Claritin-D is kept behind the pharmacy counter because it contains pseudoephedrine, a decongestant that can be used to make methamphetamine. A 2005 federal law requires stores to keep pseudoephedrine products out of customers’ direct reach, check photo ID, log each sale and limit how much one person can buy.
Plain Claritin (loratadine alone) has no pseudoephedrine, so it stays on the open shelf. Most Theraflu products don’t contain pseudoephedrine either, but they do contain other ingredients that matter if you combine them with an allergy medicine. This guide explains both. For more on allergy medicines, see our allergy treatment guides.
Jump to: Quick answer · Why it’s behind the counter · What buying it involves · What’s in Claritin-D · Theraflu types · Combining them · FAQ
Quick answer
- Why behind the counter: Claritin-D contains pseudoephedrine, which the federal Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act of 2005 restricts because it is commonly used to make methamphetamine.
- What you’ll need: photo ID. The pharmacy records the sale, and there are daily and monthly purchase limits.
- Plain Claritin is different: loratadine alone is an antihistamine with no decongestant, so it is sold on regular shelves.
- Theraflu: most current Theraflu products contain acetaminophen plus a cough suppressant, and nighttime versions add an antihistamine. “Theraflu-D” versions contain pseudoephedrine and fall under the same rules as Claritin-D.
- Combining: check the Drug Facts labels so you don’t double up on a decongestant or antihistamine, and ask a pharmacist before mixing.
Why Claritin-D is behind the counter
According to the FDA, the Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act of 2005 bans over-the-counter sales of cold medicines containing pseudoephedrine, which is commonly used to make methamphetamine. The law covers pseudoephedrine, ephedrine and phenylpropanolamine.
The “D” in Claritin-D stands for its decongestant. Because Claritin-D contains pseudoephedrine, it falls under this law. The same applies to other allergy medicines with a “D” version that uses pseudoephedrine, and to plain pseudoephedrine products.
What buying Claritin-D involves
The FDA lists the federal requirements:
- Behind the counter: stores must keep these products where customers can’t get them directly before the sale, such as behind the pharmacy counter or in a locked cabinet.
- Photo ID: you show identification to buy them.
- A logbook: the store keeps a written or electronic record of the product, quantity, the buyer’s name and address, and the date and time.
- Limits: there is a limit on how much you can buy in a single day and in a month. The FDA suggests asking your pharmacist about the exact amounts.
States can have their own rules on top of the federal law, so what you see at the counter may vary by state. Your pharmacist can tell you what applies where you live.
What’s in Claritin-D
| Product | Active ingredients (per tablet) | How often (adults and children 12 and over) |
|---|---|---|
| Claritin-D 12 Hour | Loratadine 5 mg (antihistamine) and pseudoephedrine sulfate 120 mg (decongestant) | 1 tablet every 12 hours; no more than 2 in 24 hours |
| Claritin-D 24 Hour | Loratadine 10 mg and pseudoephedrine sulfate 240 mg | 1 tablet daily with a full glass of water; no more than 1 in 24 hours |
Source: the Claritin-D 12 Hour and 24 Hour Drug Facts labels on DailyMed. The tablets should not be divided, crushed, chewed or dissolved. Children under 12 and people with liver or kidney disease should ask a doctor.
Who should check with a doctor first
The Claritin-D label says do not use it if you take a prescription MAOI (certain medicines for depression, psychiatric or emotional conditions, or Parkinson’s disease) or within 2 weeks of stopping one. It says to ask a doctor before use if you have heart disease, thyroid disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, trouble urinating due to an enlarged prostate, or liver or kidney disease. Stop and ask a doctor if you get nervous, dizzy or can’t sleep, or if symptoms don’t improve within 7 days or come with a fever.
Theraflu types: what they contain
“Theraflu” is a brand name for many different products, and their ingredients vary. Here is how the products listed on the NIH’s DailyMed label database group together (checked October 2026). Always read the Drug Facts on the box you actually have, since formulas change.
| Theraflu type | Typical active ingredients | Behind the counter? |
|---|---|---|
| Daytime (for example Flu Relief Max Strength Daytime, Severe Cold Relief Daytime) | Acetaminophen (pain and fever) and dextromethorphan (cough); some add guaifenesin | No |
| Nighttime (for example Severe Cold Relief Nighttime, Flu Relief Max Strength Nighttime) | Acetaminophen with an antihistamine: diphenhydramine or chlorpheniramine; some add dextromethorphan | No |
| ExpressMax, PowerPods and some other versions | Acetaminophen and others, plus phenylephrine (an oral decongestant) | No |
| Theraflu-D (Plus Nasal Decongestant) | Acetaminophen, dextromethorphan and pseudoephedrine; nighttime adds chlorpheniramine | Yes, because of the pseudoephedrine |
| Severe Congestion nasal mist | Oxymetazoline nasal spray | No |
A note on phenylephrine
On November 7, 2024, the FDA proposed removing oral phenylephrine as an over-the-counter nasal decongestant. The proposal was based on effectiveness, not safety: an FDA advisory committee had unanimously concluded in 2023 that the data do not support oral phenylephrine as a nasal decongestant at the labeled dose. Companies could keep selling these products until a final order. The proposal does not cover phenylephrine nasal sprays.
Can you take Theraflu with Claritin or Claritin-D?
It depends on which products. These are the checks that matter, based on the Drug Facts labels:
- Don’t double up on pseudoephedrine. Claritin-D and Theraflu-D both contain it. Taking both means two doses of the same decongestant.
- Watch for two antihistamines. Claritin contains loratadine, and Theraflu nighttime products contain diphenhydramine or chlorpheniramine. The diphenhydramine label says not to use it with any other product containing diphenhydramine, even one used on the skin.
- Count your acetaminophen. Theraflu labels warn that more than 4,000 mg of acetaminophen in 24 hours, or taking it with other acetaminophen products, can cause severe liver damage. Claritin and Claritin-D don’t contain acetaminophen, but many other cold and pain medicines do.
- Check the shared warnings. Both Claritin-D and Theraflu labels warn against use with a prescription MAOI, and many Theraflu labels say to ask a doctor or pharmacist first if you take the blood thinner warfarin.
The safest move is to show both boxes to a pharmacist, who can check your other medicines and health conditions. If you mainly have allergy symptoms rather than a cold or flu, an allergy medicine alone may be all you need.
If you’d rather skip the counter
- Plain antihistamines such as loratadine (Claritin) are on open shelves and treat sneezing, a runny nose and itchy eyes, though not congestion.
- Nasal sprays: steroid nose sprays and saltwater rinses can help with congestion. Our guides on neti pots and salt water gargles cover the basics.
- Longer-term relief: if you need decongestants often, an allergist can look at options such as allergy drops or shots.
Be cautious with zinc nasal sprays for colds; read why zinc sprays can affect your sense of smell.
This guide is general information, not medical advice. Read our medical disclaimer.
Frequently asked questions
Why is Claritin-D behind the counter but Claritin isn’t?
Claritin-D contains pseudoephedrine, which federal law restricts because it is used to make methamphetamine. Plain Claritin contains only loratadine, an antihistamine, which isn’t restricted.
Which ingredient causes Claritin-D’s purchase restrictions?
Pseudoephedrine sulfate, the nasal decongestant. Each Claritin-D 12 Hour tablet has 120 mg and each 24 Hour tablet has 240 mg.
Do I need a prescription for Claritin-D?
Under federal law, no: you buy it from the pharmacy counter with photo ID, and sales are logged and limited. States can add their own rules, so ask your pharmacist what applies where you live.
How much Claritin-D can I buy?
Federal law sets daily and monthly limits on pseudoephedrine purchases. The FDA suggests asking your pharmacist for the exact amounts that apply to you.
Can you take Theraflu and Claritin together?
Sometimes, but check the labels first. Avoid taking two pseudoephedrine products (Claritin-D with Theraflu-D) or two antihistamines (Claritin with a Theraflu nighttime product) unless a pharmacist or doctor says it’s OK.
Does Theraflu have pseudoephedrine?
Most Theraflu products don’t. “Theraflu-D” products labeled “Plus Nasal Decongestant” do, and they are sold behind the counter like Claritin-D.
Sources
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Legal requirements for the sale and purchase of drug products containing pseudoephedrine, ephedrine, and phenylpropanolamine. Content current as of July 12, 2024.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA proposes ending use of oral phenylephrine as OTC monograph nasal decongestant active ingredient after extensive review. November 7, 2024.
- DailyMed (National Library of Medicine). Claritin-D 12 Hour and Claritin-D 24 Hour Drug Facts labels (Bayer HealthCare).
- DailyMed (National Library of Medicine). Theraflu Drug Facts labels (Haleon), including Flu Relief Max Strength Daytime, Severe Cold Relief Nighttime and Theraflu-D Flu Relief Max Strength Plus Nasal Decongestant.
Last reviewed: October 21, 2026.
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