How long must narcotic records be kept?

At least two years under the federal Narcotic Control Regulations. CPBC expects registers and prescription records to be kept for at least three years after the most recent activity.

How fast must a loss or theft be reported?

Two clocks run. The pharmacy manager notifies the CPBC registrar within 24 hours of discovery (PODSA Bylaws s.18(2)(t)). The federal report to the Minister (Health Canada) under NCR section 42 is due within 10 days.

How often must narcotic counts be reconciled?

At least every three months, and also after a manager change, a break and enter or robbery, an identified diversion, a pharmacy closure, or any event that may have compromised the stock.

Does a verbal narcotic order need a record?

Yes. Before dispensing, the pharmacist makes a written record with the same details as a written order plus the directions for use.

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Narcotic Register Requirements in BC

Last updated September 24, 2026. Published by PharmFlow.

The federal Narcotic Control Regulations and the bylaws of the College of Pharmacists of BC (CPBC) set the record rules for narcotics and controlled drugs.

This guide lists what a register must capture at receipt and at dispense, how long records stay, and when counts and loss reports are required.

Sources: Narcotic Control Regulations (Justice Laws) (read 2026-09-24) · PODSA Bylaws s.18(2)(t) loss notice + s.23.8 narcotic counts (CPBC) (read 2026-09-24)

Read as Markdown

What the register must record

Section 38 of the Narcotic Control Regulations requires the pharmacist to enter the following in a book, register or other record immediately when a narcotic is dispensed on a written order or prescription.

Pharmacist: name or initials of the dispensing pharmacist.
Practitioner: name, initials and municipal address of the prescriber.
Patient: name and municipal address of the person on the prescription.
Drug: name, form and quantity of the narcotic.
Date: the date the narcotic was dispensed.
Number: the number assigned to the order or prescription.
For a verbal order or prescription, the pharmacist makes the written record before dispensing, with the same details plus the directions for use (section 39).
When a narcotic arrives from a licensed dealer, the pharmacist immediately records the name and quantity received, the date, and the supplier name and address (section 30).

Sources: Narcotic Control Regulations (Justice Laws) (read 2026-09-24)

Filing and retention

Dispensed narcotic prescriptions go into a special narcotic prescription file, in sequence by date and prescription number (NCR section 40).
Federal rules require these records to be kept for at least two years (NCR section 40.1). CPBC expects registers and prescription records to be kept for at least three years after the most recent activity, including refills.
Prescriptions for narcotics, controlled drugs and their preparations are filed separately from all other prescriptions.
Records must stay readable, complete, systematically filed, secure, auditable and easy to retrieve. A valid prescription must be retrievable immediately (PODSA bylaws, records retrievability).

Sources: Narcotic Control Regulations (Justice Laws) (read 2026-09-24) · Prescription Regulations Table (CPBC) (read 2026-09-24) · PODSA Bylaws s.18(2)(t) loss notice + s.23.8 narcotic counts (CPBC) (read 2026-09-24)

Inventory counts and reconciliation

PODSA Bylaws s.23.8 (which took over the former PPP-65 rules on 1 April 2026) requires a separate perpetual inventory log for each narcotic drug. The log records purchases, transfers, losses, returns, expired or destroyed stock, quantities dispensed, and a running balance.
Each log entry needs an associated record, such as a purchase record, prescription, or loss and theft report.
Adjustments are documented with the reason, the date, the person who made it, and the full pharmacist who authorized it.
Physical counts and reconciliations happen at minimum every three months, and also after a manager change, a break and enter or robbery, an identified diversion, a pharmacy closure, or any event that may have compromised the security of the stock.

Sources: PODSA Bylaws s.18(2)(t) loss notice + s.23.8 narcotic counts (CPBC) (read 2026-09-24)

Loss, theft and inspections

The pharmacy manager must notify the CPBC registrar within 24 hours of discovering a loss or theft of a narcotic or other controlled drug substance (PODSA Bylaws s.18(2)(t)).
The same incident is also reported federally: a pharmacist must report any loss or theft of a narcotic to the Minister within 10 days of discovering it (NCR section 42).
A pharmacist must take all reasonable steps to protect narcotics on the premises against loss or theft (section 43).
An inspector may require the special narcotic prescription file and all related books and records, may make copies, and may check all narcotic stock on the premises (section 41).

Sources: Narcotic Control Regulations (Justice Laws) (read 2026-09-24) · PODSA Bylaws s.18(2)(t) loss notice + s.23.8 narcotic counts (CPBC) (read 2026-09-24)

How PharmFlow records controlled drug entries

The narcotic register is append-only. Each entry stores the patient, drug, DIN, drug type (narcotic, monitored, restricted OAT, or controlled), quantity, dispense date, dispensing pharmacist, prescriber, lot and expiry, and a pseudo prescription number for hard-copy filing. Entries stay inside the pharmacy account, write to the audit log, and export to CSV. Perpetual inventory counts and loss reports remain a pharmacy-manager duty outside this page.

Frequently asked questions

How long must narcotic records be kept?: At least two years under the federal Narcotic Control Regulations. CPBC expects registers and prescription records to be kept for at least three years after the most recent activity.
How fast must a loss or theft be reported?: Two clocks run. The pharmacy manager notifies the CPBC registrar within 24 hours of discovery (PODSA Bylaws s.18(2)(t)). The federal report to the Minister (Health Canada) under NCR section 42 is due within 10 days.
How often must narcotic counts be reconciled?: At least every three months, and also after a manager change, a break and enter or robbery, an identified diversion, a pharmacy closure, or any event that may have compromised the stock.
Does a verbal narcotic order need a record?: Yes. Before dispensing, the pharmacist makes a written record with the same details as a written order plus the directions for use.

Sources

Narcotic Control Regulations (Justice Laws) (read 2026-09-24)
Prescription Regulations Table (CPBC) (read 2026-09-24)
PODSA Bylaws s.18(2)(t) loss notice + s.23.8 narcotic counts (CPBC) (read 2026-09-24)