Will Suboxone Show Up on a Drug Test?
If you’re asking “will Suboxone show up on a drug test?”, you’re not alone—and you’re in the right place. At Nashville Addiction Clinic we specialize in helping men and women ages 18 to 65 in Tennessee who are struggling with opioid addiction. Whether working in Memphis, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Clarksville or Nashville, people often worry: if I’m on Suboxone, will it appear on a drug test and cause trouble at work, with probation, or with insurance?
Below we’ll give clear answers, talk about detection, the seriousness of opioid addiction, and how Suboxone-based treatment via our TeleMAT program can be your pathway to recovery.
What is Suboxone?
First, a quick primer. Suboxone is a medication that combines the active ingredients buprenorphine and naloxone. Buprenorphine is a partial opioid agonist-antagonist (helping ease withdrawal and craving) and naloxone is included to reduce the potential for misuse.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Suboxone for opioid dependence, and it must be prescribed under safe-use guidelines (REMS) to mitigate risk of misuse, overdose or diversion. Also, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) classifies it as a Schedule III controlled substance.
If you’re dealing with opioid dependence from hydrocodone, morphine, codeine, oxymorphone, heroin, fentanyl, OxyContin, Percocet, Kratom or similar, Suboxone can be the key to ending the cycle of chasing pills or chasing withdrawal. At Nashville Addiction Clinic we use Suboxone along with counselling and clinical support to build lifelong recovery.
Why the question “will Suboxone show up on a drug test” matters
If you’re reading this, you may be in a situation like: you’re 25-45, maybe divorced, low-to-mid income, living in Tennessee, perhaps dealing with legal issues, hiding your opioid use from family or employer, and you’re scared of testing positive. Maybe you’ve already tried to buy Suboxone on the street or been through surgery or pain management and landed in addiction. You’re asking: if I go back to work, or I have probation, or I face a screening, will my use of Suboxone create problems?
The stakes are serious: opioid addiction has a risk of overdose or death. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and SAMHSA, medication-assisted treatment (MAT) such as buprenorphine significantly reduces risk of opioid‐related death.
Knowing how testing works helps you make informed decisions—not based on fear—but based on facts and your right to treatment.
Will Suboxone show up on a drug test?
Here’s the direct answer: In most standard drug tests, Suboxone will not show up. But with the caveat: it will show up if the test panel specifically includes buprenorphine or its metabolites.
What standard tests cover
- Many employment or probation screenings use 5-panel or 7-panel urine tests that check for opiates like morphine, codeine, heroin, oxycodone, hydrocodone, and sometimes fentanyl. However, these panels do not usually test for buprenorphine.
- Therefore, unless you know the panel is targeting buprenorphine (the active in Suboxone), you likely won’t test positive for Suboxone itself.
What expanded tests include
- Some 10-panel, 12-panel or dedicated MAT-program screens do include buprenorphine or naloxone. If your test is specialized (for example by a court, probation, drug treatment program, or certain employers), then yes, Suboxone can show.
- If you are legitimately prescribed Suboxone and the lab finds buprenorphine, the medical review officer (MRO) will validate the prescription. Being prescribed Suboxone legally does not automatically mean you fail a drug test.
Summary
- Will Suboxone show up on a drug test? Maybe – only if the test is set up to detect it.
- Will Suboxone show up on a typical standard drug test? Very unlikely.
- Will Suboxone cause a false positive for other opioids? No.
How long is Suboxone detectable?
- Studies show that buprenorphine and its metabolite norbuprenorphine can be detected in urine, dependent on dose, frequency, metabolism and test type.
- For MAT programs: detection may be possible for several days (7-10 days in many cases) if the lab is looking for it.
This means if you’re on Suboxone treatment at our clinic or elsewhere: if you expect drug testing, ask: “Does this panel test for buprenorphine?” If the answer is no, you’re likely safe. If yes, make sure your prescription is documented.
What does this mean for your job, probation, or pharmacy?
- If you’re working in Nashville, Murfreesboro, Johnson City, Franklin or Oak Ridge and worried about employment drug testing, you can feel reassured: if the employer uses a standard 5-panel test, Suboxone likely won’t be detected.
- If you’re under probation or a court program: some screenings may include buprenorphine — it’s best to speak to your probation officer or treatment provider and notify them you’re on a legal MAT (medication-assisted treatment).
- If you’ve been buying Suboxone on the street — you’re at risk. Not only is this unsafe, but the dose, purity and legitimacy are unknown and you don’t have medical supervision. Transitioning to a legitimate telemedicine program helps you document your treatment and avoid legal/health hazards.
Why choose TeleMAT with Nashville Addiction Clinic?
At our clinic we bring you the benefits of virtual addiction treatment (becoming a reality for many Tennesseans) through our TeleMAT model.
Key benefits:
- We are the first clinic in Tennessee to receive a virtual medical license for treating opioid addiction via telemedicine.
- Over 1,000 Tennesseans have been treated through our program.
- Over 250 five-star patient reviews on Google.
- Accredited with The Joint Commission for addiction treatment.
- You will never need to drive to a clinic—no transportation barrier.
- Master’s-degree-level counsellors plus a team of clinicians who understand the hardship of opioid addiction (some owners in active recovery who created this clinic because they were treated poorly elsewhere).
- Same-day prescription of Suboxone after your first virtual appointment, delivered to your local pharmacy or overnight.
- We embrace the three keys to lifelong recovery: Suboxone + counselling + a caring team.
Whether you’re in Nashville, Chattanooga, Memphis, Knoxville or anywhere in Tennessee, you can register now for virtual treatment via your commercial insurance, TennCare Medicaid, or self-pay.
- Register for Suboxone Telemedicine using TennCare Medicaid
- Register for virtual Suboxone treatment using commercial insurance
- Register for online Suboxone therapy as a self-pay patient
- Register as a returning patient
- Apply for our Sliding-Scale Program
- Kratom and 7-OH Addiction Explained
- View insurance we accept and self-pay pricing
- See how Suboxone Telemedicine Appointments Work
- Read our 260+ five-star reviews on Google
- Message us securely on the Spruce Health mobile app
- Meet Our Team
- We accept most commercial/employee health plans, such as BCBS, Cigna, Ambetter, and United Healthcare, as well as all TennCare Medicaid insurance: Amerigroup Community Care, BlueCare, United Healthcare Community Plan, and Wellpoint Community Care.
- Experience a safe transition from hydrocodone, oxycodone/OxyContin, heroin, fentanyl, methadone, morphine, Kratom, 7-OH (7-Hydroxy-opioids), Tramadol, Opana, codeine, oxymorphone, Tramadol, Percocet, and other opioids.
- Read about our Joint Commission accreditation
Learn about Nashville Addiction Clinic’s 2025 Best of Tennessee award
Call or text us at (615) 927-7802 or message us securely on the Spruce Health mobile app. You don’t have to face this alone.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1: Will Suboxone show up on a workplace drug test?
A: Most workplace tests use a 5-panel or 7-panel screen and do not include buprenorphine. So usually, no. But always ask which panel.
Q2: If I’m prescribed Suboxone legally, and it shows up, will I lose my job?
A: If your prescription is valid, an MRO will verify it. You’re not testing positive for illicit substance use. You’re taking a treatment medication.
Q3: Does Suboxone cause a false positive for other opioids like oxycodone or hydrocodone?
A: No. Suboxone (buprenorphine/naloxone) does not trigger positive results on tests for standard opioids.
Q4: Can Suboxone show up on a 12-panel test?
A: Yes—if the test includes buprenorphine/naloxone or specialized screens for MAT medications.
Q5: How long does Suboxone stay in your system?
A: Detection times vary by dose, metabolism, and test type, but buprenorphine can be found in urine for up to a week in many cases.
Q6: I’ve been buying Suboxone on street—can I switch to your TeleMAT program?
A: Yes. Buying on the street carries risks—unknown dosage, legality, health danger. Our clinic offers regulated, legitimate access via telemedicine. We help you safely transition off illicit use and into a treatment plan.
Final Thoughts
If you’re wondering “will Suboxone show up on a drug test?” the answer is generally reassuring: in standard employer screenings, it likely will not. But in expanded or specialized panels, it can. The important thing is you are undergoing legitimate treatment, you are documented, and you are moving toward recovery.
At Nashville Addiction Clinic we understand the fear, the stigma, the legal and employment concerns—especially for men and women aged 18-45 in Tennessee who may have low-to-mid income, may lack dependable transportation, may have felt mental abuse, may have children, may have been hiding addiction behind façade. You don’t have to chase pills any longer. You don’t have to take heroin or fentanyl just to be stable. You don’t have to face withdrawal alone. We offer compassionate, respectful care via TeleMAT, so you can begin recovery from your mobile device and continue life—job, career, family—without driving to a clinic.
If you’re ready to stop taking drugs for your job, your career, your family—call or text us at (615) 927-7802 or message securely via the Spruce Health app. We can help you transition from hydrocodone, morphine, codeine, methadone, oxymorphone, heroin, OxyContin, Percocet, Kratom or any other opioids to a new life.
Your recovery starts now—let’s take that first step together.
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