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Lab vs Instant Drug Tests (and Why 'Same-Day' Is Rare)

An instant drug test, often a cup or a strip, gives a screening result in minutes. A lab test sends the specimen to a laboratory, which screens it and confirms anything that isn't negative with a more specific test. Instant tests are fast, but their non-negative results are only preliminary. Lab tests take longer, but the result is confirmed and then reviewed by a medical review officer (MRO). Pact's $40 10-panel is a lab test collected at Quest Diagnostics, so it is not a same-day test. This guide explains the difference so you can pick the right one, or ask your employer which one it accepts.

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

How an instant test works

Instant tests are also called point-of-care tests. Quest describes them as letting employers see negative results within minutes after the collection. Most work like the first step of a lab test: an immunoassay that reacts to a drug class.

The key word is preliminary. FDA's page on home drug tests says that if you get a preliminary positive result, the sample should go to a laboratory for a second test. SAMHSA's guide for doctors says point-of-care devices provide presumptive results only, and a sample needs to be sent to a lab for confirmation. Quest says its instant results that screen non-negative may be confirmed in its lab.

How a lab test works

Quest tests urine in two tiers. The first screen, usually an enzyme immunoassay, runs on one portion of the specimen and quickly sorts out negatives. A specimen that isn't negative is tested again on a different portion with gas or liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. Quest says those instruments can identify the specific drug and tell it apart from other compounds.

On Pact's 10-panel, a lab result that isn't negative then goes to the MRO, a licensed physician who contacts the person tested to ask about prescriptions before the result is final. Quest also runs specimen validity testing, which checks whether the urine is consistent with normal human urine.

Why accuracy differs

Overall: SAMHSA says most studies it reviewed found instant tests a reliable way to screen for drugs, with results comparable to lab immunoassays and GC/MS. The issues below are about the edges.
Cross-reactivity: SAMHSA says cross-reactivity differs among instant devices because their antibodies differ, and some devices can't tell the target drug from similar substances.
Cutoffs: SAMHSA notes that in one review, some devices showed positives below their stated cutoffs or negatives above them, and disagreement with lab methods was highest near the cutoffs.
Outside factors: FDA says foods, supplements, drinks and medicines can affect at-home results, and that lab tests are the most reliable way to confirm drugs of abuse.
Confirmation: SAMHSA says that when a screen is confirmed by a second method such as GC/MS, a false positive is highly unlikely if the test is performed correctly.

Why "same-day" lab results are rare

Quest says testing starts as soon as the specimen arrives at its lab. Negative results are often released within 24 hours, and non-negative screens are typically released within an additional 24 to 72 hours. That clock starts at the lab, not when you leave the collection site. Shipping, MRO review and the final report all add time.

So a lab test can't promise a same-day answer. A very fast negative is possible, but no one should count on it. If you need a result by a certain day, test as early as you can. Our guide to how long drug test results take walks through each step.

Which one fits

If an employer or program names a test type or a company, use that. A test you buy yourself only helps if they accept it.
If the job is covered by federal DOT rules, the employer must order a DOT test. Our guide to DOT vs non-DOT tests explains why another test can't stand in for it.
If you want a confirmed result reviewed by a physician, use a lab test.
If speed matters most and a preliminary screen is enough for your purpose, an employer might use an instant test, with lab confirmation for any non-negative. Employers should check their state's drug testing law before they choose a method.

What Pact sells

Pact sells a lab test: a $40 non-DOT 10-panel, Quest unit code 65190N, collected at a Quest patient service center. MRO review is included. Pact does not sell instant tests. Quest itself offers instant urine and oral fluid kits to employers, including an instant urine kit without THC, but those aren't available through Pact's online order.

No account is needed. The donor pass is emailed, usually within one business day (Monday to Friday), and nothing is paid at the site. All sales are final.

Common questions

Can I get same-day drug test results?

Not reliably from a lab test. Quest says negatives are often released within 24 hours after the specimen reaches its lab, and non-negative screens take an additional 24 to 72 hours. Instant tests give a preliminary screen in minutes.

Are instant drug tests accurate?

They are screens. FDA and SAMHSA both say a preliminary positive should be confirmed by a lab, because other substances can affect the screen.

Is Pact's 10-panel an instant test?

No. It's a lab urine test collected at Quest, with confirmation of any non-negative screen and MRO review.

Will my employer accept a test I buy myself?

Ask first. Many employers and programs name a specific testing company or test type. If yours does, use it.

Do instant tests check for the same drugs as a lab panel?

Not always. SAMHSA says many instant tests have a limited test menu compared with lab testing. Check the label for the drugs a kit covers.

Does Pact sell instant tests?

No. Pact's online drug test is the $40 lab 10-panel only.