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Workplace drug testing panels: what employers order and why
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This page is a practical reference for workplace drug testing panels—what employers mean when they say “DOT panel,” “10-panel urine,” or “hair panel,” and how those labels show up on lab orders.
It is written for people who run or support testing programs: HR, designated employer representatives (DERs), safety and risk teams, operations managers, and owners who need clear language for policies, budgets, and conversations with TPAs and labs.
Employers use a page like this to compare options in plain English, align internal vocabulary with what appears on requisitions, and avoid surprises when supervisors ask for “just a drug test.” It does not replace legal advice, medical judgment, or your written policy; final program choices depend on employer policy, contracts, and applicable federal or state rules.
A drug testing panel is simply the list of drug categories or analytes your laboratory checks for on one specimen. Your third-party administrator (TPA) prints that list on the order; collectors execute what the order says—not a generic drug test.
How to use this page: skim the abbreviation table first if codes look unfamiliar, then walk through the examples that match your situation (DOT-regulated vs non-DOT urine vs hair or nail). Use the comparison sections when you are picking or refreshing a panel, bidding vendors, onboarding new states, or explaining choices to leadership.
When teams usually compare panels: rolling out or updating a drug-free workplace policy, harmonizing requirements across locations, responding to client or insurer contract language, or blending DOT-covered roles with non-DOT staff.
If you are unsure which panel fits your program, confirm with your DER (for DOT), your TPA or consortium (for live orders), and counsel where state or federal rules are unclear. When you need collection logistics priced to the orders you actually hold, request a quote or talk with our team—we help match on-site and mobile collections to the panel names your administrator authorizes.
Exact abbreviations and cutoffs vary by lab and jurisdiction: treat the tables below as planning language, then verify every analyte on your signed requisition before you promise supervisors a specific screen.
Abbreviations employers see on lab orders
Labs shorten drug names on requisitions. Think of the codes below as labels on a checklist—your menu may name them differently, but these are the ones this article uses in the examples:
| Abbreviation | What it usually refers to |
|---|---|
| THC | Marijuana (cannabis)—what many orders call THC screening. |
| COC | Cocaine. |
| OPI | Older “classic” opiate screening—often morphine and codeine-type drugs; your lab sheet spells out exactly what is included. |
| OPIEX | Expanded opioid screening—often adds commonly misused prescription pain medications (for example oxycodone- or hydrocodone-type drugs) beyond the classic opiate list; exact drugs depend on the lab package. |
| AMP | Amphetamine-type stimulants as a group. |
| MAMP | Methamphetamine. |
| MDMA | Ecstasy / MDMA (often grouped with amphetamines on orders). |
| PCP | Phencyclidine (PCP). |
| BAR | Barbiturates (older sedative drugs). |
| BZO | Benzodiazepines (many anti-anxiety and sedative prescriptions). |
| MTD | Methadone (often used in opioid treatment programs). |
| MTQ | Varies by lab—sometimes another opioid or pain drug slot. Do not guess: ask your TPA for the spelled-out drug name behind MTQ on your order. |
| PPX | Propoxyphene—an older pain medicine still on some legacy menus. |
| OXY | Oxycodone and similar oxycodone-type opioids—definition follows your lab menu. |
| MEP | Meperidine (brand example: Demerol). |
| SVT | Specimen validity testing—lab checks that help show whether the urine sample looks diluted, substituted, or otherwise unreliable. |
If a code on your requisition is not listed here, ask your TPA for the full drug list in everyday language—not just abbreviations.
Example 1: Federal DOT urine drug testing (how an order may list drug classes)
For covered safety-sensitive employees, DOT drug testing follows 49 CFR Part 40: SAMHSA-certified laboratories, certified collectors, and procedures your DER manages. DOT specifies urine or oral fluid (where authorized) for regulated drug tests—not hair or nail for standard DOT drug test reasons.
Federal rules define which drugs must be tested (marijuana; cocaine; opioids, including expanded opioid testing as required by DOT; amphetamines, including methamphetamine and MDMA as specified by DOT; and PCP). People often say “five-panel” because there are five drug classes, but your lab requisition may show more than five lines when opioids and amphetamines are split into separate analytes.
The table below is one illustration of how lines might appear on a urine order—not a substitute for your live DOT authorization. Always use the panel your DER and consortium place on the chain-of-custody form.
| Code | Drug class / note |
|---|---|
| THC | Marijuana metabolites |
| COC | Cocaine |
| OPIEX | Opioids—expanded screening as defined by your lab under DOT opioid rules |
| AMP | Amphetamines |
| MAMP | Methamphetamine |
| MDMA | MDMA (DOT includes MDMA within the amphetamine class when testing that class) |
| PCP | PCP |
Do not rely on informal nicknames (“five-panel,” “seven-line”) on DOT paperwork unless your program administrator confirms they match the regulated order. When in doubt, the DER and consortium instructions win.
Example 2: 10-panel urine drug screen
Broader non-DOT hiring or workplace programs sometimes use a ten-style urine screen when policy and state law support each category. Vendors still market these as “10-panel” even when the printed menu lists more line items—count analytes on the order. Example composition:
| Code | Drug category |
|---|---|
| THC | Marijuana metabolites |
| COC | Cocaine |
| OPI | Classic opiates (scope per lab) |
| AMP | Amphetamines |
| MAMP | Methamphetamine |
| PCP | Phencyclidine |
| BAR | Barbiturates |
| BZO | Benzodiazepines |
| MTD | Methadone |
| MTQ | Lab-defined analyte—confirm spelling on order |
| PPX | Propoxyphene (where offered) |
Notice MTQ and PPX may appear only on certain menus; cross out anything your counsel says you cannot screen for in your jurisdictions.
Example 3: 10-panel urine with OPIEX, MDMA, and SVT
Some employers add expanded opioid screening (OPIEX) when policy targets prescription opioid risk, layer MDMA where amphetamine-class coverage needs to be explicit, and include specimen validity testing (SVT) when integrity of the sample matters as much as the drugs themselves (for example post-accident or high-stakes hiring). Example layout:
| Code | Drug category or test |
|---|---|
| THC | Marijuana metabolites |
| COC | Cocaine |
| OPIEX | Expanded opiate / opioid screening |
| AMP | Amphetamines |
| MAMP | Methamphetamine |
| PCP | Phencyclidine |
| BAR | Barbiturates |
| BZO | Benzodiazepines |
| MTD | Methadone |
| MTQ | Lab-defined analyte—confirm on order |
| PPX | Propoxyphene (where offered) |
| MDMA | MDMA / ecstasy class |
| SVT | Specimen validity testing |
SVT adds operational workload—labs may halt reporting if validity fails—so train supervisors on collection timing and donor instructions when you enable it.
Example 4: 10-panel hair or nail screen
Hair and nail specimens measure drug incorporated into the matrix over time; they answer different workforce questions than a single urine snapshot. Example analytes on a ten-analyte hair or nail style menu might include:
| Code | Drug category |
|---|---|
| THC | Marijuana metabolites |
| COC | Cocaine |
| OPI | Classic opiates |
| AMP | Amphetamines |
| MAMP | Methamphetamine |
| PCP | Phencyclidine |
| BAR | Barbiturates |
| BZO | Benzodiazepines |
| MTD | Methadone |
| OXY | Oxycodone / oxycodone-type opioids as defined by lab |
| MEP | Meperidine (Demerol) |
In plain terms, this style of hair drug testing panel checks for marijuana, cocaine, classic opiates such as codeine and morphine (within your lab’s definitions), amphetamines including methamphetamine, PCP, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, methadone, propoxyphene where offered, and oxycodone-type pain medications—over an extended lookback window driven by specimen length and matrix (often discussed around 90 days for head hair in employer conversations, but actual windows still depend on growth, segment, and lab methodology). Nail specimens follow similar interpretive rules but different collection logistics.
Hair and nail panels are rarely interchangeable with urine for rapid hiring turnaround; use them when policy, counsel, and clinical advisors agree the longer window matches the risk question you are trying to answer.
When employers choose DOT panels vs expanded urine vs hair or nail
Pick the panel after you know program type (DOT vs non-DOT), legal constraints, and what decision the result must support.
DOT / federal urine orders
Use regulated workflows when employees perform covered safety-sensitive duties. The DER—not supervisors—owns modality and timing against Part 40 expectations.
Non-DOT expanded urine screens
Use when state law and handbook language already authorize each category, you need broader prescription-drug coverage, or contracts demand a wider urine screen than a narrow baseline.
Hair or nail panels
Use when an extended lookback or niche hiring/monitoring scenario warrants a matrix other than urine—typically with counsel and MRO alignment because interpretation and turnaround differ.
Urine vs hair vs nail (employer comparison)
Think about what question you need answered and how fast you need the answer.
| Topic | Urine | Hair | Nail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical use | Pre-employment, random, reasonable suspicion, post-accident (when modality fits policy). | Extended window hiring checks, monitoring scenarios authorized in writing. | Niche programs where nail growth fits clinical or legal guidance. |
| Detection window | Shorter snapshot—good for recent exposure questions. | Longer lookback—often discussed around months depending on length. | Long window with different growth/clipping logistics. |
| Turnaround & logistics | Usually faster collection cycles for volume hiring. | Longer lab processing in many networks; collection protocol matters. | Similar to hair for window; nail clipping rules vary. |
| DOT note | DOT drug tests specify urine or authorized oral fluid—not hair/nail—for covered drug tests. | Not a substitute for regulated urine/oral-fluid DOT drug screens. | Same DOT caveat. |
Collections still require privacy, chain-of-custody discipline, and correct paperwork whether donors give urine, hair, or nail specimens.
Not sure which panel fits your workforce?
Tell us whether you have DOT-covered roles, rough testing volume, and regions—we price on-site and mobile collections to match the orders your TPA or consortium already authorizes. Request a quote or reach out on our contact page if you need help translating policy language into the right lab panel.