Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse

What is the FMCSA Commercial Driver’s License Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse?

A secure, online database that will give employers and other authorized users real-time information about Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) and Commercial Learner’s Permit (CLP) holders’ drug and alcohol program violations.

The Clearinghouse’s mission is to improve safety on our Nation’s roadways by giving employers access to the information they need to make informed safety decisions about which employees to place in safety-sensitive functions, including operating a Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV).

How will Employers, Drivers, Owner-Operators , C/TPA’s, MRO, and SAP use the Clearinghouse?

Beginning January 6, 2020, employers will be required to:

  • Report drug and alcohol violations – This will include alcohol test results with a concentration of .04 or greater, refusals to take an alcohol or drug test, as well as actual knowledge of a violation.
  • Report negative return-to-duty (RTD) test results and the successful completion of a driver’s follow-up testing plan.
  • The information above must be reported by the close of the third business day after the employer is informed.
  • Conduct queries to check if prospective employees are prohibited from performing safety-sensitive functions, such as operating CMVs, due to an unresolved drug and alcohol program violation.
  • In addition, employers are required to query all current employees at least annually. All queries require driver consent.
  • Until January 6, 2023, conduct both electronic queries in the Clearinghouse and manual, offline inquiries to previous employers for pre-employment driver investigations.

If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to give ADS a call at 909-390-3575 or refer to clearinghouse.fmcsa.dot.gov