The FMCSA Clearinghouse is a federal database tracking every DOT drug and alcohol violation by CDL drivers. Here's everything drivers, employers, and C/TPAs need to know about registration, queries, and violations.
The FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse (formally the Commercial Driver's License Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse) is a secure federal online database administered by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. It launched January 6, 2020.
The database contains records of all DOT drug and alcohol program violations committed by CDL holders. Employers must query it before hiring any CDL driver and annually for all current drivers. Drivers can see their own records at any time.
Employers who fail to query the Clearinghouse before hiring a CDL driver, or who fail to run annual queries on current drivers, are subject to federal civil penalties.
All CDL holders must register to provide consent for employer queries and to view their own violation records.
All FMCSA-regulated employers must register to run pre-employment and annual queries on CDL drivers.
Consortia and third-party administrators register to run queries and submit violations on behalf of employers they serve.
Medical Review Officers and Substance Abuse Professionals register to report violations and RTD completion.
Returns the driver's complete Clearinghouse record. Requires the driver's electronic consent via the Clearinghouse portal before you can view results.
Shows only whether a violation exists (yes/no), not the details. If a violation is flagged, a full query is required. Driver provides blanket consent at hire.
When enrolled in our DOT random testing consortium, we run your required Clearinghouse queries and submit any violation reports — included in your annual enrollment fee. See consortium plans →
Violations remain in the Clearinghouse for 5 years from the date the violation was entered, or until the driver completes the return-to-duty (RTD) process — whichever is longer. After RTD completion AND 5 years have elapsed, FMCSA removes the violation from the record.
A driver with a Clearinghouse violation must complete the full DOT Return-to-Duty (RTD) process, which includes evaluation by a Substance Abuse Professional (SAP), required treatment/education, a return-to-duty drug test, and follow-up testing.
Learn about the Return to Duty process →No. The Clearinghouse is specifically for DOT drug and alcohol violations by CDL drivers. It does not contain criminal records, traffic violations, or non-DOT drug test results. It's a separate and additional requirement from standard employment background checks.
No. A driver with an unresolved violation in the Clearinghouse is prohibited from performing safety-sensitive functions (driving a CMV). They must complete the full return-to-duty process before they can drive commercially again.
Yes. Owner-operators must register as both driver AND employer in the Clearinghouse. They must also be enrolled in a DOT consortium (C/TPA) that runs annual queries on their behalf. Our consortium handles Clearinghouse compliance as part of enrollment.
Federal civil penalties apply — up to $16,000 per violation. The employer may also be liable if the driver is involved in an accident while prohibited from driving. Pre-employment queries are not optional.
A C/TPA registers in the Clearinghouse on behalf of enrolled employers and drivers, runs required queries, and submits violation reports. When enrolled in our consortium, Clearinghouse compliance is handled for you — included in the annual fee. See plans →
Enroll in our DOT consortium and we handle all Clearinghouse queries, violation reporting, and annual MIS reports — from $49/year.
Enroll in Consortium — from $49/yr →