CDL Holders: FMCSA Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse
DOT regulations require that all CDL holders register for the FMCSA Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse. This is directly from the DOT and not your employers or the union.
Go to clearinghouse.fmcsa.dot.gov to create and manage your online profile with the Clearinghouse.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your Business Agent!
Frequently Asked Questions
Visit clearinghouse.fmcsa.dot.gov/FAQ to read all FAQs and answers, or visit the Learning Center for more details and resources for drivers.
What is the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse (Clearinghouse) and what information does it contain?
The Clearinghouse is a secure online database that gives employers, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), State Driver Licensing Agencies (SDLAs), and State law enforcement personnel real-time information about commercial driver’s license (CDL) and commercial learner’s permit (CLP) holders’ drug and alcohol program violations.
The Clearinghouse contains records of violations of drug and alcohol prohibitions in 49 CFR Part 382, Subpart B, including positive drug or alcohol test results and test refusals. When a driver completes the return-to-duty (RTD) process and follow-up testing plan, this information is also recorded in the Clearinghouse.
How will State Driver Licensing Agencies (SDLAs) use the Clearinghouse?
SDLAs will be able to query the Clearinghouse prior to completing licensing transactions, such as the issuance, renewal, transfer, and upgrade of a commercial driver’s license (CDL).
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has extended the compliance date for the requirement established by the Clearinghouse final rule that States query the Clearinghouse before completing certain CDL transactions. The SDLAs’ mandatory compliance with this requirement, currently due to begin on January 6, 2020, is delayed until January 6, 2023.
SDLAs currently have the option to voluntarily query the Clearinghouse.
Last Updated : January 08, 2020
What types of drivers and employers will the Clearinghouse affect?
All CDL drivers who operate CMVs on public roads and their employers and service agents. This includes, but is not limited to:
- Interstate and intrastate motor carriers, including passenger carriers
- School bus drivers
- Construction equipment operators
- Limousine drivers
- Municipal vehicle drivers (e.g., waste management vehicles)
- Federal and other organizations that employ drivers subject to FMCSA drug and alcohol testing regulations (e.g., Department of Defense, municipalities, school districts)
Last Updated : August 22, 2019
How does the Clearinghouse impact employers of commercial driver’s license (CDL) and commercial learner’s permit (CLP) holders?
The Clearinghouse offers employers a centralized location to query driver information and report drug and alcohol program violations incurred by their current and prospective employees holding CDLs and CLPs. The employer must use the Clearinghouse to:
Conduct a full query of the Clearinghouse as part of each pre-employment driver investigation process.
- Conduct limited queries at least annually for every driver they employ.
- Request electronic consent from the driver for a full query, including pre-employment queries.
- Report drug and alcohol program violations.
- Record the negative return-to-duty (RTD) test results and the date of successful completion of a follow-up testing plan for any driver they employ with unresolved drug and alcohol program violations.
Last Updated : January 08, 2020