5 Panel Drug Test Cutoff Levels

The five panel urine drug test (5 Panel Drug Test) is one of the most common drug tests utilized in the United States. This panel is used for employment drug testing, probation drug testing and court ordered drug testing. This panel is testing for Marijuana (THC), Cocaine, Amphetamines, Opiates, and Phencyclidine (PCP).

Additional variations of the drugs listed above can be included in the five panel drug test such as:

What are the cutoff levels for the 5 panel drug test?
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What are Cutoff Levels in Drug Testing?

Cutoff levels are utilized by instant test kits and by laboratories to determine if a specimen is positive for the particular metabolite of the specific drug when the specimen tests at or above the cut off level. The specimen is usually urine, oral fluid or hair. When a specimen tests at or above the cutoff level for initial testing, the specimen then goes into a second round of testing called confirmation testing to pinpoint the exact drug and exact metabolites present. Again, anything at or above the cutoff level is considered positive. Cutoffs levels for non-regulated testing can vary from lab to lab.’

Cutoffs levels for instant or rapid test kits can vary from one manufacturer to another. Always check the manufacturer specifications when using instant or drug rapid test kits. With instant or rapid testing, the positive result on the initial testing requires then that the specimen to then go to the laboratory for the confirmation testing.

Confirmation testing uses a definitive method such as chromatography-mass spectrometry (e.g., GC-MS, LC-MS/MS), that specifically identifies and quantifies the drug/metabolite in the specimen. With confirmation testing there is a definitive positive at or above the cutoff level.

Standard cutoff levels for 5 panel drug test urine specimen

Drug Metabolite

Initial Cutoff Level

Confirmation Test Level

Marijuana metabolites

50 ng/mL

15 ng/mL

Phencyclidine (PCP)

25 ng/mL

25 ng/mL

Cocaine metabolites

150 ng/mL

100 ng/mL

Amphetamines

   Amphetamine

   Methamphetamine

500 ng/mL

250 ng/mL

250 ng/mL

MDA-analogues

   MDA

   MDMA

500 ng/mL

250 ng/mL

250 ng/mL

Opiates

   Codeine

   Morphine

500 ng/mL

250 ng/mL

250 ng/mL

6-Acetylmorphine (6AM – Heroin)

10 ng/mL

10 ng/mL

Opiates (semi-synthetic)    

   Hydromorphone

   Hydrocodone

300 ng/mL

100 ng/mL 100 ng/mL

Oxycodones

   Oxymorphone

   Oxycodone

100 ng/mL

100 ng/mL

100 ng/mL

Hair testing provides for a longer window of detection perhaps up to 90 days from drug use. Hair sample cutoff levels are lower than for other types of specimens – urine and oral fluid. Hair testing is considered more sensitive for detecting illicit drug use as compared to urine drug testing, so we see the lower cutoff levels in picograms (pg) per milligram (mg) rather than in nanograms (ng) per milliliter (mL) for urine and oral fluid testing.

Standard cutoff levels for 5 panel drug test hair specimen:

Drug Metabolite

Initial Cutoff Level

Confirmation Test Level

Marijuana metabolites

1.0 pg/mg

0.1 pg/mg

Phencyclidine (PCP)

300 pg/mg

300 pg/mg

Cocaine metabolites

Benzoylecgonine

500 pg/mg

500 pg/mg

500 pg/mg

500 pg/mg

Amphetamines

   Amphetamine

   Methamphetamine

500 pg/mg

500 pg/mg

500 pg/mg

MDA-analogues

   MDA

   MDMA

500 pg/mg

500 pg/mg

500 pg/mg

Opiates

   Codeine

   Morphine

200 pg/mg

200 pg/mg

200 pg/mg

6-Acetylmorphine (6AM – Heroin)

200 pg/mg

200 pg/mg

Opiates (semi-synthetic)    

   Hydromorphone

   Hydrocodone

200 pg/mg

200 pg/mg
200 pg/mg

Oxycodones

   Oxymorphone

   Oxycodone

200 pg/mg

200 pg/mg

200 ng/mL

Oral fluid cutoff levels are lower than urine because of the concentration of drug metabolite in the oral fluid.  For marijuana, the parent drug is being testing when oral fluid is the specimen.  The use of oral fluid will provide a drug test result of more recent drug use perhaps going back a few hours to a day or two.

Standard cutoff levels for 5 panel drug test oral fluid specimen:

Drug Metabolite

Initial Cutoff Level

Confirmation Test Level

Marijuana metabolites

3 ng/mL

1.5 ng/mL

Phencyclidine (PCP)

3 ng/mL

1.5 ng/mL

Cocaine metabolites

15 ng/mL

15 ng/mL

Amphetamines

Methamphetamine

150 ng/mL

120 ng/mL

150 ng/mL

120 ng/mL

Opiates: Codeine, Morphine

30 ng/mL

30 ng/mL

6-Acetylmorphine (6AM – Heroin)

30 ng/mL

3 ng/mL

Opiates (semi-synthetic) Hydromorphone & Hydrocodone

30 ng/mL

30 ng/mL

Oxycodones:  Oxymorphone & Oxycodone

30 ng/mL

30 ng/mL

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