PHMSA Random Drug Testing Rate Increasing in 2025
On November 20, 2024, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) announced that the minimum random drug testing rate for covered employees would increase from 25% to 50% in 2025.
This change takes effect on January 1, 2025, and will remain in effect until December 31, 2025.
Why was the PHMSA random testing rate increased?
The Administration released the following statement regarding the adjustment via public notice:
While the minimum annual random drug testing rate was 25 percent of all covered employees during [Calendar Year] 2024, the DAMIS reports submitted for [Calendar Year] 2023 D&A testing had a random drug testing positive rate greater than one percent. Therefore, the Administrator is increasing the PHMSA minimum annual random drug testing rate to 50 percent of all covered employees for [Calendar Year] 2025.
The decision to increase or decrease the minimum annual drug testing rate is based on the industry’s reported positive random drug test rate.
Per PHMSA regulation §199.105(c)(3), if the industry's overall positive rate is reported below 1% for two consecutive calendar years, the Administration can lower the minimum requirement. The Administration is required to increase the minimum drug testing rate when the positive rate, obtained from the latest annual DAMIS reports, is equal to or greater than 1%, per regulation §199.105(c)(4).
The latest annual DAMIS reports submitted for calendar year 2023 had a random drug testing positive rate greater than 1%; therefore, the Administration is increasing the minimum drug testing rate to 50% for 2025.
What do PHMSA employers need to do?
PHMSA employers should contact their third-party administrator (TPA) to update the target rate for their PHMSA random testing pools to reflect the new minimum testing rate.
If you are a TEAM client, your random drug testing percentage has already been updated as a courtesy. Learn more about what TEAM can do for PHMSA agencies at our Industries page.
