A limited query allows an employer to determine if an individual driver's Clearinghouse record has any information about resolved or unresolved drug and alcohol program violations, but does not release any specific violation information contained in the driver's Clearinghouse record.
Limited queries require only a general driver consent, which is obtained outside the Clearinghouse. This general consent is not required on an annual basis, and it may be effective for more than one year. However, the limited consent request must specify the timeframe for which the driver is providing consent.
To avoid last minute submissions and any service disruptions while accessing the DOT Clearinghouse, as a Best Practice make sure of the following:
- As the Employer you have sufficient queries purchased on the DOT Clearinghouse website to ensure you can perform the requisite amount of queries per driver.
- Purchasing a query plan enables employers, and their designated consortia/third-party administrator's C/TPAs, to query the Clearinghouse for information on potential and currently employed drivers.
- Query plans may be purchased only on the FMCSA Clearinghouse website by registered employers.
- Visit https://clearinghouse.fmcsa.dot.gov/query/plan to learn more.
- Have a current consent form on file for the driver with the driver signature and date signed noted. See link for sample DOT Clearinghouse Consent form - Sample-Limited-Consent-Form (dot.gov)
- If employing the services of a Service Agent ensure when submitting queries that the driver has registered on the DOT Clearinghouse or the query may be delayed.
As a reminder, effective January 6, 2023, once three years of violation data is stored in the Clearinghouse, prospective employers will no longer have to conduct manual inquiries with a CDL driver's previous employers; the prospective employer's query of the Clearinghouse will satisfy that requirement. However, if a prospective employee was subject to drug and alcohol testing by a Department of Transportation (DOT) mode other than the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), (FRA, FTA, FAA, etc.), prospective employers will still have to request drug and alcohol violation information from those DOT-regulated employers, since that information will not be reported to the Clearinghouse.
For additional information please reference the DOT Clearinghouse by visiting: Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse - Home (dot.gov).
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Posted: October 7, 2022