Vertical Identity vs APCA Drug Testing: $185 per driver adds up fast.
APCA's FMCSA plan is $185 per enrolled individual per year with pre-employment, random, and post-accident tests included. For one driver who only ever needs testing, that is a lower bill than Vertical Identity's $85 membership plus $69 tests, and we say so below. But every additional driver is another $185 at APCA and $25 at Vertical Identity, and APCA's pricing page lists no MVR, PSP, background check, DOT physical, or supervisor training. Ten drivers running the FMCSA minimum tests, with Clearinghouse queries, cost $1,509 here and $1,850 there.
/prices feed; MVR member rates from the per-state catalog at /prices/mvr-catalog; supervisor training from our training page. APCA pricing read from apcadrugtesting.com/pricing ($185/yr FMCSA plan, per enrolled individual; $200 return-to-duty test; $120 one-time test) and apcadrugtesting.com/services/fmcsa-trucking on 2026-09-05. APCA's FMCSA program page also says "starting at $149/year"; we cite the pricing page. Competitor pricing changes without notice; verify on their site when you evaluate.Five driver-vetting services with no APCA price
MVR checks
Not on apcadrugtesting.com/pricing or the FMCSA program page. Required at hire and annually (49 CFR § 391.23, § 391.25).
PSP reports
Not on APCA's pricing or FMCSA program pages.
Criminal background checks
Not on APCA's pricing or FMCSA program pages.
DOT physical ordering
Not on APCA's pricing or FMCSA program pages. The medical certificate is required before driving (49 CFR § 391.41).
Supervisor / DER training
APCA's compliance checklist lists "Supervisor training completed (60 min drugs, 60 min alcohol)" as your requirement. No course is sold on its pricing page.
APCA gets a driver into a random pool. Hiring and keeping that driver takes seven more services APCA does not sell.
When is Vertical Identity cheaper than APCA, and when is it not?
Vertical Identity is a Phoenix-based Consortium / Third-Party Administrator (C/TPA) registered with the FMCSA Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse, serving owner-operators and motor carriers in all 50 states. Membership is $85 a year for the first driver, $25 for each additional driver, or $295 flat for fleets of ten or more, with DOT drug tests at $69, breath alcohol tests at $59, Clearinghouse queries at $12 per driver per year, and supervisor training at $55 a seat.
APCA charges $185 per enrolled driver per year with pre-employment, random, and post-accident tests included, and $200 for a return-to-duty test. For a single driver who needs nothing but testing, APCA's flat fee is the lower bill. Vertical Identity is cheaper once a carrier adds drivers ($25 each rather than $185) and is the only one of the two selling MVR, PSP, background checks, DOT physical ordering, and supervisor training at published prices. A ten-driver carrier running the FMCSA minimum random rates pays $1,509 at Vertical Identity and $1,850 at APCA.
Where both publish a price, here they are. Where only one does, we say so.
Every cell below was read from a public product page on 2026-09-05: apcadrugtesting.com/pricing · apcadrugtesting.com/services/fmcsa-trucking · apcadrugtesting.com/terms for APCA, and the live /prices feed for Vertical Identity. Where APCA is cheaper, the row says so.
| Service | Vertical Identity | APCA Drug Testing | Read |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consortium enrollment, first driver | $85/yr | $185/yr, tests included (pre-employment, random, post-accident) | APCA includes tests; see the two scenarios below |
| Additional driver | $25/yr | $185/yr ("prices are per enrolled individual per year") | $160 less per added driver at Vertical Identity, before tests |
| Fleet of 10 | $295/yr flat | $1,850/yr (10 × $185, tests included) | $341 less at Vertical Identity after paying for FMCSA-minimum testing |
| DOT drug test | $69 member rate | Included for members; $120 for a one-time non-member test | |
| Breath alcohol test (BAT) | $59 | Random tests included; no standalone BAT price published | |
| Return-to-duty test (observed) | $99 | $200/test | $101 less at Vertical Identity |
| Follow-up test (observed) | $99 | Not listed on pricing page | Vertical Identity publishes; APCA does not |
| Clearinghouse setup, DIY | $0, C/TPA designation included | "Includes Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse support"; no separate tier published | Both include a Clearinghouse path |
| Clearinghouse setup, Premium (scheduled call) | $199 | Not published | |
| Clearinghouse query (pre-employment full + annual limited) | $12/driver/yr | "APCA manages your Clearinghouse queries as part of your program" | Both cover queries |
| Supervisor / DER training | $55/seat | Not sold on pricing page; listed as your requirement on their checklist | Vertical Identity only |
| MVR (driving record) | member rate from $14.25 by state | Not on pricing page | Vertical Identity only |
| PSP report | $20 | Not on pricing page | Vertical Identity only |
| Criminal background check (FCRA) | $39 | Not on pricing page | Vertical Identity only |
| DOT physical ordering | $129 | Not on pricing page | Vertical Identity only |
| Written D&A policy | Included with membership (+ DOT guidebook); completed company-specific version $39 | Listed on their checklist as a requirement; not shown as a deliverable on the pricing page | |
| Recordkeeping | Results and records in your member portal | 5-year recordkeeping included | Both |
| Enrollment | Online, about 5 minutes, same-day Certificate | Online (apcadrugtesting.com/app/signup) | Both online |
Two honest scenarios. Solo driver: APCA wins on the testing bill. Ten drivers: Vertical Identity saves $341.
Scenario one is the single-driver year we use on every comparison page: enroll, Clearinghouse designation and queries, one supervisor seat, the pre-employment test and one random draw (about what a solo driver averages at the 50% pool rate). Scenario two is a ten-driver fleet in year one: ten pre-employment tests, ten sets of queries, plus the FMCSA minimum random rates of 50% for drugs and 10% for alcohol (49 CFR § 382.305(b)), which for ten drivers is five random drug tests and one random alcohol test.
| Line item | Vertical Identity | APCA | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solo driver: enrollment | $85 | $185 (tests included) | |
| Solo driver: pre-employment test + one random draw | $138 ($69 × 2) | Included | |
| Solo driver: Clearinghouse designation + queries | $0 DIY + $12 | Included | |
| Solo driver: supervisor training (1 seat) | $55 | Not sold | |
| Solo driver: year-1 total | $290 | $185 + training elsewhere | APCA $105 lower on published lines |
| 10 drivers: enrollment | $295 flat | $1,850 (10 × $185) | |
| 10 drivers: 10 pre-employment tests + Clearinghouse queries | $690 + $120 | Included | |
| 10 drivers: 5 random drug + 1 random alcohol (FMCSA minimums) | $404 | Included | |
| 10 drivers: year-1 total | $1,509 | $1,850 | Vertical Identity $341 lower |
APCA's flat fee is built for one person. Vertical Identity's is built for a carrier: $25 for each added driver, $295 flat once you reach ten, and the MVR, PSP, background check, physical, and training every hire needs, each at a published price.
Everything a compliance program should do, done in one place.
Every price is published, live.
Every Vertical Identity price on this page comes from our live price feed, the per-state MVR catalog, or our training page. $85/yr for the first driver, $25 each additional, $295 flat for fleets of 10 or more, $69 per DOT drug test at the member rate. No quote call, no "contact us for pricing".
All 11 driver-compliance services in one portal.
Random pool, Clearinghouse setup and queries, MVR, PSP, background check, DOT physical ordering, supervisor training, written policy, plus Post-SAP follow-up management. One login, one invoice.
Enroll in about five minutes, online, from your DOT number.
Type your USDOT number and we pull the carrier name, address, and driver count from FMCSA records. Your Certificate of Enrollment is generated the same day.
Order tests 24/7 and send the driver a pre-paid Passport.
Pick the test type in the member portal and the driver gets a pre-paid electronic Passport listing the three closest collection sites. They walk into any of 20,000+ DOT collection sites nationwide, no appointment.
A Medical Review Officer on every test.
Results are MRO-verified and route to your member account. Violations are handled the way the Clearinghouse rules require of your C/TPA.
Live human support, Monday to Friday 6 AM to 5 PM Arizona.
Call or text (602) 899-1606 and reach the team that runs your program, not a call center. The portal stays open around the clock.
Clearinghouse handled two ways.
Designate Vertical Identity as your C/TPA at no charge and register yourself on the FMCSA portal, or take the $199 Premium setup and we walk the registration with you on a scheduled call. Queries are $12 per driver per year.
Your written policy is included.
Membership includes a written Drug & Alcohol policy and DOT guidebook, the § 382.601 paperwork an auditor asks for first. Want it completed with your company name, DER, and effective date filled in and emailed as a PDF? That version is $39.
Hiring and keeping a CDL driver takes 11 federally-mandated steps. Vertical Identity covers all 11 at published prices.
Each step below shows the regulation that creates it, what APCA publishes for it, and where Vertical Identity delivers it in the same portal.
- Pre-employment DOT drug test 49 CFR § 382.301(a)APCA: Yes, included
Required negative result before any CDL driver performs a safety-sensitive function. SAMHSA-certified lab, MRO review. → Vertical Identity DOT Pre-Employment Drug Testing — $69 member rate - Clearinghouse pre-employment full query 49 CFR § 382.701(a)APCA: Yes, included
Full query of the FMCSA Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse for prior violations, with the driver's electronic consent in the Clearinghouse. No driver may begin safety-sensitive work without it. → Vertical Identity Clearinghouse Query — $12/driver/yr (pre-employment full + annual limited) - Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) check 49 CFR § 391.23(a)(1) + § 391.25APCA: Not sold
State driving-record review at hire and annually thereafter, for every state that issued the driver a license in the prior three years. → Vertical Identity MVR Ordering — member rate from $14.25 by state, all 50 states - PSP (Pre-Employment Screening Program) report 49 U.S.C. § 31150 · FMCSA programAPCA: Not sold
The driver's crash and inspection history from FMCSA's Motor Carrier Management Information System. Not mandatory, but standard practice for a defensible hire. → Vertical Identity PSP Reports — $20 - DOT physical examination 49 CFR § 391.41 + § 391.43APCA: Not sold
Medical certificate from a certified medical examiner on the FMCSA National Registry, required before driving and renewed at least every two years. → Vertical Identity DOT Physical ordering — $129 nationwide partner network - Criminal background check (FCRA-compliant) FCRA, 15 U.S.C. § 1681bAPCA: Not sold
Multi-jurisdiction criminal search under Fair Credit Reporting Act consent rules. Expected by most carrier insurance underwriters. → Vertical Identity Background Checks — $39 - Random drug and alcohol testing pool 49 CFR § 382.305APCA: Yes, included
FMCSA minimum annual rates of 50% for drugs and 10% for alcohol, scientifically random selections spread through the year. Pool placement is the consortium's core job. → Vertical Identity Random Testing Program — included in $85/yr membership - Annual Clearinghouse limited query 49 CFR § 382.701(b)APCA: Yes, included
Every employer must run a limited query on every employed CDL driver at least once a year, on the driver's general consent. → Vertical Identity Clearinghouse Services — $12/driver/yr covers the annual limited query - Annual MVR refresh 49 CFR § 391.25(a)APCA: Not sold
An updated MVR for every driver at least once every 12 months, reviewed for safety-impacting violations. → Vertical Identity MVR annual renewal — member rate by state - Written drug and alcohol policy on file 49 CFR § 382.601APCA: On their checklist, not a priced deliverable
Every DOT-regulated employer must give each driver written policy materials and keep them on file for FMCSA inspection. → Vertical Identity membership includes your written D&A policy + DOT guidebook - Supervisor / DER reasonable-suspicion training 49 CFR § 382.603APCA: Not sold
At least 60 minutes on alcohol misuse plus 60 minutes on controlled-substance use for every supervisor of a CDL driver, including an owner-operator acting as their own DER. → Vertical Identity Supervisor / DER Training — $55 per seat
Vertical Identity delivers all 11 at published prices. APCA covers 4.
Enroll with Vertical Identity in 5 minutes →What carriers ask before switching
Is Vertical Identity a real consortium, or a reseller?
Vertical Identity is a Consortium / Third-Party Administrator (C/TPA) registered with the FMCSA Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse. We hold our own accounts with SAMHSA-certified laboratories and a nationwide network of more than 20,000 DOT collection sites, and our members order through our portal at the $69 member rate. Nothing is resold through a middle layer.
Does Vertical Identity offer a do-it-yourself Clearinghouse path?
Yes. Membership includes designating Vertical Identity as your C/TPA at no extra cost. You register yourself on the FMCSA Clearinghouse portal (about ten minutes) and designate us. If you would rather have help, the $199 Premium setup walks the registration with you on a scheduled virtual meeting, because login.gov authentication has to happen with you present. Pre-employment full queries and annual limited queries are $12 per driver per year.
How do I switch from APCA to Vertical Identity?
Enroll at members.verticalidentity.com/enroll from your DOT number; it takes about five minutes and your Certificate of Enrollment is generated the same day. Then tell APCA in writing the date your program with them ends; their terms say membership auto-renews unless you withdraw. Do not leave a gap: a carrier must be in a random pool every day it operates (49 CFR § 382.305).
APCA is $185 with tests included. Isn't that cheaper than Vertical Identity?
For one driver who only needs testing, yes. $85 membership, a pre-employment test, one random draw and the $12 Clearinghouse queries is $235 at Vertical Identity against $185 at APCA. The picture changes with the second driver ($25 here, $185 there) and with anything beyond testing. APCA's pricing page sells no MVR, PSP, background check, DOT physical, or supervisor training, and every CDL hire needs the first, the fourth, and the training. A ten-driver fleet running the FMCSA minimum tests pays $1,509 here and $1,850 at APCA.
Does APCA handle the Clearinghouse?
APCA's pricing page says the FMCSA plan "includes Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse support" and its program page says it manages queries as part of the program. Vertical Identity includes the C/TPA designation with membership, runs pre-employment full and annual limited queries for $12 per driver per year, and offers a $199 Premium setup call for carriers who want the registration done with them. Under either provider, the FMCSA registration itself has to be created by the carrier through login.gov.
What does a return-to-duty test cost at each?
APCA bills return-to-duty tests separately at $200 per test. Vertical Identity's observed return-to-duty test is $99 and observed follow-up tests are $99, and we run Post-SAP follow-up programs for drivers with or without a current employer.
Switch to Vertical Identity in 5 minutes.
Enroll online from your DOT number, get your Certificate of Enrollment the same day, and pay $25 for each driver you add instead of $185.