Drug Detection Times — Urine Reference and Test Review Guide
Updated
Drug detection depends on the substance, specimen, assay, cutoff, and individual circumstances. Use the urine reference below to understand a published range and prepare questions for the testing provider. It cannot predict your result, time a negative test, establish impairment, or identify the exact time of use.
Drug detection reference lookup
Choose the substance and specimen named on the test order. The lookup does not estimate your likelihood of passing.
For an unexpected result, request the actual report and the laboratory or medical review contact. A general range cannot interpret your report or decide eligibility for a job, license, or program.
Published urine detection reference
These are ARUP Consult reference estimates, not guaranteed limits. Individual results may fall outside them. They do not measure impairment. The source was updated in January 2025 and checked for this guide on September 7, 2026.
Read ARUP's full table, analytes, and limitations
| Substance or metabolite | Reference range |
|---|---|
| THC metabolite | 1–45 days |
| Cocaine / benzoylecgonine | 1–2 days |
| Amphetamine | 1–7 days |
| Methamphetamine | 1–4 days |
| MDMA | 1–3 days |
| Morphine | 1–3 days |
| Codeine | 1–3 days |
| 6-monoacetylmorphine (heroin metabolite) | Less than 1 day |
| Oxycodone | 1–3 days |
| Hydrocodone | 1–3 days |
| Fentanyl | 1–7 days |
| Methadone | 1–14 days |
| Buprenorphine | 1–10 days |
| Alprazolam | 1–5 days |
| Clonazepam | 1–12 days |
| Diazepam | 1–7 days |
| Phenobarbital | 1–16 days |
| PCP | 1–7 days |
| Alcohol metabolites (EtG / EtS) | 1–4 days |
The alcohol entry concerns EtG/EtS metabolites, not a breath-alcohol reading. Drug and metabolite entries are not interchangeable. For an unlisted substance or another specimen, ask the laboratory for the specific assay's information.
Five details to request before interpreting a result
- What specimen was collected, and when?
- Which exact substances and metabolites were included in the panel?
- What cutoff applies to this specimen and assay?
- Is the reported result a preliminary screen, a laboratory confirmation, or a completed medical review?
- Who handles unexpected results, prescription explanations, and any review deadline?
Start with the actual test order
Ask for the specimen type, laboratory, ordered panel, substances or metabolites included, and screening and confirmation cutoffs. A panel name such as ‘5-panel’ or ‘10-panel’ alone is not enough to identify every assay. Keep the collection date and a copy of the report so the laboratory or reviewer can explain that specific result.
A screen and a confirmed result answer different questions
Immunoassay screening is presumptive. Cross-reactions and assay limitations can affect results; a result with important clinical consequences may need confirmation by a more specific method. A general opiate screen can miss fentanyl or other opioids. Ask whether the substance in question was actually included and whether confirmation was performed.
Prescription review is a separate step
For DOT testing covered by 49 CFR 40.137, the Medical Review Officer evaluates whether a confirmed result has a legitimate medical explanation. Provide the requested prescription documentation during that review. A prescription is not an automatic negative result, and a negative verified result does not by itself resolve fitness for duty. Different testing programs can use different procedures.
What a home test can and cannot settle
Follow the specific kit's instructions, storage conditions, expiration date, and reading time. FDA advises laboratory follow-up for preliminary positive home results. A negative result does not prove that no drug was used: the selected panel, timing, and test performance matter. A home kit cannot guarantee the result of a different laboratory test.
Frequently asked questions
- Can this tool calculate when I will test negative?
- No. It looks up a published urine reference range. It does not combine age, weight, hydration, or self-described metabolism into a clearance date or pass probability. Ask the testing provider to interpret the actual assay and result.
- Can I use a urine range for hair, saliva, or blood?
- No. Specimen types and laboratory methods are different. This page supplies numeric reference ranges for urine only. For another specimen, request the laboratory's information for that test rather than converting the urine range.
- Does a positive urine test show impairment or when someone used a drug?
- A urine finding does not establish a drug dose, impairment, or a precise use time. Interpretation depends on the test and clinical context. Do not turn a published detection range into a conclusion about another person's conduct.
- Why are heroin and other opioids separate entries?
- The drug and the substance measured by the test can differ. For example, 6-monoacetylmorphine is a heroin metabolite. Do not apply its entry to every opioid or every metabolite; ask which marker the laboratory measured.
- What should I ask about an unexpected result?
- Request the report, the substance or metabolite identified, the specimen and collection date, the cutoff, and whether the result is a screen or confirmation. Ask who handles medical explanations and what review deadlines apply. Provide medication information to the appropriate clinician or reviewer; do not change prescribed treatment based on this chart.
Related Resources on This Site
Helpful guides
Sources and scope
- ARUP Consult: Drug Half-Lives and Urine Detection Windows (updated January 2025)
- ARUP Consult: Drug Testing — specimen and assay limitations
- US DOT: 49 CFR 40.137 — medical review
- FDA: Drugs of Abuse Home Use Test
This guide is informational only and explains reference information. A laboratory, clinician, or designated medical reviewer must interpret an individual result.