Is Valium (diazepam) a benzo, and is it controlled?

Yes. Valium is a benzodiazepine, the brand name of diazepam. It is a Schedule IV controlled substance under US federal law, it is marked N (not a narcotic) in the DEA list, and in the United Kingdom it is a Class C drug in Schedule 4 Part 1 of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001.

Is Valium a benzo?

The Valium label (Waylis Therapeutics, published on DailyMed on August 14, 2026) settles it. Its abuse section opens with "Valium is a benzodiazepine and a CNS depressant with a potential for abuse and addiction". Its Clinical Pharmacology section says diazepam exerts anxiolytic, sedative, muscle-relaxant, anticonvulsant and amnestic effects, and that most of these are thought to result from a facilitation of the action of gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA), an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. Our guide to benzodiazepines explains the class and lists the drugs people often confuse with it.

What is Valium approved for?

The Indications section lists several uses. It names the management of anxiety disorders or the short-term relief of the symptoms of anxiety; symptomatic relief of acute agitation, tremor and related symptoms in acute alcohol withdrawal; use as an adjunct for relief of skeletal muscle spasm; and adjunctive use in convulsive disorders. The label also says that the effectiveness of Valium in long-term use, meaning more than 4 months, has not been assessed by systematic clinical studies. This is a plain summary of the document. It is not advice, and treatment questions belong with a prescriber or pharmacist.

What schedule is Valium in the US?

The DEA list "Controlled Substances - Alphabetical Order" (dated August 27, 2026) gives diazepam as code 2765, Schedule IV, with Valium and Diastat as other names. The regulation that defines Schedule IV, 21 CFR 1308.14, lists diazepam as item 19 among the depressants. The Controlled Substance subsection of the Valium label's Drug Abuse and Dependence section says:

Valium contains diazepam, a Schedule IV controlled substance.

Schedule IV is the second-lowest of the five federal schedules, and the DEA schedules guide shows where it sits. A pharmacist may dispense a Schedule III, IV or V prescription drug only on a valid prescription, and 21 CFR 1306.22 limits refills: no fills or refills after six months from the date of issue, and no more than five refills. These are federal minimums. Many states add controls, for example monitoring programs or limits on quantity, and the state board of pharmacy decides those.

Does the brand or product change the status?

No. The DEA list names the substance, diazepam, and gives Valium and Diastat as other names. The opening of 21 CFR 1308.14(c) covers "any material, compound, mixture, or preparation which contains any quantity" of the listed depressants, so the schedule follows the active ingredient and not the product. The UK lists work the same way, by substance.

Is Valium a narcotic?

On the DEA list the answer is no. The NARC column for diazepam reads N, the same as for Xanax, Klonopin and Ativan. Drugs the list marks Y include opioids such as fentanyl (see the fentanyl page). The word is used loosely in everyday speech, often for any drug that is controlled, and the narcotic guide separates the legal meaning from the popular one.

What is diazepam's UK status?

The Home Office list of commonly encountered controlled drugs (updated April 1, 2025) shows diazepam as Class C, Schedule 4 Part 1. The class is set by the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, whose Schedule 2 names diazepam in Part III among the Class C drugs. The schedule is set by the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 and governs lawful prescribing and supply. The UK drug classes guide explains how class and schedule differ. Penalty bands for each class are published on gov.uk.

Why is diazepam controlled?

The label's section on drug abuse and dependence explains it. It says the drug has a potential for abuse and addiction, and that even taking benzodiazepines as prescribed may put patients at risk of abuse and misuse. On dependence, it says Valium may produce physical dependence from continued therapy, and that abrupt discontinuation or rapid dosage reduction may precipitate acute withdrawal reactions, which can be life-threatening. The label recommends a gradual taper for this reason, and that is a matter for a prescriber, never a self-directed decision.

The boxed warning has three headings: risks from concomitant use with opioids, abuse, misuse and addiction, and dependence and withdrawal reactions. It states that concomitant use of benzodiazepines and opioids may result in profound sedation, respiratory depression, coma and death. For urgent help in the US, call 988 for a crisis line or Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222. In the UK, call 999 or NHS 111 depending on urgency.

How does diazepam compare with similar drugs?

All four common benzodiazepines on this site share one US schedule and one UK class. Muscle relaxants are a mixed group: cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril) does not appear on the DEA list, even though diazepam is sometimes used for muscle spasm. The controlled substance guide explains how a drug gets onto a schedule, and the method page lists our sources with their dates. The disclaimer sets out what this site does and does not do.

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