# How long are prescriptions good for?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-are-prescriptions-good-for/396949>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 21, 2007, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-are-prescriptions-good-for/396949 "2007-03-21T23:48:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Emilio\_Lizardo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@Emilio\_Lizardo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emilio_Lizardo)\
**Post date:** [March 21, 2007, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-are-prescriptions-good-for/396949/1 "2007-03-21T23:48:24Z")

</div>

I just dug up a prescription that I was given after a surgery last September. Is it too late to have it filled? What would happen if I try?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\
**Post date:** [March 21, 2007, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-are-prescriptions-good-for/396949/2 "2007-03-21T23:51:54Z")

</div>

I think different pharmacies have different standards on this. I once had a prescription refused because it was more than 90 days old. Yet another pharmacy filled a prescription that was more than a year old. Ask your pharmacy.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![snailboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/97f17d/32.png) [@snailboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snailboy)\
**Post date:** [March 22, 2007, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-are-prescriptions-good-for/396949/3 "2007-03-22T01:18:53Z")

</div>

I have a very similar question I’ve been meaning to ask. After you fill the prescription, how long can you legally keep the drugs? I’ve heard of people that have leftover pills from some operation they had back in the day. I know about the expiration date; I just want to know about the legal side of it.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Hirka\_T\_Bawa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/db5fbb/32.png) [@Hirka\_T\_Bawa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hirka_T_Bawa)\
**Post date:** [March 22, 2007, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-are-prescriptions-good-for/396949/4 "2007-03-22T01:40:45Z")

</div>

I think this might vary from state to state, I don’t know. But here in Georgia, the rule is normal perscriptions are good for one year from the date they are written, while controlled substance perscriptions are good for six months.

I am not aware of any law that says how long you can keep the medice once you have it filled, I would probably just toss it once its passed its experiation date.