FMCSA Clearinghouse Query Help for Truckers

What is the FMCSA Clearinghouse?

The FMCSA Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse is a federal database that tracks CDL driver drug and alcohol program violations and return-to-duty status. Employers and owner-operators must use it before hiring and at least once per year for every CDL driver.

What is a Clearinghouse query?

A query is a check against the Clearinghouse for a specific driver. There are two types:

• Limited query — confirms whether information exists on the driver. Requires general written consent.
• Full query — reveals detailed records, if any. Requires driver consent inside the Clearinghouse.

Pre-employment queries

Before letting any new CDL driver perform a safety-sensitive function, employers must run a fullpre-employment query. This applies whether you are hiring a driver or starting as a new owner-operator.

Annual queries

Every employer must run at least one query per CDL driver per year. Most carriers run a limited query annually and escalate to a full query only if records exist.

Owner-operator C/TPA designation

Owner-operators must designate a Consortium / Third-Party Administrator inside their Clearinghouse account. The C/TPA receives certain notifications on your behalf. After you enroll with us, we send you the exact steps to designate us inside your Clearinghouse account.

What we can help with

• Step-by-step Clearinghouse registration guidance
• C/TPA designation instructions for owner-operators
• Pre-employment and annual query support
• Reminders so you don't miss annual queries

What we cannot do for you

We do not log into your Clearinghouse account, run queries as you, or take restricted FMCSA actions without your authorization. Some Clearinghouse actions must be completed by the driver or employer directly. We guide you through each one.