Opioids

How long do opiates stay in your system?

Fiona Kennedy
Written byFiona Kennedy
Dr Olalekan Otulana
Medically Reviewed by Dr Olalekan Otulana MBChB, MRCGP, FRSPH, MBA Addiction Specialist Physician
Last updated:
15 July 2025

The half-life for opiates can range from 1-9 hours, depending on how much you take and which type. For instance, the half-life of morphine is 1.5-6.5 hours, the half-life of codeine is 1-4 hours, and the half-life of hydrocodone is 3.5-9 hours The amount of time that opiates can be detected in your system relies on the type of test.

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