OBJECTIVES: The objectives were to determine Texas community pharmacists' knowledge and awareness of emergency contraception (EC), their dispensing of EC, their perceptions about EC, as well as their willingness to participate in pharmacist initiated emergency contraception (PIEC). METHODS: A mail questionnaire was sent to a random sample of 300 Texas community pharmacists. The questionnaire consisted of 40 questions divided into three sections: experience with EC, PIEC (where pharmacists can dispense EC without a prescription), and background information. Data analysis included descriptive statistics utilizing SPSS. RESULTS: With a usable response rate of 51%, results indicate that most Texas community pharmacists (91%) had heard of EC, while approximately 45 percent keep EC in stock. Over half (58%) have dispensed EC, and 95 percent were aware that EC is most effective when taken within 72 hours. Twenty-seven percent were opposed to dispensing EC. Additionally, most pharmacists (58%) believed that there should be a minimum age for patients receiving EC; the average minimum age indicated was 17.25 years (s.d.=1.93). Less than half (47%) of the respondents had heard of PIEC. Pharmacists indicated that they would be unwilling to participate in PIEC and were not willing to obtain liability insurance for PIEC. They indicated that convenience to patients and reducing unwanted pregnancies were potential benefits of PIEC, while potential barriers included inadequate time for counseling, increased liability, moral/religious opposition, increase in unprotected sex and sexually transmitted diseases, and fear of overuse. CONCLUSION: While many community pharmacists in Texas have dispensed EC, only 47% of respondents had heard of PIEC prior to this study, and most were unwilling to participate in PIEC. Potential barriers outweighed potential benefits for most pharmacists regarding PIEC. Policy efforts to facilitate PIEC should focus on reducing perceived barriers of community pharmacists.