Reports to Automation of Reports and Consolidated Orders System (ARCOS).
21 C.F.R. § 1304.33
in effectEffective: 2024-07-01(a) Reports generally. All reports required by this section shall be filed with the Pharmaceutical Investigations Section, Diversion Control Division, Drug Enforcement Administration on DEA Form 333, or on media which contains the data required by DEA Form 333 and which is acceptable to the Administration. See the Table of DEA Mailing Addresses in § 1321.01 of this chapter for the current mailing address.
(b) Frequency of reports. Acquisition/Distribution transaction reports shall be filed every quarter not later than the 15th day of the month succeeding the quarter for which it is submitted; except that a registrant may be given permission to file more frequently (but not more frequently than monthly), depending on the number of transactions being reported each time by that registrant. Inventories shall provide data on the stocks of each reported controlled substance on hand as of the close of business on December 31 of each year, indicating whether the substance is in storage or in process of manufacturing. These reports shall be filed not later than January 15 of the following year. Manufacturing transaction reports shall be filed annually for each calendar year not later than January 15 of the following year, except that a registrant may be given permission to file more frequently (but not more frequently than quarterly).
(c) Persons reporting. For controlled substances in Schedules I, II, narcotic controlled substances in Schedule III, and gamma-hydroxybutyric acid drug product controlled substances in Schedule III, each person who is registered to manufacture in bulk or dosage form, or to package, repackage, label or relabel, and each person who is registered to distribute, including each person who is registered to reverse distribute, shall report acquisition/distribution transactions. In addition to reporting acquisition/distribution transactions, each person who is registered to manufacture controlled substances in bulk or dosage form shall report manufacturing transactions on controlled substances in Schedules I and II, each narcotic controlled substance listed in Schedules III, IV, and V, gamma-hydroxybutyric acid drug product controlled substances in Schedule III, and on each psychotropic controlled substance listed in Schedules III and IV as identified in paragraph (d) of this section.
(d) Substances covered. (1) Manufacturing and acquisition/distribution transaction reports shall include data on each controlled substance listed in Schedules I and II, on each narcotic controlled substance listed in Schedule III (but not on any material, compound, mixture or preparation containing a quantity of a substance having a stimulant effect on the central nervous system, which material, compound, mixture or preparation is listed in Schedule III or on any narcotic controlled substance listed in Schedule V), and on gamma-hydroxybutyric acid drug products listed in Schedule III. Additionally, reports on manufacturing transactions shall include the following psychotropic controlled substances listed in Schedules III and IV:
(i) Schedule III
(A) Benzphetamine;
(B) Cyclobarbital;
(C) Methyprylon; and
(D) Phendimetrazine.
(ii) Schedule IV
(A) Barbital;
(B) Diethylpropion (Amfepramone);
(C) Ethchlorvynol;
(D) Ethinamate;
(E) Lefetamine (SPA);
(F) Mazindol;
(G) Meprobamate;
(H) Methylphenobarbital;
(I) Phenobarbital;
(J) Phentermine; and
(K) Pipradrol.
(2) Data shall be presented in such a manner as to identify the particular form, strength, and trade name, if any, of the product containing the controlled substancefor which the report is being made. For this purpose, persons filing reports shall utilize the National Drug Code Number assigned to the product under the National Drug Code System of the Food and Drug Administration.
(e) Transactions reported. Acquisition/distribution transaction reports shall provide data on each acquisition to inventory (identifying whether it is, e.g., by purchase or transfer, return from a customer, or supply by the Federal Government) and each reduction from inventory (identifying whether it is, e.g., by sale or transfer, theft, destruction or seizure by Government agencies). Manufacturing reports shall provide data on material manufactured, manufacture from other material, use in manufacturing other material and use in producing dosage forms.
(f) Exceptions. (1) A registered institutional practitioner that repackages or relabels exclusively for distribution or that distributes exclusively to (for dispensing by) agents, employees, or affiliated institutional practitioners of the registrant may be exempted from filing reports under this section by applying to the Pharmaceutical Investigations Section, Diversion Control Division, Drug Enforcement Administration. See the Table of DEA Mailing Addresses in § 1321.01 of this chapter for the current mailing address.
(2) Registrants that acquire recalled controlled substances from ultimate users pursuant to § 1317.85 of this chapter may report as a single transaction all recalled controlled substances of the same name and finished form (e.g., all 10-milligram tablets or all 5-milligram concentration per fluid ounce or milliliter) received from ultimate users for the purpose of reporting acquisition transactions.
(g) Exemptions. (1) Collectors that acquire controlled substances from ultimate users are exempt from the ARCOS reporting requirements only with respect to controlled substances collected through mail-back programs and collection receptacles for the purpose of disposal.
(2) Reverse distributors and distributors that acquire controlled substances pursuant to § 1317.55(a) or (b) of this chapter are exempt from the ARCOS reporting requirements in this section with regard to any controlled substances acquired pursuant to § 1317.55(a) or (b) of this chapter.
Source: eCFRURL: https://www.ecfr.gov/api/versioner/v1/full/2024-07-01/title-21.xmlFetched: 7/26/2026