Methylphenidate in France: Import Rules and Brands

Quick reference

Drug class: CNS stimulant
Controlled substance: Yes, classified as a narcotic (stupéfiant) under French narcotics law
Prescription required: To enter France: your original prescription from your home doctor. To get supply in France: a French ordonnance sécurisée; the first one must come from a neurologist, psychiatrist or paediatrician (hospital or private practice).
Available locally: Yes, but only with a French ordonnance sécurisée: Ritaline, Ritaline LP, Concerta LP, Quasym LP, Medikinet. ANSM reported supply tensions for Ritaline LP and Quasym LP from February 2024 and for Concerta LP from November 2024; check current stock.
Storage: No refrigeration; store below the temperature on your product label, in original packaging with pharmacy label.
Max supply to carry: No more than the treatment duration on your prescription, or one month's treatment at normal doses if no duration is stated (French customs). If you arrive from another Schengen country, your Schengen certificate (valid up to 30 days) must also cover the quantity. Carry no more than your documents cover.
Key document: Original prescription; Schengen certificate from your home health authority if travelling from another Schengen country
Emergency alternative: See a psychiatrist, neurologist or paediatrician (private practice via Doctolib is usually quickest; hospital/CMP waits can be weeks); they can issue a French ordonnance sécurisée if clinically appropriate.

Methylphenidate in France: what you need to know before you travel

Methylphenidate, sold globally as Ritalin, Concerta, and Ritaline in France, is classified as a narcotic (stupéfiant) under French narcotics law^[1]. That classification drives every import, prescription, and pharmacy rule you will encounter. You can only bring it into France by personal transport and you must carry the original prescription at all times.

This guide covers import documentation, the Schengen transport authorisation, local brand names and their supply status, how to get a new French prescription from a specialist, and what to do if your supply is lost or runs out.

Medical disclaimer: This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult your prescribing doctor before travelling with medication, particularly regarding supply quantities, storage requirements, and import documentation.

Documentation for travelling to France with methylphenidate

French customs requires you to carry your original prescription from your prescribing doctor^[2]. If you are travelling from another Schengen country, also obtain a Schengen certificate (Article 75) issued by the health authority of your home country before you depart. The French regional health agencies (ARS) issue these certificates only to people travelling from France^[8]. The certificate is issued by your home country's health authority and is valid for up to 30 days^[2].

Pre-travel paperwork timeline

T-30 days
Book an appointment with your prescribing specialist to renew your prescription and request a specialist letter on headed paper stating your diagnosis, medication name (INN and brand), dose, and travel dates.Prescriber letter
T-14 days
If you are travelling from within the Schengen Area, apply to the health authority in your home country for a Schengen certificate (Article 75) covering your methylphenidate. Check its processing time well before you travel.Schengen certificate
Processing times vary by country; ask your home health authority. Not needed if you arrive from outside the Schengen Area.
T-7 days
If your specialist letter is not in French or English, consider getting a French translation. Store a digital copy in your Nomedic International Patient Summary as a backup.Translated letter (optional)
T-1 day
Print all documents: original prescription, Schengen certificate (if applicable), and specialist letter. Keep medication in original labelled packaging. Prepare a second copy of documents to store separately.
T-0 (border)
Carry your supply in hand luggage only, import of narcotics by post or courier is prohibited. Present your original prescription and any Schengen certificate on request at any customs checkpoint.

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What your specialist letter must include

Full name, date of birth, medication name (INN: methylphenidate, and brand name), dose and frequency, total quantity carried, condition name (one word), travel dates, doctor's full name and registration number, and clinic letterhead with stamp. If your letter is not in French or English, a French translation may help officials read it. No official source makes a translation compulsory.

No notarisation or apostille is required for the prescription or the specialist letter to enter France. French customs authorities specify that the original prescription must be presented on request^[2]; carry it in a paper format rather than relying solely on a digital copy.

How much methylphenidate to bring

French customs allow a quantity matching the treatment duration on your prescription, or one month's treatment at normal doses if it states no duration^[2]. If your stay is longer than the supply your prescription covers, you will need a French prescription during your trip (see Finding a doctor who can prescribe methylphenidate in France), so plan this in advance. If you want a buffer for travel delays, ask your prescriber to include it in the prescribed quantity.

Do not attempt to have methylphenidate mailed or couriered to you in France. French law prohibits importing narcotics and psychotropics by post or courier, and any package will be seized at customs.

Split your supply

Carry your main supply in hand luggage and a backup dose in your carry-on personal item or a separate bag. If one bag is delayed or misplaced, you will still have medication. Keep both portions in original packaging with pharmacy labels and the prescription accessible alongside them.

Packing and storing methylphenidate for travel

Methylphenidate tablets and capsules do not need refrigeration. Store them below the temperature stated on your product's packaging or patient leaflet, which differs by brand, in the original packaging with the pharmacy label visible.

During summer travel in France, avoid leaving medication in a parked car or in direct sunlight, vehicle interiors can reach temperatures well above 30°C. An insulated pouch is sufficient for day trips. Hotel rooms with air conditioning are adequate for overnight storage.

Airport security with methylphenidate

Methylphenidate tablets and capsules are solid-dose forms and are not subject to the cabin liquid restrictions. You do not need to declare them to security unless asked. Keep them in original packaging with your documents accessible, security staff may request to see your prescription if the medication is flagged during screening.

At French airports, airport security is administered by the Direction Générale de l'Aviation Civile (DGAC) and the Police Nationale. If a security officer asks about the medication, present your prescription and specialist letter. A letter in French or English makes this exchange easier.

Customs and medication import rules for France

French customs (Direction Générale des Douanes et Droits Indirects) requires that narcotic medications can only be imported by personal transport^[2], never by mail or courier. The ANSM confirms that no French import certificate is required for travellers entering France, but you must carry the original prescription.

If you are travelling from another Schengen country, carry the Schengen certificate (Article 75) issued by the health authority of your home country alongside your prescription. The certificate is valid for up to 30 days; show it on request to customs or police.^[2]

Narcotic classification: what this means at the French border

Methylphenidate is a narcotic (stupéfiant) under French law. Carrying it without the original prescription is a criminal offence. Importing it by post or courier is prohibited regardless of documentation. Carry no more than the treatment duration on your prescription, or one month's treatment if it states no duration. Customs treat any larger quantity as beyond personal use, and it may be confiscated.

Methylphenidate availability in France

Brands of methylphenidate sold in France

Brand name	Formulation	Supply note
Ritaline	Immediate-release tablet	Generally available; check with pharmacy
Ritaline LP	Extended-release capsule	Supply tensions reported by ANSM in 2024; check current stock
Concerta LP	Extended-release tablet (OROS technology)	Supply tensions reported by ANSM from November 2024; check current stock
Quasym LP	Modified-release capsule	Supply tensions reported by ANSM in 2024; check current stock
Medikinet	Modified-release capsule	Named by ANSM (Nov 2024) as a temporary replacement; check stock

All five brands are dispensed exclusively at French pharmacies against a French ordonnance sécurisée (secure prescription form). A foreign prescription cannot be used to obtain a new supply at a French pharmacy. If you hold an EHIC or GHIC card, reimbursement for a French-issued prescription may be available through l'Assurance Maladie. For more detail on ADHD healthcare access in France, see the ADHD in France guide.

In 2024, ANSM reported supply tensions for Ritaline LP (10 mg and 20 mg) and Quasym LP (from February 2024) and for Concerta LP and its generics (from November 2024).^[6] ANSM's temporary recommendations of 4 November 2024 let pharmacists dispense another methylphenidate product (Medikinet, or Ritaline LP in place of Concerta LP) to holders of a valid French ordonnance sécurisée without a new prescription.^[9] These measures were temporary and may have changed; ask the pharmacist or check ANSM's current shortage information. Visitors with only a foreign prescription must first get a French prescription. Confirm current stock with your destination pharmacy before you arrive.

Finding a doctor who can prescribe methylphenidate in France

Since September 2021, the initial methylphenidate prescription can come from any neurologist, psychiatrist or paediatrician, in hospital or private practice. It is valid for one year, and any doctor, including a GP (médecin généraliste), can renew it during that year^[7]. If you need a prescription during your trip, see one of these specialists in private practice or at a Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) or Centre Médico-Psychologique (CMP).

Private psychiatrist fees vary and are often above the standard Assurance Maladie rate; public hospital consultations cost less, but waits can be several weeks. English-speaking psychiatrists are available in major cities including Paris, Lyon and Marseille; search the Doctolib platform to filter by language.

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Storing methylphenidate while in France

Methylphenidate does not need refrigeration; follow the storage temperature on your product label. In hot weather, keep it in the coolest place available, such as an air-conditioned room, away from direct sunlight and heat sources.

Keep the medication locked away if you are staying in shared accommodation. French law treats unlicensed possession of narcotics seriously; ensure nobody else has access to your supply.

What to do if something goes wrong with your methylphenidate in France

If your medication is lost or stolen, file a police report (déclaration de vol) immediately, you will need this document when seeking a replacement prescription. Book an urgent appointment with a psychiatrist, neurologist or paediatrician; private specialists found through Doctolib are often the fastest option. Hospital (CHU) clinics and CMPs are an alternative, but waits can be several weeks. Bring your original prescription, specialist letter and the police report.

If you run out of methylphenidate unexpectedly, a French pharmacy cannot dispense a new supply without a valid French ordonnance sécurisée. See a psychiatrist, neurologist or paediatrician, in private practice or at a CHU or CMP, with your existing documentation; they can issue a new French prescription. A GP can only renew an existing French initial prescription, not start one.

If you hold a valid French ordonnance sécurisée for Concerta LP (or a generic) and it is out of stock, ANSM's temporary recommendation (updated 4 November 2024) lets the pharmacist dispense Medikinet, taken as a morning and a midday dose, or Ritaline LP instead; these temporary measures may since have changed, so ask the pharmacist.^[9]^[6] These products release methylphenidate differently from Concerta LP. Follow the pharmacist's dosing instructions and tell your prescriber.

“Je prends du méthylphénidate sur ordonnance. / J'ai besoin de voir un psychiatre. / Où est la pharmacie la plus proche? / Appelez le SAMU, s'il vous plaît.”

I take methylphenidate on prescription. / I need to see a psychiatrist. / Where is the nearest pharmacy? / Please call the SAMU.

For medical emergencies in France, call SAMU on 15 or the pan-European number 112. Hospital emergency departments (Urgences) are for urgent medical problems. They may be able to arrange a psychiatric assessment, but do not rely on them to issue a new methylphenidate prescription.

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Frequently asked questions

Is methylphenidate legal in France?

Yes, methylphenidate is legal in France, but it is classified as a narcotic (stupéfiant) and may only be carried with your original prescription from your prescribing doctor; travellers entering from another Schengen country should also carry a Schengen certificate (Article 75) issued by the health authority of your home country.

Can I bring methylphenidate into France from outside the Schengen Area?

Yes, but only by personal transport, importation by post or courier is prohibited. Carry your original prescription at all times. France does not require an inbound ANSM import certificate, and arriving from outside the Schengen Area you need only the original prescription. Travellers arriving from within the Schengen Area should carry a Schengen certificate (Article 75) issued by the health authority of your home country.

Do I need a Schengen certificate for my methylphenidate when travelling in Europe?

If you are travelling between Schengen countries with methylphenidate, you need a Schengen certificate (Article 75), issued by the health authority of the country where you live and valid for up to 30 days. If you live in France, it comes from the ARS of the region where your prescribing doctor is registered^[8]; if you live elsewhere in the Schengen Area, apply to your own national authority well before travel.

Can I get a methylphenidate prescription renewed by a French GP?

A French GP can renew an existing French initial prescription for methylphenidate during the year it is valid, but cannot start one. If you have no French initial prescription, see a neurologist, psychiatrist or paediatrician, in private practice or at a hospital, for the initial prescription. A foreign prescription cannot be used for in-country dispensing under any circumstances.

Is Ritalin available at French pharmacies?

Ritalin is sold in France as Ritaline (immediate-release) and Ritaline LP (extended-release). Both require a French ordonnance sécurisée and can only be dispensed with a prescription issued by an authorised French specialist or a GP renewing an existing specialist prescription. Ritaline LP 10 mg and 20 mg were in short supply in 2024; ANSM's temporary recommendations at the time let pharmacists dispense Medikinet instead to holders of a French prescription.^[6] Ask the pharmacist what applies now.

What happens if I run out of Concerta while visiting France?

A French pharmacy cannot dispense Concerta LP or any methylphenidate brand without a French ordonnance sécurisée. See a psychiatrist, neurologist or paediatrician, in private practice or at a hospital, with your existing prescription and specialist letter. They can issue a French prescription if clinically appropriate. Private specialists booked through Doctolib are often quicker than hospital clinics. If you hold a French prescription for Concerta LP and it is out of stock, ANSM's temporary recommendations (November 2024) allowed pharmacists to dispense Medikinet (split into two daily doses) or Ritaline LP instead^[9]^[6]; check whether this still applies.

Is Concerta the same as Ritaline in French pharmacies?

Both Concerta LP and Ritaline are brands of methylphenidate sold in France, but they are not interchangeable without medical review, they use different release technologies and have different pharmacokinetic profiles. Concerta LP uses OROS technology for 10–12 hour coverage, while Ritaline LP uses a different extended-release mechanism. If your supply of one brand runs out, a French pharmacist or doctor must assess the appropriate substitution.

Related practical guide

10 Things You Must Do Before Travelling Abroad with ADHD Medication

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Methylphenidate in France: Narcotics Schedule, Brands and Import Rules