Drug Detection Windows: A Sourced Reference Table (Free CSV)
We got tired of "how long does X stay in your system" pages that never say where the number came from. So we compiled one table where every row has a source. Use it, cite it, download it.
Ad: we may earn a commission if you buy through this link. Information only, not medical or legal advice. Tampering with a drug test can be illegal and usually counts as a refusal. The only sure way to pass is to not use.
The table
| Substance | Specimen | Typical window | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amphetamines | urine | 1-3 days | up to ~4 days after heavy use | Moeller KE et al. Mayo Clin Proc 2017;92(5):774-796 (Table) |
| Methamphetamine | urine | 2-5 days | Moeller 2017; SAMHSA Clinical Drug Testing in Primary Care (TAP 32) 2012 | |
| MDMA | urine | 1-3 days | Moeller 2017 | |
| Cocaine (benzoylecgonine) | urine | 2-4 days | 10-22 days reported after heavy use | Moeller 2017 |
| Marijuana (THC-COOH) | urine | single use ~3 days | moderate use (4x/week) 5-7 days; daily 10-15 days; long-term heavy >30 days | Moeller 2017 |
| Codeine/Morphine | urine | 1-3 days | Moeller 2017 | |
| Heroin (6-acetylmorphine) | urine | hours (about 1 day) | morphine metabolite 1-3 days | Moeller 2017 |
| Oxycodone | urine | 1-3 days | Moeller 2017; TAP 32 | |
| Methadone | urine | 3-11 days | Moeller 2017 | |
| Buprenorphine | urine | up to ~11 days | Moeller 2017 | |
| Benzodiazepines (short-acting e.g. lorazepam) | urine | ~3 days | Moeller 2017 | |
| Benzodiazepines (long-acting e.g. diazepam) | urine | up to ~30 days | Moeller 2017 | |
| PCP | urine | ~8 days | up to ~30 days in chronic users | Moeller 2017 |
| Alcohol (EtG metabolite) | urine | up to ~80 hours | depends on amount consumed | SAMHSA Advisory: The Role of Biomarkers in the Treatment of Alcohol Use Disorders (2012) |
| Alcohol | breath/blood | about 1 hour per standard drink to clear | average elimination ~0.015 g/dL per hour | NIAAA |
| Most drugs | oral fluid | roughly 1-2 days | THC usually hours to ~1-2 days in occasional users | SAMHSA Mandatory Guidelines for Oral Fluid (2019) background; TAP 32 |
| Most drugs | hair | up to ~90 days | standard 1.5-inch head-hair sample; does not show use from the last ~7-10 days | TAP 32; Society of Hair Testing guidance |
| Nicotine (cotinine) | urine | ~3-4 days | longer in heavy smokers | Benowitz NL et al. Pharmacol Rev / Handb Exp Pharmacol 2009 |
Download the CSV (free under CC BY 4.0, please link to this page).
Ad: we may earn a commission if you buy through this link. Information only, not medical or legal advice. Tampering with a drug test can be illegal and usually counts as a refusal. The only sure way to pass is to not use.
How to read it
Windows assume a standard lab screen at the federal cutoffs listed on our cutoff page. Lower cutoffs, heavier use, more body fat and slower metabolism stretch them. Very dilute urine shrinks the apparent window but gets flagged by validity checks.
Key sources
- Moeller KE, Kissack JC, Atayee RS, Lee KC. Clinical Interpretation of Urine Drug Tests. Mayo Clinic Proceedings. 2017;92(5):774-796.
- SAMHSA. Clinical Drug Testing in Primary Care, Technical Assistance Publication (TAP) 32, 2012.
- SAMHSA. Mandatory Guidelines for Federal Workplace Drug Testing Programs (urine 2017; oral fluid 2019).
- NIAAA. Alcohol metabolism and blood alcohol concentration.
Try the detection window calculator built on this table.
Ad: we may earn a commission if you buy through this link. Information only, not medical or legal advice. Tampering with a drug test can be illegal and usually counts as a refusal. The only sure way to pass is to not use.
No product can promise you a pass, and the only certain way is to not use. Tampering with a drug test can be illegal and is usually treated as a refusal. We never help anyone beat DOT, federal, safety-sensitive, or court-ordered tests. If substance use is getting on top of you, call the free, confidential SAMHSA National Helpline on 1-800-662-4357 (24/7, English and Spanish), or call or text 988 in a crisis. Source: samhsa.gov.