DEA and Pharmacies

DEA Guidelines When Selling a Pharmacy

When a pharmacy owner, drug store business, or a grocery store / medical center with a pharmacy has decided to sell the pharmacy business to a pharmacy buyer there are DEA guidelines that must be met such as notice of transfer of the business, the inventory, record keeping, and transfer of controlled substances, along with other factors that could impact selling the pharmacy business to a new owner.

Pharmacy owners should be aware of the regulations set forth by the DEA. The DEA provides a downloadable PDF to assist pharmacy owners in their understanding of the regulations. The PDF is a guide that summarizes the basic requirements for dispensing controlled substances under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), along with the transfer of those substances when the pharmacy is sold.

For convenience, this link is provided to a DEA Pharmacy Guide. However, as everyone knows regulations get changed and updated, so a business owner selling their drug store should contact the DEA location that services their area and make sure they have the latest version.

A list of DEA Office locations is provided below for pharmacy sellers, or prospective drug store owners.

The DEA list is in order of the state, then the city and state where the DEA Office is located that services that state.
Note that not all the states are serviced with a DEA Office in their state, such as the Seattle WA DEA location services Alaska. Contact your DEA office location for the most current rules, regulations, and procedures.

List of DEA locations: