Is Fentanyl legal in United States?
- Legal status
- Schedule II controlled substance under federal law
- Consequences if caught
- Federal: Schedule II. Fentanyl is listed among the opiates at 21 CFR 1308.12(c) — DEA code 9801. Carfentanil is listed separately at code 9743. Schedule II substances have an accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse; manufacture, distribution and possession without authorisation are federal offences.
- If prescribed or medical
- Available on prescription as an analgesic and anaesthetic. Schedule II prescriptions carry federal handling, recordkeeping and refill restrictions.
- Documentation
- Federal scheduling is uniform across the United States. STATE LAW IS NOT, and the federal schedule is not the whole answer for any substance: states set their own offences, thresholds and penalties, and these differ substantially. This states the federal position only.
Court records
We publish verified court records for United States, but have not verified one involving Fentanyl.
Source checked United States Department of Justice, U.S. Attorneys' Offices · 2026-08-31
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