BACKGROUND Tacrolimus (TAC) is the mainstay immunosuppressant for renal transplantation. A narrow therapeutic index, multiple drug interactions, and interindividual variability in pharmacokinetics make it obligatory to monitor therapeutic drug levels. The Multidrug resistance gene 1 (MDR1) and CYP3A5 gene polymorphism may blend to achieve the optimal level. The optimal dose as per body weight is difficult to single out in the early posttransplantation period. In this study, we aimed to analyze the melding effect of both gene polymorphisms and to elicit the dose depending on the combination of genetic single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in northern Indian transplant recipients, for whom data are limited. METHODS The daily TAC dose, weight-adjusted doses (mg/kg per day), TAC trough blood concentration (average of at least 3 levels), dose normalized with a corresponding dose using TAC concentration/weight-adjusted dose ratio (ng/ml per mg/kg per day) of 248 patients were recorded. All recipients were genotyped for the SNPs of CYP3A5 at intron 3 A6986G (the *3 or *1 allele), MDR1 at exons 12 (C1236T), 21 (G2677A/T), and 26 (C3435T). We analyzed the blending effect of mutant SNPs of the MDR gene and CYP3A5 for optimized TAC levels. RESULTS Among CYP3A5 genotypic variants, the dose-adjusted TAC level was significantly lower, and the TAC dose required to achieve the target level was significantly higher, in CYP3A5*1*1 (expressor) than that of CYP3A5*1*3 and CYP3A5*3*3. Of the MDR1 gene SNPs, only the G2677T/A homozygous mutant was significantly associated with TAC level, and it was strongly correlated with P-gp expression.The daily TAC dose requirement was highest with a combination of CYP3A5*1*1 and homozygous mutant TT+AA genotype of G2677T/A, and was lowest with CYP3A5*3*3 and wild-type GG of the G2677T/A genotype. CONCLUSIONS Both CYP gene and MDR1 gene polymorphism affect TAC dose requirements, and there is a need to look for both in an individual to achieve the target trough concentration.