10-panel Drug Test: Which Drugs, Timeframes, And Results
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Medically reviewed by Kelsey Nank, PA-C — Written by Jon Johnson — Updated on December 12, 2024- Which drugs are tested for?
- Detection times
- How and when to get one
- What to expect
- Results
- Summary
Key takeaways
- A 10-panel drug test usually uses a urine sample to check for 10 common drugs, including prescription medications and illicit street drugs, but false positives can happen.
- The test can detect cannabis, cocaine, opioids, benzodiazepines, amphetamines, barbiturates, and drugs like phencyclidine (PCP) and MDMA, but detection times vary.
- Results can be positive, negative, or inconclusive, and a positive result may be confirmed with a second lab test to avoid penalties from false positives.
Typically, traces of these substances in the urine mean the individual has them in their body. However, false positives can occur, where the test detects drugs when a person has not taken any.
The tests are simple to administer and take and are widely available. Similar tests are popular for testing potential employees, though a simpler 5-panel drug test is more common.
What is a 10-panel drug test?
Share on PinterestA 10-panel drug test will look for 10 of the most common drugs that a person may be abusing. This selection usually includes five common prescription medications and five illicit street drugs.
Standard 10-panel drug tests normally test a person’s urine. This is a simple approach, as these drugs leave traces in the urine when they pass out of the body.
Urine testing is the most commonly used method due to its higher sensitivity in detecting substances than other forms of tests, such as saliva tests.
Some tests use other substances, such as blood or hair, to test for drugs. These may be more accurate in some cases, but the process is more complicated.
Many administrators prefer to use urine tests because of the accuracy and simplicity of the process.
What drugs can the test find?
As the name suggests, a 10-panel drug test will test the person for 10 different types of drugs. These are most of the drugs people commonly abuse, including both street and prescription drugs.
Cannabis
10-panel drug tests will test for cannabis and its resins, such as:
- marijuana
- hashish
- extracts, including THC oil, wax, and glass
Cocaine
10-panel drug tests will also test for cocaine and other drugs containing cocaine, such as freebase or crack cocaine.
Opioids
Opioids come in many different forms, from prescription pills to illegal drugs. Some of the most common include:
- opium
- heroin
- morphine
- codeine
- oxycodone
- hydrocodone
- fentanyl
Benzodiazepines, or benzos
10-panel drug tests will also check for benzodiazepines, or benzos, which include common drugs, such as:
- diazepam (Valium)
- alprazolam (Xanax)
- lorazepam (Ativan)
- clonazepam (Klonopin)
Doctors may prescribe these drugs for certain medical issues, but they also have a risk of abuse.
Amphetamines
Amphetamines the test detects include:
- methamphetamine, or meth
- amphetamine sulfate, or speed
- attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medications, such as Vyvanse and Adderall
Barbiturates
Several barbiturates leave similar residues that the 10-panel drug test may pick up. These include:
- amobarbital
- phenobarbital
- pentobarbital
- secobarbital
Individual drugs
The test will also screen for the traces of individual drugs, including:
- phencyclidine (PCP), or angel dust
- MDMA (ecstasy)
- methaqualone (Quaaludes)
- propoxyphene
These drugs do not fit into other categories and have their own panel for testing.
Detection times
While a 10-panel drug test may help screen for drug use, it has limitations.
Detection times refer to the amount of time it takes for the body to get rid of the drugs byproducts. Detection times for different drugs vary greatly.
Detection times may depend on the type of drug, how much the person takes, and how fast their metabolism works.
Another important fact to note is that a 10-panel drug test will not tell if the person is currently on the drug. The tests measure byproducts in the body that come from breaking down the drug, so they cannot detect how much of the drug is circulating in the body.
The following table provides a rough estimate for detection times for various drugs via urine tests:
| Drug | Time detectable in urine |
| marijuana | 3 days for a single use5–7 days for moderate use (4 times per week)10–15 days for daily use30+ days for heavy use |
| cocaine | 2–4 days |
| amphetamines | 48 hours |
| opioids | 48 hours for heroin48 hours for codeine48–72 hours for morphine2–4 days for oxycodone3 days for methadone |
| barbiturates | 1 day for short acting (pentobarbital)3 weeks for long-acting (phenobarbital) |
| benzodiazepines | 3 days for short acting (lorazepam)1 month for long-acting (diazepam) |
| PCP | 8 days |
| synthetic cannabinoids | 72+ hours |
How and when to get one
10-panel drug tests are widely available online and from some specialist stores selling pharmaceutical equipment. Ordering a test through a doctor’s office or lab itself is the most direct way. However, there are also some kits a person can buy and send to the lab themselves. This latter option may be more tricky, however.
Most companies or doctors work directly with a lab that analyzes the test results. Getting the test done through themis a simple, direct approach.
What to expect
If a company or organization requires a person to take a 10-panel drug test, they will generally give them notice of about 24 hours. Some professions may require the person to agree to random drug testing where they have little to no knowledge of the test beforehand.
The test administrators may have special preparation instructions as well. These may include not urinating for a couple of hours before the test or avoiding drinking extra water before the test.
Procedure
The test environment may differ depending on who administers the test. Bathrooms are common locations, as these tests require urine. In some cases, the administrator may ask a person to use a particular bathroom stall to take the test.
If an administrator is concerned with contamination, they may take precautions such as turning off tap water in the bathroom or adding a dye to the toilet water. This can make the test more accurate and prevent tampering.
In rare cases, a same-sex administrator stays in the room with the person to be sure they take the test.
Taking the test
The test itself is straightforward. The person starts urinating and collects urine in the collection cup in the middle of the urine stream. They then close the container with the lid and give the sample to the test administrator.
Analyzing the results
When they receive the sample, the lab will test the urine for the 10 different drugs. Some tests offer onsite results that can analyze the urine samples straightaway. However, most samples will go to a lab for analysis, which can take a few days.
What do the results mean?
There are three possible results from the test. These results are:
- positive
- negative
- inconclusive
Positive results
A positive result indicates that the drug or its byproducts are present in the person’s system in detectable amounts. This finding suggests they have used the drug recently.
As the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration points out, federal employees and employees in many other safety fields have the right to have a second lab test their specimen if they receive a positive result. This precaution helps protect the individual from disciplinary action due to false positives.
Negative results
A negative result indicates that the drugs tested for are not present or are not present in a high enough quantity to detect. It does not indicate that the person has never used the drugs or that they will not use the drugs in the future.
Inconclusive results
An inconclusive result means the test was not successful. Labs may order the test again if results come back as inconclusive.
Summary
A 10-panel drug test is not the most common drug test. For instance, most employers who require testing will use a 5-panel drug test. That said, some professions involving personal and public safety may require regular 10-panel drug tests.
10-panel drug tests can effectively test for 10 substances within their own detection window. These detection times vary with each drug and personal factors, such as individual metabolism.
Labs may check positive drug results again to confirm their diagnosis and avoid false positives. Inconclusive results may mean the person needs to repeat the test.
- Alcohol / Addiction / Illegal Drugs
- Medical Devices / Diagnostics
- Pharmacy / Pharmacist
How we reviewed this article:
SourcesMedical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.- Benzodiazepines. (n.d.).https://www.dea.gov/factsheets/benzodiazepines
- Drug screening. (n.d.).https://sites.austincc.edu/health/drug-screening/
- Drug testing. (2023).https://nida.nih.gov/research-topics/drug-testing
- Drug testing resources. (2024).https://www.samhsa.gov/workplace/drug-testing-resources
- McNeil SE, et al. (2023). Drug testing.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459334/
- Moeller KE, et al. (2017). Clinical interpretation of urine drug test.https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196(16)30825-4/fulltext
- Opioids. (2024).https://nida.nih.gov/research-topics/opioids
- Verstraete AG, et al. (2023). Clinical drug testing.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK557523/
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Medically reviewed by Kelsey Nank, PA-C — Written by Jon Johnson — Updated on December 12, 2024Latest news
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