Skip to content
LexBuild

49 USC § 45103 - Prohibited service

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t49/s45103"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "49 USC § 45103 - Prohibited service"
title_number: 49
title_name: "TRANSPORTATION"
section_number: "45103"
section_name: "Prohibited service"
chapter_number: 451
chapter_name: "ALCOHOL AND CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES TESTING"
part_number: "A"
part_name: "AIR COMMERCE AND SAFETY"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Pub. L. 103–272, § 1(e), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 1222; Pub. L. 107–71, title I, § 139(2), Nov. 19, 2001, 115 Stat. 640.)"
---

# § 45103. Prohibited service

**(a)** **Use of Alcohol or a Controlled Substance.—** An individual may not use alcohol or a controlled substance after October 28, 1991, in violation of law or a United States Government regulation and serve as an airman, crewmember, airport security screening employee, air carrier employee responsible for safety-sensitive functions (as decided by the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration), or employee of the Administration with responsibility for safety-sensitive functions.

**(b)** **Rehabilitation Required To Resume Service.—** Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this section, an individual found to have used alcohol or a controlled substance after October 28, 1991, in violation of law or a Government regulation may serve as an airman, crewmember, airport security screening employee, air carrier employee responsible for safety-sensitive functions (as decided by the Administrator), or employee of the Administration with responsibility for safety-sensitive functions only if the individual completes a rehabilitation program described in section 45105 of this title.

**(c)** **Performance of Prior Duties Prohibited.—** An individual who served as an airman, crewmember, airport security screening employee, air carrier employee responsible for safety-sensitive functions (as decided by the Administrator), or employee of the Administration with responsibility for safety-sensitive functions and who was found by the Administrator to have used alcohol or a controlled substance after October 28, 1991, in violation of law or a Government regulation may not carry out the duties related to air transportation that the individual carried out before the finding of the Administrator if the individual—

**(1)** used the alcohol or controlled substance when on duty;

**(2)** began or completed a rehabilitation program described in section 45105 of this title before using the alcohol or controlled substance; or

**(3)** refuses to begin or complete a rehabilitation program described in section 45105 of this title after a finding by the Administrator under this section.

---

**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 103–272, § 1(e), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 1222; Pub. L. 107–71, title I, § 139(2), Nov. 19, 2001, 115 Stat. 640.)

| RevisedSection | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 45103(a) | 49 App.:1434(b)(1). | Aug. 23, 1958, Pub. L. 85–726, 72 Stat. 731, § 614(b); added Oct. 28, 1991, Pub. L. 102–143, § 3(a), 105 Stat. 954. |
| 45103(b) | 49 App.:1434(b)(2). |  |
| 45103(c) | 49 App.:1434(b)(3). |  |

In subsection (b), the words “Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this section” are added for clarity.

## Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2001— substituted “screening employee” for “screening contract employee” wherever appearing.