What U.S. law actually says about importing medication for personal use
Secondary sources describe the rules on personal drug importation in conflicting ways. This site does something narrower and more reliable: it explains what the primary federal sources — the statutes, the regulations, and the agencies’ own published documents — actually say, in plain language, with every claim traced to its source.
Personal importation of medication is not “legal.” What exists is a federal posture of enforcement discretion — importation remains prohibited by statute, but the FDA has described circumstances in which it may decline to act. Those are different things, and the difference matters. Every page here keeps that distinction clear.
What is personal importation of medication under U.S. law?
Personal importation refers to an individual bringing a prescription medication into the United States for their own use, typically because it is more affordable or more available elsewhere. Federal law generally prohibits importing unapproved drugs, but the FDA has published guidance describing a posture of enforcement discretion under limited conditions. This site explains what that posture is, what it is not, and where it stops — for ordinary, non-controlled prescription medications only.
Start here
- What the FDA’s personal importation posture actually is The foundational page: what the policy says, in plain language, from the primary sources.
- Why “enforcement discretion” is not the same as “legal” The single most misunderstood point, explained carefully.
- Why controlled substances are not covered A hard boundary: a separate, stricter federal framework that this site does not address.
How this site is sourced
Every factual claim on this site is drawn from primary federal sources: the United States Code, the Code of Federal Regulations, the Federal Register, and the published materials of federal agencies such as the FDA, DEA, and Customs and Border Protection. The site does not rely on secondary commentary, commercial pharmacy directories, or chains of citation. Where a page describes a legal interpretation, it says so plainly and points to the underlying source.
This site provides general legal-framework information. It is not legal advice and not medical advice.