DER Training (Designated Employer Representative)

First published: September 2, 2026Last verified: September 2, 2026Reviewed by the CertQuestUSA team

TL;DR

DER Training (Designated Employer Representative): a 34-question practice bank for the real DOT / FMCSA Carrier Compliance standard, 1 full paper of 20 questions each with no repeats, every question citing the real regulation it comes from.

Where these questions come from

Every question in this bank cites a real source -- primarily 49 CFR (100%) of this exam's citations.

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1

full paper

20

questions per paper

34

questions in the bank

What this exam covers

Clearinghouse Reporting Duties19%
Coordination with the Medical Review Officer34%
Removal and Refusal Determinations31%
The DER Role and Authority16%

5 real sample questions

Under 49 CFR 40.3, what is a Designated Employer Representative (DER)?

A. An employee authorized by the employer to take immediate action to remove employees from safety-sensitive duties and make required decisions in the testing and evaluation process

B. Any outside consultant an employer hires to run its drug testing program

C. The Medical Review Officer assigned to the employer’s account

D. A collector at the drug testing site

Source: 49 CFR 40.3

Can a company hire an outside service agent to serve as its DER?

A. No, service agents cannot serve as DERs; the DER must be an employee of the company

B. Yes, as long as the service agent is licensed

C. Yes, but only for small companies with fewer than 10 employees

D. Yes, if the driver agrees to it

Source: 49 CFR 40.3

What kind of decisions is a DER authorized to make, per 49 CFR 40.3?

A. Required decisions in the testing and evaluation processes

B. Decisions about the driver’s personal medical treatment plan

C. Decisions about the laboratory’s internal chain-of-custody procedures

D. Decisions about whether a positive test result is scientifically valid

Source: 49 CFR 40.3

Under 382.107, from whom does a DER receive communications and test results?

A. Service agents

B. The general public

C. Only the driver’s family members

D. A random selection administrator with no employer role

Source: 49 CFR 382.107

A trucking company wants to designate its outside consortium/third-party administrator (C/TPA) as its DER to save time. Is this permitted under 382.107?

A. No, because the DER must be an employee of the company and service agents (which include C/TPAs) cannot serve as DER

B. Yes, as long as the C/TPA agrees in writing

C. Yes, this is the preferred arrangement under FMCSA guidance

D. Yes, but only for owner-operators with a single truck

Source: 49 CFR 382.107

Frequently asked questions

How many questions are on the CertQuestUSA DER Training (Designated Employer Representative) practice test?

34 questions total, split into 1 full paper of 20 each with no repeats across papers.

What topics does the DER Training (Designated Employer Representative) test cover?

4 domains, with the heaviest weight on Coordination with the Medical Review Officer (34%), Removal and Refusal Determinations (31%), and Clearinghouse Reporting Duties (19%).

Where do CertQuestUSA's DER Training (Designated Employer Representative) questions come from?

Primarily 49 CFR (100%) of this bank's citations -- computed directly from this exam's own question sources, not a generic description.

Is there a free diagnostic for DER Training (Designated Employer Representative)?

Yes -- 10 real questions across the exam's domains, no sign-up required, with a domain-by-domain breakdown at the end.

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