The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse is an online database that tracks violations of the U.S. Department of Transportation drug and alcohol testing program for commercial driver license or commercial learner permit holders.
Disqualification
Drivers with a prohibited status in the clearinghouse are unable to operate a commercial motor vehicle. The clearinghouse will electronically notify the N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles of any clearinghouse status changes. NCDMV is required to:
- Disqualify drivers for a minimum of 30 days until successful completion, assessment and treatment by a substance abuse professional
- Return to duty test with a negative result.
Additionally, NCDMV is required to check the clearinghouse before the issuance, renewal, replacement or upgrade of a commercial driver license. Any driver with a prohibited status in the clearinghouse is ineligible for a commercial driver license or commercial learner permit. NCDMV does not have the authority to change a driver’s status, accelerate the return to duty process or remove a prohibited status in the clearinghouse.
Return to Duty
The return to duty process is a series of steps drivers in a prohibited status must complete to regain their commercial driving privileges. This includes:
- Meeting with a USDOT qualified substance abuse professional for an evaluation
- Completing the educational and/or treatment programs recommended by the substance abuse professional
- Substance abuse professional reevaluation and establishing a follow-up testing plan
- Successful completion of the return to duty drug andalcohol test
The Role of Substance Abuse Professionals
A substance abuse professional is an individual certified by USDOT to oversee a commercial driver’s progression through the return to duty process.
If the holder of a commercial driver license or commercial learner permit violates the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s drug and alcohol policies, the driver’s employer is expected to provide the driver with a list of substance abuse professionals . The driver has the option to choose from this list or find their own substance abuse professional.
The driver must log into their clearinghouse account and designate which substance abuse professional they will be using. The substance abuse professional will then begin their evaluation to determine what programs are necessary for the driver to regain commercial driving privileges.