Is trazodone a controlled substance?

No. Trazodone is not a controlled substance under US federal law, and it does not appear on the DEA list of controlled substances dated August 27, 2026. It is not on the Home Office list of commonly encountered controlled drugs in the United Kingdom either. It is not a narcotic and it is not a benzodiazepine.

What does the label say about its legal status?

Section 9.1 of the trazodone hydrochloride tablet label (TruPharma, DailyMed, published September 7, 2026) says:

Trazodone hydrochloride tablets are not a controlled substance.

That sentence matches the federal rules. A drug is federally controlled only if it is placed in one of the five schedules of the Controlled Substances Act, which are printed in 21 CFR 1308.11 to 1308.15. Trazodone is not named in any of those sections. The refill and prescription-form rules of 21 CFR part 1306 are written for scheduled drugs, so they do not apply to trazodone. The general idea is explained in what is a controlled substance.

Section 9.2 of the same label adds a short note on abuse:

Although trazodone hydrochloride has not been systematically studied in preclinical or clinical studies for its potential for abuse, no indication of drug-seeking behavior was seen in the clinical studies with trazodone hydrochloride.

What is trazodone, and what class is it?

The same label lists one approved use in Section 1: the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) in adults. Trazodone is an antidepressant, and its label carries a boxed warning about suicidal thoughts and behaviors. It says that antidepressants increased the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors in pediatric and young adult patients in short-term studies, and that trazodone hydrochloride tablets are not approved for use in pediatric patients. Anyone in the US who is in crisis can call or text 988, and in the UK the emergency number is 999.

Official sources word its class in two ways. MedlinePlus (page revised October 15, 2025) says trazodone is in a class of medications called serotonin modulators. The TruPharma label's prescribing information calls it a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) in its highlights, and Section 12.1 says it is both an SSRI and a 5HT2 receptor antagonist, adding that the net effect of this on serotonin transmission and its role in the antidepressant effect is unknown. We use "antidepressant" as the plain label and note that the technical term varies by source.

Is trazodone a narcotic?

No. Federal law defines a narcotic drug in 21 U.S.C. 802(17) as opium, opiates and their derivatives, poppy straw, coca leaves, cocaine, ecgonine, and compounds that contain any of them. Trazodone is none of these. The DEA list gives each controlled substance a code number, a schedule and a Y or N in its NARC column. It has no row for trazodone, so there is no narcotic flag either. For the wider meaning of the word, see what is a narcotic. Opioids are covered separately on what is an opioid, and the label does not describe trazodone as one.

Is trazodone a benzo?

No. The Xanax label states plainly that "XANAX is a benzodiazepine". Neither the trazodone label nor MedlinePlus places trazodone in that class, and the label's approved use is depression, not anxiety or sleep. Alprazolam is a Schedule IV drug and trazodone is not scheduled at all, which is one practical sign that regulators treat them differently. The guide what is a benzo explains the family, and the Xanax page shows what a benzodiazepine's status looks like.

Is trazodone a controlled drug in the UK?

The Home Office list of the most commonly encountered controlled drugs, updated April 1, 2025, does not include trazodone. That list covers commonly encountered drugs only, so we also checked the legislation. On October 6, 2026, the text on legislation.gov.uk of Schedule 2 to the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (the Class A, B and C lists) and of Schedules 1 to 5 to the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 did not contain the word trazodone. In practice trazodone is not a UK controlled drug. The class and schedule system is described on UK drug classes and schedules.

Controlled or not, how do similar drugs compare?

Readers who compare trazodone with sleep and anxiety medicines will find that their status differs. The table shows each one as listed by the DEA and the Home Office.

Absence from the lists says only that a drug is not controlled under the drug laws described here. Safety questions about a medicine belong with the prescriber or pharmacist, and in the UK with NHS 111 as well.

Related pages

• Hydroxyzine, also not on either list
• Ambien (zolpidem), Schedule IV
• DEA drug schedules I to V
• All drugs with their US schedule and UK class

Questions readers ask