> ## Site index
> Full index of Peptides.build at https://peptides.build/llms.txt. Use it to discover every page.

# Is MOTS-c Legal? Yes, by Prescription (2026)

Since Oct 28, 2026, HHS lets licensed 503A pharmacies compound MOTS-c acetate for injection with a prescription. What that means and how to get it, priced.

URL: https://peptides.build/legal/mots-c/

Legal status · Updated after the HHS policy

# Is MOTS-c legal? Yes, by prescription. Here is how to get it.

Updated October 29, 2026 · Sourced to HHS and the Federal Register

## The short answer

Yes, with a prescription. Since October 28, 2026, HHS says it will not take enforcement action against licensed 503A pharmacies and physicians that compound MOTS-c acetate for injection for a patient with a prescription, if ten conditions are met. It is not FDA approval. At Peptides.build a licensed US provider reviews your intake, and a licensed 503A pharmacy compounds single-ingredient MOTS-c and ships it already reconstituted, from $158/mo.

![MOTS-c prescription vial](/media/products/mots-c.webp)

 US-supervised · all 50 states

[MOTS-c](https://peptides.build/protocols/mots-c/)Covered by the HHS policy

**$158**/mo*$949 billed every 6 months*

-   🇺🇸 Prescribed by a licensed US provider
-   🇺🇸 Made by a licensed US 503A pharmacy
-   Arrives pre-mixed and labeled
-   HealthProtect verified

Pay over time at checkout![Klarna](/media/payments/klarna.png)![Afterpay](/media/payments/afterpay.png)![Affirm](/media/payments/affirm.png)

Prescription required. Your provider decides if it is appropriate. Compounded medications are not FDA-approved.

What counts

## Which kind of MOTS-c is legal?

MOTS-c is a mitochondrial-derived peptide studied mostly in preclinical research. The HHS policy is narrow: it names one form of MOTS-c, one route and one device. Everything else is outside it.

MOTS-c under the HHS policy of October 28, 2026
| What you get | Status | Why |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Prescribed, single-ingredient MOTS-c acetate from a licensed 503A pharmacy | Covered by the HHS policy | Injection (SC or IM) |
| MOTS-c blended with other peptides | Outside the policy | The policy covers one active ingredient only |
| Oral or nasal MOTS-c, or a different salt form | Outside the policy | Only the acetate form, by injection, is listed |
| Pre-filled pens and auto-injectors | Outside the policy | The only covered device is an FDA 510(k)-cleared syringe |
| "Research use only" vials sold online | Not for human use | No prescription, no licensed pharmacy, no adverse-event reporting |

What changed

## Why was MOTS-c hard to get before?

MOTS-c regulatory timeline
| Date | What happened |
| --- | --- |
| Sept 29, 2023 | FDA places MOTS-c on its Category 2 list. Pharmacies stop compounding it. |
| Apr 22, 2026 | FDA takes it off Category 2. On its own, that did not make it compoundable under 503A. |
| Jul 23 to 24, 2026 | FDA's Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee votes for MOTS-c. FDA's drug center (CDER) had recommended against it. |
| Oct 28, 2026 | HHS files the enforcement-discretion policy, FR Doc 2026-22192. |

The policy is interim. It lasts until FDA rulemaking decides MOTS-c's permanent status, and HHS can withdraw it if a safety or quality problem appears. Read the ten conditions in our [HHS peptide policy explainer](https://peptides.build/news/hhs-peptide-policy/), or see every peptide's status on the [legal status page](https://peptides.build/legal/peptides/).

Four steps

## How do I get MOTS-c prescribed online?

1.  **Online intake.** About five minutes: your health history and goals.
2.  **Provider review.** A licensed US provider decides whether MOTS-c is appropriate for you and, if so, writes a patient-specific prescription.
3.  **Pharmacy compounding.** A licensed US 503A pharmacy compounds single-ingredient MOTS-c acetate and mixes it for you.
4.  **Delivered ready to draw.** Shipped cold-chain to your door, already reconstituted and labeled with the concentration.

No powder, no BAC water, no syringe math: the pharmacy has already mixed it. Plans, who it is for and the full FAQ are on the [MOTS-c protocol page](https://peptides.build/protocols/mots-c/).

Price

## How much does legal MOTS-c cost?

MOTS-c at Peptides.build, USD, October 29, 2026
| Plan | You pay | Per month |  |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $199 | $199 |  |
| 3 months | $499 | $166 |  |
| 6 months | $949 | $158 |  |

Includes the provider review, single-ingredient compounding by a licensed 503A pharmacy and cold-chain shipping. No membership fee. Compare every protocol on the [pricing page](https://peptides.build/pricing/).

Why Peptides.build

## Prescribed by a provider. Made by a pharmacy. Verified.

**Prescribed**A licensed US provider reviews your intake and prescribes only if it is appropriate. Physician oversight by Arora Health & Aesthetics, LLC.

**Pharmacy-made**A licensed US 503A pharmacy compounds it for you and ships it directly, cold-chain. Nothing is mixed by us, and nothing is mixed by you.

**Verified**Peptides.build is a HealthProtect verified telehealth brand. Check the public register entry yourself.

Common questions

## FAQ

### Is MOTS-c legal in the US?

Prescribed MOTS-c acetate for injection, compounded by a licensed 503A pharmacy, falls under the HHS enforcement-discretion policy of October 28, 2026, if its ten conditions are met. It is still not FDA-approved, and research-use-only MOTS-c is still not sold for human use.

### Is MOTS-c FDA-approved?

No. Compounded medications are not FDA-approved, and the HHS policy says it does not establish safety or effectiveness.

### Do I need a prescription for MOTS-c?

Yes. The policy requires a patient-specific prescription from a licensed clinician, filled by a state-licensed 503A pharmacy.

### Is MOTS-c safe?

Its safety has not been established by FDA. FDA's drug center recommended against listing it, citing limited human data, and much of the research on MOTS-c is preclinical. A licensed provider reviews your health history before deciding whether it is appropriate.

### How much does prescribed MOTS-c cost?

At Peptides.build, $199 month to month, $499 for 3 months or $949 for 6 months ($158/mo), including the provider review, compounding and cold-chain shipping.

### Are MOTS-c capsules or nasal sprays covered?

No. The policy lists MOTS-c acetate by injection only (subcutaneous or intramuscular). Other routes and other salt forms are outside it.

### How long can you be on MOTS-c?

That is decided by the prescribing provider and written on your prescription. This site does not publish dosing, frequency or course lengths.

### How long does the policy last?

Until FDA issues a final rule for MOTS-c or HHS withdraws the policy. There is no fixed end date.

### Can state law still restrict MOTS-c?

Yes. State pharmacy and medical boards can set their own rules. The federal policy does not override them.

Prescribed, not mixed at home

## Tired of reconstituting?

A licensed US provider reviews a short online intake. If a prescription is appropriate, a licensed US 503A pharmacy fills it and ships it cold-chain, already reconstituted and labeled with the concentration.

-   [MOTS-c: plans, who it is for, FAQ](https://peptides.build/protocols/mots-c/)
-   [Every protocol price, side by side](https://peptides.build/pricing/)
-   [Our pharmacies and provider](https://peptides.build/pharmacy-providers/)
-   By state: [California](https://peptides.build/states/california/) · [Florida](https://peptides.build/states/florida/) · [Texas](https://peptides.build/states/texas/) · [Nevada](https://peptides.build/states/nevada/) · [Maryland](https://peptides.build/states/maryland/)

Sources

## Where these facts come from

1.  [HHS 503A peptide enforcement-discretion policy, Appendices A and B](https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/hhs-503a-peptide-enforcement-discretion-policy-appendix-b.pdf)
2.  [Federal Register notice, FR Doc 2026-22192](https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2026-22192.pdf)
3.  [FDA: bulk drug substances used in compounding under section 503A](https://www.fda.gov/drugs/human-drug-compounding/bulk-drug-substances-used-compounding-under-section-503a-fdc-act)
4.  [Our full explainer of the HHS policy](https://peptides.build/news/hhs-peptide-policy/)

This page is educational and is not medical advice. Compounded medications are not FDA-approved. No results are implied or guaranteed. A licensed provider decides whether any protocol is appropriate for you, and sets any dose.