The German Federal Narcotics Act 'BtMG' (Betäubungsmittelgesetz, 28.07.1981) contains the list of prohibited substances. Since 2007, a number of NPS have been included in Schedule II of this list. mCPP was added in 2007 (V. v. 14.02.2007 BGBl. I S. 154 (Nr. 5)); Geltung ab 01.03.2007); BZP was added in 2008 (Artikel 1 V. v. 18.02.2008 BGBl. I S. 246 (Nr. 6)); a number of CP- compounds and JWH-018 were added in January 2009 (V. v. 19.01.2009 BGBl. I S. 49 (Nr. 3); Geltung ab 22.01.2009, abweichend siehe Artikel 3 , Artikel 1 V. v. 19.01.2009 BGBl. I S. 49 (Nr. 3)); several NPS were added in 2012, including AM-694, 4-FMA, butylon, p-FPP, a number of JHW-compounds, PMEA, MBZP, MDPV, 4-MEC, TFMPP (Artikel 1 V. v. 20.07.2012 BGBl. I S. 1639 (Nr. 35)); 26 NPS,l including APINACA, several AM-compounds, 5-APB, buphedrone, 3-FMC, MAM-2201, XLR-11, α-PVP, UR-144 were added in 2013 (Artikel 1 V. v. 09.07.2013 BGBl. I S. 2274 (Nr. 37)).

In December 2014, the German Federal Narcotics Act was amended (by the 28th Ordinance) and 32 NPS were added to the lists of controlled substances (5-IT; 25B-NBOMe; 2C-C; 2C-D; 2C-E; 25C-NBOMe; 2C-P; N-Ethylbuphedrone; 4-Ethylmethcathinone; Ethylone; 2-Fluoromethamphetamine (2-FMA); 3-Fluoromethamphetamine (3-FMA); 25I-NBOMe; 4-Methylbuphedrone; 3-Methylmethcathinone; Pentylone; Thienoamphetamine;  AB-FUBINACA; AB-PINACA; AH-7921; APICA; BB-22; 2-DPMP; Dimethocaine; 2,5-Dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine (DOI); EAM-2201; FDU-PB-22; 5F-PB-22; FUB-PB-22; PB-22; STS-135; THJ-2201. In 2015, other 9 NPS were added to the list of controlled substances (AB-CHMINACA; 4,4'-DMAR; 5F-ABICA; 5F-AB-PINACA; 5F-AMB; 5F-SDB-006; MT-45; SDB-006; THJ-018 (JWH-018 Indazol-Analogon) by the 29th Ordinance.