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

Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse

SDLA Resources

The resources below have been developed to provide State Driver Licensing Agencies (SDLAs) with the information needed to meet with the requirements established by the Clearinghouse II final rule.

Clearinghouse II Implementation Resources

Accessing the Clearinghouse as an SDLA

Request an FMCSA Portal Account

SDLA staff members who visit the Clearinghouse website and log in to query driver information will need an FMCSA Portal account with the "DACH - General Query" user role.

Using the Clearinghouse Web Interface

Download the educational guide below for step-by-step instructions on how to use the SDLA logged-in section of the Clearinghouse (web interface). This includes instructions on how to request "Full Access" (allows access to driver status history and the Prohibited Driver and Clearinghouse Status Change reports).

Direct Connect to the Clearinghouse

States have the option to establish a direct connection between their State IT system and the Clearinghouse. The guide below provides the information States will need to set up this connection.

On July 20, 2023, FMCSA hosted a webinar to assist States in generating and using the access credentials needed to set up a direct connection to the Clearinghouse Web Service.

States also have the option to use a CDLIS-based solution to establish this connection. For more information, contact vaddulamala@aamva.org or rdharmarajan@aamva.org.

Outreach Resources

Driver Resources

NEW: Return-to-Duty for CDL Drivers Video
CDL and CLP holders that have a “prohibited” status in FMCSA’s CDL Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse will lose their commercial driving privileges until the driver completes the return-to-duty process. SDLAs can share this video, which summarizes the steps these drivers have to take to change their Clearinghouse status back to “not prohibited.”

Driver Return-to-Duty Visor Card
SDLAs may share this with drivers who lose their commercial driving privileges due to a "prohibited" Clearinghouse status. The insert summarizes the steps a driver must take to complete the return-to-duty (RTD) process.

Submit the files below to your local printer to print your own copies of the Driver Return-to-Duty Visor Card.

Sample Language

FMCSA has provided the following sample language and materials for States to use in their communications to CDL drivers.

  • Sample Language for CDL Downgrade Letters (Word): SDLAs may insert this language into the communications to drivers informing them of the loss of commercial driving privilege due to a "prohibited" status in the Clearinghouse.
  • Clearinghouse Talking Points: SDLAs may use these talking points when speaking with drivers about Clearinghouse II and its implications for commercial driving privileges.
  • Clearinghouse II Standard Website Language: SDLAs may use this language on their websites to educate drivers about Clearinghouse II.
  • Sample Newsletter Article and Blurbs (Word): SDLAs are encouraged to use these sample newsletter article and e-newsletter blurbs on their websites and in SDLA publications.
  • Sample Social Media Posts (Word): SDLAs may post these messages to their social media channels.
  • Web Graphics: Download and use these images on SDLA websites, social media channels, e-newsletters, etc. Note: The zip file also contains horizontal (1200 x 627 px) versions of all images.

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Download All Graphics

Clearinghouse Outreach PPT
This PowerPoint presentation was originally created in 2021 to assist enforcement personnel in educating the industry about the Clearinghouse and was updated in September 2023 to include new information on the second Clearinghouse final rule. This PowerPoint is now available to SDLAs to assist in your driver outreach efforts.

Clearinghouse II Preparation

FMCSA provided the materials below to help SDLAs prepare for the Clearinghouse II compliance date, November 18, 2024.

  • SDLA Clearinghouse Compliance Factsheet: A summary of the SDLA requirements established by the Clearinghouse II final rule.
  • Countdown to Clearinghouse II for SDLAs: A guide for SDLAs to use in planning how they will meet their Clearinghouse requirements by November 18, 2024.
  • Clearinghouse II State Requirements: An outline of the Clearinghouse II requirements to assist States in making changes to their State’s statutes and regulations, if necessary, to facilitate implementation of the SDLA Clearinghouse query and CLP/CDL downgrade requirements by November 18, 2024.

SDLA Check-in Webinars

Use the links below to download PDF versions of the presentations from previous check-in webinars. You can also download the SDLA Frequently Asked Questions on Clearinghouse II (revised 11/12/2024).

  • October 2024: Program updates and guidance around Clearinghouse II requirements for States; updates on the memorandums of understanding (MOU) and testing protocols for connecting State IT systems to the Clearinghouse; and recap of available driver outreach materials.
  • June 2024: Latest Program updates and guidance around State requirements for CDL downgrades and querying the Clearinghouse; updates on testing protocols for connecting State IT systems to the Clearinghouse and the process for completing memorandums of understanding (MOU); and recap of driver outreach materials available to States.
  • March 2024: Testing protocols for connecting State IT systems to the Clearinghouse; new driver outreach materials available to States; review of SDLA requirements for meeting Clearinghouse II requirements and tips on how SDLAs can prepare for the compliance date.
  • November 2023: Recap of SDLA requirements for meeting Clearinghouse II requirements and tips on how SDLAs can prepare for the compliance date; updates on FMCSA’s outreach to drivers and new resources available to help SDLAs communicate with drivers about Clearinghouse II; and Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s experience downgrading CDLs of prohibited drivers and lessons learned.
  • September 2023: Answers to frequently asked questions about SDLA requirements for removing the commercial driving privilege for drivers in a “prohibited” Clearinghouse status; tips on how SDLAs can get ahead of the compliance date; and details about the driver outreach efforts that FMCSA has planned for fall 2023 and beyond.
  • June 2023: Reminders about obtaining legislative authority, review of how the Clearinghouse ties violations to driver CDLs (including previous CDLs), and updates on new resources including the driver return-to-duty visor card.
  • February/March 2023: Information about FMCSA's policy on downgrading prohibited drivers and how States can prepare, a recap of how States can connect to the Clearinghouse, and resources for helping SDLAs get ready to meet Clearinghouse II requirements.
  • November 2022: Overview of IT and staffing considerations for using the "direct connect" methods to query and receive notifications from the Clearinghouse, and resources for helping SDLAs connect to the Clearinghouse.
  • August 2022: Overview of the "direct connect" methods for querying the Clearinghouse and receiving notifications from FMCSA. Screenshots of the SDLA logged-in view of the Clearinghouse.
  • April 2022: Wrap-up of the Entry-Level Driver Training implementation. Overview of the SDLA requirements in the Clearinghouse II final rule.

About the Clearinghouse II Final Rule

The second Clearinghouse final rule established requirements for SDLAs’ access to and use of driver-specific drug and alcohol program violation information contained in the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse.