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BY STATE · ALASKA · 49 CFR §40.281

How to Become a DOT SAP in Alaska

Becoming a DOT Substance Abuse Professional is one uniform federal pathway, set in 49 CFR §40.281 and applied the same way in every state. What is specific to Alaska is the underlying clinical credential — the license or certification you earn through the boards below to satisfy the §40.281(a) requirement before you complete SAP qualification training and pass the national exam.

TRACK A

Addiction-counselor certification (the DOT counselor path)

This is the path that satisfies the §40.281(a) “drug and alcohol counselor” category, which DOT accepts only through a NAADAC-, IC&RC-, or NBCC-affiliated board. In Alaska that credential is:

Chemical Dependency Counselor I / II (CDC I, CDC II)

IC&RC-affiliated: No
Issuing board
Alaska Commission for Behavioral Health Certification (ACBHC)
Education requirement
Non-degree path: ~148 hours of RADACT training; degree paths reduce required hours (confirm current education requirements at akcertification.org).
Supervised hours
CDC I: 4,000 experience hours (non-degree) or 2,000 (degree path). CDC II: 8,000 hours (non-degree) or 6,000 (degree). Confirm at akcertification.org.
Required exam
NAADAC exam (NCAC I, NCAC II, or MAC) administered by ACBHC — NOT the IC&RC ADC exam
Also accepted
Alaska is NOT an active IC&RC member board. The ACBHC administers NAADAC exams (NCAC I, NCAC II, MAC) — NAADAC is a DOT-accepted certifying organization under 49 CFR §40.281(a).

TRACK B

State clinical license

KEY DIFFERENCE: Alaska is NOT an IC&RC member. Its addiction credential (CDC I/II) runs through the ACBHC using the NAADAC exam series — still a valid DOT SAP path (NAADAC is one of the three DOT-accepted certifying orgs). License boards sit under the Div. of Corporations, Business & Professional Licensing.

OTHER PATHS

Other SAP-eligible boards in Alaska

You do not have to be an addiction counselor. Any one of these Alaska boards licenses a profession that satisfies one of the other five §40.281(a) SAP credential categories — physician, social worker, psychologist, employee assistance professional, or marriage and family therapist.

Social worker Alaska Board of Social Work Examiners
Psychologist Alaska Board of Psychologist and Psychological Associate Examiners
Marriage & family therapist Alaska Board of Professional Counselors; Alaska Board of Marital and Family Therapy
Physician Alaska State Medical Board

THE FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS

The federal steps are the same in every state

Once you hold a qualifying Alaska credential above, the rest of the SAP pathway is set by federal rule and does not change by state. See the full federal requirements →

  • 1 What credential do you need to become a DOT SAP?
  • 2 What knowledge does a SAP need?
  • 3 What qualification training and exam are required?
  • 4 What continuing education must a SAP maintain?
  • 5 What documentation must a SAP keep?
  • 6 What does a DOT SAP actually do?

Sources

Last reviewed: 2026-07-07

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