Home as Registered Address

Drug Enforcement Administration
Diversion Control Division
Guidance Document
Title: Use of a Home Address as a Principal Place of Business or Professional Practice by
Individual and Mid-level Practitioners
Summary: This guidance document addresses issues pertaining to individual and mid-level
practitioners’ use of their home address as a principal place of business or professional practice
and the home address becoming controlled premises subject to unannounced inspections and
administrative warrants under existing Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) regulations.
Activity: Using a Home Address as the Principal Place of Business or Professional Practice
To Whom It Applies: DEA-Registered Individual and Mid-Level Practitioners
Question: Can an individual practitioner, to include a mid-level practitioner, use their home
address as the principal place of business or professional practice?
Answer: Yes. An individual practitioner is a physician, dentist, veterinarian, or other individual
licensed, registered, or otherwise permitted, by the United States or the jurisdiction in which
he/she practices, to dispense a controlled substance in the course of professional practice, but
does not include a pharmacist, a pharmacy, or an institutional practitioner. A mid-level
practitioner means an individual practitioner, other than a physician, dentist, veterinarian, or
podiatrist, who is licensed, registered, or otherwise permitted by the United States or the
jurisdiction in which he/she practices, to dispense a controlled substance in the course of
professional practice. Examples of mid-level practitioners include, but are not limited to, health
care providers such as nurse practitioners, nurse midwives, nurse anesthetists, clinical nurse
specialists and physician assistants who are authorized to dispense controlled substances by the
State in which they practice. See 21 CFR 1300.01(b). In addition, individual and mid-level
practitioners must also be in compliance with applicable State, local or tribal laws.
DEA regulations require a separate registration for each principal place of business or
professional practice at one general physical location where controlled substances are
manufactured, distributed, imported, exported, or dispensed by a person. 21 CFR 1301.12(a).
DEA regulations do not prohibit individual and mid-level practitioners from using their home
address.
If an individual practitioner or mid-level practitioner does choose to use their home
address as a principal place of business or professional practice, the location becomes a
“controlled premises” and is subject to unannounced inspections and administrative warrants
under existing DEA regulations. See 21 CFR 1316.01–1316.13. An individual practitioner or
mid-level practitioner whose DEA-registered location is a home must comply with the
established recordkeeping requirements (see 21 CFR 1304 and 1305) and security requirements.
See 21 CFR 1301.71, 1301.75 – 1301.76.

The contents of this document do not have the force and effect of law and are not meant
to bind the public in any way. This document is intended only to provide clarity to the public
regarding existing requirements under the law, regulations, or Department of Justice policies.
EO-DEA183, DEA-DC-052, November 3, 2021 (Revised #1), Original Posted July 8, 2021.