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.

Yes. As of November 18, 2024, 49 CFR 383.73(a)(8), (b)10), (c)(10), (d)(9), (e)(8), and (f)(4) requires SDLAs to query the Clearinghouse before issuing, renewing, or upgrading a CLP, issuing an initial CDL, issuing a non-domiciled CLP or CDL, as well as before CDL transfers, renewals, and upgrades. Removing a restriction that would have the effect of expanding the driver’s ability to operate a CMV (e.g., removing an airbrake or intrastate-only restriction) is, in effect, an upgrade under § 383.73(e)(8). SDLAs are required to request information from the Clearinghouse because the driver may be prohibited from operating a CMV at the time the SDLA processes the upgrade. If, in response to the SDLA’s request to the Clearinghouse, the SDLA receives notification that the applicant is prohibited from operating a CMV, the SDLA must not complete the upgrade and must initiate a downgrade in accordance with § 383.73(q).

With regard to issuing duplicate CLPs and CDLs, FMCSA interprets the Clearinghouse query requirements in § 383.73(a)(8), (b)(10), (c)(10), (d)(9), (e)(8), and (f)(4) to include the State’s issuance of a duplicate of a CLP or CDL that was previously issued, renewed, transferred, or upgraded under these regulatory provisions. Duplicate CLPs and CDLs, which are generally issued if drivers lose the original credential or if it is damaged or destroyed, contain information largely identical to the originally issued license (e.g., contain the same expiration date). Just as States are required to request information from the Clearinghouse before completing an initial transaction under § 383.73(a)(8), (b)(10), (c)(10), (d)(9), (e)(8), and (f)(4), States are also required to request information from the Clearinghouse when replicating those transactions to issue a duplicate credential.

The American Association for Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) provides additional information about standard administrative practices for SDLAs regarding record checks during licensing transactions in the CDLIS State Procedures Manual, Version c.0, Section 7.2.1.

As established in the first Clearinghouse final rule (81 FR 87686), drivers with a “prohibited” Clearinghouse status are prohibited from operating a commercial motor vehicle (CMV). The second Clearinghouse final rule (Clearinghouse II) further supports this by ensuring that drivers with a “prohibited” Clearinghouse status do not continue to hold a commercial driver’s license (CDL) or commercial learner’s permit (CLP).

The Clearinghouse II final rule (86 FR 55718) requires that, as of November 18, 2024, State Driver Licensing Agencies (SDLAs) must remove the commercial driving privileges from the driver's license of an individual subject to the CMV driving prohibition. This would result in a downgrade of the license until the driver completes the return-to-duty (RTD) process.

This means that, as of November 18, 2024, having a “prohibited” Clearinghouse status will result in losing or being denied a CDL or CLP.

The October 2021 final rule (86 FR 55718) amends 49 CFR part 392 by prohibiting CLP or CDL holders from operating a commercial motor vehicle, as defined in 49 CFR 390.5T, if they are subject to the CMV driving prohibition in 49 CFR 382.501(a). No later than November 18, 2024, States receiving Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP) grant funds must adopt and enforce a CMV driving prohibition, comparable to 49 CFR 392.15, for CLP and CDL holders who are barred from operating a CMV due to a drug and alcohol program violation.

On October 7, 2021, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) published a final rule establishing requirements for SDLA’s access to and use of driver-specific drug and alcohol program violation information contained in the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse (86 FR 55718).

This final rule requires that:

• SDLAs must not issue, renew, upgrade, or transfer a commercial driver's license (CDL), or commercial learner's permit (CLP), as applicable, for any individual prohibited under FMCSA's regulations from performing safety-sensitive functions, including driving a commercial motor vehicle (CMV), due to one or more drug and alcohol program violations.
• SDLAs must, upon receipt of notification that a driver is prohibited from operating a CMV due to a drug and alcohol program violation, initiate the downgrade process to remove the CLP or CDL privilege from the driver's license within 60 days.
• Drivers completing the return-to-duty process before the downgrade process is completed would no longer be prohibited from operating a CMV and thus would no longer be subject to a downgrade.

SDLAs have until November 18, 2024 (compliance date) to comply with these requirements. In addition, FMCSA extends the compliance date for the requirement that SDLAs query the Clearinghouse prior to issuing, renewing, upgrading, or transferring a CDL from January 6, 2023 to November 18, 2024. SDLAs currently have the option to voluntarily query the Clearinghouse and may do so before the compliance date.

The first step is to have your Clearinghouse status change from “prohibited” to “not prohibited.” To do this, you must complete the return-to-duty (RTD) process, as established by 49 CFR part 40, subpart O. After you complete the RTD process and your Clearinghouse status is updated to “not prohibited,” your State Driver Licensing Agency (SDLA) will allow you to reinstate your commercial driving privileges.

FMCSA has created a resource that outlines the steps drivers take to complete their RTD process: download the Return-to-Duty Quick Reference Guide. For more information about the RTD process, visit the Clearinghouse Learning Center.