Controlled substances: the DEA drug schedules explained

The DEA sorts controlled drugs into five schedules — I to V — by how likely they are to be abused and whether they have accepted medical use. Here is what each schedule means and the common medications in it, with every drug linked to its own FDA-based safety profile on our site. One thing to get straight first: a drug’s schedule describes its abuse potential and the paperwork around prescribing it — not how dangerous it is to take. Most drugs on this page also carry an FDA boxed warning, the strongest warning the agency issues, and those are noted beside each drug. General reference, not legal or medical advice.

By the pharmaranks editorial teamReviewed against the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) sourcesHow we research

The five DEA drug schedules at a glance
Schedule	Abuse potential	Refills
Schedule I	High potential for abuse	Not prescribable
Schedule II	High potential for abuse, with use potentially leading to severe psychological or physical dependence.	No refills
Schedule III	Moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence — less than Schedule I or II.	Up to 5 / 6 months
Schedule IV	Low potential for abuse relative to Schedule III.	Up to 5 / 6 months
Schedule V	Lowest potential for abuse of the controlled schedules.	As authorized

Schedule IHigh potential for abuse

Medical use: No currently accepted medical use in treatment in the US, and a lack of accepted safety for use under medical supervision.
Dependence: Not prescribable — these cannot be written on a prescription.

Common examples

Heroin
LSD
Marijuana (cannabis) — Schedule I under federal law, despite state-level medical/recreational laws
MDMA (ecstasy)
Psilocybin (“magic mushrooms”)
Peyote

Schedule IIHigh potential for abuse, with use potentially leading to severe psychological or physical dependence.

Medical use: Accepted medical use, but tightly restricted — generally no refills; a new prescription is required each time.
Dependence: Severe psychological or physical dependence.

Common examples

Oxycodone (OxyContin, Percocet) — FDA boxed warning: addiction, abuse and misuse; life-threatening respiratory depression; accidental ingestion can be fatal, especially in a child; and neonatal opioid withdrawal after use in pregnancy
Hydrocodone (Norco, Vicodin) — FDA boxed warning: addiction, abuse and misuse; life-threatening respiratory depression; accidental ingestion can be fatal, especially in a child; and neonatal opioid withdrawal after use in pregnancy
Fentanyl — FDA boxed warning: addiction, abuse and misuse; life-threatening respiratory depression; accidental ingestion can be fatal, especially in a child; and neonatal opioid withdrawal after use in pregnancy
Morphine — FDA boxed warning: addiction, abuse and misuse; life-threatening respiratory depression; accidental ingestion can be fatal, especially in a child; and neonatal opioid withdrawal after use in pregnancy
Hydromorphone (Dilaudid) — FDA boxed warning: addiction, abuse and misuse; life-threatening respiratory depression; accidental ingestion can be fatal, especially in a child; and neonatal opioid withdrawal after use in pregnancy
Methadone — FDA boxed warning: addiction, abuse and misuse; life-threatening respiratory depression; accidental ingestion can be fatal, especially in a child; and neonatal opioid withdrawal after use in pregnancy; methadone also prolongs the QT interval
Amphetamine (Adderall) — FDA boxed warning: abuse, misuse and addiction — misuse can lead to overdose and death
Methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta) — FDA boxed warning: abuse, misuse and addiction — misuse can lead to overdose and death
Lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse) — FDA boxed warning: abuse, misuse and addiction — misuse can lead to overdose and death
Codeine — Schedule II as a single-ingredient product; lower schedules apply to some combinations. FDA boxed warning: addiction and abuse, life-threatening respiratory depression, and ultra-rapid metabolism in some people (especially children) that can cause fatal overdose — contraindicated in children under 12

Schedule IIIModerate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence — less than Schedule I or II.

Medical use: Accepted medical use; may be refilled up to 5 times in 6 months.
Dependence: Moderate or low physical dependence, but high psychological dependence.

Common examples

Buprenorphine (Suboxone)
Ketamine
Testosterone and anabolic steroids — Topical gels carry an FDA boxed warning for secondary exposure — a child who touches an unwashed application site can be virilised. The injectable forms do not carry it
Codeine-containing products (≤90 mg per dose, e.g. Tylenol with Codeine #3) — the combination, not codeine alone

Schedule IVLow potential for abuse relative to Schedule III.

Medical use: Accepted medical use; may be refilled up to 5 times in 6 months.
Dependence: Limited physical or psychological dependence relative to Schedule III — but a lower abuse rating is not a lower clinical risk. The benzodiazepines here all carry an FDA boxed warning that includes dependence and withdrawal reactions which can be life-threatening if the drug is stopped abruptly.

Common examples

Alprazolam (Xanax) — FDA boxed warning: opioid co-use (profound sedation, respiratory depression, coma, death); abuse, misuse and addiction; and dependence with withdrawal that can be life-threatening
Lorazepam (Ativan) — FDA boxed warning: opioid co-use (profound sedation, respiratory depression, coma, death); abuse, misuse and addiction; and dependence with withdrawal that can be life-threatening
Clonazepam (Klonopin) — FDA boxed warning: opioid co-use (profound sedation, respiratory depression, coma, death); abuse, misuse and addiction; and dependence with withdrawal that can be life-threatening
Diazepam (Valium) — FDA boxed warning: opioid co-use (profound sedation, respiratory depression, coma, death); abuse, misuse and addiction; and dependence with withdrawal that can be life-threatening
Zolpidem (Ambien) — FDA boxed warning: complex sleep behaviours — sleep-walking, sleep-driving and doing things while not fully awake — which have caused serious injury and death; contraindicated in anyone who has ever had an episode
Tramadol — FDA boxed warning: addiction and abuse, life-threatening respiratory depression, and neonatal opioid withdrawal; contraindicated in children under 12
Carisoprodol (Soma)
Phentermine
Modafinil (Provigil)

Schedule VLowest potential for abuse of the controlled schedules.

Medical use: Accepted medical use; consist primarily of preparations containing limited quantities of certain narcotics.
Dependence: Limited physical or psychological dependence — the lowest abuse rating in this system, which is not the same as the lowest risk. Codeine cough preparations here carry an FDA boxed warning and are not for children.

Common examples

Pregabalin (Lyrica)
Lacosamide (Vimpat)
Cough preparations with limited codeine (e.g. promethazine-codeine) — small amounts of codeine per dose
Diphenoxylate/atropine (Lomotil)

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between the DEA drug schedules?

The DEA sorts controlled drugs into five schedules by abuse potential and accepted medical use. Schedule I has the highest abuse potential and NO accepted US medical use (heroin, LSD) — these can't be prescribed. Schedule II has high abuse potential but accepted medical use with tight controls (oxycodone, Adderall, fentanyl) — generally no refills. Schedules III, IV and V have progressively lower abuse potential (from testosterone and ketamine down to Xanax, tramadol, and finally Lyrica). Schedule III and IV prescriptions may be refilled up to five times in six months; Schedule V is not capped by that federal rule.

Is tramadol a controlled substance?

Yes — tramadol has been a federal DEA Schedule IV controlled substance since 2014. That puts it in the same schedule as benzodiazepines like Xanax and Ativan: accepted medical use, lower abuse potential than Schedule III, and refillable up to five times in six months. But the schedule describes tramadol’s abuse potential, not its safety: it is an opioid, and it carries an FDA boxed warning for addiction and abuse, life-threatening respiratory depression and neonatal opioid withdrawal, and it is contraindicated in children under 12.

Why is codeine in more than one schedule?

Codeine's schedule depends on the product. As a single-ingredient medicine it is Schedule II; in combination products with limited amounts (like Tylenol with Codeine #3) it is Schedule III; and in cough preparations with small quantities of codeine it is Schedule V. The same drug, different formulations, different rules.

Can Schedule II prescriptions be refilled?

Generally no. Schedule II drugs (like oxycodone, Adderall and fentanyl) cannot be refilled — a new prescription is needed each time, which is why they require a fresh visit or e-prescription. Schedule III and IV medicines may be refilled up to five times within six months if the prescriber authorises it; Schedule V is not subject to that specific federal five-refill limit.

Source

U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration — Drug Scheduling ↗

The schedule of a drug can change and can depend on its formulation, and federal and state law do not always agree — cannabis is the best-known case, but some drugs are scheduled by individual states while remaining unscheduled federally. Gabapentin is the most common example, controlled in several states and descheduled in Michigan in May 2026, so check your own state rather than assuming this federal list is the whole picture. This page is general reference from the DEA’s classification, not legal or medical advice.