I report a concern about a pharmacy or pharmacist?](/answers/how-do-i-report-a-concern-about-a-pharmacy/) - [Online pharmacy UK guide](/guides/online-pharmacy-uk/) - [Compare online pharmacies](/online-pharmacies/) - [Browse verified pharmacies](/pharmacies/) - [Prescription delivery services](/services/prescription-delivery/) **Affiliate disclosure:**Pick My Pharmacy is free to use. We may earn a fee when you visit a referral partner or send a private-service enquiry. That never changes ratings, match results, or the prices you pay. Outbound partner links userel="sponsored". See[affiliate compliance](/methodology/#affiliate-compliance)and[how we make money](/how-it-works/). This article is general information for UK patients, not medical advice, and NHS rules and charges change — confirm current rules on [nhs.uk](https://www.nhs.uk) or speak to a pharmacist or GP before acting. For urgent medical help call NHS 111, or 999 in an emergency. Price figures are indicative benchmarks from our[methodology](/methodology/).