• To be compliant with DOT regulations, labs must be certified by the HHS for drug testing.

Employers may only use laboratories certified by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for drug testing. Each month an agency within HHS, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), publishes its list of certified laboratories in the Federal Register. Certified laboratories must follow the procedures in Subpart F of Part 40 when conducting DOT drug tests.

Labs may be certified to process urine and/or oral-fluid (saliva) specimens for DOT drug testing.

Employers may not use labs outside of the HHS list and may not process specimens using on-site testing methods for immediate results. Drug testing specimens must be collected, shipped, processed, and results reviewed in accordance with Part 40 procedures.