As of September 2026, 13 states require a prescriber to query the state prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) before prescribing testosterone. The schedule ranges from every prescription to once a year. Four more require a query only on a narrow trigger. Mississippi and New Mexico exempt testosterone by name. In 23 jurisdictions the mandate stops at opioids, benzodiazepines or Schedule II, and five have no query mandate at all.
Testosterone is Schedule III. Most PDMP mandates were written during the opioid crisis, so they name drug classes, and testosterone is not one of them. The states that reach it did so by writing the mandate around the schedule. The table below has all 51 jurisdictions. Four could not be confirmed against current primary text and are marked “Not verified.”
Thirteen states put testosterone inside the mandate
Group them by how often you query, because that decides the workflow.
Every prescription. New York requires a registry check before any Schedule II, III or IV prescription (N.Y. Pub. Health Law § 3343-a). Florida requires one before any controlled substance for a patient 16 or older (Fla. Stat. § 893.055(8)). Alaska requires one before any federal Schedule II or III prescription, with an exception for a nonrefillable supply of three days or less (12 AAC 52.865(h)). Wisconsin requires review before any monitored drug, which includes Schedule III, with an exception for three days or less (Wis. Stat. § 961.385(2)(cs)); that subdivision sunsets April 1, 2030. Michigan requires a MAPS report before any controlled substance over a 3-day supply (MCL 333.7303a(4)), which covers every testosterone prescription in practice. Connecticut requires review before more than a 72-hour supply and every 90 days during prolonged treatment (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 21a-254(j)(9)).
First prescription, then on an interval. California requires a CURES check before the first Schedule II to IV prescription and at least every six months after (Cal. Health & Safety Code § 11165.4). Nevada requires a check before the first prescription and at least every 90 days (NRS 639.23507).
First prescription only. Kentucky requires a 12-month KASPER review before initially prescribing a controlled substance for a condition other than pain (201 KAR 9:260). Pennsylvania requires a query the first time you prescribe a given patient any controlled substance; refills and dose changes of non-opioid, non-benzodiazepine drugs you already prescribe do not trigger a new one (ABC-MAP Act § 9.1, per the Department of Health Q&A). Wyoming requires a search before first issuing any Schedule II to V prescription (Wyo. Stat. § 35-7-1060(b)).
Long courses only. Ohio requires a physician to pull an OARRS report once treatment with a non-opioid reported drug has lasted more than 90 days, then at least annually (Ohio Admin. Code 4731-11-11). North Dakota requires a report when reported drugs will be prescribed for more than 12 weeks, then at least every six months (N.D. Admin. Code 50-05-02-01). Both describe a typical testosterone patient by month four.
Four states check only when something looks wrong
Delaware requires a report before any Schedule II to V prescription only when you reasonably believe the patient is seeking the drug for something other than treating a condition (16 Del. C. § 4798(f)). New Jersey uses the same belief standard for a first non-opioid, non-benzodiazepine Schedule III prescription (N.J.S.A. 45:1-46.1(a)(1)(c)). Tennessee adds a check when you are aware or reasonably certain a patient is seeking a designated drug for improper purposes (Tenn. Code Ann. § 53-10-310). Vermont requires a query before a replacement prescription for a lost or stolen Schedule II to IV drug (18 V.S.A. § 4289(c)(4)).
These triggers are easy to miss because nothing in the routine workflow prompts them. A patient asking for an early refill, a higher dose for performance, or a replacement vial is exactly the moment they switch on.
Two states write testosterone out by name
Mississippi’s board rule says licensees prescribing testosterone “are not required in that instance to utilize the MPMP” (Miss. Admin. Code tit. 30, pt. 2640, r. 1.3). New Mexico’s rule says a practitioner “does not have to obtain and review a prescription monitoring report” when prescribing testosterone, which removes it from the otherwise broad Schedule II to V mandate (16.10.14.8(E)(4)(a) NMAC). You still register with both programs.
Most states stop at opioids and benzodiazepines
In 23 jurisdictions the query mandate names opioids, benzodiazepines, Schedule II drugs or a short list of other drug classes, and testosterone is outside it. Texas is typical: the duty covers opioids, benzodiazepines, barbiturates and carisoprodol, and checking before anything else is optional (Tex. Health & Safety Code § 481.0764). North Carolina’s “targeted controlled substance” definition covers Schedule II opiates and Schedule III narcotics, and anabolic steroids sit in a different paragraph of the schedule (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 90-87(26a)).
Five states have no prescriber query mandate. Kansas and South Dakota say so in the statute (K.S.A. 65-1688; SDCL § 34-20E-11). Oregon requires registration only (ORS 431A.877). Missouri’s program page says state law does not mandate a check. Hawaii had an all-schedule mandate that covered testosterone, but it was repealed on June 30, 2023 (HRS § 329-38.2). An older state FAQ still describes it as current.
The full table
| State | Mandate reaches testosterone | Trigger and frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | No | Tiers measured in opioid and benzodiazepine units (r. 540-X-4-.09) |
| Alaska | Yes | Every Schedule II or III prescription; 3-day nonrefillable exception |
| Arizona | No | Opioids and benzodiazepines (A.R.S. § 36-2606(E)) |
| Arkansas | No | Schedule II and III opioids, benzodiazepines |
| California | Yes | First prescription, then every 6 months |
| Colorado | Not verified | Secondary text limits it to opioids and benzodiazepines |
| Connecticut | Yes | Over a 72-hour supply; every 90 days if prolonged |
| Delaware | Suspicion only | When misuse is reasonably suspected |
| District of Columbia | No | Opioids and benzodiazepines over 7 days |
| Florida | Yes | Every prescription, patients 16 and older |
| Georgia | No | Schedule II opioids and benzodiazepines |
| Hawaii | No mandate | Repealed June 30, 2023 |
| Idaho | No | Opioids and benzodiazepines |
| Illinois | No | Schedule II opioids and stimulants, benzodiazepines |
| Indiana | No | Opioids and benzodiazepines |
| Iowa | No | Opioids |
| Kansas | No mandate | Statute disclaims a duty |
| Kentucky | Yes | Before the initial prescription, 12-month report |
| Louisiana | No | Opioids |
| Maine | No | Opioids and benzodiazepines |
| Maryland | No | Opioids and benzodiazepines |
| Massachusetts | No | Narcotics, benzodiazepines, designated Schedule IV and V |
| Michigan | Yes | Every prescription over a 3-day supply |
| Minnesota | No | Opiates |
| Mississippi | Exempt | Testosterone named in the rule |
| Missouri | No mandate | Program states no mandate |
| Montana | No | Opioids and benzodiazepines |
| Nebraska | Not verified | No mandate found; current statute not read |
| Nevada | Yes | First prescription, then every 90 days |
| New Hampshire | No | Opioids |
| New Jersey | Suspicion only | First prescription, if misuse is suspected |
| New Mexico | Exempt | Testosterone named in the rule |
| New York | Yes | Every prescription |
| North Carolina | No | Schedule II opiates, Schedule III narcotics |
| North Dakota | Yes | Course over 12 weeks, then every 6 months |
| Ohio | Yes | Course over 90 days, then yearly (physician rule) |
| Oklahoma | No | Opiates, benzodiazepines, carisoprodol |
| Oregon | No mandate | Registration only |
| Pennsylvania | Yes | First controlled substance to each patient |
| Rhode Island | No | Opioids |
| South Carolina | No | Schedule II |
| South Dakota | No mandate | Statute disclaims a duty |
| Tennessee | Suspicion only | Routine duty covers opioids, benzodiazepines, Schedule II amphetamines |
| Texas | No | Opioids, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, carisoprodol |
| Utah | Not verified | Secondary text limits it to Schedule II and III opioids |
| Vermont | Replacement prescriptions only | Lost or stolen Schedule II to IV prescriptions |
| Virginia | No | Opioids over 7 days |
| Washington | No | Opioids and listed sedatives |
| West Virginia | Not verified | Older text covers Schedule II, opioids, benzodiazepines |
| Wisconsin | Yes | Every prescription; 3-day exception |
| Wyoming | Yes | Before the first prescription |
Where the rules get misread
- Registration is not a query duty. South Carolina’s telehealth statute requires “participation” in its program, Indiana’s telehealth statute requires INSPECT compliance, and North Dakota’s statute requires participation. None of those adds a testosterone query on its own. North Dakota’s query duty comes from the board rule.
- NP and PA rules sit elsewhere. The Ohio and North Dakota duties above are the medical board’s. Nurse practitioners and physician assistants have their own rules in several states. Confirm the rule for each license type that prescribes.
- The dates move. Ohio’s rule is in its five-year review, due September 30, 2026. Virginia’s mandate changes on July 1, 2027 to benzodiazepine and opiate courses over 90 days, and testosterone stays outside it. Wisconsin’s sunsets April 1, 2030. Re-check the table before each renewal cycle.
- Write the check down. A query nobody recorded is hard to prove later. Record the date and the reviewer on each prescription.
Where MDside stands
Our testosterone visits are synchronous, with the prescriber on live video, and we offer them only where state rules allow. The telehealth testosterone map sets which states are open at all. This table sets what happens once a patient is in the chart. Our position is that the table is a floor. A state that does not require the query does not stop you from running it, and the data is there when a patient’s history does not match the story in the chart. MDside is LegitScript certified, and what reviewers ask a telehealth TRT program includes how you monitor for misuse.
What this means for you
Sort your testosterone patients by state and match each state to its row. Build the 13 “Yes” states into the prescribing workflow at the stated frequency, and set a 90-day flag for Ohio and North Dakota patients. Confirm every prescriber holds database access in each state they serve, alongside the DEA registration for that state, and keep both in the credentialing file (how we credential providers shows what that file holds). Then read the hormone therapy service page for how we structure the program around it.
Related reading
Frequently asked questions
Do you have to check the PDMP before prescribing testosterone?
In 13 states, yes, as of September 2026. New York, Florida, Alaska, Wisconsin, Michigan and Connecticut require it at essentially every prescription. California and Nevada require it first and on an interval. Kentucky, Pennsylvania and Wyoming require it before the first prescription. Ohio and North Dakota require it once treatment runs past about three months.
Is testosterone exempt from the PDMP check in any state?
Yes. Mississippi’s board rule and New Mexico’s rule both name testosterone as exempt from their otherwise broad query mandates. In 23 other jurisdictions testosterone is outside the mandate because the law names opioids, benzodiazepines or Schedule II drugs. Registration with the program is still required in most states.
How often do you need to check the PDMP for a testosterone patient?
It depends on the state. New York and Florida require a check before every prescription. California requires one at the first prescription and every six months. Nevada uses 90 days. Ohio requires one after 90 days of treatment, then yearly. Pennsylvania, Kentucky and Wyoming require only the first one.
Does a PDMP registration requirement mean I have to query before prescribing?
No. Registration and querying are separate duties. Oregon, for example, requires prescribers to register but does not require a query, and Kansas and South Dakota say in statute that no query is required. South Carolina and North Dakota telehealth statutes require program participation, which is different from a pre-prescription check.
—
This is general information, not legal advice. Rules vary by state and change. Confirm your own facts with counsel.