The aim of this study was to compare benzodiazepine (bzd) prescriptions for adults and older adults regarding appropriate use indicator. It is a cross-sectional study for collecting data on patients treated at the City's Mental Health Clinic in Sorocaba/SP, between March and December 2013. Appropriate use indicators were used: appropriate drug, with adequate posology and period of use; as well as the use of a single bzd, as anxiolytic for less than 3 months in depression treatment with antidepressants, use for less than 2 months if associated to an antidepressant and no use of long-acting bzd in older adults. From the 330 participants, most were women, with a family history of mental disorders and bzd use, without monitoring of a psychologist and using other psychotropic and polypharmacy (p>0.05).The minority of prescriptions had indication for the use of bzd (37.5% for older adults and 32.4% for adults) (p>0.05). Only 5.8% of the prescriptions for older adults and 1.9 for adults were rational (p>0.05). The chronic use was observed in all adults and older adults with depressive and anxiety disorders (p>0.05). A minority of prescriptions for adults and older adults was appropriate.