DOT SAP Program in Michigan
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Your Path Back to Work Starts Here
Did you fail or refuse a DOT drug or alcohol test in Michigan? Even though your CDL is on hold for now, your career is not over.
Your way back to work starts with an evaluation by a DOT-qualified Substance Abuse Professional (SAP).
At American River Wellness, we offer telehealth SAP evaluations for CDL drivers across Michigan, including Detroit, Grand Rapids, Lansing, Flint, Ann Arbor, Kalamazoo, and smaller communities across both peninsulas.
You’ll work with the same SAP throughout the process, who will guide you through each step of your return to duty.
2
Request SAP Provider
Send Graham Sargent a request in the FMCSA Clearinghouse (Commercial drivers only).
3
Get Back to Work
Initial evaluation within 1–2 days, with average completion in under a week (often 3–4 days). Every case is unique, so your timeline may vary.
DOT SAP PROGRAM COST
Transparent pricing. No hidden fees.- Initial SAP evaluation and assessment report
- Custom treatment or education referral plan
- Progress monitoring throughout your program
- Final evaluation and RTD test eligibility reporting
- Follow-up testing schedule and coordination
- Direct submission of all required documents
- Consultation support for 5 years after completion
Why Choose American River Wellness
4000+ DOT SAP evaluations completed since 2018
Meets DOT requirements for online assessments
Clear guidance through each step of the DOT process
Multilingual support, including Spanish, Punjabi, Hindi, Russian, Uzbek, and Turkish
Serving all 50 states
Meet Your SAP
Graham Sargent
CEAP, CADC-III-ICADC, IS, SAP
At the heart of American River Wellness is Graham Sargent, a seasoned professional with over 14 years of experience working with safety-sensitive employees, individuals in the criminal justice and child welfare systems, and those affected by substance use.
Graham built this practice with a simple mission: to offer personalized, compassionate support to every client navigating the DOT return-to-duty process.
Unlike larger providers that rely on call centers or automated systems, Graham works directly with clients, giving you one-on-one attention, expert guidance, and tailored care from start to finish.
He’s passionate about helping individuals return to work safely and confidently, while also supporting public safety and workplace compliance.
With 4000+ DOT SAP evaluations completed since 2018, Graham brings a deep understanding of the process and a genuine commitment to your success.
Have any questions about the return to duty process?
We’re here to help. Give us a call today.
Michigan: Strict Laws and Regulations for Commercial Drivers
Michigan sits on the busiest truck gateway between the United States and Canada. Detroit is the top port for truck traffic on the U.S.-Canada border, and the Gordie Howe International Bridge opened on July 27, 2026, giving Detroit a second truck crossing. Trucks still made up 43.3% of Ambassador Bridge traffic in August 2026.
Few states handle as much cross-border freight as Michigan. Detroit ranks as the busiest U.S.-Canada port for truck traffic, and the Gordie Howe International Bridge, which opened on July 27, 2026, added a second truck crossing there. The older Ambassador Bridge still carries heavy truck volume, with trucks making up 43.3% of its traffic in August 2026.
The Michigan State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division inspects trucks at weigh stations, along roadways, and at carrier locations throughout the state. The Michigan Department of Transportation inspects passenger carriers. In both cases, the inspection program follows strict FMCSA federal standards, which require carriers to randomly drug-test at least 50% of their drivers and alcohol-test at least 10% annually. Selection is random, meaning you can be tested more than once in a year.
If you fail or refuse a test, your employer must take you off duty, and that violation goes into the FMCSA Clearinghouse. Then, the FMCSA reports it to the Michigan Secretary of State, who must downgrade your CDL within 60 days, until you go through the return-to-duty process.
Most drivers didn’t know what to expect when entering the process. Our 2026 State of the DOT SAP Return-to-Duty Process report found that before starting, only 1 in 10 drivers fully understood the SAP process, and 2 out of 3 understood only some of it or none at all.
Here are the laws and regulations that can affect you as a CDL driver in Michigan.
Federal Laws and Regulations
The Motor Carrier Safety Improvement Act of 1999 established the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), which enforces safety regulations for commercial drivers and employers across the United States.
Under this law, serious violations can impact your CDL, even if they happen in your personal vehicle.
You can face CDL disqualification for off-duty violations, such as
- Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Leaving the scene of a crash
- Refusing to take a required chemical test
- Using a vehicle to commit certain felonies
Penalties include
- First offense and one-year CDL disqualification
- Second offense and lifetime CDL disqualification (with limited reinstatement options after 10 years)
- Using a CMV in a felony involving the manufacture, distribution, or dispensing of a controlled substance, including possession with intent to manufacture, distribute, or dispense and permanent disqualification
- Using a CMV in a felony involving human trafficking and permanent disqualification
Under 49 CFR Part 382, you must complete DOT drug and alcohol testing in the following situations.
- Before starting a driving job, through pre-employment testing (drug testing required, alcohol testing not mandatory pre-employment for FMCSA drivers)
- During random testing while employed
- After certain accidents
- When your employer has a reasonable suspicion
- During the return-to-duty and follow-up process after a violation
If you fail or refuse a DOT drug or alcohol test, you enter prohibited status in the FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse. You can no longer drive a CMV until you complete the return-to-duty process.
Under the FMCSA’s 2021 final rule, your state licensing agency must then downgrade your CDL by removing your commercial driving privilege, and it has up to 60 days after notification to do so.
You cannot return to safety-sensitive work until you complete the full SAP process.
The Clearinghouse keeps your violation on record for five years from the violation determination or until you complete your follow-up testing plan, whichever is later.
If you refuse a test or test positive, your Medical Review Officer or your employer reports the violation to the FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse, depending on the type. The MRO reports verified positive drug tests and certain drug refusals. Your employer reports alcohol violations and other refusals. 49 CFR § 382.705 sets out who reports what. Reporters sign in through Login.gov, a secure federal service. Other FMCSA-regulated employers can access this information if you apply for a new safety-sensitive job.
Under 49 CFR Part 40 § 40.285, you must complete a SAP evaluation if you
- Test positive on a DOT drug or alcohol test
- Record a BAC of 0.04% or higher while operating a commercial vehicle
- Refuse or fail to take a required test
- Submit a tampered or substituted sample
- Violate any other DOT drug or alcohol regulation
Before you can return to duty, you must meet all DOT requirements under 49 CFR Part 40 § 40.305.
- Pass a return-to-duty drug or alcohol test with a negative result
- Complete all education or treatment required by your SAP
- Complete a follow-up evaluation in which your SAP confirms you followed the plan
- Show a BAC below 0.02% for alcohol-related violations
Even after completing every requirement, your employer still decides whether to bring you back to work.
Michigan State Laws and Regulations
Michigan holds commercial drivers to a stricter alcohol standard than regular drivers.
For non-commercial drivers, the legal limit is 0.08% under MCL 257.625(1)(b). For commercial drivers, MCL 257.625m prohibits operating a commercial motor vehicle with a bodily alcohol content of 0.04% or more but less than 0.08%. Michigan also lets officers act on a lower reading. Under MCL 257.319d(1), you may not operate a commercial motor vehicle at 0.015% or higher. If a preliminary breath test shows that level, or you refuse the test, the officer must put you out of service for 24 hours.
A first conviction under § 257.625m is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 93 days in jail, a fine of up to $300, or both, plus the costs of prosecution. A second conviction within seven years can bring up to one year in jail or a fine of up to $1,000, and two or more prior convictions within 10 years make a new conviction a felony. A conviction also costs you your CDL under MCL 257.319b.
Michigan also enforces impaired driving laws below these limits. Under § 257.625(1)(a) and (3), you can face charges for operating under the influence or while visibly impaired, regardless of your BAC.
Michigan follows an implied consent law under MCL 257.625c. When you drive in Michigan, you consent to chemical testing of your breath, blood, or urine if an officer lawfully arrests you for an impaired driving offense.
If you refuse a test, you can face
- A one-year suspension of your driver’s license for a first refusal, and two years for a second or subsequent refusal within seven years, if you were arrested for a regular impaired driving offense (MCL 257.625f)
- A one-year CDL disqualification, and revocation for at least 10 years for a second refusal within 10 years MCL 257.319b(1)(c)
- Additional penalties, depending on the situation
Under MCL 257.319b(1)(c), the Secretary of State suspends your CDL for one year if you are convicted of or found responsible for any of the following.
- Operating under the influence, while visibly impaired, or with an unlawful alcohol content under § 257.625 or § 257.625m, in a commercial or noncommercial vehicle
- Leaving the scene of an accident involving a vehicle you operated
- Using a commercial or noncommercial vehicle in a felony (other than the drug felony covered below)
- Refusing an officer’s request for a chemical test of your blood, breath, or urine
- Operating a commercial motor vehicle in violation of a suspension, revocation, denial, or cancellation imposed for earlier commercial vehicle violations
- Causing a fatality through the negligent or criminal operation of a commercial motor vehicle
- Violating Michigan’s commercial motor vehicle fraudulent testing law
Under § 257.319b(7), the DUI offenses, test refusals, leaving the scene, and using a vehicle in a felony count against your CDL even when you commit them in your personal vehicle. The remaining offenses apply to commercial vehicles only.
Disqualification periods include
- First offense and one year
- First offense while hauling placarded hazardous materials in a commercial vehicle and three years
- Second offense, or any two of these offenses from separate incidents and lifetime revocation, with a chance to reapply for a vehicle group designation after at least 10 years and Secretary of State approval
- Using a commercial motor vehicle in a felony involving the manufacture, distribution, or dispensing of a controlled substance, including possession with intent and lifetime revocation after one conviction
- Any of these offenses after you regain a vehicle group designation and lifetime revocation
Under MCL 257.319b(1)(a) and (b), Michigan penalizes repeated serious traffic violations committed in a commercial motor vehicle. Under § 257.319b(10)(b), serious violations include
- A traffic violation connected to a fatal accident
- Reckless driving
- Excessive speeding, meaning 15 mph or more over the limit
- Improper lane use
- Following too closely
- Operating a commercial motor vehicle without a vehicle group designation on your license
- Operating a commercial motor vehicle without your license in your possession, unless you show the court valid proof
- Operating a commercial motor vehicle without the proper group designation or endorsement
- Texting or using a handheld phone while driving a commercial motor vehicle (§ 257.602b)
Suspension periods are
- Two violations within 36 months and 60 days
- Three violations within 36 months and an additional 120 days, served after the 60-day suspension
These violations count toward your CDL only when you commit them in a commercial vehicle. Under § 257.319b(7), only DUI offenses, test refusals, leaving the scene, and using a vehicle in a felony carry over from your personal vehicle.
Michigan penalizes railroad grade crossing violations in a commercial motor vehicle under MCL 257.319b(1), including violations of §§ 257.667, 257.668, 257.669, and 257.669a and of 49 CFR 392.10 and 392.11. These include failing to slow down or stop at a crossing as required, failing to obey a crossing signal or an officer, and driving onto a crossing without enough room to clear it.
Suspension periods are
- First violation and 60 days
- Second violation within 36 months and 120 days
- Third violation within 36 months and one year
Under MCL 257.319b(3), a conviction for operating a CMV after receiving an out-of-service order results in CDL suspension. Michigan sets the length by statute, and it differs from the federal minimum.
- First violation and 180 days
- Two violations within 10 years and two years
- Three or more violations within 10 years and three years
A first violation while hauling placarded hazardous materials or driving a vehicle designed for 16 or more passengers also carries 180 days. Two or more violations within 10 years in those vehicles carry three years.
What Michigan Drivers Say
FAQs
A DOT SAP evaluation is a clinical assessment by a Substance Abuse Professional (SAP). You must complete one after a DOT drug or alcohol violation. Your SAP does not decide whether you go back to work. Your employer makes that decision.
During the process, your SAP will:
- Assess your violation and review your alcohol and/or substance use history
- Recommend a personalized plan, such as counseling, education programs, treatment, or a combination
- Check your progress and confirm when you’ve completed the plan
Next, you take a return-to-duty test and complete follow-up testing. You must finish every requirement before you can go back on the road.
Anyone in a safety-sensitive DOT job who fails or refuses a drug or alcohol test must complete it.
That includes:
- CDL drivers
- HAZMAT drivers
- Drivers carrying 16 or more passengers
- Part-time and full-time drivers
- Government drivers
In our 2026 report, 42.4% of drivers said they’d pick a different SAP provider if they had to do it again. Here are 6 things to look for when choosing yours:
- Ask how soon you can start and how long the process takes. Every day off the road costs you income, so choose a provider who can schedule your evaluation quickly.
- Availability. Virtual evaluations save you the time and cost of travel.
- Communication. Your SAP should be easy to reach by phone, text, or email when you have questions about your evaluation, requirements, or next steps.
- Pricing. A good SAP provider should have transparent pricing and clearly explain what the fee covers. Always ask about the total expected cost before booking.
- Credentials. Confirm the SAP is DOT-qualified, as that’s necessary for your evaluation and recommendations to meet federal regulations.
Ongoing support. Ask what help you get after the evaluation. A good SAP should explain what comes next and answer your questions as you complete their recommendations.
- Your employer removes you from safety-sensitive duty and gives you a list of SAPs. You can complete the evaluation virtually from Detroit, Grand Rapids, Lansing, Flint, Ann Arbor, or wherever in Michigan you might be.
- You complete the initial SAP evaluation.
- You finish the treatment or education plan your SAP recommends.
- You complete a follow-up evaluation. Your SAP issues the return-to-duty report, and you take a negative return-to-duty test.
- Your employer decides whether to reinstate you. Your SAP sets the number and frequency of your follow-up tests, but doesn’t choose the actual dates. Your employer keeps the dates unannounced.
- You complete the follow-up testing plan. It includes at least six tests in your first 12 months and can run up to five years.
The cost depends on the provider you choose and your specific situation, including whether your SAP requires education or treatment on top of the evaluation.
Our DOT SAP program at American River Wellness starts at a $450 base rate, with payment plans from $112 through Klarna, Affirm, or Afterpay if you’re approved. That covers your initial evaluation and follow-up assessment, with no hidden charges.
The cost can be even higher with different providers. In our 2026 report, 61.3% of drivers paid more than $450 for the evaluation alone.
If your SAP program includes education, treatment, and the return-to-duty test, these are billed separately. We keep your records for five years and offer consultation support during that time at no extra cost.
No, they are not free, and DOT rules don’t require your employer to pay for the SAP process. Who pays depends on your employer’s policy, your union agreement, or your benefits package. Many drivers pay out of their own pocket, but ask your employer or union before you assume you will too.
A little preparation makes your evaluation process a bit easier:
- Collect the paperwork from your violation and bring it along
- Have a copy of your employer’s substance abuse policy ready
- Skip alcohol and drugs before your appointment
- Check for recent changes to DOT rules and policies
Your timeline depends on how serious the violation was, your substance use history, and your circumstances. For most clients, the whole process lasts between one and two weeks. In our 2026 report, 21.7% of drivers said that they waited 15 to 30 days for a first evaluation, and 12.3% waited 31 to 60 days.
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