Ritalin LA vs. its authorized generic and generics

Strength How many

How to pay the least

Ask for the cash price

Generic methylphenidate LA

No pharmacy we check posts a price for methylphenidate LA, 30 capsules.

Ask your pharmacy for the cash price of generic methylphenidate LA.Find pharmacies near you
Ask one or two other pharmacies too. Cash prices for the same generic can differ a lot from store to store.

A regular generic has the same active ingredient as Ritalin LA, and the FDA requires it to work the same way.

Compare every option

Brand nameRitalin LA

Authorized genericmethylphenidate

Regular genericmethylphenidate

What you’d pay

Not soldNo longer sold

Cash priceAsk the pharmacyUsually less than Ritalin LA

Cash priceAsk the pharmacyUsually the lowest

Same as Ritalin LA?

–

Same medicine

Same active ingredientFillers and dyes can differ

Brand nameNot sold

Ritalin LA itself isn’t sold as a prescription anymore. Its generic versions, if any, are in the other tabs.

See the authorized generic →

Authorized genericThe NDC to ask for

The same medicine as Ritalin LA, without the brand name. Give the pharmacy its NDC to get it.

methylphenidate

Sold by

SandozThe company behind Ritalin LA

Your strength

NDC to ask for

10 mgextended-release capsule
- 0781-2361Product code. FDA doesn’t list a package NDC yet, so your pharmacist can look it up by this code.
10 mgextended-release capsule
- 0781-2383-0111-digit: 00781-2383-01100 capsules per bottle
20 mgextended-release capsule
- 0781-2362-0111-digit: 00781-2362-01100 capsules per bottle
20 mgextended-release capsule
- 0781-2384-0111-digit: 00781-2384-01100 capsules per bottle
30 mgextended-release capsule
- 0781-2363-0111-digit: 00781-2363-01100 capsules per bottle
30 mgextended-release capsule
- 0781-2385-0111-digit: 00781-2385-01100 capsules per bottle
40 mgextended-release capsule
- 0781-2364-0111-digit: 00781-2364-01100 capsules per bottle
40 mgextended-release capsule
- 0781-2386-0111-digit: 00781-2386-01100 capsules per bottle

Source: FDA, updated October 30, 2026

What to say at the pharmacy

“Before you fill my Ritalin LA, can you tell me what I’d pay for the brand, for the authorized generic from Sandoz, and for a regular generic?”

Paying cash? Ask for each one’s cash price. With insurance, ask what your plan charges for each.

Brand and authorized generic labels

Official labels and ingredient lists from DailyMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine).

10 mg extended-release capsule

Ritalin LA itself isn’t sold anymore, so there’s no current brand label to compare. Here’s the authorized generic’s label.

Authorized generic package label from Sandoz — Authorized genericSandoz

See the ingredients

Active: methylphenidate hydrochloride 10 mg

Inactive:

Dextrose
Ferric oxide red
Ferric oxide yellow
Ferrosoferric oxide
Gelatin
Polyethylene glycol
Talc
Titanium dioxide
Triethyl citrate

20 mg extended-release capsule

Ritalin LA itself isn’t sold anymore, so there’s no current brand label to compare. Here’s the authorized generic’s label.

See the ingredients

Active: methylphenidate hydrochloride 20 mg

Inactive:

Dextrose
Gelatin
Polyethylene glycol
Talc
Titanium dioxide
Triethyl citrate

30 mg extended-release capsule

Ritalin LA itself isn’t sold anymore, so there’s no current brand label to compare. Here’s the authorized generic’s label.

See the ingredients

Active: methylphenidate hydrochloride 30 mg

Inactive:

Dextrose
Ferric oxide yellow
Gelatin
Polyethylene glycol
Talc
Titanium dioxide
Triethyl citrate

40 mg extended-release capsule

Ritalin LA itself isn’t sold anymore, so there’s no current brand label to compare. Here’s the authorized generic’s label.

See the ingredients

Active: methylphenidate hydrochloride 40 mg

Inactive:

Dextrose
Ferric oxide red
Ferric oxide yellow
Ferrosoferric oxide
Gelatin
Polyethylene glycol
Talc
Titanium dioxide
Triethyl citrate

Regular genericWho makes it

2 companies sell a generic of Ritalin LA that the FDA rates a substitute. A pharmacy fills whichever one it stocks. To get a certain maker, ask for it by name; most pharmacies can order it in a day or two.

Dr. Reddy’s LaboratoriesAll 4 strengths

Has dyes: FD&C Green No. 3, FD&C Red No. 40

How it looks, what’s in it, NDCs

10 mg White and light green, capsule, 18 mm, marked “609”

Package NDC
Bottle of 100 75907-049-01

20 mg White, capsule, 18 mm, marked “610”

Package NDC
Bottle of 100 75907-050-01

30 mg Light blue and white, capsule, 18 mm, marked “611”

Package NDC
Bottle of 100 75907-051-01

40 mg Dark blue and white, capsule, 19 mm, marked “612”

Package NDC
Bottle of 100 75907-052-01

Inactive ingredients: sucrose, starch, corn, hypromellose, cellulose acetate, hypromellose acetate succinate 12070923 (3 mm2/s), acetyltributyl citrate, acetone, talc, water, titanium dioxide, gelatin, ferrosoferric oxide, shellac, potassium hydroxide, ferric oxide yellow, ammonia, propylene glycol, FD&C Green No. 3, FD&C Red No. 40
FDA label
Granules PharmaceuticalsAll 4 strengths

Has dyes: FD&C Yellow No. 5, FD&C Yellow No. 6, D&C Yellow No. 10

Product page on granulespharma.com

How it looks, what’s in it, NDCs

10 mg Yellow-white, capsule, 18 mm, marked “G10mg / 012”

Package NDC
Bottle of 100 70010-012-01

20 mg White, capsule, 18 mm, marked “G20mg / 013”

Package NDC
Bottle of 100 70010-013-01

30 mg Yellow, capsule, 19 mm, marked “G30mg / 014”

Package NDC
Bottle of 100 70010-014-01

40 mg Yellow, capsule, 22 mm, marked “G40mg / 015”

Package NDC
Bottle of 100 70010-015-01

Inactive ingredients: acetyltributyl citrate, ammonia, ferrosoferric oxide, cellaburate (mw 65000, 17% butyryl, 30% acetyl), FD&C Yellow No. 5, FD&C Yellow No. 6, gelatin, hypromellose acetate succinate 06081224 (3 mm2/s), polyethylene glycol 4000, propylene glycol, shellac, starch, corn, sucrose, titanium dioxide, talc, D&C Yellow No. 10

Package	NDC
Bottle of 100	75907-049-01

Package	NDC
Bottle of 100	75907-050-01

Package	NDC
Bottle of 100	75907-051-01

Package	NDC
Bottle of 100	75907-052-01

Package	NDC
Bottle of 100	70010-012-01

Package	NDC
Bottle of 100	70010-013-01

Package	NDC
Bottle of 100	70010-014-01

Package	NDC
Bottle of 100	70010-015-01

The FDA doesn’t rate Actavis Pharma, Amneal Pharmaceuticals and SpecGx’s versions of methylphenidate a substitute for Ritalin LA, so a pharmacy can’t swap them in without your prescriber’s OK.

Who sells it: FDA and Medicaid records, updated weekly. Each maker’s page, card and program is from its own site.

What it’s used for

ADHD

What the FDA label says

Methylphenidate hydrochloride extended-release capsules are a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant indicated for the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in pediatric patients 6 to 12 years of age.

Limitations of Use

The use of methylphenidate hydrochloride extended release capsules is not recommended in pediatric patients younger than 6 years of age because they had higher plasma exposure and a higher incidence of adverse reactions (e.g., weight loss) than patients 6 years and older at the same dosage.

Source: the FDA label for Methylphenidate (Sandoz Inc), September 23, 2025. Full label on DailyMed

Good to know

It may look different from Ritalin LA (color, shape, or markings). That’s normal for an authorized generic.
If your prescription says “dispense as written,” the pharmacy needs your prescriber’s OK to give you the authorized generic.
Cash prices can differ a lot from one pharmacy to the next, so it can pay to ask two. With insurance, what you pay depends on your plan.
Don’t stop or change a medicine without talking to your pharmacist or prescriber.

Prices change: confirm with the pharmacy before you fill. drugalt.com/drug/ritalin-la/