Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse Registration
Required for every employer of CDL drivers, including owner-operators who drive for themselves.
The FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse is the database that tracks CDL drug and alcohol violations. Every company that employs CDL drivers must register, run queries on its drivers, and report violations. Owner-operators count as their own employer, so they need to register too.
Who Needs to Register?
- Motor carriers that employ drivers who need a CDL
- Owner-operators who hold a CDL and drive for their own company
- CDL drivers, who register separately to respond to query consent requests
Owner-Operators Must Designate a C/TPA
If you employ yourself as a CDL driver, FMCSA requires you to designate a consortium or third-party administrator (C/TPA) in the Clearinghouse. The C/TPA has to accept the designation before queries or reports can be made for your company.
What Employers Have to Do
- Run a full pre-employment query before a new driver performs safety-sensitive work
- Run at least an annual query on every CDL driver you employ
- Report drug and alcohol violations within the required time frame
- Buy a query plan to pay for queries
Before You Start
- Your USDOT number
- Login.gov access for the person registering
- The C/TPA you use, if you already have one
- Names and CDL numbers of your drivers
How Clearinghouse Setup Works
- We send you step-by-step instructions and stay with you on chat.
- You register your company in the Clearinghouse through Login.gov.
- Owner-operators designate their C/TPA, and we confirm it was accepted.
- We help you buy the right query plan and explain your yearly query schedule.
What It Costs
Our setup service is $79. Registering is free. Queries have a small FMCSA fee each, paid through a query plan.
Ready to Get Started?
Frequently Asked Questions
Do owner-operators really need to register?
Yes. An owner-operator with a CDL is both the employer and the driver, and must register and designate a C/TPA.
How often do I have to query my drivers?
A full query before hiring, and at least one query per driver every year after that.
Is the Clearinghouse the same as a drug testing consortium?
No. The consortium handles testing. The Clearinghouse is FMCSA's database of results and violations. Most owner-operators need both.