DOT Clearinghouse Enrollment
How to Enroll and Run Queries
Vertical Identity Drug & Alcohol Consortium Clearinghouse Mandatory Enrollment started 1/6/2020
For enrollment you have two options:
1. Watch Videos Part 1 and Part2 for Step by Step Instructions or
2. Follow Instructions on this page.
Part 1 : Step by Step Instructional Video
Part 2 : Step by Step Instructional Video
How to Buy Query Credits
DRUG & ALCOHOL TESTING POOL
STEP BY STEP DOCUMENTED INSTRUCTIONS FOR THOSE
WHO PREFER TO READ INSTRUCTIONS INSTEAD OF
FOLLOWING VIDEO GUIDE
Step 1 Instructions – Link your FMCSA Portal to Clearinghouse
Why link your Clearinghouse account and Portal account?
Any company with a USDOT number can have a FMCSA portal account. This account links all of your FMCSA resources. https://portal.fmcsa.dot.gov/login
Linking your Portal account will associate your Clearinghouse activity with your USDOT Number, which will enable DOT personnel to verify your Clearinghouse activity quickly and easily after January 6, 2020. Establishing this link today will help streamline interactions with DOT personnel down the road.
FMCSA Portal Account holders Registration instructions.
Before you begin to register as an Employer in the Clearinghouse, please confirm that you have added the Clearinghouse role in your Portal profile.
To do this, please follow these steps (Video Part 1)
- Login to the FMCSA portal->navigate to Account Management->My Profile->Portal Roles/USDOT#
- Confirm the presence of / or add the “DACH Motor Carrier Admin” role from the available roles list to your Requested Roles
- You will then be prompted to enter your Portal credentials.
- After your Portal credentials are successfully verified, your Portal information will be brought into the registration process and will visible in your My Profile section after you’ve completed registration. For more detailed instructions, please click on the following link for the registration job aid for employers: https://clearinghouse.fmcsa.dot.gov/Resource/Index/Registration-Employer-Instructions
Step 2-4 Create Login.gov & Register in Clearinghouse as Owner Operator
Links for detailed registration instructions: Employers (including Owner Operators)
https://clearinghouse.fmcsa.dot.gov/Resource/Index/Registration-Employer-Instructions
Drivers covered under an employer’s consortium (random testing program)
Go to https://clearinghouse.fmcsa.dot.gov/ to register and select Vertical Identity at your C/TPA.
Step 5 – Buy Credits/Queries from FMCSA directly
CLEARINGHOUSE GUIDE LINKS
Links for detailed registration instructions:
Employers (including Owner Operators) Link to Clearinghouse
Drivers covered under an employer’s consortium (random testing program) Link to Clearinghouse
Go to https://clearinghouse.fmcsa.dot.gov/ to register and select Vertical Identity at your C/TPA.
FAQ
EMPLOYERS
Report drug and alcohol violations and check that no current or prospective employee is prohibited from performing safety-sensitive functions, such as operating a CMV, due to a drug and alcohol program violation for which a driver has not successfully completed a Return-To-Duty (RTD) process.
CDL DRIVERS
View own record, provide consent to current or prospective employers to access details about any drug and alcohol program violations, and select a Substance Abuse Professional, if needed.
Owner-operators must use the **FMCSA Clearinghouse** when they operate under their own USDOT Number and a CDL (Commercial Driver’s License) is required. The **Clearinghouse** is a mandatory federal database that tracks drug and alcohol program violations by CDL drivers. Here’s when owner-operators need to use it:
1. **Pre-Employment**: Before hiring themselves as a driver or any new driver, owner-operators must conduct a **Clearinghouse pre-employment query** to check for any past violations.
2. **Annual Queries**: Owner-operators must run an **annual query** on themselves to verify that there are no new violations in the Clearinghouse.
3. **Reporting Violations**: If the owner-operator violates DOT drug and alcohol testing rules (such as a positive drug test, refusal to test, or other violations), the result must be reported to the Clearinghouse. Since owner-operators must use a Consortium/Third-Party Administrator (C/TPA) to manage their DOT drug and alcohol testing program, the C/TPA is responsible for reporting these violations to the Clearinghouse on behalf of the owner-operator.
4. **Return-to-Duty and Follow-Up Testing**: If an owner-operator has a violation, they must follow the DOT’s **Return-to-Duty process** with a qualified substance abuse professional (SAP) and complete follow-up testing as directed, with all results logged in the Clearinghouse.
The **Clearinghouse** requirement is an important part of DOT compliance, and it’s mandatory for owner-operators to stay enrolled in the system, run the necessary queries, and report any violations to maintain their operating authority.
Owner-operators are required to use the FMCSA Clearinghouse to manage and monitor drug and alcohol testing compliance as CDL drivers. Here’s how they will use the Clearinghouse:
1. **Registering in the Clearinghouse**:
– Owner-operators must first register in the FMCSA Clearinghouse to gain access. This registration allows them to perform the required actions for compliance.
2. **Conducting Pre-Employment Queries**:
– Before operating under their own authority or hiring themselves as a driver, owner-operators must conduct a **pre-employment query** in the Clearinghouse. This check ensures there are no outstanding drug or alcohol violations in their record.
3. **Annual Queries**:
– Owner-operators must also run an **annual query** on themselves to verify that they have no violations in the Clearinghouse. This keeps them compliant and allows them to operate legally under FMCSA regulations.
4. **Using a Consortium/Third-Party Administrator (C/TPA)**:
– As a requirement, owner-operators must be enrolled in a **DOT Consortium/Third-Party Administrator (C/TPA)** program. The C/TPA is responsible for managing their drug and alcohol testing program, which includes conducting random testing and reporting violations to the Clearinghouse on behalf of the owner-operator.
5. **Handling Violations**:
– If an owner-operator has a violation, the C/TPA will report it to the Clearinghouse. The owner-operator must then follow the **Return-to-Duty** process, which includes evaluation by a Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) and completing the required follow-up testing.
6. **Maintaining Compliance**:
– Through their Clearinghouse account, owner-operators can monitor their compliance status, check query results, and ensure all required tests and follow-up actions are recorded.
Using the Clearinghouse in these ways ensures that owner-operators meet FMCSA’s compliance requirements, helping them maintain their operating authority and remain qualified to drive.