Clearinghouse queries, explained
Updated September 3, 2026 · 6 min read
The FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse is a federal database of drug and alcohol program violations by CDL holders. If you employ CDL drivers, you are required to query it — once before a driver's first dispatch, and once every twelve months for as long as they work for you. The two queries are different, need different consent, and get confused constantly.
Full query versus limited query
A full query returns the detail of any violation record in the Clearinghouse. A limited query only tells you whether a record exists.
The distinction matters because the consent requirements differ. A full query requires the driver's specific electronic consent given inside the Clearinghouse system itself. A limited query only requires general written consent, which you can collect once on paper and keep on file for as long as it covers.
If a limited query comes back showing that a record exists, you have 24 hours to conduct a full query, and the driver must not perform safety-sensitive functions until it is resolved.
When each one is required
Pre-employment: full query
Before the driver's first dispatch in a CMV. Not before the offer, not within the first week — before they drive. This is the query new carriers most often perform too late.
Annually: limited query
Once every 12 months for every CDL driver you employ. The clock runs from the previous query, not from the calendar year, so each driver has their own due date.
The consent nobody has on file
Limited queries need general consent in writing before you run them, and that consent has to be retained for three years. Carriers routinely run the query and never collect the paperwork, which reads to an auditor exactly like running an unauthorised query.
Full queries need the driver to log into the Clearinghouse and grant consent electronically. If the driver never registers, you cannot complete the query — and you cannot dispatch them. This is a frequent cause of a driver sitting for days after being hired.
What happens if you skip it
Missing queries are a violation per driver, per occurrence, and they surface easily during an audit because the Clearinghouse keeps a complete record of every query you have ever run. There is no version of this an auditor has to take your word on — they can see exactly what you queried and when.
It is also the single most common finding in new-entrant safety audits, ahead of any vehicle or hours-of-service issue.
Common questions
What is a Clearinghouse query?
A search of the FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse to find out whether a CDL driver has a recorded drug or alcohol program violation. Employers are required to query before a driver's first dispatch and once every 12 months thereafter.
What is the difference between a full and a limited Clearinghouse query?
A full query returns the details of any violation and requires the driver's electronic consent given inside the Clearinghouse. A limited query only reports whether a record exists and requires general written consent you keep on file. If a limited query shows a record exists, you must run a full query within 24 hours.
How often do you have to run a Clearinghouse query?
A full query once before the driver's first dispatch, then a limited query at least once every 12 months for as long as the driver is employed. The annual clock runs per driver from their last query, not from January.
What is the annual Clearinghouse query deadline?
There is no single national date. Each driver's query is due within 12 months of their previous one, so every driver carries their own deadline.
Do I need consent to run a Clearinghouse query?
Yes, for both types. Limited queries need general written consent retained for three years. Full queries need the driver's electronic consent submitted through their own Clearinghouse account.
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This guide is general information, not legal advice. Regulations change; verify against the current text of 49 CFR and your state's rules before relying on any of it.