BY STATE · WISCONSIN · 49 CFR §40.281

How to Become a DOT SAP in Wisconsin

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 Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin that credential is:

Substance Abuse Counselor (SAC) / Clinical Substance Abuse Counselor (CSAC); entry tier SAC-IT

IC&RC-affiliated: Yes

Issuing board: Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) — SAC/CSAC state credential
Education requirement: Associate's degree or higher in a behavioral-science field PLUS 360 hours of DSPS-approved SUD-counseling education — confirm current specifics with DSPS (referral).
Supervised hours: 3,000 hours of supervised experience after obtaining SAC-IT, within 5 years of initial application (referral — confirm with DSPS).
Required exam: A board-approved national exam (IC&RC ADC or NAADAC NCAC I) AND the Wisconsin Statutes & Administrative Code (jurisprudence) exam.
Also accepted: Both accepted — the national exam may be IC&RC Alcohol and Drug Counselor (ADC) OR NAADAC NCAC I. Wisconsin's IC&RC member board is WICRC (Waukesha), though the SAC/CSAC credential itself is issued by the state agency DSPS.

TRACK B

State clinical license

DOT §40.281(a) counselor path met via IC&RC ADC or NAADAC NCAC I. The SAC/CSAC credential is administratively issued by DSPS; the IC&RC member board is WICRC (Waukesha). Education/hours figures are referral — confirm on DSPS pages.

OTHER PATHS

Other SAP-eligible boards in Wisconsin

You do not have to be an addiction counselor. Any one of these Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin DSPS — Marriage & Family Therapy, Professional Counseling and Social Work Examining Board (LCSW)

Psychologist Wisconsin DSPS — Psychology Examining Board

Marriage & family therapist Wisconsin DSPS — MFT, Professional Counseling and Social Work Examining Board (LPC / LMFT)

Physician Wisconsin DSPS — Medical Examining Board

THE FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS

The federal steps are the same in every state

Once you hold a qualifying Wisconsin 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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