Common questions about the SAP process
If your question isn't answered here, call us. The first conversation is free and confidential.
Still deciding?
Most people call with three questions: what it costs, how soon they can be seen, and whether it can be done by video. The answers are $600, usually within days, and yes in most cases.
Do I have to see a SAP?
If you violated DOT drug and alcohol rules in a safety-sensitive role, yes. Until you complete the SAP process, no DOT-regulated employer may return you to safety-sensitive duty.
Can I start without my employer?
Yes. You can contact a SAP directly, and you can begin even if you no longer work for the employer where the violation occurred.
Can the evaluation be done online?
In many cases. DOT permits SAP evaluations by real-time audio and video when regulatory and credential requirements are met. We hold an active clinical license in all seven states we serve. You must be physically located in one of those states during your telehealth visit.
What does it cost?
$600 for the complete package, or $395 initial and $250 follow-up if you pay per visit. A payment plan is available. See pricing.
How long does the whole process take?
It depends on the education or treatment recommended and how quickly you complete it. The SAP steps themselves move at the speed of scheduling.
Is there a pass or fail?
No. A SAP evaluation determines what you need in order to return safely. There is no score and no grade.
Can I get a second SAP's opinion?
No. DOT rules do not permit seeking another SAP's evaluation to change a recommendation.
Who sees my information?
Information is released only as the regulation requires: to your employer's designated employer representative, to a new DOT employer if you change jobs, to DOT or NTSB officials on request, and, for FMCSA-regulated drivers, to the Clearinghouse. Anything else, such as talking with your treatment provider, needs your written authorization. Clinical records stay in our secure system.
Do you provide the treatment you recommend?
No, and that is deliberate. Part 40 requires a SAP's recommendation to be independent, so we refer you to qualified providers rather than selling you our own program.
Does insurance cover this?
Generally no. A DOT SAP evaluation is an employment-related regulatory service rather than medical treatment, so it is usually paid out of pocket.
What is the follow-up testing plan?
After you return to duty, you're subject to unannounced, directly observed testing — at least six tests in the first 12 months, within a plan that may extend up to 60 months. The SAP sets that plan; your employer administers it.
Does the SAP clear me to go back to work?
No. The SAP determines whether you have successfully complied and documents it. Your employer decides about your return and arranges the directly observed return-to-duty test.
Ready to start?
Send a request and we'll call you back, usually within one business day.