Important Update from the DEA

UPDATE – The DEA announced on Dec. 20 that it has reversed its decisions to send only one registration renewal notice to prescribers and to eliminate the grace period for renewals beginning Jan. 1. Registrants now will receive a second renewal notification at the email address associated with their registration, and the DEA will retain the rest of its current policies and procedures for renewals. For more information, please visit the DEA website at www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov.

The Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) registration renewal process is significantly changed. The renewal process may have unintended consequences for both health care providers and patients.

Starting January 1, 2017, DEA will eliminate the informal grace period for registrants who failed to file a renewal application on time. The DEA will now send only one renewal notice to a registrant’s “mail to” address approximately 65 days prior to the expiration date, and no further reminders to renew the DEA registration will be sent.

DEA registrants will no longer be able to renew their registration online after the expiration date, and paper renewal applications will not be accepted the day after the expiration date. Failure to file for a new application by midnight Eastern Time of the expiration date will result in the “retirement” of the registrant’s DEA number and the registrant will have to apply for a completely new DEA registration. The original DEA registration will not be reinstated.

All DEA registrants are urged to promptly renew to avoid unintended consequences of late renewal or “retirement” of their original DEA number.

Contact the DEA if you have questions about their process or procedure.