How Often Do TSA Agents Get Drug Tested? TSA officers are randomly drug tested. According to the Transportation Security Administration, about 10% of all employees will be selected at random for their drug tests each year.

Airport workers in "safety-sensitive" roles—such as pilots, flight attendants, air traffic controllers, and aircraft mechanics—are subject to a rigorous drug testing regimen mandated by the FAA and DOT. In 2026, the random testing rate is set at 25% of the workforce per year for drugs and 10% for alcohol. This means that in any given year, an employee has a 1-in-4 chance of being randomly selected for a screen. In addition to random testing, workers must pass a pre-employment drug test before they can be hired. They are also subject to "Post-Accident" testing following any significant incident and "Reasonable Suspicion" testing if a supervisor believes they are impaired. Some major airlines and airport authorities also implement "Return-to-Duty" and "Follow-up" testing for those who have previously violated policies. For non-safety-sensitive workers (like retail or janitorial staff), testing is generally left to the discretion of the individual employer and is far less frequent. For those in the cockpit or on the ramp, the "grounded" reality is that a drug test could happen on any day of the work week.