Six simple and sensitive spectrophotometric methods (I, II, III, IV, V and VI) in the visible region have been developed for the quantitative estimation of Butorphanol tartarate in bulk drug and pharmaceutical formulations. These methods are based on the reaction of oxidative coupling reaction with 3-methyl-2-benzothiazoIinone hydra/one (MBTH), 1,10-phenanthroline, ferric chloride Gibb's reagents, FC reagent, and potassium ferricyanide to form green, red, dark colored, bluish green, dark colored and bluish green chromogen with absorption maxima at 424 nm, 515 nm, 795 nm, 588 nm, 756.5 nm and 786 nm Beer's law is obeyed in the concentration range of 5-25 μg/ml, 5-25 μg/ml, 1-5 μg/ml, 5-25 μg/ml, 2-12 μg/ml and 1-5 μg/ml respectively. The results of analysis have been validated statistically and by recovery studies. The methods were found to be accurate, precise, rapid, and economic. © 2015 Scientific Publishers. All rights reserved.