DEA recently revised an earlier announcement that would have eliminated the grace period for renewals of controlled substance registrations. After initially declaring that prescribers and other registrants would no longer be able to renew their expired registrations during a grace period, DEA announced it would instead continue allowing that practice – for now at least. As a result, registrants who fail to file a renewal application before expiration may reinstate their registration by submitting a renewal application within one calendar month after the expiration date.
In addition, beginning January 2017, DEA will stop providing its second renewal notification by mail. Instead, it will send one renewal notice by mail approximately 60 days prior to the expiration date as well as one email reminder. DEA will begins accepting renewal applications up to 60 days before the expiration date.
Prescribers and others with DEA registrations are wise to keep track of their renewal dates to avoid gaps in their active registrations.