Industry Drug and Alcohol Testing Program
Tuesday, January 06, 2026Program News
- September 3, 2025 – The FAA published a final rule in the Federal Register, effective November 3, 2025, to amend, restructure, and consolidate the falsification regulations presently located throughout title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), including in 14 CFR part 120. The falsification prohibitions prior to this final rule were found in 14 CFR chapter I, parts 3, 21, 43, 60, 61, 63, 65, 67, 89, 107, 111, 120, 121, 139, 142, and 145. The final rule removes the existing falsification regulations from these parts, except part 3, and consolidates them in a new subpart in part 3. Consequently, in 14 CFR part 120, the final rule removed 14 CFR §§ 120.103(e) and 120.213.
- April 8, 2025 – Published the updated Drug Abatement Advisory Circular (AC): AC 120-126A - Guidelines to Establish, Implement, and Maintain a DOT/FAA Drug and Alcohol Testing Program.
- November 5, 2024 – The Department of Transportation (DOT) published a final rule in the Federal Register to provide temporary qualification requirements for mock oral fluid monitors, provide for consistent requirements by identifying which individuals may be present during an oral fluid collection, and clarify how collectors are to document that a sufficient volume of oral fluid was collected. To review the final rule and DOT’s summary of changes, please visit https://www.transportation.gov/odapc/frpubs. If you have any questions, you may contact the DOT’s Office of Drug and Alcohol Policy and Compliance at 202-366-3784 or ODAPCWebMail@dot.gov.
- October 3, 2024 – On September 9, 2024, FAA fully implemented the requirements of the Pilot Records Database (PRD) under 14 CFR part 111. For more information, please visit the FAA’s PRD webpage. If you have questions about the requirements of the PRD or need assistance with access, please contact the FAA’s Support Staff at 9-avs-afs-PRD-Policy@faa.gov. Starting September 10, 2024, the Pilot Records Improvement Act (PRIA) and FAA Form 8060-12 no longer apply. Employers and their service agents may use our suggested aviation release of information form to request the drug and alcohol testing information in accordance with 49 CFR § 40.25 from employers where the pilot worked in the previous two years. Employers may decide to go back further than two years of employers as a company policy; however, the five-year requirement is no longer applicable. Employer must keep in mind that the reporting and querying requirements under the PRD when hiring a pilot do not satisfy the requirements under 49 CFR § 40.25 or 14 CFR §§ 120.113 and 120.221. Please refer to our Frequently Asked Question for more information. Questions about the drug and alcohol testing requirements should be directed to the FAA’s Drug Abatement Division at drugabatement@faa.gov or 202-267-8442.
- July 10, 2024 – Drug Abatement Advisory Circular (AC) published: AC 120-126: Guidelines to Establish, Implement, and Maintain a DOT/FAA Drug and Alcohol Testing Program.
- June 21, 2024 – The Department of Transportation (DOT) published three notices in the Federal Register on June 21, 2024 that pertain to its final rule authorizing employers to use oral fluid drug testing as an alternative testing methodology to urine drug testing. For more information and a link to the DOT’s notices, please visit https://www.transportation.gov/odapc/frpubs. If you have any questions, you may contact the DOT’s Office of Drug and Alcohol Policy and Compliance at 202-366-3784 or ODAPCWebMail@dot.gov.
- December 7, 2023 - The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) entitled, “Drug and Alcohol Testing of Certificated Repair Station Employees Located Outside of the United States" in the Federal Register. The NPRM would require certificated repair stations located outside the territory of the United States whose employees perform safety-sensitive maintenance functions on certain air carrier aircraft to obtain and implement a drug and alcohol testing program in accordance with the requirements of 14 CFR part 120 and 49 CFR part 40.
- May 2, 2023 - The Department of Transportation (DOT) published a final rule that authorizes employers to use oral fluid drug testing as an alternative testing methodology to urine drug testing, among other changes. More information and a link to the final rule.
- January 4, 2022 — The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has granted an extension for using the 2017 Federal Custody and Control Form (CCF) for urine specimens until August 31, 2023. With this extension, either the 2020 Federal CCF or the expired 2017 Federal CCF may be used for urine specimens collected for federal workplace drug testing programs and those collected for testing under the Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations. With this change, the use of the 2017 Federal CCF is now permitted (as of November 23, 2021) without a memorandum for the record (MFR). The use of the 2017 Federal CCF for specimens collected prior to that date requires an MFR.
- April 24, 2019 — On April 23, 2019, the DOT published a final rule in the Federal Register(PDF) that makes minor technical corrections to 49 CFR part 40 and harmonizes FAA, FTA, and PHMSA regulations with 49 CFR part 40 and the Mandatory Guidelines for Federal Workplace Drug Testing Programs.
- September 27, 2018 — On July 18, 2018, FAA published a new Prompt Settlement Policy in the Federal Register(PDF) that allows commercial pilots who are first-time violators of the drug and alcohol testing regulations to more quickly assume commercial flight crewmember duties. More information on the Prompt Settlement Policy.
- December 20, 2017 — Drug Abatement Advisory Circular (AC) published: Voluntary Disclosure Reporting Program for Apparent Violations of the Drug and Alcohol Testing Regulations, AC 120-117
- December 18, 2017 — DOT Notice: Employee Reminder of DOT testing for four semi-synthetic opioids (i.e., hydrocodone, oxycodone, hydromorphone, oxymorphone), effective January 1, 2018
- November 13, 2017 — The Department of Transportation (DOT) published a 49 CFR part 40 final rule that, among other items, adds four semi-synthetic opioids (i.e., hydrocodone, oxycodone, hydromorphone, oxymorphone) to its drug testing panel. To learn about this new rule, read the Federal Register(PDF) and review the DOT's information Notices:
- November 19, 2015 — DOT Notice: Use of the Electronic Federal Drug Testing Custody and Control Form (eCCF) by Urine Specimen Collectors for the U.S.DOT Drug Testing Program(PDF)
- April 13, 2015 — DOT Notice on Electronic Federal Drug Testing Custody and Control Form(PDF)
- March 31, 2015 — State Initiatives on Legalization of Marijuana for Recreational or Medicinal Use(PDF)
- December 3, 2012 — DOT Notice on Recreational Marijuana(PDF)
- October 22, 2009 — DOT Notice on Medical Marijuana(PDF)
- December 12, 1996 — Marijuana: Medical Use Under California Proposition 215 and Arizona Proposition 200; Hemp Containing Products(PDF)
