Instant and rapid testing
Results in minutes, right where the test happens.
Instant drug and alcohol screening for employers and individuals who need an answer now, with lab confirmation available for any non-negative.
- Result
- A screening result on site, usually within about ten minutes
- Used for
- Non-DOT programs only
- Lab confirmation
- Pricing varies by service area. See pricing
Overview
When you cannot wait for the lab
An instant test gives a screening result on site, usually within about ten minutes.
That makes it the right tool for same-day hiring decisions, reasonable suspicion situations and post-incident checks where you need to act before the shift ends.
Instant testing is for non-DOT programs only and does not satisfy a DOT drug-testing requirement. DOT-regulated tests must be sent to a certified laboratory, and we will steer you to the right test if the employee is in a DOT position. About DOT testing
Who uses it
- Employers making same-day hiring decisions
- Employers handling reasonable suspicion situations
- Post-incident checks, before the shift ends
- Individuals who need an answer now
Process
How an on-site instant test works
Call or schedule
Tell dispatch who needs testing, where and why.
Collector arrives
A trained collector brings FDA-cleared instant devices to your workplace or home.
Collection
The collection follows the same chain of custody procedure we use for lab tests.
Read and documented
The collector reads and documents the screening result with you, usually within about ten minutes.
If it is non-negative
The same specimen is sealed on the spot for lab confirmation, so nothing has to be re-collected.
Lab confirmation
What a non-negative result means
An instant device screens; it does not confirm. Here is how we handle a result that is anything other than negative.
A non-negative instant screen should be sent for laboratory confirmation before it is treated as a confirmed positive. Employers should follow their written testing policy and applicable law when making employment decisions.
The specimen is sealed
The same specimen is sealed on the spot with a chain of custody form, so nothing has to be re-collected.
It ships to the lab
The laboratory runs confirmation testing that identifies the specific substance and quantity, which is the result you can rely on for an employment or legal decision. Lab confirmation pricing varies by service area. See Pennsylvania, New York or New Jersey pricing.
You get the confirmed result
Confirmed results are reported to you once the lab and, where applicable, the Medical Review Officer have finished, typically 5 to 10 days for a positive.
Options
Options and what we bring
Instant drug screening
A screening result on site, usually within about ten minutes. You choose the panel and the reporting, and we handle the rest.
Breath alcohol too
Pair an instant drug screen with a breath alcohol test on an evidential device during the same visit.
Lab confirmation
Available for any non-negative, from the same specimen collected during the visit. Lab confirmation pricing varies by service area. See Pennsylvania, New York or New Jersey pricing.
Trained collectors
Every collector is trained to run instant devices and to document the read, so the result is defensible.
Also available
Related services
Non-DOT drug and alcohol testing
Workplace, court-ordered and personal testing that follows the employer’s or requesting party’s applicable testing program.
DOT drug and alcohol testing
Federally regulated collections for safety-sensitive employees, sent to a certified laboratory.
Breath and EtG alcohol testing
Evidential breath alcohol testing for DOT and non-DOT programs, plus EtG urine testing that reaches back about 80 hours.
Hair follicle and segmented hair testing
A roughly 90-day window of use from a small hair sample, or segmented analysis that reports month by month.
How long do results take?
Instant tests are read on site in about ten minutes. Lab-based negative results are typically reported in 1 to 3 days. Positive results take 5 to 10 days because they go through confirmation testing and Medical Review Officer review.
What happens if an instant test is not negative?
The same specimen is sealed under chain of custody and sent to the laboratory for confirmation testing, which identifies the specific substance. Lab confirmation pricing varies by service area. See Pennsylvania, New York or New Jersey pricing. A non-negative instant screen should be sent for laboratory confirmation before it is treated as a confirmed positive. Employers should follow their written testing policy and applicable law when making employment decisions.
Can an instant test be used for a DOT employee?
No. Instant testing is for non-DOT programs only. DOT-regulated tests must be sent to a certified laboratory, and we will steer you to the right test if the employee is in a DOT position. A DOT test must follow 49 CFR Part 40 procedures with a Federal custody form and a certified lab.
Where will the test take place?
Wherever the person is: a job site trailer, an HR office, a hotel room or a home. The collector needs a private space with a door and, for urine collections, access to a restroom.
How far back does an instant urine test look?
Urine drug tests generally cover the last few days. Hair follicle testing covers roughly 90 days, and breath alcohol shows alcohol in the body right now.
Which laboratories do you use for confirmation?
We hold accounts with LabCorp, Quest Diagnostics, Clinical Reference Laboratory, Omega Laboratories and Abbott. If your company already has a lab contract, we can collect under it.
24/7 phone and dispatch
Need an answer today?
Call dispatch and a collector with instant devices heads your way. We dispatch mobile collectors as quickly as possible, including nights, weekends and holidays.
1-800-539-4934