62 

14 CFR Ch. I (1–1–24 Edition) 

§ 120.121 

the accuracy and completeness of the 
MIS report, no matter who prepares it. 

[Doc. No. FAA–2008–0937, 74 FR 22653, May 14, 
2009; Amdt. 120–0A, 75 FR 3154, Jan. 20, 2010, 
as amended by Docket DOT–OST–2021–0093, 88 
FR 27636, May 2, 2023] 

§ 120.121 Preemption. 

(a) The issuance of 14 CFR parts 65, 

91, 121, and 135 by the FAA preempts 
any State or local law, rule, regula-
tion, order, or standard covering the 
subject matter of 14 CFR parts 65, 91, 
121, and 135, including but not limited 
to, drug testing of aviation personnel 
performing safety-sensitive functions. 

(b) The issuance of 14 CFR parts 65, 

91, 121, and 135 does not preempt provi-
sions of state criminal law that impose 
sanctions for reckless conduct of an in-
dividual that leads to actual loss of 
life, injury, or damage to property 
whether such provisions apply specifi-
cally to aviation employees or gen-
erally to the public. 

§ 120.123 Drug testing outside the ter-

ritory of the United States. 

(a) No part of the testing process (in-

cluding specimen collection, labora-
tory processing, and MRO actions) 
shall be conducted outside the terri-
tory of the United States. 

(1) Each employee who is assigned to 

perform safety-sensitive functions sole-
ly outside the territory of the United 
States shall be removed from the ran-
dom testing pool upon the inception of 
such assignment. 

(2) Each covered employee who is re-

moved from the random testing pool 
under this section shall be returned to 
the random testing pool when the em-
ployee resumes the performance of 
safety-sensitive functions wholly or 
partially within the territory of the 
United States. 

(b) The provisions of this subpart 

shall not apply to any individual who 
performs a function listed in § 120.105 
by contract for an employer outside 
the territory of the United States. 

§ 120.125 Waivers from 49 CFR 40.21. 

An employer subject to this part may 

petition the Drug Abatement Division, 
Office of Aerospace Medicine, for a 
waiver allowing the employer to stand 
down an employee following a report of 

a laboratory confirmed positive drug 
test or refusal, pending the outcome of 
the verification process. 

(a) Each petition for a waiver must 

be in writing and include substantial 
facts and justification to support the 
waiver. Each petition must satisfy the 
substantive requirements for obtaining 
a waiver, as provided in 49 CFR 40.21. 

(b) Each petition for a waiver must 

be submitted to the Federal Aviation 
Administration, Office of Aerospace 
Medicine, Drug Abatement Division 
(AAM–800), 800 Independence Avenue, 
SW., Washington, DC 20591. 

(c) The Administrator may grant a 

waiver subject to 49 CFR 40.21(d). 

Subpart F—Alcohol Testing 

Program Requirements 

§ 120.201 Scope. 

This subpart contains the standards 

and components that must be included 
in an alcohol testing program required 
by this part. 

§ 120.203 General. 

(a) 

Purpose. 

The purpose of this sub-

part is to establish programs designed 
to help prevent accidents and injuries 
resulting from the misuse of alcohol by 
employees who perform safety-sen-
sitive functions in aviation. 

(b) 

Alcohol testing procedures. 

Each 

employer shall ensure that all alcohol 
testing conducted pursuant to this sub-
part complies with the procedures set 
forth in 49 CFR part 40. The provisions 
of 49 CFR part 40 that address alcohol 
testing are made applicable to employ-
ers by this subpart. 

(c) 

Employer responsibility. 

As an em-

ployer, you are responsible for all ac-
tions of your officials, representatives, 
and service agents in carrying out the 
requirements of the DOT agency regu-
lations. 

§ 120.205 Preemption of State and 

local laws. 

(a) Except as provided in paragraph 

(a)(2) of this section, these regulations 
preempt any State or local law, rule, 
regulation, or order to the extent that: 

(1) Compliance with both the State or 

local requirement and this subpart is 
not possible; or