Would nootropics test positive on drug tests?

This is a tricky question. Ideally no, but false positives do happen. A false positive is when the drug screen comes back positive for something that was never taken.

Drug screens do not test for the drugs directly. They test for metabolites that drugs break down in the body. Sometimes unrelated drugs break down into similar metabolites causing a false reading.

Common drugs screens do not look for nootropics. Standard 5-panel drug screens (commonly used for employment) only test for THC, PCP, cocaine, amphetamines, and opiates. Nootropics should not cause a false positive for any of these things, however since it’s always possible you should use caution if undergoing drug testing.