Queries that never get forgotten.
Two queries, two very different jobs
The Clearinghouse query obligation splits into two things that carriers often blur together.
The pre-employment query is a full query, run before you hire any CDL driver. It requires the driver's electronic consent given inside the Clearinghouse itself, and it returns the detailed violation record. No consent, no query — and no query means you cannot lawfully put that driver to work.
The annual query covers every CDL driver you currently employ, at least once in every 12 months. It may be a limited query, which requires written consent that you obtain and retain. A limited query does not return details — it tells you only whether information exists in the driver's record.
Full vs limited, side by side
| Full query | Limited query | |
|---|---|---|
| Returns | Detailed violation information | Only whether information exists |
| Consent | Driver's electronic consent in the Clearinghouse | Written consent retained by the employer |
| Typically used for | Pre-employment | Annual checks on current drivers |
| If information exists | You see it immediately | You must run a full query within 24 hours before the driver performs safety-sensitive functions |
The 24-hour rule. A limited query that comes back indicating information exists starts a clock. You must obtain consent and run a full query within 24 hours, and the driver must not perform safety-sensitive functions until you have. Carriers who treat a limited-query hit as "we'll look into it next week" are already non-compliant.
Why annual queries slip
Because nothing prompts you. There is no letter, no reminder and no visible consequence until an investigator asks for your query records and you discover half the fleet has not been checked in 18 months. It is one of the most common findings we see — and one of the easiest to eliminate permanently.
We hold the query calendar per driver, chase consents before they are needed rather than after, run the queries, and file each result against the driver record where an auditor can find it.
Query plans, and running out at the wrong moment
Queries are purchased in advance in bundles. There is no grace period — if the balance is empty, you cannot run a query, and hiring stops. We monitor the balance against your actual hiring pattern and tell you before it becomes a problem.
The three-year records request is separate
A Clearinghouse query does not replace the requirement to obtain the applicant's DOT drug and alcohol testing history from previous employers covering the last three years. The Clearinghouse covers violations recorded since it began; the previous-employer request covers what came before and what may not have been reported. Both are required. We handle both — see pre-employment testing.
Never miss a query
Query management,on rails
Annual query calendar
Pre-employment full queries
Consent tracking
24-hour escalation
Query plan monitoring
Audit-ready filing
DOT Queries — your questions
A check every employer must run at least once every 12 months for each CDL driver they employ. It may be a limited query, which requires written consent retained by the employer and reports only whether information exists in the driver's record.
Every driver who should have been queried is technically out of compliance, and it is a routine audit finding. Run the missing queries as soon as you discover the gap and document the correction. We reconcile historic gaps for new clients as part of onboarding.
Yes. A full query requires the driver's electronic consent given inside the Clearinghouse. A limited query requires written consent that you obtain and keep on file. Running a query without valid consent is itself a problem.
You must obtain consent and run a full query within 24 hours, and the driver must not perform safety-sensitive functions until you have reviewed the result. IPS escalates these automatically the moment they appear.
No. You must still obtain the applicant's DOT testing history from previous DOT-regulated employers for the past three years. The two requirements cover different periods and different information.
Yes. Query management can be provided as a standalone service, though most clients find it simpler to consolidate once they see the difference.
Still have a question? Call 248-526-9000 or send us a message.
Services that pair with this one
FMCSA Clearinghouse
Pre-Employment
Compliance Audits
