FMCSA Clearinghouse: What Every New Carrier Needs to Know 🚚🧪
Q: What does the FMCSA Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse require from new motor carriers?
A: New carriers with CDL drivers must register in the FMCSA Clearinghouse, purchase a query plan, run pre-employment and annual queries, and report any DOT drug or alcohol violations. Skipping these steps can lead to audit failures, penalties, and being placed out of service.
Think about it like this: the Clearinghouse is a gatekeeper. If you don’t use it, you could put a non-qualified driver in your truck and get shut down before the first invoice is paid. Let’s keep this simple and actionable. ✅
What Is the FMCSA Clearinghouse?
The Clearinghouse is a secure federal database that records CDL driver drug and alcohol violations and return-to-duty status. It prevents drivers with unresolved violations from moving to a new carrier and quietly getting back behind the wheel.
Official page: FMCSA Clearinghouse
Who Must Comply?
- Owner-operators (a driver who employs themselves) — you act as both employer and driver.
- New motor carriers with any CDL drivers — even if you’re starting with one truck.
Your Core Responsibilities (Straightforward Version)
- Register your company in the Clearinghouse.
- Buy a query plan inside the portal so you can run driver checks.
- Run a pre-employment query before a driver performs safety-sensitive functions.
- Run annual queries for every active CDL driver (including yourself if you’re an O/O).
- Report violations immediately when they occur (refusals, positive tests, actual knowledge, etc.).
- Maintain records showing that queries were run and any violations were handled correctly.
What Counts as a Violation?
Violations include positives, refusals to test, and certain alcohol results while on duty. The official rule text sits in the Federal Register and spells this out in detail:
Rule summary: Federal Register – CDL Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse
Common New-Entrant Mistakes (and Simple Fixes)
- Forgetting the query plan: You can’t run checks without it. Buy it on day one.
- Skipping pre-employment queries: Run the query before dispatching the first load.
- No annual query schedule: Put a recurring reminder on your calendar for every driver.
- Poor recordkeeping: Save confirmations and consent forms in a single “Clearinghouse” folder (cloud + paper).
- Not reporting violations: If something happens, report promptly. Delays create bigger problems during audits.
How This Affects Your New Entrant Safety Audit
Auditors look for proof that you registered, purchased a query plan, ran the required queries, and reported any violations. Clean documents here signal you take safety seriously — and that keeps you moving.
Bottom Line
So basically, register, buy your query credits, check every driver before and during employment, and keep clean records. Do that, and Clearinghouse compliance becomes routine — not a roadblock.
