Central African RepublicTravelling with ADHD medication: rules, permits and documents
AfricaLast checked 20 Jul 2026Low confidence: check with the embassyHow we rate a record
Central African Republic treats these medications differently. Of the 7 we track, 4 come in on paperwork with a supply cap and 3 need only your prescription.
Serious penalties: The country's own law bans Tableau I substances outright including in transit, and only publishes a personal-supply exemption for psychotropic (not narcotic/opioid) medicines, so an arriving traveller carrying a prescribed opioid has no confirmed lawful route and risks the blanket 'stupéfiants prohibés' framing echoed in foreign travel advisories.
We could not find strong recent official guidance for this country. Contact the embassy or consulate directly before you travel.
By medication
Brand names first, generic in brackets. Each line resolves the drug class rule below, plus anything Central African Republic records specifically for that medication.
- Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine)Restrictedmax 7 days' supply
A patient in transit on CAR's territory may personally hold up to 7 days of a Tableau II psychotropic medicine or 30 days of a Tableau III one, provided they carry the matching medical prescription (Loi 01.011, Article 64). Which Tableau the ADHD stimulants sit in is unconfirmed, so plan to the shorter figure. Article 64's own heading and subject are 'malades en transit' / 'personnes sous traitement, en transit sur le territoire national', and no source says whether that reaches an ordinary arriving traveller. Carry the original prescription and a doctor's letter, and write to the Direction de la Pharmacie, Ministère de la santé et de la population, Bangui (tel 236 756 34993, mboliyoumarilyne@yahoo.fr) or the nearest CAR embassy before travelling, especially for a stay longer than a week.
- Ritalin, Concerta (methylphenidate)Restrictedmax 7 days' supply
The same rule as Vyvanse above.
- Dexamphetamine (dexamfetamine)Restrictedmax 7 days' supply
The same rule as Vyvanse above.
- Strattera (atomoxetine)Prescription
Atomoxetine, guanfacine and viloxazine are not internationally controlled; carry a prescription and keep in original packaging. No country-specific guidance found.
- Adderall (mixed amphetamine salts)Restrictedmax 7 days' supply
The same rule as Vyvanse above.
- Intuniv (guanfacine)Prescription
The same rule as Strattera above.
- Qelbree (viloxazine)Prescription
The same rule as Strattera above.
Rules by drug class
Narcotic (opioids)
Unclear- Quantity
- No traveller quantity for opioid medicines is published. Loi 01.011's only personal-supply exemption (Article 64) is worded for psychotropic substances, not narcotics/opioids.
- Permit
- Not published. No traveller permit process for opioid medicines is published. The only authorisation route found in the law is commercial. The office CAR has notified to the UN treaty system for the Article 18/16 import-export authorisation function is the Direction de la Pharmacie, Ministère de la santé et de la population, Bangui (tel 236 756 34993, mboliyoumarilyne@yahoo.fr) — a correspondence address for that function, not a published traveller route.
Psychotropic (ADHD stimulants, benzodiazepines, sleep)
Restricted- Quantity
- 7 days. Article 64 caps personal possession at 7 days for Tableau II psychotropic medicines and 30 days for Tableau III. Two limits on that number: which table the four ADHD stimulants sit in is not published, so the shorter 7-day figure is used conservatively; and the article's own heading and subject are 'Détention de Médicaments par les Malades en Transit' / 'Les personnes sous traitement, en transit sur le territoire national', so whether it reaches an ordinary arriving traveller rather than only someone passing through is not stated. The figure is carried as the class rule because it is the only published personal-supply number and erring short is the conservative direction, not because the source states it covers all arrivals.
- Permit
- Not published. Article 64 does not describe an advance permit or authorisation step for the personal-transit allowance, only the matching prescription, but it also does not say 'no permit is required', and it is unclear whether 'patient in transit' covers an ordinary arriving traveller. Left null rather than false.
- Documents
- prescription
Not internationally controlled
PrescriptionAtomoxetine, guanfacine and viloxazine are not internationally controlled; carry a prescription and keep in original packaging. No country-specific guidance found.
Responsible authority
See official source
Sources
The source behind everything above, so you can check it yourself rather than take our word for it. Always confirm the current rule with the source before you travel.
Your trip pack
A doctor's letter for Central African Republic, filled in with your medications and your stops, ready to sign.
The rules above are free and stay free. The pack is the paperwork that goes with them: a checklist for each stop in travel order, a printable PDF, and the letter to take to your GP.
Build your trip packThis page organises publicly available government information and links. It is not legal or medical advice. Rules change and enforcement varies, so always confirm with the official sources above or the Central African Republic embassy or consulate before travelling.