Getting Back to Work

A violation does not have to end your driving career. Here is what employers will see, what the rules say about changing jobs, and where to look for your next one.

Can I apply for driving jobs now?

You can apply and interview at any time. What you cannot do is perform safety-sensitive work — driving a commercial vehicle for a DOT-regulated employer — until you have completed the return-to-duty process. That means your SAP evaluation, any education or treatment your SAP recommends, your follow-up evaluation, and a negative return-to-duty test.

The employer who returns you to duty does not have to be the company you were driving for when the violation happened. A new employer can send you for your return-to-duty test, and your SAP’s reports go to that employer. No employer is required to hire you, so it pays to start the process early and be ready to tell a new employer exactly where you are in it.

What will a new employer see?

Before hiring you to drive, an FMCSA-regulated employer must run a full query of the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse, which you consent to inside your own Clearinghouse account. They will also ask your previous DOT employers for your testing history.

Your violation stays visible in the Clearinghouse for five years from the date of the violation, or until you have completed the return-to-duty process and your follow-up testing plan — whichever is later. Once your return-to-duty test is reported negative, your status is no longer Prohibited, and an employer can put you back behind the wheel.

Should I tell them about the violation?

Yes. The Clearinghouse query and the check with your previous employers will show it anyway, and being straight about it up front — what happened, and how far through the return-to-duty process you are — is far better than an employer finding it themselves.

Does my follow-up testing move with me?

Yes. Your follow-up testing plan follows you to any new DOT employer and through breaks in service. If you finish two of your required tests with one company and then move to another, the new employer is responsible for making sure you complete the rest.

Where to look for CDL jobs

These are general job boards. We are not affiliated with them and do not screen their listings, so ask each employer directly about their hiring policy for drivers who have completed return-to-duty.