Is clonazepam (Klonopin) a controlled substance?

Yes. Clonazepam is a Schedule IV controlled substance in the United States, and in the United Kingdom it is a Class C drug listed in Schedule 4 Part 1 of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001. Klonopin is the brand name of the tablets, and the DEA list shows both "Klonopin" and "Clonopin" as other names for the same substance.

What is clonazepam?

Clonazepam is a benzodiazepine. The label for Klonopin tablets (H2-Pharma, published on DailyMed on December 2, 2025) describes it in its abuse section as "a benzodiazepine and a CNS depressant". The Indications section names two approved uses. One is seizure disorders: the label says Klonopin is useful alone or as an adjunct in the treatment of Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and of akinetic and myoclonic seizures. The other is panic disorder, with or without agoraphobia.

That is a description of the label, not advice about whether anyone should use the drug. Questions about a prescription belong with the prescriber or pharmacist. Our guide to benzodiazepines explains the class in general terms.

Is clonazepam a controlled substance in the US?

The DEA list "Controlled Substances - Alphabetical Order" (dated August 27, 2026) carries clonazepam as code 2737, Schedule IV. The same code appears in the text of 21 CFR 1308.14, the regulation that defines Schedule IV, where clonazepam is item 13 among the depressants. The Controlled Substance subsection of the Klonopin label's Drug Abuse and Dependence section agrees. It says:

Klonopin contains clonazepam, a Schedule IV controlled substance.

Schedule IV sits near the bottom of the five federal schedules. The guide to the DEA schedules compares them side by side. In practice, a Schedule IV drug needs a prescription from a practitioner, and the refill rules are tighter than for an ordinary prescription medicine. Under 21 CFR 1306.22, no Schedule III or IV prescription may be filled or refilled more than six months after the date it was issued, and none may be refilled more than five times. Oral, written, faxed and electronic prescriptions are all recognized in 21 CFR 1306.21, subject to the details in that section.

Some states add their own controls, for example by limiting the quantity or tracking prescriptions in a state database. The state board of pharmacy is the authority on those rules, and they can differ from the federal baseline.

Is Klonopin a narcotic?

No, not on the DEA list. The NARC column for clonazepam says N. The word "narcotic" has a legal meaning in US drug law and an everyday meaning, and the two do not always match. Our narcotic guide sets them out. Clonazepam is also not an opioid. The Klonopin boxed warning actually treats opioids as a separate group of medicines, because combining the two classes carries a stated risk.

What is clonazepam's status in the UK?

The Home Office list of the most commonly encountered controlled drugs (updated April 1, 2025) shows clonazepam as Class C, Schedule 4 Part 1. Two pieces of law are involved. The Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 sets the class, and Schedule 2 of that Act lists clonazepam in Part III, the Class C drugs. The Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 set the schedule, which determines how the drug may be prescribed, supplied and held lawfully.

Class and schedule answer different questions. The class drives the penalty band for offenses, and the penalty bands are published on gov.uk. The schedule describes the rules for legitimate handling. Our UK drug classes guide explains how the two systems fit together.

What does the Klonopin label say about abuse and dependence?

The label's Drug Abuse and Dependence section states that Klonopin is a benzodiazepine and a CNS depressant with a potential for abuse and addiction. It also says that even use as prescribed may put patients at risk for abuse and misuse. On dependence, the label says Klonopin may produce physical dependence from continued therapy, and that abrupt discontinuation or rapid dosage reduction can cause withdrawal reactions, including seizures, which can be life-threatening.

The boxed warning, the strongest label statement, has three parts: risks from using benzodiazepines together with opioids, the risk of abuse, misuse and addiction, and the risk of dependence and withdrawal reactions. Anyone worried about stopping a medicine should speak to their prescriber before changing anything, because the label itself warns against abrupt changes.

How does clonazepam compare with similar drugs?

Clonazepam shares its US schedule and UK class with the other common benzodiazepines on this site. Xanax (alprazolam), Ativan (lorazepam) and Valium (diazepam) are all Schedule IV in the US and Class C, Schedule 4 Part 1 in the UK. Ambien (zolpidem) is a different chemical type, but it is also Schedule IV in the US and Class C in the UK.

Not every sedating or anti-anxiety medicine is controlled. Gabapentin is not a controlled substance federally, and hydroxyzine does not appear on the DEA list. The controlled substance guide explains how a drug ends up on a schedule at all.

Where can this information go stale?

Schedules are changed by rulemaking, and the DEA list is reissued periodically. The facts on this page come from the August 27, 2026 edition of the DEA list, the April 1, 2025 edition of the Home Office list, the eCFR text current to the end of September 2026, and the Klonopin label as published in December 2025. Our method page describes how we gather and date these sources. Nothing here is medical or legal advice, and the disclaimer says so in full.

Questions readers ask