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What to Expect at a Drug Test: What to Bring and Do

A urine drug test at a Quest Diagnostics patient service center is short and follows set steps. Bring your donor pass or appointment email and a government-issued photo ID. The collector will ask you to empty your pockets, leave your bag and wash your hands. You give the sample alone in a restroom where the water is dyed and turned off. The collector checks the temperature, seals the sample in front of you and sends it to the lab. Here is each step, with notes where DOT tests differ.

Updated October 16, 2026 · Checked against the official sources listed at the end

Before you go

Make an appointment if you can. Quest says appointments take priority over walk-ins. Its patient FAQ asks you to check in 10 minutes early. If you check in more than 10 minutes late, you are served as a walk-in.
Pick your time. Quest says donors usually have shorter waits in the afternoon, and its centers are usually busiest in the early morning.
Plan for children. Quest says drug test rules often don't allow children to go with you during collection, and its waiting area isn't attended. Bring someone to watch them.
Check the site. Our guide to finding a drug test location explains how to search Quest's site finder.

What to bring

Your donor pass or appointment confirmation. Quest says you can show the email on your phone. Without it, your test may be delayed or need to be rescheduled.
A government-issued photo ID, such as a driver's license, passport or military ID.
No payment. Quest says payment isn't required at its patient service centers for an employer drug test. For a Pact order, nothing is paid at the site.

Before you give the sample

The collector walks you through the process. Quest's page for donors lists what happens first:

You empty your pockets.
You take off outer clothing such as a jacket, coat, coveralls or hat.
You leave bags, purses and briefcases behind.
You wash your hands.

In the restroom

Quest says the toilet water will have a blue coloring agent in it, the tank lid may be taped shut, and water sources will be turned off. There won't be soap or cleaning products in the room.

You fill the cup alone unless the collection is observed (see below). Quest says a urine test needs at least 30 mL, or 45 mL for a DOT test. Under DOT rules, the collector tells you not to flush and to bring the cup back as soon as you finish (49 CFR 40.63). Follow the collector's instructions.

After you hand over the cup

Temperature check. Under DOT rules, the collector reads the temperature strip within four minutes. The accepted range is 90 to 100 °F (49 CFR 40.65). Quest says it follows DOT's collection guidelines for urine drug testing.
A look at the sample. The collector checks for unusual color or other signs of tampering.
Sealing. Quest says the collector pours the urine into a bottle sealed with tamper-evident tape. For a DOT test, the urine is split into two bottles, and you initial the seals (49 CFR 40.71).
The custody form. The sample and a completed custody and control form go to the lab together.
Medicines. Don't list them on the form. Quest says its collector won't note prescriptions on the custody form. If your result isn't negative, a medical review officer (MRO) asks about prescriptions later.

If you can't give enough urine

For a DOT test, the collector usually throws out the short sample and asks you to drink up to 40 ounces of fluid over up to three hours, until you can give enough (49 CFR 40.193). Leaving before the collection is done is reported to the employer, who decides if it counts as a refusal. Our DOT shy bladder guide explains the rest.

For a non-DOT test, follow the collector's instructions and the employer's policy. Don't leave without talking to the collector. If it was a Pact order, call Pact at 901-666-6970.

When a collection is observed

Most collections are private. Under DOT rules, a same-sex observer watches the collection only in certain cases (49 CFR 40.67). These include:

Return-to-duty and follow-up tests.
A sample outside the temperature range, or one that shows signs of tampering.
Conduct or items at the site that clearly show an attempt to tamper.
Certain lab results, when the employer must direct a new collection.

After the test

Quest says it can't give specimen status, the drugs tested or the result once the test is done. The result goes to whoever ordered the test. For a Pact order, that's the person tested and the employer or program named at checkout.

If the lab result isn't negative, an MRO will call you to ask about prescriptions before the result is final. Keep your phone on, answer unknown numbers, and have your prescription details handy.

DOT and non-DOT: what differs

DOT tests use the federal custody and control form, need 45 mL, and are always split into two bottles.
Employers may not use the federal DOT form for non-DOT tests (49 CFR 40.13).
For non-DOT tests, the employer's policy decides things like observed collections. If yours needs an observed collection, ask the employer how to arrange it before you go. For a Pact order, call Pact first.
Pact's online 10-panel is a non-DOT test.

Common questions

What should I bring to a drug test?

Your donor pass or appointment email (on your phone is fine) and a government-issued photo ID, such as a driver's license, passport or military ID.

Can I walk in without an appointment?

Usually, but appointments take priority at Quest. Walk-ins are served at the next available opening.

Will someone watch me give the sample?

Usually not. Under DOT rules, observed collections happen only in set cases, such as return-to-duty and follow-up tests or a sample out of temperature range. For non-DOT tests, the employer's policy decides.

Should I tell the collector about my medicines?

No. They aren't written on the form. If your result isn't negative, the medical review officer will ask you about prescriptions.

Can the collection site tell me my result?

No. Quest says it can't give results. Ask whoever ordered the test. For a Pact order, contact Pact.