Federal Aviation Administration Enforces Bold New Drug and Alcohol Testing Rule for Overseas Repair Stations

Published on December 16, 2024

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has finalized a regulation mandating that certified repair stations located outside the United States establish a drug and alcohol testing program. This requirement applies to employees engaged in safety-sensitive maintenance tasks on specific air carrier aircraft.

“This is an important step in our safety mission because few countries require testing of aviation maintenance personnel,” said FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker. “This rule will ensure these employees are held to the equivalent high level of safety standards, regardless of where they are physically located.”

The regulation also mandates that repair stations provide their employees with comprehensive training on drug and alcohol abuse prevention, while ensuring that testing results are submitted electronically to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT).

Originally proposed by the FAA in December 2023, this rule was enacted in response to the requirements set forth by the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024.

Approximately 977 repair stations across 65 countries could be impacted by this new rule.