Dec 15, 2016, 10:08 AM
by
Grace Whittington
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) recently announced significant changes to its registration renewal process. Effective January 1, 2017, the DEA is eliminating the informal grace period previously granted to registrants renewing their registrations. The agency will only send 1 renewal notice to each registrant’s “mail-to” address approximately 65 days prior to the expiration date; no other reminders to renew the DEA registration will be provided. The online capability to renew a DEA registration after the expiration date will no longer be available, and failure to file a renewal application by midnight EST of the expiration date will result in the “retirement” of the registrant’s DEA number. If DEA has not received the paper renewal application by the day of the expiration date, mailed in renewal applications will be returned and the registrant will have to apply for a new DEA registration. The original DEA registration will not be reinstated.