What happens if I fail a FAA drug test?

Airmen who fail a drug test are removed from performing safety-sensitive functions, required to undergo a substance abuse evaluation, and required to complete counseling or treatment. To make matters worse, airmen often are fired by their employer as a result of a failed test.



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Yes. The federal drug and alcohol testing regulations under 14 CFR Part 120 and 49 CFR Part 40apply to all Part 119 certificate holders who are authorized to conduct operations under Part 135.

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Psychiatric Conditions. The use of a psychotropic drug is disqualifying for aeromedical certification purposes. This includes all sedatives, tranquilizers, antipsychotic drugs, antidepressant drugs (including SSRI's - see exceptions), analeptics, anxiolytics, and hallucinogens.

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Pilots should be aware that FAA required drug tests routinely test for the presence of THC. Therefore, pilots utilizing commercially available CBD oil are at risk of testing positive for THC (or other prohibited substances) and may be putting their medical and airmen certificates at risk.

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How many pilots fail drug tests? The FAA has found that about 0.06 percent of pilots and air traffic controllers have a confirmed positive drug test, which works out to a cost of about $45,000 per positive result.

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These medical conditions include a personality disorder manifested by overt acts, a psychosis, alcoholism, drug dependence, epilepsy, an unexplained disturbance of consciousness, myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, and diabetes requiring medication for its control.

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In 2021, FAA data showed that 78% of all PPL pilots passed on their first attempt. In that same year, 79.5% of pilots passed their commercial pilot checkride, and the pass rate for CFI checkrides was 77.9%. Although these numbers are high, it is evident that many pilots failed on the first try.

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Drug testing is grouped on pre-employment, random, post-accident, and reasonable cause bases. For random tests, employers must (usually) test 50 percent of the required employees annually. The actual rate, however, fluctuates based on industry data and is set by the FAA.

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No. To be clear. No you cannot use cannabis in any form and be permitted to fly.

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