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Peptide Laws in South Africa
ZA · Africa · 23 peptides tracked
Grey AreaEnforcement: Lenient
Are Peptides Legal in South Africa?
South Africa is the one African country where you can actually buy research peptides online from local vendors. The health authority (SAHPRA) has said peptides are 'not currently regulated,' so buying them falls into a legal grey area. Semaglutide is registered and available by prescription, though compounded GLP-1 versions have been banned. If you're visiting, you can likely purchase peptides locally, but bringing large quantities through customs could raise questions.
4
Legal12
Grey Area2
Prescription5
BannedCan You Buy Peptides in South Africa?
4 peptide(s) are legal to buy in South Africa, including GHK-Cu, NAD+, Glutathione, Vitamin B12. 2 peptide(s) require a valid prescription, including Tirzepatide, Semaglutide. 12 peptide(s) fall into a legal grey area: Selank, MOTS-c, AOD-9604, Semax, DSIP, and 7 more. These may be available for research purposes but their legality for personal use is ambiguous. 5 peptide(s) are banned: Retatrutide, TB-500, CJC-1295, Ipamorelin, BPC-157. Purchasing or possessing these is illegal.
Traveling to South Africa with Peptides
When traveling to South Africa with peptides, the legality depends on each peptide's classification. Do not bring banned substances (Retatrutide, TB-500, CJC-1295, Ipamorelin, BPC-157) — these could result in criminal penalties at customs. Prescription peptides (Tirzepatide, Semaglutide) typically require documentation such as a prescription or doctor's letter when crossing borders. Enforcement in South Africa is rated as "Lenient." Always declare pharmaceutical products at customs and carry documentation of any prescriptions.
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Peptide Regulations in South Africa
| Peptide | Status | Rx Required | Schedule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retatrutide | Banned | No | Unscheduled Unregistered | Not named in any Schedule of the Consolidated Schedules (06 July 2026). As a peptide hormone it arguably falls within the generic Schedule 4 inscription for "Hormones ... with either hormonal, prohormonal or anti-hormonal action, unless listed elsewhere" - an interpretation of a catch-all, not a named entry, and SAHPRA has published no substance-specific determination. Regardless of schedule, it is unregistered, so s.14(1) prohibits its sale; s.30(1) provides a fine or up to 10 years. SAHPRA has named branded retatrutide products (Platinum Retatrutide, Lira Retatrutide, Retatrutide iPharma) as unauthorised or falsified. Compounding is unavailable: no registered South African medicine contains this active component, so the s.14(4) proviso fails. | Official |
| Selank | Grey Area | No | Unregulated | Not scheduled. Not specifically regulated. Russian-developed anxiolytic peptide. Available from international research vendors. Not locally produced or widely available in SA. Framework: s.14(1) of the Medicines and Related Substances Act 101 of 1965 prohibits selling a registrable medicine that is not registered; offences under s.29 carry, per s.30(1), a fine or imprisonment up to 10 years. Compounding is unavailable unless the active component appears in another medicine registered under the Act (s.14(4) proviso), and regulation 3(3)(c) separately bars compounding for growth promotion or performance enhancement. | Official |
| Tirzepatide | Prescription | Yes | Schedule 4 Generic | Registered in South Africa as Mounjaro (Eli Lilly) for type 2 diabetes - NOT registered for weight management. Notably, tirzepatide is not named in any Schedule; it is caught by the generic Schedule 4 inscription for "Hormones ... unless listed elsewhere" (and secondarily by the Schedule 4 entry for injectable biological medicines). That is an interpretation of a catch-all rather than a named entry. Prescription only. Commercial-scale compounding was the subject of a SAHPRA/SAPC seizure and a Class I recall in 2026. | Official |
| MOTS-c | Grey Area | No | Unregulated | Not specifically regulated. Novel mitochondrial peptide. Available from research vendors. Minimal SAHPRA attention. Same research chemical framework as BPC-157. Framework: s.14(1) of the Medicines and Related Substances Act 101 of 1965 prohibits selling a registrable medicine that is not registered; offences under s.29 carry, per s.30(1), a fine or imprisonment up to 10 years. Compounding is unavailable unless the active component appears in another medicine registered under the Act (s.14(4) proviso), and regulation 3(3)(c) separately bars compounding for growth promotion or performance enhancement. | Official |
| TB-500 | Banned | No | Unscheduled Unregistered | Not named in any Schedule of the Consolidated Schedules (06 July 2026) - verified by direct text search. Being unscheduled does not make it lawful: s.14(1) of the Medicines and Related Substances Act 101 of 1965 prohibits selling a registrable medicine that is not registered, and SAHPRA named this substance among "illegally marketed peptides" in its Peptide Products public information page of 26 May 2026. Offences under s.29 carry, per s.30(1), a fine or imprisonment up to 10 YEARS (the previous R40,000 fine cap was deleted in 1997, so the fine is at large). COMPOUNDING IS NOT AVAILABLE: the s.14(4) exemption requires that the active component appear in another medicine registered under the Act, which is not the case here; regulation 3(3)(c) separately bars compounding for growth promotion or performance enhancement. Lawful access would require a named-patient section 21 authorisation, applied for by the prescribing practitioner. Framework: s.14(1) of the Medicines and Related Substances Act 101 of 1965 prohibits selling a registrable medicine that is not registered; offences under s.29 carry, per s.30(1), a fine or imprisonment up to 10 years. Compounding is unavailable unless the active component appears in another medicine registered under the Act (s.14(4) proviso), and regulation 3(3)(c) separately bars compounding for growth promotion or performance enhancement. | Official |
| GHK-Cu | Legal | No | Cosmetic (Unregulated) | Topical/cosmetic formulations sold freely (NovaNAD+ and other SA retailers). Injectable research form available from peptide vendors. Not scheduled. Less regulatory attention than other peptides. | Unofficial |
| AOD-9604 | Grey Area | No | Unregulated | Not specifically scheduled. HGH fragment 176-191. Available from research vendors. Not same regulatory treatment as full HGH (which is Schedule 5). Minimal enforcement attention. Framework: s.14(1) of the Medicines and Related Substances Act 101 of 1965 prohibits selling a registrable medicine that is not registered; offences under s.29 carry, per s.30(1), a fine or imprisonment up to 10 years. Compounding is unavailable unless the active component appears in another medicine registered under the Act (s.14(4) proviso), and regulation 3(3)(c) separately bars compounding for growth promotion or performance enhancement. | Official |
| Semaglutide | Prescription | Yes | Schedule 4 | Schedule 4 - named expressly in the Consolidated Schedules (06 July 2026). Prescription only. Compounding is permitted but narrowly: SAHPRA has stated semaglutide may be compounded because it is contained in a registered medicine, but compounded products may NOT use salt forms (semaglutide acetate, semaglutide sodium or any form other than that in the registered product), and doing so is illegal. SAHPRA and the SAPC seized product and issued a Class I recall in 2026 over commercial-scale compounding conducted under the guise of magistral preparation. | Official |
| CJC-1295 | Banned | No | Unscheduled Unregistered | Not named in any Schedule of the Consolidated Schedules (06 July 2026) - verified by direct text search. Being unscheduled does not make it lawful: s.14(1) of the Medicines and Related Substances Act 101 of 1965 prohibits selling a registrable medicine that is not registered, and SAHPRA named this substance among "illegally marketed peptides" in its Peptide Products public information page of 26 May 2026. Offences under s.29 carry, per s.30(1), a fine or imprisonment up to 10 YEARS (the previous R40,000 fine cap was deleted in 1997, so the fine is at large). COMPOUNDING IS NOT AVAILABLE: the s.14(4) exemption requires that the active component appear in another medicine registered under the Act, which is not the case here; regulation 3(3)(c) separately bars compounding for growth promotion or performance enhancement. Lawful access would require a named-patient section 21 authorisation, applied for by the prescribing practitioner. Framework: s.14(1) of the Medicines and Related Substances Act 101 of 1965 prohibits selling a registrable medicine that is not registered; offences under s.29 carry, per s.30(1), a fine or imprisonment up to 10 years. Compounding is unavailable unless the active component appears in another medicine registered under the Act (s.14(4) proviso), and regulation 3(3)(c) separately bars compounding for growth promotion or performance enhancement. | Official |
| Semax | Grey Area | No | Unregulated | Not scheduled. Not specifically regulated. Russian-developed nootropic. Available from international research vendors. Not locally produced or widely available in SA. Framework: s.14(1) of the Medicines and Related Substances Act 101 of 1965 prohibits selling a registrable medicine that is not registered; offences under s.29 carry, per s.30(1), a fine or imprisonment up to 10 years. Compounding is unavailable unless the active component appears in another medicine registered under the Act (s.14(4) proviso), and regulation 3(3)(c) separately bars compounding for growth promotion or performance enhancement. | Official |
| Ipamorelin | Banned | No | Unscheduled Unregistered | Not named in any Schedule of the Consolidated Schedules (06 July 2026) - verified by direct text search. Being unscheduled does not make it lawful: s.14(1) of the Medicines and Related Substances Act 101 of 1965 prohibits selling a registrable medicine that is not registered, and SAHPRA named this substance among "illegally marketed peptides" in its Peptide Products public information page of 26 May 2026. Offences under s.29 carry, per s.30(1), a fine or imprisonment up to 10 YEARS (the previous R40,000 fine cap was deleted in 1997, so the fine is at large). COMPOUNDING IS NOT AVAILABLE: the s.14(4) exemption requires that the active component appear in another medicine registered under the Act, which is not the case here; regulation 3(3)(c) separately bars compounding for growth promotion or performance enhancement. Lawful access would require a named-patient section 21 authorisation, applied for by the prescribing practitioner. Framework: s.14(1) of the Medicines and Related Substances Act 101 of 1965 prohibits selling a registrable medicine that is not registered; offences under s.29 carry, per s.30(1), a fine or imprisonment up to 10 years. Compounding is unavailable unless the active component appears in another medicine registered under the Act (s.14(4) proviso), and regulation 3(3)(c) separately bars compounding for growth promotion or performance enhancement. | Official |
| NAD+ | Legal | No | Supplement | NAD+ supplements widely sold in SA (Charava, Largavita, Annique, Takealot). IV NAD+ infusions available at wellness clinics (NovaNAD+). Not scheduled. Sold as dietary supplement without restriction. Multiple SA retailers. | Unofficial |
| BPC-157 | Banned | No | Unscheduled Unregistered | Not named in any Schedule of the Consolidated Schedules (06 July 2026) - verified by direct text search. Being unscheduled does not make it lawful: s.14(1) of the Medicines and Related Substances Act 101 of 1965 prohibits selling a registrable medicine that is not registered, and SAHPRA named this substance among "illegally marketed peptides" in its Peptide Products public information page of 26 May 2026. Offences under s.29 carry, per s.30(1), a fine or imprisonment up to 10 YEARS (the previous R40,000 fine cap was deleted in 1997, so the fine is at large). COMPOUNDING IS NOT AVAILABLE: the s.14(4) exemption requires that the active component appear in another medicine registered under the Act, which is not the case here; regulation 3(3)(c) separately bars compounding for growth promotion or performance enhancement. Lawful access would require a named-patient section 21 authorisation, applied for by the prescribing practitioner. Framework: s.14(1) of the Medicines and Related Substances Act 101 of 1965 prohibits selling a registrable medicine that is not registered; offences under s.29 carry, per s.30(1), a fine or imprisonment up to 10 years. Compounding is unavailable unless the active component appears in another medicine registered under the Act (s.14(4) proviso), and regulation 3(3)(c) separately bars compounding for growth promotion or performance enhancement. | Official |
| DSIP | Grey Area | No | Unregistered | — | Unsourced |
| Epithalon | Grey Area | No | Unregistered | — | Unsourced |
| Glutathione | Legal | No | Supplement | — | Unsourced |
| HGH | Grey Area | No | Unregistered | — | Unsourced |
| KPV | Grey Area | No | Unregistered | — | Unsourced |
| Melanotan II | Grey Area | No | Unregistered | — | Unsourced |
| Liraglutide | Grey Area | No | Unregistered | — | Unsourced |
| MK-677 | Grey Area | No | Unscheduled Unregistered | Not named in any Schedule of the Consolidated Schedules (06 July 2026), and SAHPRA has not named it in any communication located. Whether it falls within the Schedule 4 "Hormones ... hormonal, prohormonal or anti-hormonal action" inscription is genuinely arguable - it is a non-peptide ghrelin-receptor agonist, a weaker fit than the peptide secretagogues - and no SAHPRA determination exists. Otherwise it sits in residual Schedule 0. Either way it is an unregistered medicine, so s.14(1) prohibits sale and s.30(1) provides a fine or up to 10 years. Compounding is unavailable: no registered South African medicine contains this active component. | Official |
| PT-141 | Grey Area | No | Unregistered | — | Unsourced |
| Vitamin B12 | Legal | No | Supplement | — | Unsourced |
About the sources on this page
Entries marked Official cite a government regulator, legislation or an official gazette. Entries marked Unofficial rest on sources that are not authoritative — which may include commercial sellers, medicine-import services or independent websites. Some entries currently carry no source at all.
We show these entries rather than hiding them, but they should not be relied on. Nothing on this site is legal advice. Verify against the national regulator before acting, and if you can point us at a better source please submit an update.
Data is researcher-verified but not legal advice. Always consult local regulations before purchasing, importing, or traveling with peptides. Last verified: 2026-02-28.