How Is a Urine Specimen's Temperature Checked at a DOT Collection?

The collector checks the temperature of a DOT urine specimen as part of the inspection required by 49 CFR 40.65, which calls for the check no later than four minutes after the employee hands over the specimen.

The rule states that the temperature is read from the strip attached to the collection container and that the acceptable range is 32 to 38 degrees C (90 to 100 degrees F). The collector marks the result on Step 2 of the Custody and Control Form (CCF). If the temperature is outside the range, the collector marks the "No" box, records the finding on the Remarks line and immediately conducts a new collection, either a urine collection under direct observation or an oral fluid collection.

Section 40.65 states that in that case both the original specimen and the new specimen are processed and sent to their respective laboratories, and the collector informs the Designated Employer Representative (DER) and the collection site supervisor as soon as possible. Under a DOT final rule published May 11, 2026 and effective June 10, 2026, the collector follows the employer's standing order on which type of collection to perform or, if there is none, contacts the DER. Under 49 CFR 40.67(g)(5), an oral fluid collection is available only when HHS has certified at least two oral fluid laboratories and a qualified oral fluid collector and a conforming collection device are at the site. The HHS laboratory list published in the Federal Register on September 30, 2026 states that no laboratories are certified for oral fluid, so a new collection is currently a directly observed urine collection.