Prescription Rules in District of Columbia
Location
State: District of Columbia
Capital: Washington, D.C.
Coordinates: 38.9072, -77.0369
Controlled-substance scheduling is federal, so the schedule for each medication is the same in District of Columbia as everywhere else. This page covers what is specific to District of Columbia: pharmacy licensing, its prescription drug monitoring program, and the general telehealth posture for controlled substances.
Important
This site provides educational information only and does not sell, prescribe or dispense medications. Always consult a licensed healthcare provider. This page is not medical advice.
Pharmacy board
The District of Columbia board of pharmacy is the body that licenses pharmacies and pharmacists operating here. A seller that is not licensed in District of Columbia is not operating lawfully here, regardless of what its website says.
Visit the District of Columbia board of pharmacy →
Prescription drug monitoring program
Telehealth prescribing
In broad terms, District of Columbia allows some remote prescribing, subject to registration, follow-up, and in-person requirements. Federal rules still apply on top of this, including the requirement that a practitioner have a bona fide clinician-patient relationship and that controlled substances generally be prescribed only in person, subject to limited exceptions.
What does not change in District of Columbia
- Whether a medication is Schedule I, II, III, IV, or V. That is federal law.
- Whether a medication requires a valid prescription.
- That buying a controlled medication without a prescription is a federal crime, not just a state one.
Last reviewed October 2026.