BY STATE · NORTH DAKOTA · 49 CFR §40.281

How to Become a DOT SAP in North Dakota

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 North Dakota 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 North Dakota that credential is:

Licensed Addiction Counselor (LAC); Licensed Master Addiction Counselor (LMAC)

IC&RC-affiliated: No

Issuing board: North Dakota Board of Addiction Counseling Examiners (NDBACE)
Education requirement: Bachelor's degree or higher in addiction studies or a closely related field, plus a board-approved training program (~960 hours) — see NDBACE for current details.
Supervised hours: ND's LAC is completed largely via the ~960-hour approved training program rather than separately tallied post-degree supervised hours — see NDBACE for the current requirement.
Required exam: NAADAC NCAC II or MAC exam (board-verified).
Also accepted: ND uses the NAADAC exam pathway (NCAC II or MAC exam), NOT IC&RC. North Dakota is one of the few states without IC&RC reciprocity.

TRACK B

State clinical license

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

Licensed Addiction Counselor (LAC) — a state LICENSE

Issuing board: North Dakota Board of Addiction Counseling Examiners (NDBACE)

OTHER PATHS

Other SAP-eligible boards in North Dakota

You do not have to be an addiction counselor. Any one of these North Dakota 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 North Dakota Board of Social Work Examiners (LCSW)

Psychologist North Dakota State Board of Psychologist Examiners

Marriage & family therapist North Dakota Board of Counselor Examiners (LPCC)

Physician North Dakota Board of Medicine

THE FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS

The federal steps are the same in every state

Once you hold a qualifying North Dakota 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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