BY STATE · KENTUCKY · 49 CFR §40.281

How to Become a DOT SAP in Kentucky

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 Kentucky 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 Kentucky that credential is:

Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC)

IC&RC-affiliated: Yes

Issuing board: Kentucky Board of Alcohol and Drug Counselors (KBADC)
Education requirement: CADC: at least a baccalaureate degree (any field) plus 300 classroom hours of Board-approved curriculum — including 6 hours ethics, 3 hours domestic violence, and 2 hours HIV/AIDS, covering the 4 domains (per KRS 309.083 and the Board CADC application checklist).
Supervised hours: CADC: ~4,000 hours of supervised work experience (per Board instructions / secondary guides). LCADC (master's clinical) has a separate, lower supervised-hours track. Confirm on adc.ky.gov.
Required exam: IC&RC Alcohol and Drug Counselor (ADC) examination
Also accepted: KBADC is the Kentucky IC&RC member board; CADC uses the IC&RC ADC exam. DOT also accepts NAADAC/NBCC credentials directly.

TRACK B

State clinical license

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

Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LCADC) / Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC) — master-level state licenses

Issuing board: Kentucky Board of Alcohol and Drug Counselors (KBADC)

OTHER PATHS

Other SAP-eligible boards in Kentucky

You do not have to be an addiction counselor. Any one of these Kentucky 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 Kentucky Board of Social Work

Psychologist Kentucky Board of Examiners of Psychology

Marriage & family therapist Kentucky Board of Licensed Professional Counselors

Physician Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure

THE FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS

The federal steps are the same in every state

Once you hold a qualifying Kentucky 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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