Starting a Mobile Drug-Testing Business
Evidence-based answer reviewed against SAMHSA cutoffs and FDA assay documentation · Updated August 2026
Quick answer: Mobile drug-testing franchises serve employers who lack collection infrastructure — the business is logistics and certification more than laboratory science.
Regulatory skeleton
Collections follow DOT 49 CFR Part 40 procedures whenever DOT-covered employees are involved: collector qualification training, error-correction competency, breath-alcohol technician certification for alcohol testing. State phlebotomy rules occasionally apply to blood draws (most mobile operators stick to urine/oral/hair).
Revenue mechanics
Typical economics: $35–$75 per mobile collection call, volume contracts with staffing agencies and trucking fleets, plus random-pool administration fees. National franchises (e.g., mobile-screening brands) sell territory models around these margins.
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Do prescriptions count against me?
No — verified prescriptions report as negative through the Medical Review Officer. Declare medications at collection and answer the follow-up call.
Sources & further reading
- SAMHSA — Mandatory Guidelines for Federal Workplace Drug Testing Programs (cutoffs, MRO process)
- DOT — 49 CFR Part 40 procedures for transportation workplace testing
- Brahm NC et al., Mayo Clinic Proceedings 2008;83(1):66–76 — false-positive cross-reactivity reference
- FDA — drug-of-abuse test device labeling (detection window conventions)