Check a drug licence online

How to read a drug licence number

Every pharmacy, chemist and distributor in India needs a licence from its State Drugs Control department under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and the Drugs Rules, 1945. The number is issued by the state, so the same digits can belong to different firms in different states — which is why this check asks for the state first.

The layout differs from state to state. Most numbers combine a district or zone code, the form the licence was granted in (20, 21, 20B or 21B) and a serial number, and some add the year of issue. Licences granted through the newer national online system start with RLF (retail) or WLF (wholesale). Type the number exactly as it is printed, including any letters and the form code: a firm usually holds two licences with the same serial and different forms, and they are separate licences.

What Forms 20, 21, 20B and 21B mean

Form 20 is a retail licence to sell drugs other than those in Schedules C, C(1) and X — most everyday medicines. Form 21 is the retail licence for Schedule C and C(1) drugs, such as vaccines, sera and insulin. A medical store normally holds both.

Form 20B and Form 21B are the wholesale equivalents, held by distributors and stockists who sell to other licensed businesses. A pharmacy buying stock should see a 20B/21B licence from its supplier, and a distributor should see a 20/21 licence from the shop it sells to. Narrower forms also exist, such as 20A and 21A restricted licences for general stores.

A licence is valid only for the premises and the firm named on it. If the firm name here does not match the invoice or the certificate you were shown, ask the firm for its current licence before you trade.