DEA recently announced a significant change to its registration renewal process.
For several years, DEA’s registration unit has allowed for a grace period for registrants who file an untimely application for renewal. While DEA’s regulations do not contemplate such a grace period, registrants, especially individual practitioners, were allowed to keep their existing registration number — which was considered valid and active during the grace period — despite the failure to file a timely renewal application and despite multiple notifications from DEA.