BY STATE · HAWAII · 49 CFR §40.281

How to Become a DOT SAP in Hawaii

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 Hawaii 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 Hawaii that credential is:

CSAC (Certified Substance Abuse Counselor)

IC&RC-affiliated: Yes

Issuing board: Hawaii Department of Health, Alcohol and Drug Abuse Division (ADAD)
Education requirement: 300 clock hours of ADAD-approved education across the 12 Core Functions (up to 135 hours may be online). Minimum HS diploma/GED; college/graduate degrees reduce required experience hours. Confirm at ADAD.
Supervised hours: Minimum 400 hours of documented supervision/practical training; total work experience 6,000 hours (HS), 4,000 (bachelor's), or 2,000 (master's) (confirm at the ADAD link).
Required exam: IC&RC examination (administered via ADAD)
Also accepted: ADAD is the Hawaii IC&RC member board (IC&RC/AODA) per HRS 321-193(10) and administers the IC&RC exam.

TRACK B

State clinical license

Hawaii's addiction credential (CSAC) is issued by a STATE AGENCY (Dept. of Health ADAD) that is itself the IC&RC member board and uses the IC&RC exam — a hybrid of state agency + IC&RC. Other SAP-eligible professions are licensed by DCCA's Professional & Vocational Licensing Division (Hawaii uses LMHC rather than LPC). Some DCCA psychology/MFT board-page URLs may shift — confirm at cca.hawaii.gov/pvl/boards-and-programs/.

OTHER PATHS

Other SAP-eligible boards in Hawaii

You do not have to be an addiction counselor. Any one of these Hawaii 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 Hawaii Social Worker Program (DCCA, Professional & Vocational Licensing)

Psychologist Hawaii Board of Psychology (DCCA PVL)

Marriage & family therapist Hawaii Mental Health Counselor Program (LMHC) and Marriage and Family Therapist Program (LMFT) (DCCA PVL)

Physician Hawaii Medical Board (DCCA PVL)

THE FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS

The federal steps are the same in every state

Once you hold a qualifying Hawaii 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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