Dosage charts
Tirzepatide dosage chart: Zepbound and Mounjaro label doses
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Short answer
Both labels start tirzepatide at 2.5 mg weekly, adding 2.5 mg after at least 4 weeks per dose, up to 15 mg. Rule: dose = 2.5 mg × step. Example: at the fastest pace, 15 mg (step 6) arrives in week 21. Zepbound lists 5, 10 or 15 mg for maintenance; Mounjaro lists none. As of Oct 19, 2026.
On this page10 sections
| Item | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Starting dose (both brands) | 2.5 mg once weekly; Zepbound says for 4 weeks | DailyMed, Aug 28, 2026 |
| Step size | +2.5 mg after at least 4 weeks on the current dose | DailyMed, Aug 28, 2026 |
| Zepbound maintenance (weight) | 5 mg, 10 mg or 15 mg once weekly | DailyMed, Aug 28, 2026 |
| Zepbound maintenance (OSA) | 10 mg or 15 mg once weekly | DailyMed, Aug 28, 2026 |
| Maximum dose | 15 mg once weekly (Mounjaro pediatric: 10 mg) | DailyMed, Aug 27, 2026 |
| Mounjaro escalation trigger | Only if additional glycemic control is needed | DailyMed, Aug 27, 2026 |
| Missed dose window | Within 4 days (96 hours), otherwise skip | DailyMed, Aug 28, 2026 |
| Minimum gap when changing dose day | 3 days (72 hours) | DailyMed, Aug 28, 2026 |
| Single-dose pen or vial strengths | 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, 15 mg per 0.5 mL | DailyMed, Aug 28, 2026 |
| SURMOUNT-1 weight change, 15 mg | −20.9% at week 72 (treatment-regimen estimand) | N Engl J Med, Jul 21, 2022 |
Also useful: Tirzepatide level plotter, Tirzepatide mg to units.
The tirzepatide dosage chart below comes straight from the two FDA labels for tirzepatide: Zepbound (weight management and obstructive sleep apnea) and Mounjaro (type 2 diabetes). Both use the same six strengths and the same 2.5 mg step size. They differ in what happens after the first step.
The label dose ladder
| Step | Weekly dose | Earliest weeks | Zepbound role | Mounjaro role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2.5 mg | Weeks 1–4 | Start only, not a maintenance dose | Start |
| 2 | 5 mg | Weeks 5–8 | Maintenance option (weight) | Step if more glycemic control is needed |
| 3 | 7.5 mg | Weeks 9–12 | Escalation step | Step if needed |
| 4 | 10 mg | Weeks 13–16 | Maintenance option (weight, OSA) | Step if needed; pediatric maximum |
| 5 | 12.5 mg | Weeks 17–20 | Escalation step | Step if needed |
| 6 | 15 mg | Week 21 onward | Maintenance option and maximum | Adult maximum |
The “earliest weeks” column is arithmetic, not a schedule. The label says the dose “may be increased” in 2.5 mg increments after at least 4 weeks on the current dose. Many people stay on a step longer, and many never reach 15 mg. The rule is a floor on time per step, not a timetable.
- Weekly dose (published steps)
- Modeled amount (mg-eq)
- Stable window
The chart plots each step held exactly 4 weeks, with the modeled relative amount of drug in the body as a line. The model uses a 5-day half-life; see the tirzepatide half-life guide for why. To try your own start date or longer holds, use the tirzepatide titration calculator or the tirzepatide dose plotter.
Week-by-week table with dates
| Weeks | Weekly dose | First week starts |
|---|---|---|
| 1–4 | 2.5 mg | Jan 5, 2026 |
| 5–8 | 5 mg | Feb 2, 2026 |
| 9–12 | 7.5 mg | Mar 2, 2026 |
| 13–16 | 10 mg | Mar 30, 2026 |
| 17–20 | 12.5 mg | Apr 27, 2026 |
| 21 onward | 15 mg | May 25, 2026 |
The same ladder is published as a standalone dataset at the 15 mg label protocol page, with the source quotes for each step.
Zepbound: the label names maintenance doses
The Zepbound label is specific. Section 2.1 says the starting dosage “for all indications is 2.5 mg” once weekly for 4 weeks, and adds that 2.5 mg “is for treatment initiation and is not approved as a maintenance dosage.” After 4 weeks, the dose goes to 5 mg. From there it may rise in 2.5 mg increments after at least 4 weeks on the current dose. (DailyMed, Aug 28, 2026)
| Indication | Maintenance doses | Maximum |
|---|---|---|
| Weight reduction and long-term maintenance | 5 mg, 10 mg or 15 mg once weekly | 15 mg |
| Moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea in adults with obesity | 10 mg or 15 mg once weekly | 15 mg |
The label also says to “consider treatment response and tolerability when selecting the maintenance dosage,” and to consider a lower maintenance dose if a patient does not tolerate one. That is a prescriber decision. If you are deciding whether to move up a step, talk to your prescriber.
FDA approved Zepbound for chronic weight management on November 8, 2023 (FDA, Nov 8, 2023) and for obstructive sleep apnea in adults with obesity on December 20, 2024 (FDA, Dec 20, 2024).
Mounjaro: no labeled maintenance dose
The Mounjaro label reads differently. It starts at 2.5 mg once weekly and says: “If additional glycemic control is needed, increase the dosage in 2.5 mg increments after at least 4 weeks on the current dose.” It does not name maintenance doses. (DailyMed, Aug 27, 2026)
| Population | Start | Step | Maximum |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adults with type 2 diabetes | 2.5 mg weekly | +2.5 mg after at least 4 weeks, if needed | 15 mg weekly |
| Pediatric patients 10 years and older with type 2 diabetes | 2.5 mg weekly | +2.5 mg after at least 4 weeks, if needed | 10 mg weekly |
You will often see “5, 10 and 15 mg maintenance” attached to Mounjaro. Those were the doses studied in the SURPASS trials, not maintenance doses written into the label. The pediatric ladder stops at step 4 (10 mg).
Missed doses and changing the dose day
Both labels use the same wording for a missed weekly dose. (DailyMed, Aug 28, 2026) (DailyMed, Aug 27, 2026)
| Situation | What the label says |
|---|---|
| Missed dose, 4 days (96 hours) or less since it was due | Take it as soon as possible |
| Missed dose, more than 4 days since it was due | Skip it; take the next dose on the regular day |
| Changing the weekly dose day | Allowed if the two doses are at least 3 days (72 hours) apart |
A missed dose does not, by itself, change your step on the ladder. If you have missed several weeks, ask your prescriber how to restart; the labels do not give a restart schedule.
Strengths and presentations
Every step on the ladder exists as its own product. The current labels list four presentations. (DailyMed, Aug 28, 2026)
| Presentation | Doses per unit | Strength per dose | Concentration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single-dose pen | 1 | 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5 or 15 mg in 0.5 mL | 5 to 30 mg/mL |
| Single-dose vial | 1 | 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5 or 15 mg in 0.5 mL | 5 to 30 mg/mL |
| Multi-dose vial | 4 | 2.5 to 15 mg in 0.6 mL | 4.17 to 25 mg/mL |
| Single-patient-use KwikPen | 4 | 2.5 to 15 mg per dose (2.4 mL total) | 4.17 to 25 mg/mL |
For example, the 2.5 mg multi-dose vial holds 10 mg in 2.4 mL (4.17 mg/mL) for four 2.5 mg doses, and the 15 mg version holds 60 mg in 2.4 mL (25 mg/mL). Lilly announced FDA approval of the four-dose Zepbound KwikPen on February 23, 2026. (Eli Lilly, Feb 23, 2026)
All of these are ready-to-use solutions. Nothing is mixed. The label’s vial instructions are written in milliliters (a 0.5 mL or 0.6 mL dose), not in insulin units. If you want the unit arithmetic anyway, the tirzepatide units chart explains it.
What the doses did in SURMOUNT-1
SURMOUNT-1 tested 5, 10 and 15 mg against placebo in 2,539 adults with obesity or overweight without diabetes. The NEJM paper reports these results at week 72 using the treatment-regimen estimand, which counts everyone randomized regardless of whether they stopped treatment. (N Engl J Med, Jul 21, 2022)
| Arm | Weight change at week 72 | Stopped for adverse events |
|---|---|---|
| Placebo | −3.1% | 2.6% |
| 5 mg | −15.0% | 4.3% |
| 10 mg | −19.5% | 7.1% |
| 15 mg | −20.9% | 6.2% |
The Zepbound label (section 14, Study 1) reports the same four weight figures. (DailyMed, Aug 28, 2026) The step from 10 mg to 15 mg added 1.4 percentage points of mean weight loss in this trial, while the step from 5 mg to 10 mg added 4.5. Those are group averages from one trial, not a prediction for any one person. The trial population, its 72-week length and the estimand all shape these numbers.
How to read this chart
- The ladder is the label’s dosing rule, quoted as written. It is not a personal plan.
- “At least 4 weeks” is a minimum. The fastest path to 15 mg is 20 weeks of escalation, but nothing in the label requires reaching 15 mg.
- Zepbound and Mounjaro share strengths but not indications. Mounjaro is labeled for glycemic control and cardiovascular risk reduction in type 2 diabetes; weight loss is not a Mounjaro indication.
- The Zepbound label says coadministration with other tirzepatide-containing products or any GLP-1 receptor agonist is not recommended.
For background on approvals, trials and compounding status, see the tirzepatide compound hub. For side-effect rates by step, see tirzepatide side effects.
Frequently asked questions
What is the tirzepatide dosing chart?
- Per the Zepbound and Mounjaro prescribing information (DailyMed, August 2026), the chart has six weekly steps: 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 12.5 and 15 mg. Each step lasts at least 4 weeks. Zepbound names 5, 10 or 15 mg as maintenance doses for weight and 10 or 15 mg for sleep apnea. Your prescriber decides which step you stay on.
What is the starting dose of Zepbound?
- The Zepbound label says the starting dosage for all indications is 2.5 mg once weekly for 4 weeks, then 5 mg. The label states that 2.5 mg is for starting treatment and is not approved as a maintenance dosage.
What is the max dose of tirzepatide?
- 15 mg once weekly for Zepbound (all indications) and for adults on Mounjaro. The Mounjaro label caps pediatric patients 10 years and older at 10 mg once weekly.
How long should you stay on each dose of Zepbound?
- The label sets a minimum, not a fixed length: at least 4 weeks on the current dose before any 2.5 mg increase. It also says to consider treatment response and tolerability when choosing a maintenance dose, and to consider a lower maintenance dose if one is not tolerated. Talk to your prescriber about timing.
What happens if I miss a dose of tirzepatide?
- Both labels say to take the missed dose as soon as possible within 4 days (96 hours). If more than 4 days have passed, skip it and take the next dose on the usual day. The dose day can be changed if the two doses are at least 3 days (72 hours) apart.
Is there a Zepbound dosage chart for vials?
- Yes. Single-dose vials come in the same six strengths as the pens (2.5 to 15 mg, each in 0.5 mL), so the dose ladder is identical. The vial is labeled in mg per 0.5 mL, and the label asks for a syringe that can measure a 0.5 mL dose.
Sources
- ZEPBOUND (tirzepatide) injection, for subcutaneous use - Full Prescribing Information, Medication Guide and Instructions for Use (DailyMed SPL set ID 487cd7e7-434c-4925-99fa-aa80b1cc776b, version 40). U.S. National Library of Medicine (DailyMed) / Eli Lilly and Company, Aug 28, 2026. Accessed Oct 19, 2026.
- MOUNJARO (tirzepatide) injection, for subcutaneous use - Full Prescribing Information, Medication Guide and Instructions for Use (DailyMed SPL set ID d2d7da5d-ad07-4228-955f-cf7e355c8cc0, version 40). U.S. National Library of Medicine (DailyMed) / Eli Lilly and Company, Aug 27, 2026. Accessed Oct 19, 2026.
- Tirzepatide Once Weekly for the Treatment of Obesity. N Engl J Med 2022;387(3):205-216 (Jastreboff AM et al.; PubMed PMID 35658024; doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2206038), Jul 21, 2022. Accessed Oct 19, 2026.
- FDA Approves New Medication for Chronic Weight Management. U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Nov 8, 2023. Accessed Oct 19, 2026.
- FDA Approves First Medication for Obstructive Sleep Apnea. U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Dec 20, 2024. Accessed Oct 19, 2026.
- Zepbound (tirzepatide), the most prescribed weight management medication in 2025, now available in multi-dose KwikPen. Eli Lilly and Company (investor.lilly.com), Feb 23, 2026. Accessed Oct 19, 2026.