Urine Specimen Drug Testing

Urine is the most popular specimen used for drug testing.  It is called a urine drug test or urine drug screen. Around since the 1980’s urine drug testing is the primary testing type for workplace testing. 

A properly conducted urine drug test involves an initial screening of the urine specimen and then, for non-negative results, confirmation testing with gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC/MS). 

Lab confirmed positive results should be reviewed and verified by a certified Medical Review Officer (MRO) so that false positives do not occur due to legally prescribed medications or over the counter medications.  

Man holding a specimen cup for CCF Form

When is Urine Drug Testing Used?

What are the Most Common Urine Drug Tests?

The most common urine drug test panels are listed below with links to easily order any of these urine drug test panels.

This is a five panel drug test and is consistent with the current version of DOT regulations 49 CFR Part 40 and includes AMP-Amphetamines (MAMP-Methamphetamine, MDMA-Ecstasy), COC-Cocaine, OPI-Opioids (including heroin, codeine, morphine, oxycodone, oxymorphone, hydrocodone, and hydromorphone), PCP-Phencyclidine, THC-Marijuana.

This is a non-DOT drug test for non-regulated employers and is a mirror image of the DOT Drug test listed above.  This is also called a 5 Panel with expanded opiates drug test.

This is a non-DOT drug test for non-regulated employers and is a mirror image of the DOT Drug test listed above for the first five drugs.  The second five drugs to make up the 10 panel are: BZO-Benzodiazepines, BAR-Barbiturates, MTD-Methadone, PPX-Propoxyphene, Meth – Methaqualone.  This is also called a 10 Panel with expanded opiates drug test.

When Would You Order Urine Drug Testing?

Urine drug testing may be utilized for employment testing, personal drug testing, probation or court-ordered, and for a variety of other reasons. Our urine drug test panels are provided at SAMSHA certified laboratories. Our testing centers are available in all areas of the United States.

Below you will find many options for urine drug testing including the 5-panel drug test, 10-panel drug test, 9-panel drug test, 12-panel drug test or DOT drug test. Many of the panels include the expanded opiates which adds Hydrocodone, Hydromorphone, Oxycodone and Oxymorphone.  If you need these Opioids on your drug testing panel, make sure you order a panel with expanded opiates.

Many other drug test panels are available for urine testing.  You can view quite a few more on our page for ordering urine drug testing.  You can call 1-866-843-4545 if you have questions or need a panel you do not see listed.

Urine drug testing can also detect nicotine or alcohol.  The testing for tobacco use actually tests for cotinine which the body produces when it breaks down nicotine.  Urine alcohol testing is complicated, you can  learn much more on our page for alcohol testing

Detection Times and Cut Off Levels

With urine drug testing detection times and cut off levels are important to consider. Detection times are how long the drug is in the body for detection with a urine drug test.  The drug test results will show the amount of the metabolites of the drug in the urine at the time of the specimen collection.  You can view our chart for detection times for various drugs on our detection times web page.  With urine most drugs will not show up after 7 days.  Factors that can affect detection times include:

An example would be a very heavy user of marijuana might have THC metabolites in their system for up to 30 days.

Cut Off levels are the levels the laboratory uses to determine a positive result.  When the amount of the drug metabolite is over the cut-off level, the lab reports the test as positive for that specimen. The GC-MS confirmation test will provide more accurate results including the level at which the specimen was positive.  The cut off levels will be based on nanograms milliliter: ng/ml.

To learn more about cut-off levels we have a comprehensive web page on Drug Test Cut Off Levels which includes a short video and a chart for the Drug Testing Cut Off levels for the standard 5 panel drug urine test.  

The cut off levels for urine come from the current version of the Mandatory Guidelines for Federal Workplace Drug Testing Programs.  These guidelines are published by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) an agency of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.

What are the benefits of urine drug testing?

What are the disadvantages of urine drug testing?

Detection Times and Cut Off Levels

Need Testing Today – Call us Today: 866-843-4545 – Immediate Service is Available Monday-Friday 9 am-6 pm EST (Online orders received after hours or on Saturday, Sunday, or National Holidays are processed next business day).
Urine Drug Tests5 Panel5 Panel +
Expanded Opiates
9 Panel12 PanelSpecialty Testing
MarijuanaCheckbox YesCheckbox YesCheckbox YesCheckbox YesCheckbox Yes
CocaineCheckbox YesCheckbox YesCheckbox YesCheckbox YesCheckbox Yes
AmphetaminesCheckbox YesCheckbox YesCheckbox YesCheckbox YesCheckbox Yes
– AmphetaminesCheckbox YesCheckbox YesCheckbox YesCheckbox YesCheckbox Yes
– MethamphetamineCheckbox YesCheckbox YesCheckbox YesCheckbox YesCheckbox Yes
Opiates
(heroin, codeine, morphine)
Checkbox YesCheckbox YesCheckbox YesCheckbox YesCheckbox Yes
Expanded OpiatesCheckbox YesCheckbox YesCheckbox YesCheckbox YesCheckbox Yes
– HydrocodoneCheckbox NoCheckbox YesCheckbox YesCheckbox YesCheckbox Yes
– HydromorphoneCheckbox NoCheckbox YesCheckbox YesCheckbox YesCheckbox Yes
– OxymorphoneCheckbox NoCheckbox YesCheckbox YesCheckbox YesCheckbox Yes
– OxycodoneCheckbox NoCheckbox YesCheckbox YesCheckbox YesCheckbox Yes
Phencyclidine (PCP)Checkbox YesCheckbox YesCheckbox YesCheckbox YesCheckbox Yes
BenzodiazepinesCheckbox NoCheckbox NoCheckbox YesCheckbox YesCheckbox Yes
MethadoneCheckbox NoCheckbox NoCheckbox YesCheckbox YesCheckbox Yes
BarbituratesCheckbox NoCheckbox NoCheckbox YesCheckbox YesCheckbox Yes
PropoxypheneCheckbox NoCheckbox NoCheckbox YesCheckbox YesCheckbox Yes
Methaqualone (Quaaludes)Checkbox NoCheckbox NoCheckbox YesCheckbox YesCheckbox Yes
MeperidineCheckbox NoCheckbox NoCheckbox NoCheckbox NoCheckbox Yes
TramadolCheckbox NoCheckbox NoCheckbox NoCheckbox NoCheckbox Yes
FentanylCheckbox NoCheckbox NoCheckbox NoCheckbox NoCheckbox Yes
BuprenorphineCheckbox NoCheckbox NoCheckbox NoCheckbox NoCheckbox Yes
Other Drugs availableCheckbox NoCheckbox NoCheckbox NoCheckbox NoCheckbox Yes

We are open amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

For urine drug testing, always ask that the specimen collector has received training on the urine collection process.  Training is available at MyDrugTestTraining.com.

Ordering a drug test online is fast and easy and available in all areas of the United States.  Our drug testing prices are reasonable and affordable, and we make sure your testing gets done right and is secure and confidential.  If you don’t see the drug testing panel you need listed below, give us a call at 866-843-4545.  Any type of test of illicit or legal drugs can be set up.  Additional expanded health care professional panels are available for medical and hospital situations that might test for drugs such as Fentanyl, Meperidine, Tramadol and Buprenorphine.

Whether you need urine drug testing in California, Texas, New York, Miami or Montana; National Drug Screening can assist with the facilities and customer service to make it happen.

We are seeing a rise in Cocaine use throughout the United States.  All the above urine drug testing panels include testing for Cocaine.

Remember that ordering a drug test in advance is the way to ensure that you will be able to get the service and testing that you need.  Drug testing centers do not offer walk in drug testing services, you must have your drug test order set up in advance.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration or SAMHSA, is the federal agency under the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that certified drug testing laboratories.  A division of SAMHSA call Workplace Programs, oversees HHS-certified laboratories that perform forensic drug testing for federal agencies and federally regulated industries.