Over-the-counter medication

Over-the-counter medication can be fulfilled through Instacart Connect provided the medication does not contain a prohibited controlled substance. When an order contains over-the-counter medication, the request must contain the customer's date of birth and not exceed the maximum quantity.

Details used for the compliance check

The following details are used in the compliance check:

• Customer date of birth. The customer must be 18 years or older.
• Quantity. The order can contain up to 5 units of over-the-counter medication.
• Permitted for sale in the Instacart catalog. If a product is on the prohibited list, it is not permitted.

For delivery and pickup orders, Instacart is sent the list of items and the customer's date of birth. Instacart runs the compliance check.

info

Over-the-counter medication is not supported for last mile delivery orders.

Instacart Connect requests and compliance

The following types of requests trigger the compliance check:

Request	Delivery	Pickup
List time slots	❌	❌
Reserve a time slot	❌	❌
Create an order	✅	✅
Update an order	✅	✅

If the check fails for any reason, the request returns an error message that identifies the issue.

Instacart policy for over-the-counter medication delivery

Instacart requires that shoppers and customers adhere to the following rules for orders containing over-the-counter medication:

• Over the counter medication cannot be left unattended.
• The customer must show an Instacart-accepted form of ID with their date of birth to prove that they are 18 years of age or older.
• An underage person cannot accept the order on behalf of the customer. A person who is of age can accept the order.

Customer checkout best practices

Consider telling your customers about the Instacart policy for over-the-counter medication delivery. While Instacart does not require you to add this information, the customer experience is better if the customer knows what to expect.

Suggested Language "Hi Andrea, it looks like you have over-the-counter medication in your cart. Please have your ID ready for age verification when your shopper arrives. Please note that your shopper is unable to leave medication unattended or to deliver it to an individual who is underage."

Ensure your site can handle the following possible scenarios:

• The quantity of medication exceeds the maximum per order.
• The customer is underage.
• The medication is not permitted for sale or fulfillment.
• After an order is created, the medication is changed or additional medication is added to the order and the order is no longer compliant.