CDL Downgrades Under the Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse Now Started.

November 27, 2024

Under the final FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse rule, as of November 15, 2024 state driver licensing agencies must automatically downgrade the CDL license of any driver with a violation in the Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse to a non-commercial status if the driver has not completed the return-to-duty (RTD) process.

Since September 19, 2024, the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration has been monitoring and notifying drivers currently listed as prohibited. If the MVA receives notification from the Clearinghouse system that a driver has completed the RTD process before the deadline, the downgrade will be discontinued.

On November 18, 2024, the MVA began Clearinghouse inquiries when issuing a new, renewed, corrected, or duplicate CDL or commercial learner’s permit. Each CDL holder/applicant is responsible for ensuring their compliance status is up to date in the FMCSA Clearinghouse before applying for a new or renewed license. A customer's transaction will be denied if the inquiry returns a “prohibited” status. The driver must complete the RTD process before reinitiating the licensing process.