What Happens If You Fail a Drug Test?

Dave Moore - July 2, 2025

Drug tests are an important part of the background check process or even a part of the job. Depending on the industry you’re working in, it’s important to be prepared for these tests to avoid failing them – it’s not usually a good outcome when that happens.

That said, sometimes things happen that are out of our control, or perhaps something has gone wrong with a prescription drug that has landed you in hot water. Regardless of why you’re here, we’re here to answer – what happens if you fail a drug test? 

Read on to find the answer and much more down below.

What Is a Drug Test?

Before we dive right into what happens when you fail a drug test, we have to cover what a drug test is. Typically, drug tests are used by employers before hiring someone, but they’re also used by rehab centers, prisons, probation officers, and sometimes the government. While they’re used at different times, drug tests tend to share many of the same qualities.

Most drug tests will test a sample of your urine to see if there are certain substances in it. If the test reveals illicit substances in your urine, it will be sent to the lab for further testing. This tends to be how the process works for most drug tests. However, blood, saliva, and even your hair can be tested to reveal illegal substances and alcohol. 

Most employers and drug test companies will use a five-panel or ten-panel drug test, with five-panel tests being the most common. The difference here is the amount of drugs that are tested for. Ten-panel tests tend to come out in more serious situations or for jobs that require special clearance. 

What Drugs Do Drug Screenings Test For?

The type of drugs that are tested during a drug screening depends on the screening. That said, most tests are five-panel tests that look for:

• Amphetamines 
• Cocaine 
• Marijuana (THC)
• Opiates 
• Phencyclidine (PCP)

While five-panel drug tests are the most common, ten-panel tests will look for more drugs, including many prescription drugs. Examples include:

• Amphetamines 
• Cocaine 
• THC
• Opiates 
• PCP
• Barbiturates 
• Benzodiazepines 
• Methadone 
• Methaqualone 
• Propoxyphene 

Typically, the ten-panel test is used for commercial drivers and other positions that can impact someone’s safety.

What Jobs Require a Drug Screening?

Jobs that require drug screening tend to be government jobs and private jobs that require a lot of responsibilities. Private drug screenings are less common, but you can expect drug tests in private industries like the healthcare industry and even in some blue-collar union jobs. 

Government jobs tend to be the most common jobs that require a drug test, and this is true at both the state and federal levels. In fact, some counties may even have specific drug screening laws or rules.

What Happens When You Fail a Pre-Employment Drug Screening?

Pre-employment drug screenings are increasingly common because employers don’t want people who are under the influence of drugs or alcohol serving customers, dealing with sensitive information, or transporting goods. 

If you fail a pre-employment drug screening, the consequences will vary based on federal, state, and local laws, and even the company’s policies on the matter. This is because a failed drug test means that you tested positive for having an illicit substance or alcohol in your blood or urine, or sometimes in your hair.

While a failed drug test usually indicates that you have something in your system, false positives do occur, so you can always ask for another test, or employers can ask you to test again to rule that out. Employers can also ask you for an explanation or at least give you a chance to provide context. Therefore, it’s not always the end of the world when you fail a pre-employment drug screening. 

If it’s proven that you have these substances in your system, that changes things. Depending on state and federal law, you might not be eligible for the position anymore. For example, testing positive for drugs will result in your CDL being banned, which would make it impossible to drive a bus or something similar.

Typically, private employers are more lenient when it comes to drug testing and giving out second chances. However, there are some government protections, like the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), that you can use to avoid uncomfortable situations. For example, employers can’t ask about a failed drug test that happened more than seven years ago in most states.

What Happens If You Fail a Drug Test at Your Job?

When you fail a drug test, and you’re already employed, the outcome is a bit different, but many of the same factors are at play. Depending on your relationship with your employer, they might let you continue to work there if you work at a private company. 

That said, you may be put through a probationary period or have more drug tests on the way. If you work for the government, though, it might not matter if your employer likes you because they have to follow the law, and you might be at risk of losing your job or a particular security clearance level. Still, many organizations will give you a second chance if you’ve been there for a long time or are a good employee. 

Failing a drug test while employed can become a big problem in many other career fields, however. For example, if you drive a commercial vehicle, it will result in the suspension of your license and termination from your job. Some employers will give you a second chance, but you’ll generally have to enter a rehab program or work with a substance abuse professional. 

While failing a drug test can result in termination, you don’t always have to leave it at that. The FCRA has guidelines that allow employees to challenge the results of drug tests. If it was a false positive, you can challenge the results and take another test to show that you’re not using that substance.

Does a Failed Drug Test Show Up on a Background Check?

Yes and no. In many cases, a drug test won’t show up on a background check. Your potential employer will likely terminate your interview process, or you might be fired if you work for the company, but it tends to stop there.

While that’s the most likely situation, it’s not always the one that happens, especially in the case of jobs that require a CDL. The Department of Transportation (DOT) will require a failed drug test to be kept in the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse Database. Once it’s in that database, other employers will have access to that information, and they can make hiring decisions based on it. 

This is common in the commercial transportation industry because the government requires this information to be kept on file. Employers who fail to provide this information can end up with fines and other penalties.

It’s also important to note that failed drug tests will show up on Level 2 background checks and other criminal records checks if you failed them during a criminal conviction. For this reason, the type of drug test and the context can impact the results.

How Long Does a Failed Drug Test Stay on Your Record?

If you fail a drug test, it can stay on your record for around five to seven years if it was related to a criminal conviction. This is also the case in failed drug tests for the Department of Transportation, but you can have these removed from your record if you work with a substance abuse professional. The FCRA limits how long failed drug tests can remain on your record, and state laws can also impact it.

That being said, failed drug tests aren’t always on your record, so it can be hard to tell. If you’re ever unsure about whether or not a drug test is on your record, we recommend checking your record with our background check tool. It will let you know if a drug test is showing up in your report, which can help you prepare for an interview.

Understanding What Happens After You Fail a Drug Test 

A lot can happen when you fail a drug test, and you might not like some of the outcomes. Sometimes, not much happens, and you’ll simply not be hired for a job. Other times, a failed drug test can result in you being fired, placed behind bars, or even unable to get behind the wheel of a commercial vehicle. 

With all of these possibilities, it’s important to understand how these outcomes can happen, and as long as you made it this far, you should be prepared for any drug test or interview. If you’re ever unsure about what appears on your record, we recommend using one of our people search tools to check out your report and see what you find to avoid any major surprises.