14 C.F.R. § 120.117

Current through October 31, 2024

Section 120.117 - Implementing a drug testing program

(a) Each company must meet the requirements of this subpart. Use the following chart to determine whether your company must obtain an Antidrug and Alcohol Misuse Prevention Program Operations Specification, Letter of Authorization, or Drug and Alcohol Testing Program Registration from the FAA:

If you are . . .	You must . . .
(1) A part 119 certificate holder with authority to operate under parts 121 or 135	Obtain an Antidrug and Alcohol Misuse Prevention Program Operations Specification by contacting your FAA Principal Operations Inspector.
(2) An operator as defined in § 91.147 of this chapter	Obtain a Letter of Authorization by contacting the Flight Standards District Office nearest to your principal place of business.
(3) A part 119 certificate holder with authority to operate under parts 121 or 135 and an operator as defined in § 91.147 of this chapter	Complete the requirements in paragraphs 1 and 2 of this chart and advise the Flight Standards District Office and the Drug Abatement Division that the § 91.147 operation will be included under the part 119 testing program. Contact the Drug Abatement Division at FAA, Office of Aerospace Medicine, Drug Abatement Division (AAM-800), 800 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20591.
(4) An air traffic control facility not operated by the FAA or by or under contract to the U.S. Military	Register with the FAA, Office of Aerospace Medicine, Drug Abatement Division (AAM-800), 800 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20591.
(5) A part 145 certificate holder who has your own drug testing program	Obtain an Antidrug and Alcohol Misuse Prevention Program Operations Specification by contacting your Principal Maintenance Inspector or register with the FAA, Office of Aerospace Medicine, Drug Abatement Division (AAM-800), 800 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20591, if you opt to conduct your own drug testing program.
(6) A contractor who has your own drug testing program	Register with the FAA, Office of Aerospace Medicine, Drug Abatement Division (AAM-800), 800 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20591, if you opt to conduct your own drug testing program.

(b) Use the following chart for implementing a drug testing program if you are applying for a part 119 certificate with authority to operate under parts 121 or 135 of this chapter, if you intend to begin operations as defined in § 91.147 of this chapter, or if you intend to begin air traffic control operations (not operated by the FAA or by or under contract to the U.S. Military). Use it to determine whether you need to have an Antidrug and Alcohol Misuse Prevention Program Operations Specification, Letter of Authorization, or Drug and Alcohol Testing Program Registration from the FAA. Your employees who perform safety-sensitive functions must be tested in accordance with this subpart. The chart follows:

If you . . .	You must . . .
(1) Apply for a part 119 certificate with authority to operate under parts 121 or 135	(i) Have an Antidrug and Alcohol Misuse Prevention Program Operations Specification,
	(ii) Implement an FAA drug testing program no later than the date you start operations, and
	(iii) Meet the requirements of this subpart.
(2) Intend to begin operations as defined in § 91.147 of this chapter	(i) Have a Letter of Authorization,
	(ii) Implement an FAA drug testing program no later than the date you start operations, and
	(iii) Meet the requirements of this subpart.
(3) Apply for a part 119 certificate with authority to operate under parts 121 or 135 and intend to begin operations as defined in § 91.147 of this chapter	(i) Have an Antidrug and Alcohol Misuse Prevention Program Operations Specification and a Letter of Authorization,
	(ii) Implement your combined FAA drug testing program no later than the date you start operations, and
	(iii) Meet the requirements of this subpart.
(4) Intend to begin air traffic control operations (at an air traffic control facility not operated by the FAA or by or under contract to the U.S. military)	(i) Register with the FAA, Office of Aerospace Medicine, Drug Abatement Division (AAM-800), 800 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20591, prior to starting operations,
	(ii) Implement an FAA drug testing program no later than the date you start operations, and
	(iii) Meet the requirements of this subpart.

(c) If you are an individual or company that intends to provide safety-sensitive services by contract to a part 119 certificate holder with authority to operate under parts 121 and/or 135 of this chapter, an operation as defined in § 91.147 of this chapter, or an air traffic control facility not operated by the FAA or by or under contract to the U.S. military, use the following chart to determine what you must do if you opt to have your own drug testing program.

If you . . .	And you opt to conduct your own drug program, you must . . .
(1) Are a part 145 certificate holder	(i) Have an Antidrug and Alcohol Misuse Prevention Program Operations Specification or register with the FAA, Office of Aerospace Medicine, Drug Abatement Division (AAM-800), 800 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20591,
	(ii) Implement an FAA drug testing program no later than the date you start performing safety-sensitive functions for a part 119 certificate holder with authority to operate under parts 121 or 135, or operator as defined in § 91.147 of this chapter, and
	(iii) Meet the requirements of this subpart as if you were an employer.
(2) Are a contractor	(i) Register with the FAA, Office of Aerospace Medicine, Drug Abatement Division (AAM-800), 800 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20591,
	(ii) Implement an FAA drug testing program no later than the date you start performing safety-sensitive functions for a part 119 certificate holder with authority to operate under parts 121 or 135, or operator as defined in § 91.147 of this chapter, or an air traffic control facility not operated by the FAA or by or under contract to the U.S. Military, and
	(iii) Meet the requirements of this subpart as if you were an employer.

(d)Obtaining an Antidrug and Alcohol Misuse Prevention Program Operations Specification.

(1) To obtain an Antidrug and Alcohol Misuse Prevention Program Operations Specification, you must contact your FAA Principal Operations Inspector or Principal Maintenance Inspector. Provide him/her with the following information:

(i) Company name.

(ii) Certificate number.

(iii) Telephone number.

(iv) Address where your drug and alcohol testing program records are kept.

(v) Whether you have 50 or more safety-sensitive employees, or 49 or fewer safety-sensitive employees. (Part 119 certificate holders with authority to operate only under part 121 of this chapter are not required to provide this information.)

(2) You must certify on your Antidrug and Alcohol Misuse Prevention Program Operations Specification issued by your FAA Principal Operations Inspector or Principal Maintenance Inspector that you will comply with this part and 49 CFR part 40.

(3) You are required to obtain only one Antidrug and Alcohol Misuse Prevention Program Operations Specification to satisfy this requirement under this part.

(4) You must update the Antidrug and Alcohol Misuse Prevention Program Operations Specification when any changes to the information contained in the Operation Specification occur.

(e)Register your Drug and Alcohol Testing Program by obtaining a Letter of Authorization from the FAA in accordance with § 91.147 .

(1) A drug and alcohol testing program is considered registered when the following information is submitted to the Flight Standards District Office nearest your principal place of business:

(i) Company name.

(ii) Telephone number.

(iii) Address where your drug and alcohol testing program records are kept.

(iv) Type of safety-sensitive functions you or your employees perform (such as flight instruction duties, aircraft dispatcher duties, maintenance or preventive maintenance duties, ground security coordinator duties, aviation screening duties, air traffic control duties).

(v) Whether you have 50 or more covered employees, or 49 or fewer covered employees.

(vi) A signed statement indicating that your company will comply with this part and 49 CFR part 40.

(2) This Letter of Authorization will satisfy the requirements for both your drug testing program under this subpart and your alcohol testing program under subpart F of this part.

(3) Update the Letter of Authorization information as changes occur. Send the updates to the Flight Standards District Office nearest your principal place of business.

(4) If you are a part 119 certificate holder with authority to operate under parts 121 or 135 and intend to begin operations as defined in § 91.147 of this chapter, you must also advise the Federal Aviation Administration, Office of Aerospace Medicine, Drug Abatement Division (AAM-800), 800 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20591.

(f)Obtaining a Drug and Alcohol Testing Program Registration from the FAA.

(1) Except as provided in paragraphs (d) and (e) of this section, to obtain a Drug and Alcohol Testing Program Registration from the FAA, you must submit the following information to the Office of Aerospace Medicine, Drug Abatement Division:

(i) Company name.

(ii) Telephone number.

(iii) Address where your drug and alcohol testing program records are kept.

(iv) Type of safety-sensitive functions you or your employees perform (such as flight instruction duties, aircraft dispatcher duties, maintenance or preventive maintenance duties, ground security coordinator duties, aviation screening duties, air traffic control duties).

(v) Whether you have 50 or more covered employees, or 49 or fewer covered employees.

(vi) A signed statement indicating that: your company will comply with this part and 49 CFR part 40; and you intend to provide safety-sensitive functions by contract (including subcontract at any tier) to a part 119 certificate holder with authority to operate under part 121 or part 135 of this chapter, an operator as defined in § 91.147 of this chapter, or an air traffic control facility not operated by the FAA or by or under contract to the U.S. military.

(2) Send this information to the Federal Aviation Administration, Office of Aerospace Medicine, Drug Abatement Division (AAM-800), 800 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20591.

(3) This Drug and Alcohol Testing Program Registration will satisfy the registration requirements for both your drug testing program under this subpart and your alcohol testing program under subpart F of this part.

(4) Update the registration information as changes occur. Send the updates to the address specified in paragraph (f)(2) of this section.

14 C.F.R. §120.117

Doc. No. FAA-2008-0937, 74 FR 22653 , May 14, 2009; Amdt. 120-0A, 75 FR 3154 , Jan. 20, 2010, as amended by Amdt. 120-1, 78 FR 42003 , July 15, 2013