Regulatory Guidance
Welcome to the FMCSA Guidance Portal. This web portal is a searchable, indexed database that contains and links to all guidance documents in effect from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. The guidance documents lack the force and effect of law, unless expressly authorized by statute or incorporated into a contract.
To comment on any guidance document, or to request issuance, reconsideration, modification, or rescission of any guidance document, please identify the guidance document in your request and send it to: FMCSAguidance@dot.gov. NOTE: The FMCSAguidance mailbox is not intended to serve as a mailbox for general inquiries. For inquiries that go beyond the limited purpose of the FMCSAguidance mailbox, please call FMCSA's Information Line (800-832-5660) or visit FMCSA's "Contact Us" page to send your inquiry to the appropriate mailbox.
| Subject | Agency Identifier | Topic | Issued Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| How can I track the progress of my bulk queries? | FMCSA-D&A-CLEAR-382-FAQ007 | Guidance on Bulk Query Tracking | |
| How does an employer or consortium/third-party administrator (C/TPA) submit a bulk query? | FMCSA-D&A-CLEAR-382-FAQ022 | Guidance on How to submit bulk query | |
| If I registered as an employer without a Portal account, can I now link my Portal account with my Clearinghouse account? | FMCSA-D&A-CLEAR-382-FAQ023 | Guidance on Linking Portal Account to Clearinghouse Account | |
| Can a substance abuse professional (SAP) modify or delete return-to-duty (RTD) information he/she has reported? | FMCSA-D&A-CLEAR-382-FAQ031 | Guidance on SAP Information Modification | |
| What actions should an employer take if unable to conduct required pre-employment queries? | FMCSA-D&A-CLEAR-382.701-FAQ007 | Guidance for employers unable to perform a preemployment query due to intermittent Clearinghouse outages on January 6, 2020. | |
| Should violations that occurred before the Clearinghouse Implementation Date be reported to the Clearinghouse? | FMCSA-D&A-CLEAR-382.705-FAQ013 | Guidance on reporting violations that occurred before the Clearinghouse Implementation Date | |
| How will State Driver Licensing Agencies (SDLAs) use the Clearinghouse? | FMCSA-D&A-CLEAR-382.725-FAQ001-RESCINDED | Guidance on SDLA Use of the Clearinghouse | |
| Is an employer required to conduct pre-employment and annual Clearinghouse queries for drivers who are in a random testing pool regulated by another DOT agency? | FMCSA-D&A-CLEAR-382.701-FAQ006 | Guidance on whether an employer is required to conduct pre-employment and annual Clearinghouse queries for drivers who are in a random testing pool regulated by another DOT agency. | |
| How do I manage my company’s Clearinghouse user accounts? | FMCSA-D&A-CLEAR-382-FAQ024 | Guidance on managing user account | |
| May drivers access their own information in the Clearinghouse? | FMCSA-D&A-CLEAR-382.709-FAQ001 | Guidance on driver access to Clearinghouse information |