Post-accident drug test scheduling, 24/7.
Two clocks start the moment a qualifying accident is reported: 8 hours for alcohol, 32 hours for drugs, per 49 CFR 382.303. Members order in their portal at any hour. We route the driver to the nearest of 20,000+ collection sites, run the Medical Review Officer (MRO) review, and file the Clearinghouse report.
- Driver routed by ZIP to nearest of 20,000+ collection sites
- Federal CCF (drug) + DOT Alcohol Testing Form (ATF) auto-generated
- Medical Review Officer (MRO) review on every drug result
- Clearinghouse reporting on any positive or refusal
- Compliance documentation kept on file 1 year per 382.303(d)
- Hospital collection if the driver is admitted — we route to the receiving hospital
Having an accident is scary. The drug test shouldn't be.
Take the 30-second survey below to see if a post-accident drug test is required by DOT under 49 CFR 382.303 — or whether it's a company-policy call. Three yes/no questions and you'll know.
Reference: 49 CFR 382.303 — Post-accident testing. Plain-language walkthrough of the federal rule. Your motor carrier policy and state law may impose stricter triggers — when in doubt, test.
Two clocks start the moment the accident is reported.
The federal post-accident rule is built around two windows. Miss them and you have to document why — and a missed window without documentation is its own DOT violation.
Alcohol — 8 hours
Administered as soon as possible. If 2 hours pass with no test, prepare a written record explaining why. After 8 hours, stop attempting and document. 49 CFR 382.303(a) + (c)(1).
Drugs — 32 hours
Drug test must be administered within 32 hours of the accident. After 32 hours, stop attempting and document. Hospital collection counts when the driver is admitted. 49 CFR 382.303(b) + (c)(2).
Documentation — 1 year
All post-accident records — including missed-test documentation — kept on file for 1 year. We maintain this in your audit folder automatically. 49 CFR 382.303(d).
Order. Dispatch. Result.
The mechanics are the same as any DOT test — the difference is the urgency and the form. Three steps from the moment of order to the moment the result lands in your portal.
Order placed in portal
Member orders both DOT drug and breath alcohol in one form. We generate the federal CCF and ATF and route the driver to the nearest network collection site by ZIP — QuickApp delivered by SMS and email.
Driver tests at clinic or hospital
Breath alcohol on-site, urine collection sealed and chain-of-custody-tracked to the SAMHSA-certified lab. Hospital mobile collection if the driver is admitted — we route to the receiving facility.
MRO review + Clearinghouse
Result returns to MRO for verification. Negative results post directly to the DER and driver. Positives or refusals are filed to the Clearinghouse on the carrier's behalf within DOT timelines.
We dispatch. You handle the accident.
Post-accident is the worst time to be calling around for a clinic that takes DOT collections at 11 PM. Members route the order through one form — we own the rest of the workflow.
- Site search: DER calls 4–6 clinics
- Forms: CCF + ATF generated by hand
- MRO review: Carrier coordinates separately
- Clearinghouse: Reported by carrier, on deadline
- 8-hour window: Frequently missed
- Audit folder: Pieces in 5 inboxes
- Site search: Closest of 20,000+ sites by ZIP
- Forms: Federal CCF + ATF auto-generated
- MRO review: Built into our workflow
- Clearinghouse: Filed by us on your behalf
- 8-hour window: Driver dispatched in under 5 min
- Audit folder: One file, kept current 1 year
How much does post-accident drug testing cost?
Member rates apply when the order is placed through your portal. The fee covers the full workflow end-to-end — collection, lab, MRO review, form generation, result delivery, and Clearinghouse reporting. The few items billed separately are listed below.
Member rates shown. Non-member walk-in pricing runs up to $140 per test through the same network.
Related pages
- Motor carrier compliance hub — every FMCSA requirement under one roof
- DOT drug testing overview — the test types and why they are required
- Return-to-duty testing — what happens after a positive post-accident test
- Clearinghouse services — full C/TPA designation and violation reporting
- FMCSA consortium enrollment — get your DOT into the random pool while you are at it
- Nationwide drug testing — non-DOT panels for voluntary post-accident testing
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a fender-bender a qualifying accident?
Not by itself. Per 49 CFR 382.303, a DOT post-accident test is required only if (a) there was a fatality, OR (b) the driver received a citation for a moving violation arising from the accident AND there was either bodily injury requiring medical treatment away from the scene OR a vehicle disabled and towed. A minor fender-bender with no injuries, no citation, and both vehicles driven away does not trigger a federal test. Use the decision survey above to confirm — and remember your company policy may still require a non-DOT test even when the federal rule does not.
What if the driver leaves the scene before being tested?
Get them to a collection site as soon as possible — the alcohol clock is 8 hours from the accident, the drug clock is 32 hours. If 8 hours pass with no alcohol test, document why (e.g., medical treatment, hospitalization) per 49 CFR 382.303(c)(1). Drug testing must still be attempted up to 32 hours; if missed, document the reason. Failure to document an unattempted test is its own compliance issue.
Do we have to test if everyone refused medical aid?
Read the rule carefully. The trigger is medical treatment away from the scene OR a vehicle disabled and towed (when combined with a citation to the driver). If nobody required treatment AND no vehicle was towed AND no citation was issued AND no fatality occurred, the federal rule does not require a test. Insurers and many carrier policies still recommend a voluntary non-DOT panel for documentation — we can run that for you 24/7.
What's the post-accident form — DOT Alcohol Testing Form or Federal CCF?
Both. Alcohol testing uses the DOT Alcohol Testing Form (ATF) per 49 CFR Part 40 Subpart M. Drug testing uses the Federal Custody and Control Form (CCF) per Part 40 Subpart F. When you order through our portal we generate the correct forms and route the driver to the nearest collection site — you do not handle the paperwork.
Who pays — the carrier or the driver?
The motor carrier pays. Federal post-accident testing is a carrier obligation under 49 CFR 382.303 — billing the driver for a federally required test is a violation. If you are a member, the test bills to your account at member rates ($69 drug, $59 BAT). If you are a non-member ordering one-time, the carrier pays at one-time pricing.
What if we miss the 8-hour alcohol window?
Stop testing for alcohol at the 8-hour mark and prepare a written record explaining why testing was not promptly administered (49 CFR 382.303(c)(1)). Continue attempting drug testing up to 32 hours; after that, prepare a written record for the missed drug test (382.303(c)(2)). Keep these records on file for 1 year. The Medical Review Officer (MRO) review and Clearinghouse reporting still proceed for any test that does happen.
The portal is open. The clock isn't.
Members order a post-accident test 24/7 — we route the driver, run MRO, file Clearinghouse. Not a member yet? Enroll your DOT in 10 minutes and you are ordering tonight.