BY STATE · NEW JERSEY · 49 CFR §40.281

How to Become a DOT SAP in New Jersey

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 New Jersey 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 New Jersey that credential is:

Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC); Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LCADC)

IC&RC-affiliated: Yes

Issuing board: NJ Division of Consumer Affairs, Alcohol and Drug Counselor Committee (DCA-ADCC) issues the CADC/LCADC state credentials; the Addiction Professionals Certification Board of NJ (APCB) provides the transcript review + IC&RC exams
Education requirement: CADC: reported 270 hours of alcohol/drug counseling education; LCADC: master's degree in a behavioral-health field plus 300 hours of specialized A&D coursework. See DCA-ADCC / APCB for current requirements.
Supervised hours: CADC: reported 3,000–6,000 supervised hours; LCADC: reported 4,500 supervised hours (master's track). See DCA-ADCC / APCB for current requirements.
Required exam: IC&RC ADC exam for CADC; NAADAC (MAC) exam for LCADC.
Also accepted: IC&RC path — APCB (certbd.org) is the IC&RC member board and administers the IC&RC exam for the CADC; the LCADC uses the NAADAC (MAC) exam. State credentials (CADC/LCADC) are issued by the DCA Alcohol and Drug Counselor Committee.

TRACK B

State clinical license

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

Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC) / Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LCADC)

Issuing board: NJ Division of Consumer Affairs, Alcohol and Drug Counselor Committee (DCA-ADCC)

OTHER PATHS

Other SAP-eligible boards in New Jersey

You do not have to be an addiction counselor. Any one of these New Jersey 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 NJ State Board of Social Work Examiners (DCA) — LCSW

Psychologist NJ State Board of Psychological Examiners (DCA)

Marriage & family therapist NJ State Board of Marriage and Family Therapy Examiners (DCA) — LMFT/LPC

Physician NJ State Board of Medical Examiners (DCA)

THE FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS

The federal steps are the same in every state

Once you hold a qualifying New Jersey 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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