Join ARSA Ask ARSA Pay ARSA

FAA Confirms Drug and Alcohol Program Registration Option for Repair Stations

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Drug Abatement Division responded to an ARSA request for official affirmation that a part 145 repair station can obtain registration of its Anti-Drug and Alcohol Misuse Prevention Program rather than an appropriate Operations Specifications.

The FAA stated that through a technical amendment to the drug and alcohol testing rule it formalized the practice of allowing certificated repair stations with multiple locations or certificates to choose between registering its program or obtaining an Operations Specifications. Prior to the rules amendment the practice was contained in informal guidance documents and was questioned by part 121 and 135 air carriers.

A copy of ARSA’s letter requesting the clarification may be found here.

A copy of FAA’s response and the technical amendment to the rule may be found here.



More from ARSA

2026 Annual Conference – Hot Topics

March 17-20, 2026 Event Information | Registration | Hotel Arlington, Virginia and Washington, D.C. with Livestream Options for Online Participants Experience the international aerospace maintenance community’s premier event. Join ARSA members…Read More

SMS Integration Webinar Series Continues in February

On Jan. 20, ARSA and the Aircraft Electronics Association presented the fourth of six planned webinars – a monthly series stretching into March – explaining effective integration of a safety…Read More

ARSA, AEA Offer Guidance to OpSpecs Working Group

On Jan. 9, ARSA and the Aircraft Electronics Association (AEA) offered resources to help improve FAA issuance of Operations Specifications paragraphs. The analysis was delivered in a letter to the…Read More

ARSA Pushes Congress to Guarantee FAA Funding

On Dec. 17, ARSA delivered a letter to the chairman and ranking member of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure (T&I) supporting the Aviation Funding Solvency…Read More

Support Simplifying New D&A Rules

Dec. 22, 2025 Update: ARSA is developing compliance matrices for tracking requirements of both 14 CFR part 120 and 49 CFR part 40 against international laws. The association is working…Read More
ARSA