Q. How long does it usually take to process a completed
Domestic Application Form?
A. A maximum of 6 weeks from receipt of the Application
Form
Q. Do licences for import /export of controlled drugs
have to be separately applied for?
A. Yes. A domestic licence is needed before a company
can apply for an import/export licence.
Q. What information is needed in order to obtain a
licence?
A. The application form MD29 outlines all the information
required to obtain a licence.
Q. Where can I find further information about licensing
requirements?
A. On the Drugs
Licensing pages of the website.
Q. When business circumstances change, is my licence
still valid?
A. You need to inform Drugs Branch of any changes immediately
so your licence can be amended and our records updated
Q. If a licence is mislaid or lost, can a duplicate
be issued?
A. Licences are important documents and should be kept
in a safe place. If they are lost or stolen you should
inform this office immediately. A replacement will not
be issued if the document has been lost.
Q. How is a licence renewed?
A. A month before your licence expires you will receive
renewal forms, which should be filled in and sent back
to Drugs Branch. If you do not receive these forms please
contact this Office.
Q. How much does a licence cost?
A. A licence to possess is £31 per drug per year,
to supply (which covers possession) £62 per drug
per year, to produce a preparation containing a CD £124
per drug per year and to manufacture a base drug £186
per drug per year.
Q. How is a licence paid for?
A. The Home Office issue an invoice which should be
sent with a cheque to HO Accounts Branch in Liverpool.
Q. Will the Police have to visit the premises to be
licensed?
A. The premises will be visited by a Home Office Drugs
Inspector who may bring a Police Officer.
Q. Who provides advice on legal and other requirements
for the safe security of controlled drugs?
A. A HO Drugs Inspector for your area will contact you
regarding security and other requirements.
Q. Do registered carriers, including freight carriers
and shippers, need a licence to transit controlled drugs?
A. Carriers do not require a licence when acting in
the course of their business
Q. What arrangements exist for the destruction of controlled
drugs?
A. CDs can only be destroyed under the auspices of an
authorised witness. This can be a HO Drugs Inspector,
a Police Officer or someone with an Authority issued
by the HO.
Q. Does a licensee have to provide statistical and
other information on its trading and/or usage of controlled
drugs?
A. Wholesalers, manufacturers and suppliers of controlled
drugs have to supply the Home Office with annual returns.
