Clearinghouse enrollment, walked through.
Owner-operators register in two roles — employer + driver — because under 49 CFR 382 you are both. Login.gov account, FMCSA Clearinghouse driver registration, employer registration with your USDOT linked, VID designated as your C/TPA. Two ways to get it done: on your own with our instructions, at no charge, or our Clearinghouse Enrollment Setup ($199 one time), where we do it with you on a shared screen.
Already a member? Order the Clearinghouse Enrollment Setup in the member portal →
- Login.govAccount creation with you (or verification if you already have one)
- Driver registrationFMCSA Clearinghouse driver registration, which you complete yourself with us on the screen
- Employer registrationFMCSA Portal and Clearinghouse employer registration with your USDOT linked
- C/TPA designationVertical Identity designated as your C/TPA, so we can run queries on your behalf
- Your first queryThe pre-employment full query on yourself is required before your first dispatch as a new owner-operator ($12 per query, our fee)
- Checked before we finishVerification that everything is properly linked and visible
Follow our instructions to register and designate Vertical Identity as your C/TPA in the FMCSA Clearinghouse.
We do it with you on a shared screen, in order, so nothing gets skipped.
You're the employer. You're also the driver.
Under FMCSA rules, the employer-of-driver and driver are separate Clearinghouse roles with separate logins, separate consent flows, and separate query responsibilities. If you operate under your own DOT, you're both — so you register in both.
As driver
Driver registration with login.gov. You receive query consent requests here. You authorize the C/TPA and employer to access your detailed violation record.
As employer
Employer registration with your USDOT number linked. This is where you (or your designated C/TPA) run pre-employment full queries and annual limited queries — including on yourself, every year.
C/TPA bridges them
Once VID is designated as your C/TPA, we can run queries on the employer side — but the driver-side consent still goes directly to you, in your own Clearinghouse account. Consent stays with the driver; running the query moves to us.
Six steps. In order.
In the white-glove setup we do these in order with you on a shared screen, so nothing gets skipped. Doing it yourself? Our instructions follow the same six steps. The Clearinghouse portal is unforgiving — a single mismatched field can fail verification.
Login.gov
Required identity layer for the Clearinghouse. If you already use it for IRS, USPS, or SSA online, the same account works. If not, you create one with ID and phone verification.
Driver registration
Sign in at clearinghouse.fmcsa.dot.gov as a driver. CDL number and date of birth must match exactly what's on file with your state DMV — a common failure point.
Employer registration
Employer side: USDOT number, MC number if applicable, business legal name, all matching FMCSA records exactly. You need your USDOT PIN for the FMCSA Portal; if it never arrived, FMCSA can re-send it by email or text.
C/TPA designation
In the employer account, designate Vertical Identity as your C/TPA, at no charge. That lets us run queries on your behalf going forward. Reversible at any time.
Initial pre-employment query
Required before your first dispatch under your new authority. You buy query credits in your own Clearinghouse account, we run the query ($12, our fee), and you approve it in the Clearinghouse.
Annual reminders set
A query is required at least once a year. With DQF Pro, included with membership, you get a reminder when it's due. Each query is ordered at $12 (our fee); the FMCSA query credit is separate.
How much does Clearinghouse enrollment cost for owner-operators?
Designating Vertical Identity as your C/TPA yourself is at no charge. The white-glove Clearinghouse Enrollment Setup is $199, one time per DOT. After that, each query is $12 (our fee) and you buy the FMCSA query credits in your own Clearinghouse account. Most owner-operators join the consortium at the same time.
Two roles. One walk-through.
Owner-operators register in both employer and driver roles. We coordinate the steps that need to happen in sequence so you get a clean setup the first time.
Member rates shown. The FMCSA query credit is separate. Membership is an annual fee; drug tests are ordered when needed, at member prices. Consortium membership →
Related Clearinghouse pages
Frequently Asked Questions
Don't see yours? Call or text (602) 899-1606.
Hours: Mon–Fri 6 AM – 5 PM AZ
[email protected]
Is Clearinghouse enrollment mandatory for owner-operators?
Yes. As of January 6, 2020, every CDL driver operating commercial motor vehicles must be registered in the FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse — and owner-operators must register in BOTH roles since they are both the employer and the driver. You will conduct a pre-employment query on yourself when you start operating, and an annual query every year thereafter. There is no waiver and no exception.
How long does the enrollment process take?
It depends mostly on one government step. To create the FMCSA Portal account that leads to the Clearinghouse, you need your USDOT PIN. If it never arrived, FMCSA can re-send your existing PIN by email or text; by mail it takes 7–10 business days. With the PIN in hand, the setup itself is done in a working session. You can do it yourself with our instructions at no charge, or book our white-glove Clearinghouse Enrollment Setup ($199) and we do it with you on a shared screen.
What happens if I don't register with the Clearinghouse?
Operating without a Clearinghouse registration is a federal violation under 49 CFR 382.701. It surfaces during FMCSA audits, new-entrant audits, and roadside inspections. Penalties include fines, out-of-service orders, and jeopardy to your operating authority. Annual queries are required for every CDL driver — including yourself as an owner-operator — and missing them is its own audit finding.
Can VID register my driver portal for me?
No — federal law requires the driver to personally create their own login.gov account and Clearinghouse driver account, because the driver must give electronic consent for full queries to be valid. We walk you through it, share screen if needed, and verify everything is linked correctly. The employer side we can handle on your behalf once your USDOT number is active.
Do I have to designate VID as my C/TPA to use your services?
For Clearinghouse query services, yes — you designate Vertical Identity as your C/TPA in the FMCSA portal. That gives us authority to run queries on your behalf. Designating us is at no charge: do it yourself with our instructions, or book the white-glove Clearinghouse Enrollment Setup ($199) and we do it with you on a shared screen. You can revoke the designation at any time. For consortium membership and drug testing, no separate Clearinghouse designation is required.
One-time $199. Done with you, on a shared screen.
Don't wait for an audit notice. Designate us yourself at no charge, or book the white-glove setup and we walk you through both roles, designate VID as your C/TPA and get your first query ready.