The two required queries
| Query | When |
|---|---|
| Full query Releases any violation records to you. The driver gives specific consent electronically, inside the Clearinghouse, so the driver needs an account. | Before the driver performs any safety-sensitive work for you |
| Limited query Only tells you whether records exist. A general written consent from the driver can cover it. | At least once every 12 months for every CDL driver you employ |
If a limited query shows that records exist, run a full query within 24 hours. Until it comes back clean, the driver cannot perform safety-sensitive work.
What you must report
Employers report to the Clearinghouse by the close of the third business day after they learn of it:
- An alcohol test result of 0.04 or higher
- A refusal to take a drug or alcohol test
- Actual knowledge of on-duty, pre-duty or post-accident alcohol use, or of drug use
- A negative return-to-duty test result, and completion of follow-up testing
Positive drug test results are reported by the medical review officer, not by the employer.
Prohibited status and CDL downgrades
A driver with a violation is in "prohibited" status until they finish the return-to-duty process with a substance abuse professional. Since November 18, 2024, states remove commercial driving privileges from drivers in prohibited status, so the CDL itself is downgraded until the process is complete.
Owner-operators
If you are a one-truck carrier that employs yourself as the driver, you must designate a consortium/third-party administrator (C/TPA) in the Clearinghouse. The C/TPA handles the employer side of your own reporting.
Registering in 2026
Since April 27, 2026, new Clearinghouse registrants in several roles, including employers without a portal account, C/TPAs, medical review officers and substance abuse professionals, must verify their identity with a government ID and a selfie. Owner-operators registering as employers should allow extra time.
Keep the records
Keep a record of every query and the response for 3 years. An active Clearinghouse registration holds this history for you, but your files should show which driver was queried and when, next to the rest of the driver's file.
Never miss an annual query
IFTAX tracks the Clearinghouse date for every driver alongside medical cards, driving records and annual reviews, and reminds you before any of them lapse.
Sources: 49 CFR 382.701, 382.705; FMCSA Clearinghouse guidance on CDL downgrades and registration. General information, not legal advice. IFTAX is not affiliated with FMCSA or any government agency.