Will You Lose Your Clearance As a DUI Passenger?

If you’re a passenger in a vehicle where the driver is arrested for a DUI, you’ll likely be questioned, and if sober, you’ll be allowed to find your own way home or call for a ride, but could face charges if you engaged in illegal activities related to being pulled over.

One ClearanceJobsBlog subscriber writes:

I’m a cleared individual (Secret clearance) working as a federal employee (and in the union), and in March of 2020 I was riding with my friend in his rental car and he was pulled over by the police and he was ultimately charged with a DUI. Bad decision on my part to ride with him but also a really bad decision on his part to drive, obviously. I was detained at the scene for a period of time but was eventually given a ride home by the police, since my friend was driving a rental car and I had been drinking also. I was never charged with anything but my question is, is this a reportable incident on the SF-86 or required to be reported by me in some other way? My clearance was re-activated in 2015 when I was hired by the government (hired in February 2015 and investigation concluded in May 2015) so my next investigation should be in 2025. Any advice as to what I should do, if anything, would be much appreciated and thank you in advance.

If you’re a passenger in a DUI incident—not the driver—the impact on your security clearance is typically minimal, assuming you weren’t charged or involved in any illegal behavior yourself.

In simple terms: No charge, no citation, no arrest = not reportable.

However, here’s what to keep in mind:

1. Passenger in a DUI: What It Means for Your Clearance

• If you were not arrested or cited, this likely does not require self-reporting as a security incident.

• If law enforcement questioned you, or if there was alcohol or drug use involved that could raise character concerns, you might feel compelled to disclose over the course of interviews.

• If this kind of situation is part of a larger pattern of risky behavior or poor decision-making (e.g., multiple similar incidents), it could raise red flags.

2. Key Factors Clearance Investigators Consider

• Were you aware the driver was intoxicated?

• Was this a one-time lapse in judgment or part of a trend?

• Did you report it voluntarily or did it come up during investigation?

• Were there any charges, or was your record otherwise affected?

3. Engage Your Resources

DCSA and ClearanceJobs are always at your disposal for content related to the security clearance process, but one of your best resources can be your Facility Security Officer (FSO). If you’re unsure of whether to report something, just ask.