On Wednesday, May 28, 2025, from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm Eastern Time, the Commercial Driver’s License Information System (CDLIS) Gateway will be intermittently unavailable due to scheduled system maintenance. Clearinghouse users may experience issues verifying driver information during this maintenance time.
An official website of the United States government Here's how you know
The .gov means it’s official.

Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

This site is secure.

The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

United States Department of Transportation
FMCSA - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Adminstration

Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse

Can’t find the answer to your question? Try searching for key terms, such as “query” or “report violation.”

Browse Popular Topics

Select a topic below or filter by user type to find answers to your questions. If you have additional questions, you can contact FMCSA.

Filter by UserType
Show All FAQs
general

General

(21 Questions)
Learn More
registration

Registration

(21 Questions)
Learn More

Reporting Violations

(40 Questions)
Learn More

CDL Downgrades

(4 Questions)
Learn More
query_consent

Queries and Consent Requests

(41 Questions)
Learn More
service_agents

Service Agents

(9 Questions)
Learn More
?

Driver Data

(34 Questions)
Learn More
RTD

Violations and the RTD Process

(15 Questions)
Learn More

Cross-Border Transportation

(4 Questions)
Learn More

Top 5 FAQs

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.

Last Updated : January 08, 2020

If a driver has a drug and alcohol program violation in one State, then applies for a commercial driver’s license (CDL) in another State, will the Clearinghouse be able to connect that driver’s drug and alcohol violation history to the new CDL?

Yes. The Clearinghouse will identify drivers who move frequently and obtain CDLs in different States and link those CDLs, in order to maintain complete and accurate information on such drivers.

Last Updated : September 28, 2019

Does the final rule change any of the existing drug and alcohol program requirements in Part 40?

No, the final rule does not change any existing requirements in the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)-wide procedures for transportation workplace drug and alcohol testing.

Last Updated : July 22, 2019

How do authorized users sign up to access the Clearinghouse?

Employers, drivers, medical review officers (MROs), substance abuse professionals (SAPs), and consortia/third-party administrators (C/TPAs) must register in the Clearinghouse to access the Clearinghouse.

Instructional job aids are available for:

Employers, C/TPAs, MROs, and SAPs can also invite users to complete required actions in the Clearinghouse on their behalf. These users would register as Clearinghouse Assistants.

Last Updated : December 30, 2019

Are CDL drivers required to register for the Clearinghouse?

Drivers are not required to register for the Clearinghouse. However, a driver will need to be registered to provide electronic consent in the Clearinghouse if a prospective or current employer needs to conduct a full query of the driver’s Clearinghouse record—this includes all pre-employment queries.

A driver must also be registered to electronically view the information in his or her own Clearinghouse record.

Registered drivers will have their Clearinghouse accounts and contact preferences set up, allowing them to quickly respond to query requests from employers. Registration is available at https://clearinghouse.fmcsa.dot.gov/register.

Last Updated : January 08, 2020