Is Modafinil legal in China?
- Legal status
- Category II psychotropic (reclassified 2023) under the controlled-psychotropic catalogue; a controlled drug requiring NMPA authorisation.
- Consequences if caught
- Trafficking/unauthorised import scales by quantity (small up to ~3 years; larger up to 7 years/life). No established death-eligible threshold for modafinil, but importing without NMPA authorisation is serious.
- If prescribed or medical
- Import requires NMPA authorisation; carry the prescription.
- Documentation
- Written documentation from a medical institution proving the medicine is necessary; customs verifies the amount against the original prescription and retains a copy (one prescription = one inspection). Psychotropic-drug allowances can be as short as a 3–7 day supply.
- Category II psychotropic catalogue
- Criminal Law art. 347
- english.court.gov.cn
Drug laws and enforcement change and vary within a country. This is not legal advice. Always confirm with China’s embassy or official drug authority before traveling; penalties can be severe, including imprisonment.
Before you travel
Verify current rules with the destination country’s official drug authority and your own country’s embassy before traveling. Find the destination’s U.S. embassy & official country guidance →
Non-U.S. travelers: check your own government’s travel advisory and embassy.
If you’re detained or arrested abroad
Contact your own country’s embassy or consulate in the destination immediately — not the destination’s authorities. U.S. citizens: contact the nearest U.S. embassy/consulate and the U.S. State Department at +1-202-501-4444 (from abroad). If a U.S. citizen is arrested or detained abroad →