Section 1262 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (also known as Omnibus bill), removes the federal requirement for practitioners to submit a Notice of Intent (have a waiver) to prescribe medications, like buprenorphine, for the treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD). With this provision, and effective immediately, SAMHSA will no longer be accepting NOIs (waiver applications). Going forward, all prescriptions for buprenorphine only require a standard DEA registration number. The previously used DATA-Waiver registration numbers are no longer needed for any prescription. There are no longer any limits or patient caps on the number of patients a prescriber may treat for opioid use disorder with buprenorphine. The Act does not impact existing state laws or regulations that may be applicable. On June 21, 2023, the DEA initiated the requirement of a one-time 8-hour training course for all DEA prescribed practitioners with schedule III authority on the treatment and management of patients with an opioids or other substance use disorder.

For information regarding DEA's Diversion Control Division, please visit https://www.DEAdiversion.usdoj.gov. Please contact the Diversion Control Division Policy Section at ODLP@dea.gov if you seek additional assistance regarding this or any other matter.