Employers of drivers subject to FMCSA drug and alcohol testing rules must use the Clearinghouse for required queries and reporting. Use the planner to see how many queries your fleet needs this year, then work through the setup steps below.
Employer setup, step by step
Create the employer account in the Clearinghouse, designate a consortium/third-party administrator if you use one, and assign assistants who will run queries.
Add Clearinghouse queries and reporting to your written drug and alcohol policy, and collect the general written consent that limited queries require.
Full pre-employment query for every new CDL hire before safety-sensitive work, and at least one limited or full query per driver every 12 months. A limited-query hit must become a full query within 24 hours.
Report violations you determine, record return-to-duty steps, and retain limited-query consent for three years. The Clearinghouse maintains query history and full-query consent responses.
Clearinghouse questions
Who is required to register in the FMCSA Clearinghouse?
Employers of CDL drivers, consortia and third-party administrators, medical review officers and substance abuse professionals register in the Clearinghouse. Drivers register to view their own record and to provide electronic consent for full queries.
How many Clearinghouse queries do I need each year?
At least one limited or full query every 12 months for each driver subject to FMCSA drug and alcohol testing, plus a full pre-employment query for every new CDL hire before safety-sensitive work. The planner on this page calculates the totals from your driver count and expected hires.
What is the difference between a limited query and a full query?
A limited query checks whether a record exists and needs the driver's general written consent. A full query reveals the record detail and needs the driver's electronic consent inside the Clearinghouse. A hit on a limited query must be followed by a full query within 24 hours.
Do owner-operators have Clearinghouse duties?
Yes. An owner-operator acting as both employer and driver must register as an employer, designate a consortium/third-party administrator, and is subject to the same query and reporting rules.
Official sources
Rules and agency systems can change. Check the linked source before making a filing or compliance decision.
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