Can Cialis be bought over the counter? Not in Australia: tadalafil, the medicine in Cialis, needs a prescription here, as every erectile dysfunction (ED) medicine does. The exception is the UK, where the regulator reclassified one 10 mg tadalafil product, Cialis Together, in 2023 so that it "can now be made available for purchase over the counter, without a prescription" (MHRA, 14 March 2023).
Do you need a prescription for Cialis in Australia?
Yes, for Cialis and for every generic tadalafil. healthdirect: "You need a prescription from a doctor to buy tadalafil"; the medicine is "sometimes known by its trade name, Cialis. There are also other brands of this medicine available" (healthdirect — Tadalafil (Cialis)). The TGA states that tadalafil, sildenafil and dapoxetine "can only be supplied to Australians with a prescription" (TGA), and "In Australia, you need a prescription to get ED medicines" (healthdirect — Erectile dysfunction medicines).
The Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG) holds CIALIS as 2.5, 5, 10 and 20 mg tablets, sponsored by Eli Lilly Australia: the 10 and 20 mg since 23 October 2002, the 2.5 and 5 mg since 14 February 2008 (ARTG search).
Is Cialis sold without a prescription anywhere?
In the UK, as one product. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) announced on 14 March 2023 that it had reclassified "Cialis Together (containing tadalafil 10 mg)": "the first application for a tadalafil product to be available as a pharmacy medicine". In the MHRA's words, "it could be available to buy without a prescription for use by men over 18 who have erectile dysfunction", and "If marketed, Cialis Together will be sold from pharmacies following a discussion with the pharmacist", with "a maximum dose of one tablet each day, and a maximum pack size of 8 tablets". It "will not be sold to those with severe cardiovascular disorders; at high cardiovascular risk; severe kidney or severe liver failure; or taking certain interacting medicines", and "Other medicines containing tadalafil will still be available to obtain on prescription" (MHRA, 14 March 2023).
That is a UK classification. A search of the ARTG for "cialis together" returns no matching results (ARTG search, 27 September 2026). The UK had earlier made a 50 mg sildenafil tablet, Viagra Connect, a pharmacy medicine, as explained in Viagra vs Viagra Connect.
Is Cialis over the counter in the United States?
No. The FDA's Drugs@FDA database lists CIALIS (tadalafil), application NDA 021368, first approved on 21 November 2003, with the 5, 10 and 20 mg tablets as "Prescription" and the 2.5 mg as "Discontinued" (Drugs@FDA — Cialis). Of the 141 tadalafil products in the FDA's records, searched on 27 September 2026, 125 are "Prescription" and 16 "Discontinued"; none is "Over-the-counter" (FDA — Drugs@FDA data, openFDA).
Is it safe to buy tadalafil online without a prescription?
No. healthdirect: "It is not safe to buy tadalafil online without a prescription. Counterfeit medicines can be very dangerous" (healthdirect — Tadalafil (Cialis)). The TGA adds that products not listed in the ARTG "are not approved for supply in Australia, have not been reviewed for safety or quality" (TGA). Products sold as "Cialis substitutes" are not Cialis, whatever the label says; they have their own page in this guide.
The short answer
Not in Australia, where tadalafil needs a prescription; not in the US, where the FDA lists it as a prescription medicine; in the UK, one 10 mg product, Cialis Together, has been a pharmacy medicine since March 2023. healthdirect: "If you are thinking about using tadalafil, discuss it with your regular doctor." Seeing a GP, in person or by telehealth, is covered in how can I get Viagra without seeing the doctor? The other over-the-counter questions are answered in our guide to buying Viagra over the counter or online.
