FMSCA Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse

FMSCA Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse

Gehling Occupational Health Services offers service to transportation companies, owner operators and FMCSA regulated employers for the new FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse ruling effective January 6, 2020.

Any employer of FMCSA CDL drivers will now be responsible for the following:
  • Full queries of new drivers in the FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse
  • Annual limited queries of all current drivers in the FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse
  • Reporting confirmed positive alcohol tests, employer-determined refusals to test and actual knowledge, as defined in Part 382.107 in the FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse
  • Reporting negative return-to-duty tests and completion of follow-up testing in the FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse
  • Updating policies and education programs to notify drivers of what information will be reported to the clearinghouse
  • Owner operators must designate a C/TPA to comply with employer requirements.
Your MRO will be required to report verified positive, adulterated or substituted drug test results; and also all refusal-to-test determinations by the MRO. 

We can handle many of these tasks for you so compliance is easy and affordable! Contact us for details.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • 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 use testing regulations (e.g., Department of Defense, municipalities, school districts)

  • How will State Driver Licensing Agencies 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.

  • For which actions in the clearinghouse are employers charged a fee?

    Employers are charged a fee to conduct limited and full queries within the Clearinghouse. There are no fees for registration or other Clearinghouse activities.


    Employers can purchase a query plan that fits their business needs. Learn more about the query plans.

  • 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)
  • How do owner-operators meet their Clearinghouse obligations?

    An owner-operator (an employer who employs himself or herself as a CDL driver, typically a single-driver operation) is subject to the requirements pertaining to employers as well as those pertaining to drivers. Under the Clearinghouse final rule, an employer who employs himself or herself as a CDL driver must designate a consortium/third-party administrator (C/TPA) to comply with the employer’s Clearinghouse reporting requirements (§ 382.705(b)(6)).

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