21 CFR 211.42: Design and construction features
Requires drug manufacturing buildings to be suitably sized and designed for cleaning and orderly operations, with defined separate areas and material flow preventing mixups and contamination, aseptic controls, and dedicated penicillin facilities.
Part 211, Current Good Manufacturing Practice for Finished Pharmaceuticals · Subpart C, Buildings and Facilities
19%
of drug-manufacturing 483s since 2023 cite this section at least once
How FDA words it
The opening lines investigators use most when they cite 211.42, from the 483s we hold.
Aseptic processing areas are deficient regarding the system for monitoring environmental conditions.Most used
Aseptic processing areas are deficient regarding the system for cleaning and disinfecting the room and equipment to produce aseptic conditions.211.42(c)
Aseptic processing areas are deficient regarding systems for maintaining any equipment used to control the aseptic conditions.211.42(c)
Cited over time
483s citing 211.42, by yearMost citations in 2019. Bars are relative to the busiest year. *2026 to date.
Years shown: 2017 to 2026. The busiest year was 2019.
Recent 483s citing 211.42
- Victory Medical Center Pharmacy · Austin, TexasThe facility design was observed to allow the influx of lesser quality air into a… Sep 10, 2026
- Greenwich Rx · Tomball, TexasYour firm produced drugs while construction was underway in an adjacent area… Sep 9, 2026
- Right Value Drug Stores LLC · Irving, TexasAseptic processing areas are deficient regarding the system for monitoring… Sep 8, 2026
- RC Outsourcing, LLC · Lowellville, OhioSeparate or defined areas to prevent contamination or mix-ups are deficient… Sep 3, 2026
- OPS International Inc. dba Olympia Pharmaceuticals · Orlando, FloridaAseptic processing areas are deficient regarding the system for monitoring… Sep 3, 2026
The regulation text
§ 211.42 Design and construction features.
(a)Any building or buildings used in the manufacture, processing, packing, or holding of a drug product shall be of suitable size, construction and location to facilitate cleaning, maintenance, and proper operations.
(b)Any such building shall have adequate space for the orderly placement of equipment and materials to prevent mixups between different components, drug product containers, closures, labeling, in-process materials, or drug products, and to prevent contamination. The flow of components, drug product containers, closures, labeling, in-process materials, and drug products through the building or buildings shall be designed to prevent contamination.
(c)Operations shall be performed within specifically defined areas of adequate size. There shall be separate or defined areas or such other control systems for the firm's operations as are necessary to prevent contamination or mixups during the course of the following procedures:
(1)Receipt, identification, storage, and withholding from use of components, drug product containers, closures, and labeling, pending the appropriate sampling, testing, or examination by the quality control unit before release for manufacturing or packaging;
(2)Holding rejected components, drug product containers, closures, and labeling before disposition;
(3)Storage of released components, drug product containers, closures, and labeling;
(4)Storage of in-process materials;
(5)Manufacturing and processing operations;
(6)Packaging and labeling operations;
(7)Quarantine storage before release of drug products;
(8)Storage of drug products after release;
(9)Control and laboratory operations;
(10)Aseptic processing, which includes as appropriate:
(i)Floors, walls, and ceilings of smooth, hard surfaces that are easily cleanable;
(ii)Temperature and humidity controls;
(iii)An air supply filtered through high-efficiency particulate air filters under positive pressure, regardless of whether flow is laminar or nonlaminar;
(iv)A system for monitoring environmental conditions;
(v)A system for cleaning and disinfecting the room and equipment to produce aseptic conditions;
(vi)A system for maintaining any equipment used to control the aseptic conditions.
(d)Operations relating to the manufacture, processing, and packing of penicillin shall be performed in facilities separate from those used for other drug products for human use.
[43 FR 45077, Sept. 29, 1978, as amended at 60 FR 4091, Jan. 20, 1995]
Questions
What does 21 CFR 211.42 require?
Requires drug manufacturing buildings to be suitably sized and designed for cleaning and orderly operations, with defined separate areas and material flow preventing mixups and contamination, aseptic controls, and dedicated penicillin facilities.
How often is 211.42 cited in Form 483s?
It appears in about 19% of the drug-manufacturing 483s we hold from 2023 onward, which makes it one of the ten most-cited sections in those 483s.
How do FDA investigators word a 211.42 observation?
The most common opening is: “Aseptic processing areas are deficient regarding the system for monitoring environmental conditions.”
Which sections are cited alongside 211.42?
In the same 483s, investigators most often also cite 211.113 (Control of microbiological contamination), 211.192 (Production record review), 211.67 (Equipment cleaning and maintenance), 211.22 (Responsibilities of quality control unit).