If you take a prescription opioid, a stimulant for ADHD, a benzodiazepine or another controlled medication, the amount you can carry across Canada's border changed on October 1, 2026. Here is what the new rule allows, what the label has to show, and why the country you're visiting may still be stricter than Canada.
What changed on October 1, 2026
Canada's new Controlled Substances Regulations came into force on October 1, 2026. For travellers the change is simple: when you leave Canada or come back, you can carry up to a 90-day supply of a medication that contains a controlled substance, based on the daily dose shown on the label. The same limit now covers all three federal groups: narcotics, controlled drugs and targeted substances.
Before October 1, the limit for narcotics and controlled drugs was a single course of treatment or a 30-day supply, whichever was less. You may still see that older figure on some websites and travel forums.
The checklist for leaving Canada and coming home
- Who it's for: you, a person travelling with you whose medication you're carrying, or a pet travelling with you.
- The container: the bottle or box you got from your pharmacy or another health care provider, not a pill organizer you filled yourself.
- The label: it must show the patient's (or animal's) name, the prescriber's name, the medication's name, its form, strength and quantity, its DIN if it has one, and the daily dose.
- The amount: no more than a 90-day supply at the daily dose on the label.
- Customs: declare the medication to the border services officer when you arrive back in Canada.
Canada's rule is only half of it
Canada's limit covers what you may take out of Canada and bring back. It doesn't tell you what your destination allows, and many countries are stricter. Some ban medicines that are legal here; others cap the amount or need a permit arranged well before you arrive.
Japan is a clear example. The Government of Canada's travel advice for Japan says some ADHD medicines and some cough, cold and pain remedies sold legally in Canada are banned there. Travellers can bring about a one-month supply of prescription medicine that contains no narcotics; for more than that, or for a prescription that contains a narcotic, Japan requires an import certificate applied for in advance, and the advice is to apply several months before you arrive. So a 90-day supply you can legally carry out of Canada can still be illegal to bring into Japan.
Before you book flights, check two places:
- Your destination's page in the Government of Canada's travel advice and advisories.
- The country's embassy or consulate in Canada. The Government of Canada's advice is to contact the foreign government office accredited to Canada to confirm the status of your medications.
Packing tips that help at the border
The Government of Canada recommends that you:
- Keep medication in your carry-on bag, not your checked luggage.
- Keep it in the original, labelled container.
- Bring a copy of your prescription that shows both the generic and the trade name.
- Bring a note from your doctor explaining why you take it.
Medical cannabis is different
Cannabis follows its own law. Unless you're authorized by Health Canada and by every country you visit or pass through, it is illegal to take cannabis across the Canadian border. That includes cannabis used for medical purposes and products that contain CBD.
Need more than your usual supply?
For a long trip, talk to the prescriber who manages your medication and to your pharmacy well before you leave. A pharmacist can't dispense more than your prescriber authorized, and every controlled medication a pharmacy dispenses is recorded and reconciled against its count; our Toronto pharmacy keeps its counts in NarcCount. In Ontario, the College of Pharmacists requires a physical count and reconciliation of all controlled substances at least once every six months, so a larger or earlier fill takes some planning. Your drug plan may also limit how much it covers at one time.
A travel consultation covers vaccines and travel medicines for your destination; the prescriber who manages your controlled medication is the right person to ask about a longer supply. If you're planning a trip, book a consultation at Virtual Travel Clinic.
Frequently asked questions
Does the 90-day limit apply to all prescription medication?
No. It covers medication that contains a controlled substance: narcotics such as opioid pain medicines, controlled drugs such as stimulant ADHD medicines, and targeted substances such as benzodiazepines. Other prescription medication isn't subject to this limit, but your destination's rules still apply to it.
Can I carry medication for my child?
Yes, if your child is travelling with you. The rules also cover medication for a pet that is travelling with you.
Do I have to declare my medication when I come home?
Yes. Declare medication that contains a controlled substance to the border services officer when you arrive in Canada.
Do I need a doctor's note?
Canada's rule doesn't require one when the pharmacy container is properly labelled, but the Government of Canada recommends carrying one, and some countries, Japan among them, ask for one.
Sources: Health Canada — Travelling into and out of Canada with prescription medications that contain controlled substances | Controlled Substances Regulations, s. 225 (entering Canada) | Controlled Substances Regulations, s. 226 (leaving Canada) | Government of Canada — Travelling with medication | Government of Canada — Travel advice for Japan | Government of Canada — Drugs, alcohol and travel outside Canada | Ontario College of Pharmacists — Controlled substances: security and reconciliation
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