If you’re a commercial driver today, the Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse isn’t just another regulation—it’s part of your everyday reality. Since 2020, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has required carriers, employers, and drivers to use the Clearinghouse to track drug and alcohol violations related to CDL drivers in safety-sensitive positions.
Whether you’re new to trucking, moving carriers, or just looking to stay compliant, understanding the Clearinghouse is essential to protecting your CDL and keeping your career on track.
What Is the Drug & Alcohol
Clearinghouse?
The Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse is a secure, online federal database
that records drug and alcohol program violations for CDL and CLP holders.
It was created to close a major safety gap: before the Clearinghouse,
drivers could fail or refuse a test at one employer and get hired at another
without reporting the violation. Now, carriers must check each driver’s record
before hiring and annually thereafter.
Why the Clearinghouse Matters for CDL
Drivers
Your Clearinghouse record follows you everywhere. That’s good news for
safety—but it means drivers must take testing requirements seriously.
Here’s what it means for you:
1. Carriers must check your Clearinghouse record.
Before you can be hired or move into a safety-sensitive position,
employers must run:
- A full query (with your
electronic consent) during hiring
- A limited query once per
year for currently employed drivers
If you don’t give consent, you can’t drive. Period.
2. Violations affect your ability to work.
If you have a recorded violation, you cannot perform safety-sensitive duties until:
- You complete an evaluation with a Substance Abuse Professional (SAP)
- You complete the Return-to-Duty process
- You pass an observed Return-to-Duty test
3. Your responsibility doesn’t end at the test site.
Drivers must be registered in the Clearinghouse to give consent for queries. If you’re not registered, you can’t legally drive for a carrier that needs to check your record.
Registration is simple and only takes a few minutes.
You’ll need:
- Your CDL number
- Your state of issuance
- An FMCSA login.gov account
Once registered, you can:
- View your violations (if any)
- Give consent to employers
- View your RTD status
- Monitor your record for accuracy
If a driver tests positive, refuses a test, or receives another violation, the path back to driving includes:
1. SAP Evaluation – You must meet with a DOT-approved Substance Abuse Professional.
2. Education/Treatment – The SAP will prescribe the required steps.
3. RTD Test – After the SAP clears you, you must pass a directly observed test.
4. Follow-Up Testing – The SAP prescribes a testing schedule for up to five years.
Completing these steps updates your Clearinghouse status so carriers can confirm your eligibility to return to duty.
The Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse isn’t something you can afford to
misunderstand. One mistake—one missed step, one overlooked requirement—can
sideline a driver or put a carrier out of compliance fast. The best way to
protect your fleet, your drivers, and your business is to make sure everyone
understands exactly how the Clearinghouse works.
That’s where our Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse Training Course
comes in!
Our course breaks down the entire Clearinghouse process in clear,
practical terms so both drivers and employers know:
- How the Clearinghouse works and
why it exists
- What counts as a violation
- How employers must report
violations
- When and how to run full and
limited queries
- Driver responsibilities for
registration and consent
- What to do when a violation
occurs
- How the Return-to-Duty (RTD)
process works
- How to stay fully compliant
year-round
The Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse isn’t something you can afford to
misunderstand. One mistake—one missed step, one overlooked requirement—can
sideline a driver or put a carrier out of compliance fast. The best way to
protect your fleet, your drivers, and your business is to make sure everyone
understands exactly how the Clearinghouse works.
Whether you're a new CDL driver, a seasoned professional, or a motor carrier trying to keep your team compliant, this course ensures you understand the rules from start to finish—before you're stuck navigating a violation or audit.
Stay compliant. Stay informed. And stay ahead of the regulations with our
Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse Training Course.
