Schedule 8 Drug Safe Requirements in NSW

From 5 November 2026, the S8 drug safe requirements in NSW are set by the Medicine Storage Standards made under the Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Regulation 2026. A community pharmacy must keep Schedule 8 medicines in a safe of mild steel plate at least 9 mm thick, with continuously welded joints, a flush 9 mm door with no more than 1.5 mm clearance, a welded locking bar and a five-lever lock or equivalent. The safe must be securely attached with specified fastenings and kept out of public reach.

Veterinary practices, aged care, hospitals and other places have their own rules within the same Standards. Below we summarise each setting, explain the fixing requirements and look at what the change means for safes already installed. For a comparison with other states, see our complete guide to Schedule 8 drug safes.

The 5 November 2026 changes

NSW Health has confirmed that the Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act 2022 and the Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Regulation 2026 replace the Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act 1966 and the Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Regulation 2008 from 5 November 2026. The detailed storage rules sit in a separate document, the Medicine Storage Standards, which NSW Health published in August 2026 and which is marked effective from 5 November 2026. You can download it from the NSW Health Medicine Storage Standards page.

The Standards are written as a set of outcomes (for example, “prevent removal of receptacle from premises”) with minimum requirements under each one. They apply to any place where S8 medicines are stored, and also to Schedule 4D medicines in certain places such as public health entities, private health facilities, opioid treatment program clinics, residential care facilities and correctional centres. They do not apply to medicines that have been lawfully supplied to a patient, or to a resident’s dispensed S8 medicines in dose administration aids at a residential care facility.

Other pharmacy changes sit alongside the storage rules. NSW Health’s pharmacist information says the pharmacy owner becomes responsible for keeping a compliant drug register on the premises, and the S8 balance must be recorded at least once every three months.

S8 drug safe requirements in NSW for community pharmacies

Part 1.1 of the Standards covers S8 medicines stored at room temperature in a community pharmacy. Medicines must be kept in a receptacle or a dedicated room that is locked when not in immediate use. If you use a receptacle, it must be a safe that is:

• constructed from mild steel plate not less than 9 mm thick, with continuous welding at all joints
• fitted with a flush door, also of mild steel plate not less than 9 mm thick, with a clearance around the door of not more than 1.5 mm
• fitted with a fixed locking bar welded to the inside face of the door near the hinged edge, which engages a rebate in the safe body when the door is closed
• secured with a five-lever lock, or a lock with equivalent security, affixed to the rear face of the door
• securely attached to the premises using robust fastening mechanisms
• not accessible to members of the public

The alternative is a dedicated room: a strongroom with a resistance grading of at least VII under AS/NZS 3809:1998 Safes and strongrooms, or an equivalent standard, located at least 1 metre from all external walls. That is the wording NSW Health uses, so any strongroom proposal should be checked against it with the regulator and a security professional. Our explainer on safe ratings and resistance grades gives background on how these gradings work.

Codes, combinations and keys

If a code or combination is needed to open the safe, it must be changed at regular intervals. If a unique code or biometric identifier is assigned to a person, it must be deactivated or surrendered when they stop working at the premises. The Regulation also requires the safe to be locked when not in immediate use and access to the key or code to be restricted. If you are weighing up lock types, our article comparing key locks and electronic safe locks sets out the trade-offs.

What “robust fastening mechanisms” means

The Standards define the fixing required for safes and refrigerators:

• Brick or concrete floor or wall: expanding bolts (such as Dynabolts or similar) of at least 12 mm width by 50 mm length.
• Timber frame wall or floor: 10 mm width coach screws of a suitable length.
• Units without fixing points (common with refrigerators and automated drug cabinets): secured to a loop-end bolt or metal bar using 10 mm braided steel cable or 5 mm steel link chain, with the bolt or bar itself fixed as above.

Our technicians can carry out professional drug safe installation to these specifications. Tell us the floor and wall construction when you book so we bring the right fixings.

Requirements by setting

The table below summarises the receptacle rules for common settings. It is a summary only; read the relevant Part of the Standards for the full wording.

Vets should note that their safe specification matches the community pharmacy one. Our article on drug safes for vet clinics covers practice layout and mobile work. Private medical and dental practices are not named in the Standards, so on our reading they fall under “any other place”, which allows a metal or hardwood cabinet or a safe. Confirm this with NSW Health before relying on it, and see our guide to S8 storage in medical and dental practices.

Refrigerated S8 medicines

S8 medicines that need refrigeration must be kept in a working refrigerator that is locked when not being accessed. It may only contain S8 substances and other scheduled substances that require refrigeration. The refrigerator must be fixed with robust fastening mechanisms and kept away from public access, and the same code-change rules apply.

What can be stored with S8 medicines

The Standards note that, under the Regulation, other scheduled medicines may not be stored with S8 and S4D medicines unless separately approved, apart from Schedule 9 substances and scheduled medicines that need refrigeration in certain settings. If your safe is crowded with other stock, that is a sign you need more S8 capacity. Our guide on how big a pharmacy drug safe should be explains how to plan for it.

Does your existing safe still comply?

We could not find specific transition arrangements for existing safes in NSW Health’s published material. Check your current safe against each line of the new specification: plate thickness of body and door, door clearance, the welded locking bar, the lock, and the fixing method. A safe can be heavy and well built yet still fall short on fixing or lock type.

If an upgrade is needed, our drug safe range includes models from CMI, Guardall, Platinum, Chubb, Secuguard and Stronghold. For example, the Chubb DC1 key-locking drug safe is listed at around $1,099, and larger cabinets cost several thousand dollars. Prices change, so confirm on the product page. Ask us for the manufacturer’s construction details so you can match them to the Standards. Our post on checking whether a safe meets Australian standards has general tips on reading compliance plates.

This article is general information, not legal advice, and rules change. Confirm your obligations with NSW Health’s Pharmaceutical Services Unit before buying or modifying storage.

Frequently Asked Questions

When do the new NSW Medicine Storage Standards start?

NSW Health says the Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act 2022 and the Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Regulation 2026 commence on 5 November 2026, replacing the Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act 1966 and Regulation 2008. The Medicine Storage Standards, published in August 2026, are marked effective from the same date and set the requirements for storing Schedule 8 medicines.

How thick does a pharmacy drug safe need to be in NSW?

Under the Medicine Storage Standards, a community pharmacy safe for Schedule 8 medicines must be built from mild steel plate at least 9 mm thick with continuous welding at all joints. The flush door must also be at least 9 mm mild steel with no more than 1.5 mm clearance, plus a welded locking bar and a five-lever lock or a lock of equivalent security.

What bolts are needed to fix a drug safe in NSW?

The Standards define robust fastening mechanisms. On a brick or concrete floor or wall, use expanding bolts of at least 12 mm width by 50 mm length. On a timber frame, use 10 mm coach screws of a suitable length. Units without fixing points must be secured to a loop-end bolt or metal bar using 10 mm braided steel cable or 5 mm steel link chain.

Can a GP clinic in NSW use a lockable cabinet instead of a safe?

For places not listed elsewhere in the Medicine Storage Standards, the receptacle must be a secure lockable cabinet or safe made of metal or hardwood, securely attached with robust fastening mechanisms and kept where the public has no access. Most private medical practices appear to fall into this category, but confirm your classification with NSW Health’s Pharmaceutical Services Unit.

Need a compliant drug safe for NSW?

We deliver drug safes Australia-wide and install through our national network. You are also welcome to visit our Tullamarine showroom at 38 Barrie Rd, where more than 350 new and used safes are on display. Call 0409 860 011 or contact Precision Safes online with your setting, stock levels and floor construction, and we will help you shortlist suitable models.