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Drug Test Cutoff Levels for Pact's 10-Panel (Quest 65190N)

A cutoff is the level a lab must find before it calls a result not negative. Each drug on a lab panel has two cutoffs: one for the first screen and one for the confirmation test. Quest Diagnostics publishes the cutoffs for its common urine panels, including unit code 65190N, the 10-panel Pact sells for $40. This guide lists every cutoff on that panel, explains what the numbers do and don't tell you, and compares them with the federal DOT cutoffs.

Updated October 14, 2026 · Checked against the official sources listed at the end

What a cutoff is

SAMHSA describes the cutoff as the point of measurement at or above which a result is considered positive, and below which it is considered negative. Federal DOT rules work the same way. On a screen, a result below the cutoff is reported negative, and one at or above it goes on to confirmation. On confirmation, a result below the cutoff is negative and one at or above it is confirmed positive (49 CFR 40.85(b) and (c)).

Cutoffs are in nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL) of urine. A negative result means the drug wasn't found at or above the cutoff. It doesn't mean the level was zero.

Screen first, then confirm

Quest runs the screen on one portion of the specimen to quickly sort out negatives. A specimen that isn't negative is tested again on a different portion. For most urine tests, the screen is an enzyme immunoassay. The confirmation uses gas or liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry, which Quest says can identify the specific drug and measure how much is there.

That is why many groups have one screening cutoff and separate confirmation cutoffs for each drug in the group.

Cutoffs for every drug on 65190N

From Quest's sheet, listed as screening cutoff, then confirmation cutoff:

Amphetamines: 500 ng/mL screen. Amphetamine 250 ng/mL and methamphetamine 250 ng/mL confirmation.
Barbiturates: 300 ng/mL screen. Amobarbital, butalbital, pentobarbital, phenobarbital and secobarbital 200 ng/mL each.
Benzodiazepines: 300 ng/mL screen. Alprazolam metabolite and oxazepam 200 ng/mL each.
Cocaine metabolites: 150 ng/mL screen, 100 ng/mL confirmation.
Marijuana metabolites: 50 ng/mL screen, 15 ng/mL confirmation.
Methadone: 300 ng/mL screen, 200 ng/mL confirmation.
Methaqualone: 300 ng/mL screen, 200 ng/mL confirmation.
MDA-analogues: 500 ng/mL screen. MDA 250 ng/mL and MDMA 250 ng/mL.
Opiates: 2000 ng/mL screen. Codeine 2000 ng/mL and morphine 2000 ng/mL.
6-Acetylmorphine: 10 ng/mL screen, 10 ng/mL confirmation.
Semi-synthetic opiates: 300 ng/mL screen. Hydromorphone 100 ng/mL and hydrocodone 100 ng/mL.
Oxycodones: 100 ng/mL screen. Oxymorphone 100 ng/mL and oxycodone 100 ng/mL.
Phencyclidine (PCP): 25 ng/mL screen, 25 ng/mL confirmation.
Propoxyphene: 300 ng/mL screen, 200 ng/mL confirmation.

How these compare with DOT cutoffs

49 CFR 40.85 sets the urine cutoffs for DOT tests. For every drug the two share, the numbers on Quest's 65190N sheet match the DOT table: marijuana 50/15, cocaine 150/100, codeine and morphine 2000/2000, hydrocodone and hydromorphone 300/100, oxycodone and oxymorphone 100/100, 6-acetylmorphine 10/10, PCP 25/25, amphetamine and methamphetamine 500/250, and MDMA and MDA 500/250.

The DOT table has no barbiturates, benzodiazepines, methadone, methaqualone or propoxyphene. Those five groups are extra drugs that a DOT test doesn't cover. Quest's name for it is "10 Panel DOT look-alike", but that name doesn't make it a DOT test. Our guide to the DOT drug test panel covers the federal test.

Same name, different cutoffs

"10-panel" isn't a fixed standard. Quest's same sheet lists an older panel, unit code 35190N, with higher cutoffs for two groups: amphetamines at 1000 ng/mL screen and 500 ng/mL confirmation, and cocaine metabolites at 300 and 150. So two "10-panel" tests can use different numbers. If an employer or program gives you required cutoffs, compare them with the list above before you order.

Why the opiate cutoff is so high

The opiate screen on 65190N is 2000 ng/mL, far higher than most other drugs on the panel. SAMHSA explains why. Poppy seeds can contain morphine and codeine, and the original workplace cutoff of 300 ng/mL was raised to 2,000 ng/mL to avoid positives from eating poppy seeds. SAMHSA adds that the higher cutoff also made it less likely that opioid use would be detected.

That is also why hydrocodone, hydromorphone, oxycodone and oxymorphone have their own groups on the panel, with lower cutoffs of their own.

Workplace cutoffs vs clinical cutoffs

Workplace panels and doctors' tests use different numbers for different goals. SAMHSA notes that clinical monitoring often screens opiates at 300 ng/mL, to check that a patient is taking pain medicine as prescribed. It also says lower cutoffs can be requested for lab tests, but in some cases the error rate rises as the cutoff falls. Pact's online test uses the workplace numbers listed above.

What a cutoff doesn't tell you

It doesn't measure impairment. Quest says a positive urine test does not necessarily mean the person was "under the influence" when tested.
It doesn't decide the final result. On Pact's 10-panel, a lab result that isn't negative goes to a medical review officer, who asks about prescriptions before the result is final.
It doesn't cover drugs that aren't on the panel. Fentanyl, for example, isn't on Quest's list for 65190N.

Specimen size and validity checks

Quest's FAQ says a urine drug test needs at least 30 mL of urine, or 45 mL for a DOT collection. Quest's sheet also lists TestSure specimen validity testing with the panel, which checks whether the specimen is consistent with normal human urine. Our guide to negative-dilute results explains one common validity finding.

The sheet's date

Quest's sheet is dated February 2019. Cutoffs can change. The panel Quest runs on the day of the test applies. If you need confirmed current numbers in writing for a program, ask Pact before you order.

Common questions

What is the THC cutoff on a non-DOT 10-panel?

On Pact's 10-panel (Quest 65190N), marijuana metabolites have a 50 ng/mL screening cutoff and a 15 ng/mL confirmation cutoff. Other sellers' panels may differ.

Are non-DOT cutoffs lower than DOT cutoffs?

Not on this panel. For every drug that 65190N shares with the DOT test, Quest's numbers match the DOT table in 49 CFR 40.85.

Does a negative mean there was no drug at all?

No. It means the lab didn't find the drug at or above the cutoff. Results below the cutoff are reported as negative.

What does ng/mL mean?

Nanograms per milliliter. It is the amount of a drug or metabolite in each milliliter of urine.

Can Pact order a panel with different cutoffs?

Pact's online order is the 65190N 10-panel. If your program needs something different, ask Pact before you order.