Regulations last checked for updates: Nov 25, 2024

Title 21 - Food and Drugs last revised: Nov 21, 2024
§ 1304.11 - Inventory requirements.

(a) General requirements. Each inventory shall contain a complete and accurate record of all controlled substances on hand on the date the inventory is taken, and shall be maintained in written, typewritten, or printed form at the registered location. An inventory taken by use of an oral recording device must be promptly transcribed. Controlled substances shall be deemed to be “on hand” if they are in the possession of or under the control of the registrant, including substances returned by a customer, ordered by a customer but not yet invoiced, stored in a warehouse on behalf of the registrant, and substances in the possession of employees of the registrant and intended for distribution as complimentary samples. A separate inventory shall be made for each registered location and each independent activity registered, except as provided in paragraph (e)(4) of this section. In the event controlled substances in the possession or under the control of the registrant are stored at a location for which he/she is not registered, the substances shall be included in the inventory of the registered location to which they are subject to control or to which the person possessing the substance is responsible. The inventory may be taken either as of opening of business or as of the close of business on the inventory date and it shall be indicated on the inventory.

(b) Initial inventory date. Every person required to keep records shall take an inventory of all stocks of controlled substances on hand on the date he/she first engages in the manufacture, distribution, or dispensing of controlled substances, in accordance with paragraph (e) of this section as applicable. In the event a person commences business with no controlled substances on hand, he/she shall record this fact as the initial inventory.

(c) Biennial inventory date. After the initial inventory is taken, the registrant shall take a new inventory of all stocks of controlled substances on hand at least every two years. The biennial inventory may be taken on any date which is within two years of the previous biennial inventory date.

(d) Inventory date for newly controlled substances. On the effective date of a rule by the Administrator pursuant to §§ 1308.45, 1308.46, or 1308.47 of this chapter adding a substance to any schedule of controlled substances, which substance was, immediately prior to that date, not listed on any such schedule, every registrant required to keep records who possesses that substance shall take an inventory of all stocks of the substance on hand. Thereafter, such substance shall be included in each inventory made by the registrant pursuant to paragraph (c) of this section.

(e) Inventories of manufacturers, distributors, registrants that reverse distribute, importers, exporters, chemical analysts, dispensers, researchers, and collectors. Each person registered or authorized (by §§ 1301.13, 1307.11, 1307.13, or part 1317 of this chapter) to manufacture, distribute, reverse distribute, dispense, import, export, conduct research or chemical analysis with controlled substances, or collect controlled substances from ultimate users, and required to keep records pursuant to § 1304.03 shall include in the inventory the information listed below.

(1) Inventories of manufacturers. Each person registered or authorized to manufacture controlled substances shall include the following information in the inventory:

(i) For each controlled substance in bulk form to be used in (or capable of use in) the manufacture of the same or other controlled or non-controlled substances in finished form, the inventory shall include:

(A) The name of the substance and

(B) The total quantity of the substance to the nearest metric unit weight consistent with unit size.

(ii) For each controlled substance in the process of manufacture on the inventory date, the inventory shall include:

(A) The name of the substance;

(B) The quantity of the substance in each batch and/or stage of manufacture, identified by the batch number or other appropriate identifying number; and

(C) The physical form which the substance is to take upon completion of the manufacturing process (e.g., granulations, tablets, capsules, or solutions), identified by the batch number or other appropriate identifying number, and if possible the finished form of the substance (e.g., 10-milligram tablet or 10-milligram concentration per fluid ounce or milliliter) and the number or volume thereof.

(iii) For each controlled substance in finished form the inventory shall include:

(A) The name of the substance;

(B) Each finished form of the substance (e.g., 10-milligram tablet or 10-milligram concentration per fluid ounce or milliliter);

(C) The number of units or volume of each finished form in each commercial container (e.g., 100-tablet bottle or 3-milliliter vial); and

(D) The number of commercial containers of each such finished form (e.g. four 100-tablet bottles or six 3-milliliter vials).

(iv) For each controlled substance not included in paragraphs (e)(1) (i), (ii) or (iii) of this section (e.g., damaged, defective or impure substances awaiting disposal, substances held for quality control purposes, or substances maintained for extemporaneous compoundings) the inventories shall include:

(A) The name of the substance;

(B) The total quantity of the substance to the nearest metric unit weight or the total number of units of finished form; and

(C) The reason for the substance being maintained by the registrant and whether such substance is capable of use in the manufacture of any controlled substance in finished form.

(2) Inventories of distributors. Each person registered or authorized to distribute controlled substances shall include in the inventory the same information required of manufacturers pursuant to paragraphs (e)(1)(iii) and (iv) of this section.

(3) Inventories of registrants that reverse distribute. Each person registered or authorized to reverse distribute controlled substances shall include in the inventory, the following information:

(i) The name of the substance, and

(ii) The total quantity of the substance:

(A) For controlled substances in bulk form, to the nearest metric unit weight consistent with unit size;

(B) For each controlled substance in finished form: Each finished form of the substance (e.g., 10-milligram tablet or 10-milligram concentration per fluid ounce or milliliter); the number of units or volume of each finished form in each commercial container (e.g., 100-tablet bottle or 3-milliliter vial); and the number of commercial containers of each such finished form (e.g., four 100-tablet bottles or six 3-milliliter vials); and

(C) For controlled substances in a commercial container, carton, crate, drum, or other receptacle that has been opened: If the substance is listed in Schedule I or II, make an exact count or measure of the contents; or if the substance is listed in Schedule III, IV, or V, make an estimated count or measure of the contents, unless the container holds more than 1,000 tablets or capsules in which case an exact count of the contents shall be made; or

(iii) For controlled substances acquired from collectors and law enforcement: The number and size (e.g., five 10-gallon liners, etc.) of sealed inner liners on hand, or

(iv) For controlled substances acquired from law enforcement: the number of sealed mail-back packages on hand.

(4) Inventories of importers and exporters. Each person registered or authorized to import or export controlled substances shall include in the inventory the same information required of manufacturers pursuant to paragraphs (e)(1) (iii) and (iv) of this section. Each such person who is also registered as a manufacturer or as a distributor shall include in his/her inventory as an importer or exporter only those stocks of controlled substances that are actually separated from his stocks as a manufacturer or as a distributor (e.g., in transit or in storage for shipment).

(5) Inventories of chemical analysts. Each person registered or authorized to conduct chemical analysis with controlled substances shall include in his inventory the same information required of manufacturers pursuant to paragraphs (e)(1) (iii) and (iv) of this section as to substances which have been manufactured, imported, or received by such person. If less than 1 kilogram of any controlled substance (other than a hallucinogenic controlled substance listed in Schedule I), or less than 20 grams of a hallucinogenic substance listed in Schedule I (other than lysergic acid diethylamide), or less than 0.5 gram of lysergic acid diethylamide, is on hand at the time of inventory, that substance need not be included in the inventory. Laboratories of the Administration may possess up to 150 grams of any hallucinogenic substance in Schedule I without regard to a need for an inventory of those substances. No inventory is required of known or suspected controlled substances received as evidentiary materials for analysis.

(6) Inventories of dispensers and researchers. Each person registered or authorized to dispense or conduct research with controlled substances shall include in the inventory the same information required of manufacturers pursuant to paragraphs (e)(1)(iii) and (iv) of this section. In determining the number of units of each finished form of a controlled substance in a commercial container that has been opened, the dispenser or researcher shall do as follows:

(i) If the substance is listed in Schedules I or II, make an exact count or measure of the contents; or

(ii) If the substance is listed in Schedule III, IV, or V, make an estimated count or measure of the contents, unless the container holds more than 1,000 tablets or capsules in which case he/she must make an exact count of the contents.

(7) Inventories of collectors. Each registrant authorized to collect controlled substances from ultimate users shall include in the inventory the following information:

(i) For registrants authorized to collect through a mail-back program, the record shall include the following information about each unused mail-back package and each returned mail-back package on hand awaiting destruction:

(A) The date of the inventory;

(B) The number of mail-back packages; and

(C) The unique identification number of each package on hand, whether unused or awaiting destruction.

(ii) For registrants authorized to collect through a collection receptacle, the record shall include the following information about each unused inner liner on hand and each sealed inner liner on hand awaiting destruction:

(A) The date of the inventory;

(B) The number and size of inner liners (e.g., five 10-gallon liners, etc.);

(C) The unique identification number of each inner liner.

[62 FR 13959, Mar. 24, 1997, as amended at 68 FR 41228, July 11, 2003; 79 FR 53562, Sept. 9, 2014]
cite as: 21 CFR 1304.11