Do I have to designate a SAP before my first appointment?

FMCSA says to contact your SAP and set up the relationship first. The SAP can't record anything about your return-to-duty process until you've designated them and they've approved the request. Call your SAP first and ask how they want to handle the timing.

Do I have to be registered for the violation to appear?

No. A violation is added to your Clearinghouse record whether or not you're registered. You do need to be registered to designate a SAP.

Does it cost anything to register or designate a SAP?

No. Registering, designating a SAP and viewing your own record are free for drivers.

Can I change my SAP after I designate one?

Not in the Clearinghouse. Once your SAP accepts your designation request, you can't designate a different SAP there, so choose before you send the request.

FMCSA Clearinghouse

How to designate a SAP in the FMCSA Clearinghouse

Short answer

To designate a SAP, sign in to the FMCSA Clearinghouse with your Login.gov account, click the prompt to designate your substance abuse professional, type your SAP's name, and send the request. Your SAP must already be registered in the Clearinghouse and has to accept your request before they can record anything about your return-to-duty process.

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Before you start

You need to be registered in the Clearinghouse. You sign in with a Login.gov account.
Contact the SAP you've chosen first and set up the working relationship.
Make sure your SAP is registered in the Clearinghouse. A SAP has to be registered to accept your request and enter information about your process.
Know the name your SAP used to register. You'll type it in.

How to designate your SAP

Click Log In at clearinghouse.fmcsa.dot.gov and sign in with Login.gov.
On your Driver Dashboard, click the message prompting you to designate your substance abuse professional. It appears when you have a new violation in your record.
Type your SAP's name in the "Who is your SAP?" box. Matching options appear as you type. Use the name your SAP registered with.
Review the SAP's details and click Send Request. You'll see a confirmation message.
Wait for approval. Your dashboard shows when your SAP approves, and you're ready for the next step.

Once your SAP accepts, you can't designate a different SAP in the Clearinghouse. FMCSA updates its screens from time to time, so if a label differs from the above, follow the on-screen prompts.

What happens after your SAP approves

Your SAP records two dates, each by the close of the next business day: when your initial assessment was completed, and when you became eligible for the return-to-duty test. Your employer, or a consortium/third-party administrator if you're an owner-operator, records your negative return-to-duty test result and the completion of your follow-up testing plan. The steps have to be recorded in order. You're no longer prohibited from safety-sensitive work once you have a negative return-to-duty test result.

The Clearinghouse keeps this information for five years from the date of the violation determination, or until you complete your follow-up testing plan, whichever is later. For the whole process, our guide to how the DOT return-to-duty process works covers every step.

If you can't find your SAP

Check the spelling and try again, using the name your SAP registered with. If your SAP still isn't listed, they haven't registered yet. Ask them to register, then try again.

If you don't hold a CDL

The Clearinghouse covers CDL and CLP holders. If your DOT job doesn't require one, you still have to complete the SAP process, but there is nothing to designate in the Clearinghouse.

Designating Clayton

Call (210) 846-1819 first so Clayton knows to expect your request. In the "Who is your SAP?" box, type Clayton Sponhaltz - Substance Abuse Professionals of Texas. Clayton then approves your request so he can start recording your return-to-duty process. The full process is one flat $420.