Learn What to Expect on the TSA Drug Test for Employment [Complete Guide]
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has a zero-tolerance drug policy for both applicants and employees. Every candidate is required to take a drug test as part of the TSA Medical Evaluation, which is a crucial part of the hiring process.
On this page, you'll learn what to expect during drug testing and get answers to frequently asked questions by candidates.
Generally, the Transportation Security Administration uses five-panel urine (pee) drug tests for all applicants applying for a Transportation Security Officer (TSO) job.
In some cases, they may also use a breath alcohol test and hair follicle drug tests for existing TSA workers.
The drugs that can be detected on the five-panel test are:
💡 Check our Free TSA test for practice questions.
The purpose of the TSA drug test is to determine whether an applicant or employee has used any psychoactive drug within the last months.
The drug test takes about 5 to 10 minutes.
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.
Between 2010 and 2016, more than 850 TSA agents failed their drug and alcohol tests, 51 of them were in Los Angeles' International Airport. According to a TSA spokesman, TSA workers who have tested positive for their drug or alcohol test are fired.
| Drug | Screen Cutoff | Confirmation Cutoff |
| Amphetamines | 1000 ng/mL | 500 ng/mL |
| Cocaine metabolites | 300 ng/mL | 150 ng/mL |
| Marijuana metabolites | 50 ng/mL | 15 ng/mL |
| Opiates | 2000 ng/mL | 2000 ng/mL |
| Phencyclidine (PCP) | 25 ng/mL | 25 ng/mL |
The TSA drug tests are highly accurate, but they're not 100% accurate. Several things can affect the accuracy of these tests, including:
The amount of time that psychoactive drugs can be detected in urine varies based on the drug:
| Drug Type (from the Five-Panel test) | Timeframe for Detection (Urine Test) |
| Marijuana (THC) | Up to 30 Days |
| Cocaine | Up to 3 Days |
| Opioids | 3 - 12 Days |
| Amphetamines | Up to 7 Days |
| Phencyclidine | Up to 4 Weeks |
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If you fail the drug test, you'll be referred to a doctor who's a medical review officer (MRO). The MRO will then determine whether or not there's another condition that may have caused your results, and may ask for a second test.
If there isn't such a condition, your application will be terminated.
TSA applicants who refuse to take a drug test cannot be granted a security clearance and their hiring process will be terminated. Applicants who already have a job with TSA and refuse to take a drug test will be fired from their position.
Yes, several factors could lead to failing the drug test even though you haven't used drugs. These factors include:
Even though the THC levels in your urine rarely last for more than a few hours after being exposed to secondhand marijuana smoke, it's better to stay on the safe side and wait for several days before you take the drug test.
The most certain way to pass a TSA drug test is not taking drugs in the first place. This is because there's no way to pass the drug test if you've already ingested drugs.
It should take several business days for the lab to review your sample and you'll receive the results after a few weeks max.
Our TSA practice tests are made to mirror any possible version of the test- the exact questions you'll face in the new TSA exam, and the older X-ray and English tests that have still been given to candidates throughout the year.
Although these testing materials included the English comp and X-ray practice mostly, it did also have some of the new test materials. I am glad I did it all. This was well worth the money. I went into the test prepared for both. Also, it got me ready for the pressures of testing. I don’t think I would have passed the first time without it. I just got my tentative job offer letter so onward to the next steps! There does need to be a few more practice questions for the new style test however.
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Maia E.
Gave me much more confidence on the material that would be on the test, and I did in fact Pass my exam! The practice test are extremely helpful to get in repetitions of what you might find. Just remember, you don’t know what version of the exam you will receive, so studying all they have to give is helpful. I discovered my Version was 2D-3D shapes and speed image matching so I didn’t have any X-Ray or grammar questions, so touching base on all the helpful material is a must.
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