January 30, 2025
So, you’ve completed the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) program—congratulations! But what happens next? Let’s break it down.
Once you’ve completed the SAP program, you become eligible for the return-to-duty drug test—a critical step to getting back on the road or returning to your job. Learn more about Step 5 in the FMCSA Clearinghouse.
There are two primary ways to schedule your return-to-duty (RTD) drug test:
If you don’t have an employer (such as owner-operators), you’ll need to go through a C/TPA (Consortium/Third-Party Administrator) to manage your drug testing process.
Once your return-to-duty drug test is completed, the employer or C/TPA that ordered it will enter your results into the Clearinghouse.
Now that Step 5 is complete, it’s time to move on to Step 6.