BY STATE · GEORGIA · 49 CFR §40.281
How to Become a DOT SAP in Georgia
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 Georgia 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 Georgia that credential is:
CADC-I / CADC-II / CAADC (Certified Alcohol & Drug Counselor levels); also CCS, CCJP, CPRC
IC&RC-affiliated: Yes- Issuing board
- Alcohol & Drug Abuse Certification Board of Georgia (ADACBGA) — Georgia’s statewide IC&RC affiliate
- Education requirement
- CADC-I: high school diploma or GED plus 270 hours of addiction-specific training. CADC-II: bachelor’s degree in a human-services field. CAADC: master’s degree in counseling or a related field. (per ADACBGA Certification Application Manual)
- Supervised hours
- CADC-I: 6,000 hours of documented work experience (3 years) with 300 hours of clinical supervision. CADC-II / CAADC: 4,000 hours with 200 hours of supervision. (per adacbga.org Application Manual)
- Required exam
- IC&RC Alcohol and Drug Counselor (ADC) examination (IC&RC AADC for the advanced CAADC)
- Also accepted
- Georgia Addiction Counselors Association (GACA) offers a NAADAC-affiliated route; ADACBGA is the IC&RC-reciprocal route.
TRACK B
State clinical license
Georgia does not license addiction counselors through a state agency — two nonprofits certify them: ADACBGA (IC&RC-reciprocal, the DOT-relevant addiction-counselor path) and GACA (NAADAC-affiliated). state_license is null because the CADC is a certification, not a state license; the Georgia Composite Board licenses LPC/LCSW/LMFT.
OTHER PATHS
Other SAP-eligible boards in Georgia
You do not have to be an addiction counselor. Any one of these Georgia 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.
THE FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS
The federal steps are the same in every state
Once you hold a qualifying Georgia 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
- https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/49/40.281
- https://www.transportation.gov/odapc/SAP_Certification_Organizations
- https://adacbga.org/certifications/
- https://adacbga.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Application%20Manual.pdf
- https://sos.ga.gov/how-to-guide/how-guide-professional-counselors-social-workers-marriage-family-therapists
- https://medicalboard.georgia.gov/
Last reviewed: 2026-07-06
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