# Texas — PDMP Mandatory Prescriber Check Requirements by State For Texas, mandate status is mandatory; drug schedules covered is opioids, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, carisoprodol; check timing is before prescribing; exemptions is hospice, cancer care, inpatient settings, recorded from its source on 2026-08-15. - **jurisdiction:** Texas _(verified: appears in the quote below)_ - **mandate status:** mandatory _(verified: appears in the quote below)_ - **drug schedules covered:** opioids, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, carisoprodol - **check timing:** before prescribing _(verified: appears in the quote below)_ - **exemptions:** hospice, cancer care, inpatient settings _(verified: appears in the quote below)_ - **regulatory citation:** Texas Health & Safety Code; effective March 1, 2020 _(per pharmacy.texas.gov, not stated by the source above)_ ## What the source says > Texas: Must check PDMP before prescribing opioids, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, or carisoprodol . Exemptions include hospice, cancer care, inpatient settings. Utah: Check before starting opioids/benzodiazepines and at least every 3 months for chronic therapy. Vermont: Check before first opioid prescription and again if treatment extends or exceeds acute limits (e.g., 90 days). Virginia: Check when initiating opioids beyond short acute use and at least every 90 days while continuing; use PDMP for benzodiazepine co-prescribing decisions. Washington: Mandatory PDMP checks for opioids and benzodiazepines at initiation and periodically (about every 3 months) for chronic therapy; ## Sources disagree More than one authority states this, and they do not state the same thing. Both are reproduced with the source each came from. ### check timing pharmacyfreak.com says check timing is **before prescribing**, as of 2026-08-15. > Texas: Must check PDMP before prescribing opioids, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, or carisoprodol . Exemptions include hospice, cancer care, inpatient settings. Utah: Check before starting opioids/benzodiazepines and at least every 3 months for chronic therapy. Vermont: Check before first opioid prescription and again if treatment extends or exceeds acute limits (e.g., 90 days). Virginia: Check when initiating opioids beyond short acute use and at least every 90 days while continuing; use PDMP for benzodiazepine co-prescribing decisions. Washington: Mandatory PDMP checks for opioids and benzodiazepines at initiation and periodically (about every 3 months) for chronic therapy; Source: https://pharmacyfreak.com/pdmp-prescription-drug-monitoring-program-you-are-legally-required-to-check-the-database-but-when-the-state-by-state-rules-you-must-know/ pharmacy.texas.gov says check timing is **before dispensing or prescribing**, as of 2026-08-15. > Viewing the patient score alone does not satisfy the mandatory PMP lookup requirement. Visit the PMP integration compliance page to learn more and view an infographic of the full lookup process. A moment checking the PMP could save a lifetime. Texas Prescription Monitoring Program Sign In Texas Prescription Monitoring Program The Texas Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) collects and monitors prescription data for all Schedule II, III, IV, and V Controlled Substances (CS) dispensed by a pharmacy in Texas or to a Texas resident from a pharmacy located in another state. The PMP also provides a database for monitoring patient prescription history for practitioners and the ordering of Texas Schedule II Official Prescription Forms. Find more information about the PMP . All Texas-licensed pharmacies are required to report all dispensed controlled substances records to the Texas Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) no later than the next business day after the prescription is filled. The reporting requirement applies to all Schedule II, III, IV, and V controlled substances. Since March 1, 2020 , pharmacists and prescribers (other than a veterinarian) are required to check the patient’s PMP history before dispensing or prescribing opioids, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, or carisoprodol. Source: https://www.pharmacy.texas.gov/pmp/ ### exemptions pharmacyfreak.com says exemptions is **hospice, cancer care, inpatient settings**, as of 2026-08-15. > Texas: Must check PDMP before prescribing opioids, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, or carisoprodol . Exemptions include hospice, cancer care, inpatient settings. Utah: Check before starting opioids/benzodiazepines and at least every 3 months for chronic therapy. Vermont: Check before first opioid prescription and again if treatment extends or exceeds acute limits (e.g., 90 days). Virginia: Check when initiating opioids beyond short acute use and at least every 90 days while continuing; use PDMP for benzodiazepine co-prescribing decisions. Washington: Mandatory PDMP checks for opioids and benzodiazepines at initiation and periodically (about every 3 months) for chronic therapy; Source: https://pharmacyfreak.com/pdmp-prescription-drug-monitoring-program-you-are-legally-required-to-check-the-database-but-when-the-state-by-state-rules-you-must-know/ pharmacy.texas.gov says exemptions is **veterinarians**, as of 2026-08-15. > Viewing the patient score alone does not satisfy the mandatory PMP lookup requirement. Visit the PMP integration compliance page to learn more and view an infographic of the full lookup process. A moment checking the PMP could save a lifetime. Texas Prescription Monitoring Program Sign In Texas Prescription Monitoring Program The Texas Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) collects and monitors prescription data for all Schedule II, III, IV, and V Controlled Substances (CS) dispensed by a pharmacy in Texas or to a Texas resident from a pharmacy located in another state. The PMP also provides a database for monitoring patient prescription history for practitioners and the ordering of Texas Schedule II Official Prescription Forms. Find more information about the PMP . All Texas-licensed pharmacies are required to report all dispensed controlled substances records to the Texas Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) no later than the next business day after the prescription is filled. The reporting requirement applies to all Schedule II, III, IV, and V controlled substances. Since March 1, 2020 , pharmacists and prescribers (other than a veterinarian) are required to check the patient’s PMP history before dispensing or prescribing opioids, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, or carisoprodol. Source: https://www.pharmacy.texas.gov/pmp/ ## Source - https://pharmacyfreak.com/pdmp-prescription-drug-monitoring-program-you-are-legally-required-to-check-the-database-but-when-the-state-by-state-rules-you-must-know/ - https://www.pharmacy.texas.gov/pmp/ Last verified: 2026-08-15. Review by: 2027-02-11. Part of [PDMP Mandatory Prescriber Check Requirements by State](https://referencesource.org/pdmp-mandatory-check-requirements/).