What Does a 5-Panel Drug Test Screen For? Substances and Cutoffs Explained

The 5-panel is the most widely used drug test in America, and for good reason — it covers the five substances most relevant to a hiring or safety decision without paying for coverage most workplaces never use. But “5-panel” only tells you how many, not which. Here’s exactly what a standard 5-panel screens for, at what cutoffs, and what it deliberately leaves out.

What Does a 5-Panel Drug Test Screen For?

A 5-panel drug test screens for the “SAMHSA-5”: THC (commonly at a 50 ng/mL cutoff), cocaine (150 ng/mL), amphetamines and methamphetamine (around 500 to 1000 ng/mL), opiates (2000 ng/mL), and PCP (25 ng/mL). These are the five substances with the longest track record in workplace and pre-employment testing, which is why the 5-panel is the standard hiring screen. What it deliberately leaves out matters just as much: it does not cover benzodiazepines, barbiturates, methadone, oxycodone, buprenorphine, alcohol, nicotine, or fentanyl, each of which needs a broader panel or a dedicated test. Below, each substance, its cutoff, and the detection windows are explained in full.

The five substances

A standard 5-panel drug test screens for the “SAMHSA-5” — the five substances federal workplace testing has historically centered on:

1. THC (marijuana) — cutoff commonly 50 ng/mL. The most frequently detected substance. Because THC stores in body fat, it clears slowly in regular users and can be detected far longer than the others.

2. Cocaine (COC) — cutoff commonly 150 ng/mL. The test detects a cocaine metabolite; the detection window is short, usually a few days.

3. Amphetamines (AMP) — cutoff around 500–1000 ng/mL. Covers amphetamine and methamphetamine (some 5-panels break these into separate lines). Note that legitimate prescription stimulants can register here.

4. Opiates (OPI) — cutoff commonly 2000 ng/mL. Covers morphine, codeine, and heroin. The cutoff was set at this level to reduce false positives from poppy-seed foods.

5. Phencyclidine (PCP) — cutoff commonly 25 ng/mL. Detects PCP (“angel dust”).

Why these five

These are the substances with the longest track record in workplace and pre-employment testing — common enough to matter, with well-established testing chemistry and cutoffs. For a standard hiring decision in a non-safety-sensitive role, they cover the substances most likely to affect job performance and liability. That’s why the 5-panel is the pre-employment default: it answers the question employers actually have without the cost and complexity of broader panels.

What a 5-panel does NOT cover

This is the important part. A standard 5-panel does not screen for benzodiazepines, barbiturates, methadone, oxycodone, or buprenorphine — the prescription and controlled substances that a 10-panel or 12-panel adds. It also doesn’t cover alcohol, nicotine, or fentanyl, each of which needs a dedicated test. If prescription-drug misuse or sedatives are a genuine concern in your workforce, the 5-panel’s gaps push you toward a broader panel. If they aren’t, the 5-panel is right-sized.

Cutoffs: the number that decides the result

The cutoff is the concentration at or above which a substance reads positive. It’s set above zero deliberately, to distinguish genuine use from trace or incidental exposure — the raised opiate cutoff is the classic example, set high enough that a poppy-seed bagel typically won’t trigger it. Cutoffs can vary slightly by manufacturer, so verify them on the product page when your program has a specific concern. The cutoff, not just the panel count, defines what “positive” means for your program.

Detection windows in brief

Most substances on a 5-panel are detectable in urine for roughly 1–4 days after use. THC is the exception — occasional use may clear in a few days, but chronic heavy use can register for weeks because of fat storage. A urine 5-panel therefore reflects recent use, not impairment at the moment of testing, and not a single lifetime event.

FAQ

What are the 5 substances on a 5-panel drug test?
THC, cocaine, amphetamines (and often methamphetamine), opiates, and PCP — the SAMHSA-5.

Does a 5-panel test for benzodiazepines or oxycodone?
No. Those require a 10-panel or 12-panel. A standard 5-panel covers only the five substances above.

What’s the cutoff for THC on a 5-panel?
Commonly 50 ng/mL; a 20 ng/mL configuration is more sensitive for zero-tolerance settings.

How long do substances stay detectable on a 5-panel urine test?
Roughly 1–4 days for most; chronic THC use can be detected for weeks.