BY STATE · INDIANA · 49 CFR §40.281

How to Become a DOT SAP in Indiana

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 Indiana 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 Indiana that credential is:

Licensed Addiction Counselor (LAC); Licensed Clinical Addiction Counselor (LCAC, master-level)

IC&RC-affiliated: Yes

Issuing board: Indiana Behavioral Health and Human Services Licensing Board (BHHSLB), Indiana Professional Licensing Agency (PLA)
Education requirement: LAC: an approved bachelor's degree in addictions-focused education (master's in addictions for the clinical LCAC). Board-verified on IN.gov.
Supervised hours: Post-degree supervised addiction-counseling experience via the associate (LACA) license; specific hour totals set by BHHSLB — see in.gov PLA. (Secondary guides cite ~a 350-hour practicum + ~2 years post-degree experience; verify with the board.)
Required exam: IC&RC Alcohol and Drug Counselor (ADC) exam OR NAADAC NCAC-II for LAC; IC&RC AADC or NAADAC MAC for the master-level LCAC
Also accepted: Board accepts BOTH the IC&RC ADC exam AND the NAADAC NCAC-II exam. At the master level it accepts IC&RC AADC or NAADAC MAC. Confirmed on the IN.gov PLA Exams & Testing page.

TRACK B

State clinical license

Indiana also issues a clinical license that qualifies on its own under §40.281(a).

Licensed Addiction Counselor (LAC) / Licensed Clinical Addiction Counselor (LCAC)

Issuing board: Indiana Behavioral Health and Human Services Licensing Board (BHHSLB), Indiana PLA

OTHER PATHS

Other SAP-eligible boards in Indiana

You do not have to be an addiction counselor. Any one of these Indiana 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 Indiana Behavioral Health and Human Services Licensing Board — Social Work (LSW/LCSW), Indiana PLA

Psychologist Indiana State Psychology Board, Indiana PLA

Marriage & family therapist Indiana Behavioral Health and Human Services Licensing Board — MFT / Mental Health Counselor, Indiana PLA

Physician Indiana Medical Licensing Board, Indiana PLA

THE FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS

The federal steps are the same in every state

Once you hold a qualifying Indiana 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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