FMCSA to impose stronger ID verification for Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse database to fight fraud

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) will implement enhanced identity verification procedures for certain users of the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse online database.

On April 27, 2026, FMCSA announced new identity verification requirements for certain Clearinghouse users in an effort to “strengthen fraud prevention, improve record accuracy, and enhance accountability for over six million users in the database.”

FMCSA will partner with biometrics and identity security company IDEMIA to roll out enhanced identify verification procedures.

The new verification requirements will apply to Medical Review Officers, Substance Abuse Professionals, third-party administrators, and employers.

FMCSA said that future phases of the identify verification upgrade will extend the new requirements to most other users, “though commercial driver’s license (CDL) holders are already verified through state systems.”

“Safety is non-negotiable at FMCSA, and that means ensuring the systems we rely on are secure, accurate, and trustworthy,” said FMCSA Administrator Derek Barrs. “By strengthening identity verification, we are closing gaps that could be exploited by bad actors, protecting the integrity of the data, and reinforcing confidence across the entire commercial driver safety industry.”

IDEMIA technology is currently in use by the Department of Homeland Security at airports.

FMCSA is already using IDEMIA technology for new applicants registering for a USDOT Number in the current Unified Registration System (URS). Part of IDEMIA’s identify verification procedures for the URS system involves a facial “selfie.”

The Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse is an online database that contains information pertaining to violations of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s controlled substances drug and alcohol testing program for CDL holders.