Controlled Substances Special Use Authorization - Instructional Activities - Initial Permit

The controlled substances board may issue a permit authorizing a person to manufacture, obtain, possess, use, administer, or dispense a controlled substance for purposes of scientific research, instructional activities, chemical analysis, or other special uses if the following requirements are met:

• Provide a plan for maintaining the physical security of the controlled substances identified in the application.

• Provide the calculations that led to the amounts requested in the application.

• Provide an affidavit which states that the applicant intends to file an application for registration with the federal drug enforcement administration.

• Any individual applying for an SUA permit shall provide any other information or documentation requested by the board.

• Appear before the board if requested by the board.

Below are some general instructions for applying for a credential on LicensE. 

1. Create or log into your LicensE account. Please visit LicensE account Information page for detailed guidance on selecting your account type.

2. Select "Apply for a License."

3. Select your Category.

4. Select your License Type.

5. Select your Application Method, then "Next."

6. Review your Personal Information.

7. Enter the requested Information on each page of the application. Information may include Examination, Education, or License History, depending on your profession.

8. If applicable, request a Veterans Fee Waiver or Initial Credential Fee Reduction.

9. Submit the requested Documents you may already have. You do not need to have all documents ready to submit.

   Note: Forms are now hosted on AccessGov. Visit AccessGov Forms Directory to choose your form.

10. Respond to the Attestation questions.

11. Provide Payment Information. Fees may be found Credential Fees.

12. Submit your application.  

Profession specific application requirements can be found in the "Application Information" section.

Important:  The online application is currently being used to ensure your place in the processing queue. However, it is not fully functional, and you will need to upload the application form 2184 (along with other required documents) to your LicensE application.

Create or log into your LicensE account

Select Apply for a License

Category: Health

License Type: Controlled Substance Special Use Authorization

Application Method: Initial Licensure

You do not need to input information into the following sections of the online application. Choose save and continue on these pages to move forward:

• Drug/Substance

• Security, Questions

• Protocol Chart

Submitting the application: How the application is submitted depends on whether the SUA is for a state-owned institution or not:

• State-owned institution: Pause when you get to the payment screen and go to My Applications at the top of your screen. Note the PAR- number for the application and submit a support ticket including the PAR- number and that you are applying for an SUA for a state-owned institution. We will manually submit the application on your behalf to waive the $25 fee.

If you experience issues, please log into your LicensE account and click "Request Support". Submit a detailed support ticket and our team will get reach out to you.

Each Special Use Authorization application must be reviewed by the Board. 

Incomplete applications will delay the review process.

Amendments must be reviewed and approved by the Board prior to purchasing and additional drug amounts or new substances.

Under Wis. Stat. Sec.961.43, all statements must be true and correct: (1) It is unlawful for any person: (a) to acquire or obtain possession of a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, forgery, deception or subterfuge (2) Any person who violates this section is guilty of a Class H felony.

In accordance to federal and state laws, all Special Use Authorization (SUA) holders are only allowed to have drug/substance amounts that have been previously authorized and approved by the Controlled Substances Board. Possession or use of any additional drug/substance amounts that are not authorized by the Controlled Substances Board is a violation of federal and state laws. An SUA may be revoked for this violation.

The recommended procedure is a locked safe with access limited to those individuals shown on your application.

The following security requirements apply to those individuals holding Special Use Authorizations issued by the Wisconsin Controlled Substances Board authorized by Wis. Stat. sec. 961.335, for purposes of scientific research, instructional activities, chemical analysis, or other special uses. Upon request by the Controlled Substances Board, applicants for Special Use Authorizations must provide evidence of compliance with the security requirements. Failure to comply with Federal/State requirements may result in loss of your ability to purchase, store, and use controlled substances.

• Controlled Substances must be kept in a safe or steel cabinet or box.

• There is no minimum size or weight requirement but if the safe weighs less than 750 pounds, it must be bolted or cemented to the floor in such a way that it cannot be readily removed.

• The safe or cabinet/box must be able to withstand attempts at forced entry an individual using common tools (e.g. hammer, screwdriver, and crowbar) for a period of 10 minutes or lock manipulation for 20 hours. Fire resistance is not required. These specifications cannot be met by standard office furniture such as desks, tables, and file cabinets, unless it is specifically designed as security equipment. Appropriate commercially available storage boxes, cabinets, and safes may be obtained from lock and security retailers, some office supply outlets, some hardware, and general merchandise stores.

• Storage in a central safe, which is used for other security purposes, is acceptable if the controlled substances are locked in metal boxes sufficient to prevent casual access by others authorized to use the safe.

• The safe/cabinet must be housed in a room, which must be locked during non-use hours.

It is the obvious intent of the above regulations that controlled substances be stored in a manner which will protect them from theft and unauthorized use. These substances must be kept locked up except when they are in active use under the direct supervision of an authorized individual.

You will need to list the sources you will use to acquire the controlled substances on your application. 

You must maintain current and accurate records on all receipts and dispositions of controlled substances obtained pursuant to the issuance of the authorization.

• In accordance to federal and state laws, all Special Use Authorization (SUA) holders are only allowed to have drug/substance amounts that have been previously authorized and approved by the Controlled Substances Board. Any additional drug/substance amounts that are not authorized by the Controlled Substances Board, is a violation of federal and state laws. An SUA may be revoked for this violation.

• Any authorization or amendment expires at the expiration of the permit. The expiration date will be listed on the license at time of issuance.

• Please be advised you need to contact the Drug Enforcement Administration for authorization to destroy or otherwise properly dispose of all controlled substances.

• You must maintain current and accurate records on all receipts and dispositions of controlled substances obtained pursuant to the issuance of this Authorization.

• Authorization is expressly subject to such regulations and review that may be required by the Controlled Substances Board.

• Research in which controlled substances are administered to human subjects must be under the direct supervision of a physician currently licensed to practice in Wisconsin.

• To terminate your Special Use Authorization (SUA) submit in writing that you wish to terminate and cease all activity to which the SUA applies. Log into your LicensE account and upload the document to your license. To regain authorization in the future you will need to complete an application as a new SUA holder. Following review by the Board, a decision will be made whether to grant an SUA at that time.

After you upload all required documents, submit your application, and pay the required fee(s):

1. Preliminary Application Reference Number (PAR)

   1. Your application will be assigned a Preliminary Application Reference number or PAR number. This number allows you and trusted parties to look up the status of your application without logging in. You can also reference this number in any support tickets you submit in regard to your application.

      • A trusted 3^rd party can look up your credential status by visiting LicensE, clicking “Application Status Lookup” and entering the PAR number you have provided to them.

2. Review Timeline

   1. Your materials will be reviewed within approximately 10 days by a member of the credentialing team.

      • Note: Some licenses do take longer to process due to complexity. You can see the performance data on our LicensE Dashboard to see what date we are reviewing for certain application types under "Application Review Times by Profession."

3. Pending Applicant Input Status

   1. After this review, if anything is missing or the credentialing team has any questions on your application, your application will go back into a status called “Pending Applicant Input.”  You will receive an email letting you know your application was moved into this status. You should then log into LicensE and check your application “Due Diligence.”

4. To check your "Due Diligence" 

   1. Your Due Diligence is a checklist of items required for your credential.

   2. The Due Diligence section is how DSPS staff will communicate with you regarding your credential requirements.

   3. Log in to your LicensE account

   4. Click on "Check Application Status" 

   5. Your credential application should be shown on this page. Under “Action” select the button that looks like an upside-down triangle. If you are on mobile, you will need to turn your phone into landscape view. Note: LicensE is best viewed on a desktop or laptop.

   6. After clicking the upside-down triangle, select “View Due Diligences.”

   7. The Due Diligence column lets you know what the requirement is.

   8. The “STATUS” column will you know if the item is “Met”, “Not Met”, or “Not Applicable.”

      • Items listed as “Not Met” are items that are needed by the Department.  

   9. The “NOTES” column of your Due Diligence will provide further written details or instructions about what is still needed.

5. To upload documents

   1. Some applications require additional document uploads.

   2. Log into your LicensE account

   3. Click on "Check Application Status"

   4. Your credential application should be shown on this page. Under "Action" select the button that looks like an upside-down triangle. If you are on mobile, you will need to turn your phone into landscape view. Note: LicensE is best viewed on a desktop or laptop. 

   5. After clicking the upside-down triangle, select "Upload Document."

   6. The document must be an allowable document type. 

   7. After uploading the document, click "submit." If you do not, it will not be sent to a reviewer. 

6. If you have any questions, you can submit a support ticket on LicensE by logging in and clicking "request support" at the top of the page.

LicensE statuses that require action from applicant:

LicensE statuses that indicate the application is with Department staff:

Support Ticket
Submit a support ticket on LicensE and click "request support." Please provide as much detail as possible regarding your concern so we can work to answer your question with a one touch resolution. 

Call
608-266-2112

Email
dsps@wisconsin.gov

Office Hours
7:45am-4:30pm
Department of Safety and Professional Services
4822 Madison Yards Way
Madison, WI, 53705

Note: The in-person office does not process same day.