If you’ve got sealed boxes of test strips or unused CGM sensors sitting in a drawer, you’ve probably already wondered: wait, am I even allowed to sell these?
Short answer: yes, in all 50 states — with three important exceptions we’ll cover below.
I get this question constantly at Midwest Diabetic Buyer. Most people assume diabetic supplies are tightly regulated because they involve health. They’re not, and here’s why.
Test Strips and CGMs Are Over-the-Counter Devices
The FDA classifies blood glucose test strips, continuous glucose monitor sensors (like Dexcom and FreeStyle Libre), lancets, and most pump supplies as over-the-counter medical devices. That’s the same category as a thermometer or a blood pressure cuff. You don’t need a prescription to buy them, and you don’t need one to sell them.
This is different from medications like insulin, Ozempic, or any other prescription drug — those are tightly regulated and cannot be resold. But test strips? Legally speaking, they’re in the same bucket as a garage-sale item.
The Three Exceptions
The law only restricts resale in three specific situations. If none of these apply to you, you’re clear to sell.
Exception #1: The supplies were paid for by Medicaid, Medicare, TRICARE, or the VA.
This is the big one. Under federal law — specifically 42 U.S. Code § 1320a-7b — it is illegal to resell diabetic supplies that were originally paid for by a government assistance program. This applies even if you legally received the supplies at the time.
The logic is simple: taxpayers paid for those supplies so you could use them. Reselling them for profit is considered a form of fraud against those programs.
If your supplies came from private insurance, cash, an HSA/FSA, or a commercial pharmacy plan, you’re in the clear.
Exception #2: The supplies are expired.
Expired medical devices cannot legally be sold, period. Most test strip brands have an 18-month to 24-month shelf life from manufacture, which means a freshly purchased box usually has 12–18 months of sellable life.
At Midwest Diabetic Buyer, we require a minimum of 6 months of shelf life for most items. Shorter-dated supplies sometimes qualify at reduced rates — it depends on the product.
Exception #3: The supplies are opened, damaged, or repackaged.
A sealed box is verified sterile. Once the manufacturer’s seal is broken, that guarantee is gone, and the supplies can no longer be legally resold for human use. This also applies to boxes that have been hand-labeled, relabeled, or repackaged by a pharmacy — even if the contents inside are technically sealed.
So What Does ‘Legal to Sell’ Actually Mean for You?
If your supplies are:
- Sealed in original manufacturer packaging
- Not expired (and ideally 6+ months from expiration)
- Not purchased through Medicaid, Medicare, TRICARE, or the VA
- Not repackaged or relabeled
…then you can legally sell them in any of the 50 states. No license required. No reporting required (except potentially for tax purposes on large transactions — talk to a CPA if you’re selling more than occasional extras).
What About Ebay, Craigslist, or Facebook Marketplace?
The legal rules are the same on those platforms. But the practical reality is different:
- Ebay restricts diabetic supply listings heavily and often pulls them down automatically.
- Facebook Marketplace usually prohibits them outright.
- Craigslist allows them but attracts a lot of low-ball offers and scams.
This is why most sellers end up working with a dedicated buyer like us. We know the law, we know the brands, and we pay fair market rates without the platform headaches.
What to Do If You’re Still Unsure
If you don’t know how your supplies were paid for — maybe they belonged to a relative who passed away, or you’ve had them a while — that’s a common situation. Look at the pharmacy label on the box. Medicaid, Medicare, and VA prescriptions are almost always labeled differently than commercial insurance prescriptions.
If there’s no label or you can’t tell, call us. We’ll walk you through it.
The Bottom Line
Selling unused, sealed, unexpired diabetic supplies is legal, safe, and common. Millions of dollars of legitimate transactions happen every year between private individuals and licensed secondary-market buyers.
As long as you’re not trying to resell supplies the government paid for, and as long as your boxes are still sealed and in date, you’re in the clear.
At Midwest Diabetic Buyer, we verify these conditions with every seller before purchase — for your protection and ours. If you’ve got supplies you’re ready to turn into cash, we’d be glad to give you a free quote.
Call or text 812-648-0149 for a fast quote, or fill out our quote form.