Vertical Identity vs. APCA Drug Testing
The random testing program with driver qualification files included. We found no driver qualification file software on APCA's site.
Everything a carrier must do to hire and keep a CDL driver. Item by item.
Each row is a federal requirement or a recommended check, with the regulation that creates it. Our column shows how Vertical Identity delivers it: included in the membership (DQF Pro included) or ordered in the same portal at a published price. The APCA column shows what we found on apcadrugtesting.com, checked October 14, 2026.
| What a carrier needs | Vertical Identity | APCA |
|---|---|---|
| Hiring a driver | ||
| Online employment application49 CFR § 391.21 | IncludedDQF Pro application link, on a phone or computer; VID Intelligence reads the CDL and medical card | — Not found |
| Previous-employer safety history, including drug and alcohol history49 CFR § 391.23(a)(2), (d), (e) | IncludedRequests sent and followed up in DQF Pro; employers answer online | — Not found |
| MVR from every state that licensed the driver49 CFR § 391.23(a)(1) | Published priceMember rate from $14.25 by state, all 50 states | — Not found |
| Clearinghouse pre-employment full query49 CFR § 382.701(a) | Published price$12 per query (our fee; the FMCSA credit is separate) | Included ("pre-employment query management") |
| Pre-employment drug test49 CFR § 382.301 | Published price$69 member rate, collection and MRO review included | Included in $185/yr |
| Medical certificate on file49 CFR § 391.41, § 391.51(b)(6) | IncludedFiled in DQF Pro; DOT physicals ordered at $129 | — Not found |
| Road test, or a CDL accepted in its place49 CFR § 391.31, § 391.33 | IncludedTracked and filed in DQF Pro | — Not found |
| CDLIS reportRecommended | Published price$10 | — Not found |
| PSP reportRecommended · FMCSA program | Published price$20 | — Not found |
| Criminal background checkRecommended · FCRA, 15 U.S.C. § 1681b | Published price$39, run by Vertical Identity's own screening company | — Not found |
| The testing program | ||
| Random testing pool and Certificate of Enrollment49 CFR § 382.305 | IncludedIncluded, with selection notices and DER reminders until the test is done | Included (random pool administration) |
| Written drug and alcohol policy49 CFR § 382.601 | IncludedStandard policy included | On their FMCSA compliance checklist; not in what the fee includes, no price published |
| Supervisor reasonable-suspicion training49 CFR § 382.603 | Published price$55 per seat | On their FMCSA compliance checklist; no course or price published |
| C/TPA designation in the Clearinghouse49 CFR § 382.705(c), § 382.711 | IncludedIncluded at no charge | Included ("Clearinghouse registration support") |
| Every year | ||
| Annual Clearinghouse limited query49 CFR § 382.701(b) | Published price$12 per driver (our fee) | Included ("APCA manages your Clearinghouse queries") |
| Annual MVR and your signed review49 CFR § 391.25, § 391.51(b)(4)–(5) | Published priceReview signed and filed in DQF Pro; MVR at the member rate | — Not found |
| Medical card renewal tracking49 CFR § 391.45 | IncludedExpiration reminders in DQF Pro | — Not found |
| The driver file | ||
| A driver qualification file for every driver49 CFR § 391.51 | IncludedDQF Pro, organized to the DOT checklist | — Not found |
| Reminders before anything expiresAudit readiness | IncludedIncluded in DQF Pro | — Not found |
| Auditor export and access logAudit readiness | IncludedIncluded in DQF Pro | — Not found for driver files (their audit-ready portal holds testing records) |
| Testing when it happens | ||
| Post-accident testing49 CFR § 382.303 | Published price$69 member rate, ordered any time from the portal | Included in $185/yr |
| Reasonable-suspicion testing49 CFR § 382.307 | Published price$69 member rate | Listed as a test type APCA manages; no published price |
| Return-to-duty and follow-up testing49 CFR § 382.309, § 382.311 | Published pricePost-SAP program; return-to-duty $119, follow-up $119 | $200 return-to-duty test; follow-up price not published |
| Covered (included or published price) | 23 of 23 | 7 of 23 |
All 23 with Vertical Identity: $85/year, driver files included. Switch from APCA online in about five minutes.
apcadrugtesting.com/pricing ($185/yr FMCSA plan, per enrolled individual, with pre-employment, random and post-accident tests included; $200 return-to-duty test; $120 one-time test) and apcadrugtesting.com/services/fmcsa-trucking on 2026-09-05, and re-checked on October 14, 2026 (prices unchanged; no driver qualification file software found). APCA's FMCSA program page also says "starting at $149/year", which does not match the $185 on its pricing page; we cite the pricing page. Competitor pricing changes without notice; verify on their site when you evaluate.Six driver-compliance services with no APCA price
Driver qualification files
No driver-file software or service on APCA's pricing page, FMCSA program page or sitemap. Every CDL driver needs a qualification file (49 CFR § 391.51).
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 FMCSA page lists "Supervisor training completed (60 min drugs, 60 min alcohol)" on its compliance checklist. No course or price is published.
Compliance is 23 line items, not one enrollment fee. APCA's site covers 7 of them; Vertical Identity covers all 23.
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 a year for each additional driver, or $295 a year flat for unlimited drivers. The drug testing program is included; tests are ordered when needed, at member prices: DOT drug tests at $69, breath alcohol tests at $59, Clearinghouse queries at $12 per driver (our fee), 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), includes DQF Pro driver files in the membership, and sells MVR, PSP and CDLIS reports, criminal background checks, DOT physical ordering, and supervisor training at published prices; we found none of those on APCA's site. 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 APCA cell below was read from a public product page on 2026-09-05 and re-checked October 14, 2026: apcadrugtesting.com/pricing · apcadrugtesting.com/services/fmcsa-trucking · apcadrugtesting.com/terms. Vertical Identity prices come from our live price list. 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) | $119 | $200/test | $81 less at Vertical Identity |
| Follow-up test (observed) | $119 | Not listed on pricing page | Vertical Identity publishes; APCA does not |
| Clearinghouse C/TPA designation, DIY | No charge for members; you designate us using our instructions | "Includes Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse support"; no separate tier published | Both include a Clearinghouse path |
| Clearinghouse Enrollment Setup (white-glove, shared screen) | $199 | Not published | |
| Clearinghouse query (pre-employment full or annual limited) | $12 per driver per query (our fee; FMCSA credit separate) | "APCA manages your Clearinghouse queries as part of your program" | Both cover queries |
| Supervisor / DER training | $55/seat | On their FMCSA compliance checklist; no course or price published | Vertical Identity publishes; APCA does not |
| MVR (driving record) | member rate from $14.25 by state | Not on pricing page | Vertical Identity publishes; APCA does not |
| PSP report | $20 | Not on pricing page | Vertical Identity publishes; APCA does not |
| Criminal background check (FCRA) | $39 | Not on pricing page | Vertical Identity publishes; APCA does not |
| DOT physical ordering | $129 | Not on pricing page | Vertical Identity publishes; APCA does not |
| Written D&A policy | Standard policy included with membership (+ DOT guidebook); completed company-specific version $39 | On their FMCSA compliance checklist; not in the pricing page's list of what the fee includes | |
| 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 scenarios, driver files included at Vertical Identity. Solo driver: APCA is lower on the testing bill. Ten drivers: Vertical Identity saves $341, and we found no driver-file software at APCA.
Scenario one is the single-driver year we use on every comparison page: enroll, Clearinghouse designation and the pre-employment query, 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 pre-employment 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 + $69) | Included | |
| Solo driver: Clearinghouse designation + query | No charge (DIY) + $12 | Included | |
| Solo driver: supervisor training (1 seat) | $55 | Not sold | |
| Solo driver: DQF Pro driver qualification file software | Included | Not included. No driver qualification file software found on APCA's site | |
| Solo driver: year-1 total | $290, driver files included | $185 + training and driver files 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: DQF Pro driver qualification file software | Included | Not included. No driver qualification file software found on APCA's site | |
| 10 drivers: year-1 total | $1,509, driver files included | $1,850 + driver files elsewhere | Vertical Identity $341 lower |
APCA's flat fee is built for one person. Vertical Identity's is built for a carrier: $25 a year for each added driver, $295 a year flat once you reach 10 drivers, DQF Pro driver files included, and the MVR and DOT physical every hire needs, plus PSP and CDLIS reports, criminal background checks and supervisor training, each at a published price.
Everything a compliance program should do, done in one place.
Driver qualification files, included.
DQF Pro comes with the $85/year membership, no add-on fee: a file for every driver organized to the DOT checklist, reminders before a medical card or CDL lapses, previous-employer requests tracked, and a complete file to hand an auditor any time.
Your random program, run for you.
A spot in our DOT random testing pool, a new Certificate of Enrollment every year, selection notices, and reminders to your DER until the test is done. Your selections are visible in the member portal any time.
Order drug and alcohol tests 24/7.
Order any test from the member portal at any hour. The driver gets a pre-paid electronic pass to take to one of 20,000+ collection sites nationwide. DOT drug test $69 at the member rate, with collection and Medical Review Officer review included.
MVRs, PSP, CDLIS and criminal background checks in the same portal.
Vertical Identity is also a background screening company, so we run these ourselves at published prices: MVR from $14.25 by state, PSP $20, CDLIS $10, criminal background check $39. Results land in the driver's file.
Hire a driver in one place.
Send one application link. VID Intelligence reads the driver's license and medical card and fills in the paperwork. Order the pre-hire checks, make your decision, then order the pre-employment test and Clearinghouse query, and the driver file builds itself.
Every price is published, live.
$85/year for the first driver, $25/year for each additional driver, $295/year flat for unlimited drivers. Every price on this page is read from our live price list. No quote call, no "contact us for pricing".
Clearinghouse handled two ways.
We're your C/TPA in the Clearinghouse at no charge: register on the FMCSA portal with our instructions and designate us. Or book the white-glove Clearinghouse Enrollment Setup ($199) and we do it with you on a shared screen. Queries are $12 per driver (our fee; the FMCSA credit is separate).
Your written policy is included.
A standard written drug and alcohol policy and DOT guidebook come with the membership, the § 382.601 paperwork an auditor asks for first. A version completed with your company name, DER and effective date is $39.
Post-SAP program for drivers returning to duty.
Return-to-duty and follow-up tests ordered from the same portal: return-to-duty $119, follow-up $119, observed as the rules require.
DOT physicals near any driver.
Order a DOT physical ($129) with a certified medical examiner near the driver. The medical certificate goes into the driver's file.
Enroll in about five minutes, online.
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.
Real people, 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 member portal stays open around the clock.
What carriers ask before switching
Don't see yours? Call or text (602) 899-1606.
Hours: Mon–Fri 6 AM – 5 PM AZ
[email protected]
Does APCA Drug Testing include driver qualification file software with its random program?
We found none. APCA's pricing page, its FMCSA program page and its sitemap list consortium membership, random pool administration, pre-employment, random and post-accident tests, MRO review, Clearinghouse support and 5-year recordkeeping, but no driver qualification file software or service (apcadrugtesting.com, checked October 14, 2026). Vertical Identity includes DQF Pro, its driver qualification file system, in the $85/year membership, and you order drug tests, MVRs, PSP and CDLIS reports, and criminal background checks from the same portal at published prices.
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. As a member, we're your C/TPA in the Clearinghouse at no charge: you register on the FMCSA Clearinghouse portal yourself and designate us, using our instructions. If you'd rather have help, the paid Clearinghouse Enrollment Setup ($199) is white-glove: we do it with you on a shared screen, because the login.gov sign-in has to happen with you present. Queries are ordered per driver at $12 each (our fee); the FMCSA query credit is separate and is bought in your own Clearinghouse account.
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. The $85 annual membership, a pre-employment test, one random draw and the $12 Clearinghouse query 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. We found no MVR, PSP, criminal background check, DOT physical, supervisor training course or driver qualification file software for sale on APCA's site, and every CDL hire needs the MVR, the DOT physical, the training and a driver file. 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 is your C/TPA in the Clearinghouse at no charge, runs pre-employment full and annual limited queries for $12 per driver each (our fee; the FMCSA credit is separate), and offers the white-glove Clearinghouse Enrollment Setup ($199) for carriers who want the registration done with them on a shared screen. 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 $119 and observed follow-up tests are $119, 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 a year for each driver you add instead of $185.