The regulations listed below are current as of December 31, 2008.
Individual state law is subject to change and may allow other ways to indicate no substitution.
Examples of methods allowed by state law are provided on this list.
| Dispense as Written by State |
| State Abbrev |
Legal Reference |
Language |
| AK |
Alaska Stat. § 08.80.295 (2008) |
Handwrite: “Dispense Only as Written”
Orally Specify: “May not be substituted” |
| AL |
Ala. Code § 34-23-8 (2008) |
Sign “Dispense as Written” Line |
| AR |
Ark. Code Ann. § 17-92-503 (2008); 07-00 Ark. Code. R. § 0007; 07-00 Ark. Code. R. § 0001(c)(2) |
Handwrite: “No Substitution”
Orally Specify: Dispense as communicated |
| AZ |
Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 32-1963.01 (2008) |
Handwrite: “Dispense as Written” |
| CA |
Cal. Bus. & Prof, Code § 4073 (2008) |
Handwrite: “Do Not Substitute” or Mark Box Next to “Do Not Substitute” and Initial Next to
Checkmark
Orally Specify: “Do not substitute” |
| CO |
Colo. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 12-22-124 (2008) |
Handwrite: “Dispense as Written” Or Initial in Box Marked “Dispense as Written”
Orally Specify: “Substitution is prohibited” |
| CT |
Conn. Gen. Stat. Ann. § 20-619 (2008) |
Handwrite: “Brand Name is Medically Necessary”
Orally Specify: “Brand is medically necessary” |
| DC |
D.C. Code § 48-803.03 (2008) |
Handwrite: “Dispense as Written”
Orally Specify: “Dispensed as communicated” |
| DE |
Del. Code. Ann. tit. 24 § 2549 (2008) |
Handwrite: “Brand Necessary” or “Brand Medically Necessary”
Orally Specify: “No substitutions” |
| FL |
Fla. Stat. Ann. § 465.025 (2008) |
Handwrite: “Medically Necessary”
Orally Specify: “Medically necessary” |
| GA |
Ga. Code Ann. § 26-4-81 (2008) |
Handwrite: “Brand Necessary” |
| GU |
Guam Code Ann. tit. 5. § 5271 (2007) |
Handwrite: “Do Not Substitute” |
| HI |
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 328-91 (2008); Haw. Code R. § 17-1739.1-11 |
Handwrite: “Brand Medically Necessary”
Orally Specify: “Brand is medically necessary” |
| IA |
Iowa. Code Ann. § 155A.32 (2008) |
Handwrite: “Dispense as Written”
Orally Specify: “No substitutions” |
| ID |
Idaho Admin. Code r. 27.01.01.188; Idaho Admin. Code r. 16.03.09.662 |
Handwrite: “Medically Necessary” or Check Box Labeled “Brand Only” on Front of Prescription |
| IL |
225 Ill. Comp. Stat. Ann. 85/25 (2008) |
Mark Beside “May Not Substitute”
Orally Specify: “Do not substitute” |
| IN |
Ind. Code Ann. § 16-42-22-8 (2008); Ind. Code Ann. § 16-42-22-10 (2008) |
Handwrite: “Brand Medically Necessary;” Do Not Sign on Line Marked “May Not Substitute”
Orally Specify: “Do not substitute” |
| KS |
Kan. Stat. Ann. § 65-1637 (2007) |
Handwrite: “Dispense as Written”
Orally Specify: “Dispense as indicated” |
| KY |
Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 217.822 (2008) |
Handwrite: “Do Not Substitute” |
| LA |
La. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 37:1241 (2008) |
Handwrite: “Brand Medically Necessary;” or Mark in Box Labeled “Dispense as Written”
Orally Specify: “Brand medically necessary” |
| MA |
Mass. Gen. Laws Ann. 112 § 12D (2008) |
Handwrite: “No Substitution”
Orally Specify: “No substitution” |
| MD |
Md. Code Ann., Health Occ. § 12-504 (2008); Md. Code Ann., Health - Gen., § 15-118 (2008) |
Handwrite: “Dispense as Written” |
| ME |
Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. tit 32, § 13781 (2008) |
Mark Box on Prescription Form or Handwrite: “Dispense as Written” |
| MI |
Mich. Comp. Laws Ann. § 333.17755 (2008) |
Handwrite: “Dispense as Written”
Orally Specify: “Dispense as communicated” |
| MN |
Minn. Stat. Ann. § 151.21 (2008) |
Handwrite: “Dispense as Written”
Orally Specify: “Dispensed as communicated” |
| MO |
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 338.056 (2008) |
Sign “Dispense as Written” Line
Orally Specify: “Dispense as communicated” |
| MS |
Miss. Code Ann. § 73-21-115 (2008) |
Handwrite or Sign Next to “Dispense as Written” |
| MT |
Mont. Code Ann. § 37-7-505 (2008) |
Handwrite: “Brand Name Drug Medically Necessary”
Orally Specify: “Medically necessary” |
| NC |
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 90-85.28 (2008); 10A N.C. Admin. Code 22O.0118 |
Handwrite or Sign Next to “Dispense as Written”
Orally Specify: “Dispense as written” |
| ND |
N.D. Cent. Code § 19-02.1-14.1 (2008) |
Handwrite: “Brand Necessary”
Orally Specify: “Dispense as communicated” |
| NE |
Neb. Rev. Stat. § 71-5403 (2008) |
Handwrite: “Dispense as Written”
Orally Specify: “Dispensed as communicated” |
| NH |
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 146-B:2 (2008) |
Handwrite: “Medically Necessary”
Orally Specify: “Drug product is medically necessary” |
| NJ |
N.J. Stat. Ann. § 24:6E-7 (2008); N.J. Admin. Code § 10:56-2.18 |
Initial Next to “Do Not Substitute”
Orally Specify: “Do Not substitute” |
| NM |
N.M. Stat. Ann. § 26-3-3 (2008) |
Handwrite: “No Substitution” |
| NV |
Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 639.2583 (2008) |
Handwrite: “Dispense as Written”
Orally Specify: “Dispensed as communicated” |
| NY |
N.Y. (Educ.) § 6810 (2008) |
Handwrite: “D.A.W.” in the Box below Signature Line |
| OH |
Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 4729.38 (2008) |
Handwrite: “Dispense as Written”
Orally Specify: “Medically necessary” |
| OK |
Okla. Stat. Ann. Tit. 59, § 353.13 (2008); Okla. Admin. Code § 317:30-5-76-77 (2008) |
Handwrite: “Brand Necessary”
Orally Specify: “Brand necessary” |
| OR |
OR. Rev. Stat. § 689.515 (2008) |
Handwrite: “No Substitution”
Orally Specify: “No substitution” |
| PA |
35 Pa. Stat. Ann. § 960.3 (2008) |
Handwrite: “Brand Necessary” or “Brand Medically Necessary”
Orally Specify: “Substitution not allowed” |
| PR |
P.R. Laws Ann. tit. 24, § 3024 (2005) |
Handwrite: “Do Not Substitute”
Orally Specify: “Substitution not allowed” |
| RI |
R.I. Gen. Laws § 5-19.1-19 (2008) |
Handwrite: “Brand Name Necessary”
Orally Specify: “Brand is necessary” |
| SC |
S.C. Code Ann. § 39-24-40 (2007) |
Sign “Dispense as Written” Line
Orally Specify: “No substitutions” |
| SD |
S.D. Codified Laws § 36-11-46.2 (2008) |
Handwrite: “Brand Necessary”
Orally Specify: “Brand is necessary” |
| TN |
Tenn. Code Ann. § 53-10-204 (2008) |
Handwrite: “Dispense as Written”
Orally Specify: “Medically necessary” |
| TX |
Tex. Occ. Code Ann. § 562.015 (2007) |
Handwrite: “Brand Necessary” or “Brand Medically Necessary”
Orally Specify: “Brand necessary” or “Brand medically necessary” |
| UT |
Utah Code Ann. § 58-17b-605. (2008) |
Handwrite or Sign Next to “Dispense as Written”
Orally Specify: “Substitution is not permitted” |
| VA |
Va. Code Ann. § 54.1-3408.03 (2008) |
Handwrite: “Brand Medically Necessary”
Orally Specify: “Substitution is not allowed” |
| VT |
Vermont: 04 030 230 Vt. Code R. § 19.5.4 |
Handwrite: “Brand Necessary” and write that generic equivalent has not been, or is not expected to be, effective or may cause adverse effects.
Orally Specify: “Brand is necessary and substitution is not allowed” |
| WA |
Wash. Rev. Code Ann. 69.41.120 (2008) |
Sign “Dispense as Written” Line
Orally Specify: “Drug may not be substituted” |
| WI |
Wis. Stat. Ann. 450.13. (2007); Wis. Admin. Code HFS 107.10(3) |
Handwrite: “No Substitution” |
| WV |
W. Va. Code, § 30-5-12b (2008) |
Handwrite: “Brand Medically Necessary”
Orally Specify: “Brand necessary” |
| WY |
Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 33-24-149 (2008) |
Handwrite: “No Substitution”
Orally Specify: “No substitution” |