Map › Hazmat

Hazmat rules for truck drivers

The federal hazmat rules truck drivers need, quoted from the official regulations, plus state hazmat routes and tunnel restrictions from FMCSA's National Hazardous Materials Route Registry.

States where our agent found tunnels that restrict hazmat: Alabama (2), Alaska (1).

The federal rules

• Routing: designated and restricted routes

  Carriers must follow state and tribal hazmat route designations. FMCSA lists them in the National Hazardous Materials Route Registry.

  (a) A motor carrier transporting NRHM shall comply with NRHM routing designations of a State or Indian tribe pursuant to this subpart. (b) A motor carrier carrying hazardous materials required to be placarded or marked in accordance with 49 CFR 177.823 and not subject to NRHM routing designations pursuant to this subpart, shall operate the vehicle over routes which do not go through or near heavily populated areas,…

  49 CFR 397.67 Motor carrier responsibility for routing. (official text)

• How states set hazmat routes

  The federal standards states and tribes must meet when they designate or restrict hazmat routes.

  (a) A State or Indian tribe shall comply with the Federal standards under paragraph (b) of this section when establishing, maintaining or enforcing specific NRHM routing designations over which NRHM may or may not be transported. (b) The Federal standards are as follows: (1) Enhancement of public safety. The State or Indian tribe shall make a finding, supported by the record to be developed in accordance with…

  49 CFR 397.71 Federal standards. (official text)

• Where route designations are published

  (a) Public information. Information on NRHM routing designations must be made available by the States and Indian tribes to the public in the form of maps, lists, road signs or some combination thereof. If road signs are used, those signs and their placements must comply with the provisions of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways, published by the Federal Highway Administration…

  49 CFR 397.73 Public information and reporting requirements. (official text)

• Radioactive (HRCQ) shipments

  Preferred routes, usually Interstate highways, plus a written route plan.

  (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section or in circumstances when there is only one practicable highway route available, considering operating necessity and safety, a carrier or any person operating a motor vehicle that contains a Class 7 (radioactive) material, as defined in 49 CFR 172.403, for which placarding is required under 49 CFR part 172 shall: (1) Ensure that the motor vehicle is operated on…

  49 CFR 397.101 Requirements for motor carriers and drivers. (official text)

• Parking near bridges, tunnels and buildings

  Explosives (Division 1.1, 1.2, 1.3) can't be parked within 5 feet of the road, or near bridges, tunnels, buildings or crowds, except briefly.

  (a) A motor vehicle which contains Division 1.1, 1.2, or 1.3 materials must not be parked under any of the following circumstances— (1) On or within 5 feet of the traveled portion of a public street or highway; (2) On private property (including premises of fueling or eating facility) without the knowledge and consent of the person who is in charge of the property and who is aware of the nature of the hazardous…

  49 CFR 397.7 Parking. (official text)

• Attending the vehicle

  (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, a motor vehicle which contains a Division 1.1, 1.2, or 1.3 (explosive) material must be attended at all times by its driver or a qualified representative of the motor carrier that operates it. (b) The rules in paragraph (a) of this section do not apply to a motor vehicle which contains Division 1.1, 1.2, or 1.3 material if all the following conditions…

  49 CFR 397.5 Attendance and surveillance of motor vehicles. (official text)

• No smoking

  No person may smoke or carry a lighted cigarette, cigar, or pipe on or within 25 feet of— (a) A motor vehicle which contains Class 1 materials, Class 5 materials, or flammable materials classified as Division 2.1, Class 3, Divisions 4.1 and 4.2; or (b) An empty tank motor vehicle which has been used to transport Class 3, flammable materials, or Division 2.1 flammable gases, which when so used, was required to be…

  49 CFR 397.13 Smoking. (official text)

• Railroad crossings: stop

  Placarded and other listed vehicles must stop 15 to 50 feet before railroad tracks.

  (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, the driver of a commercial motor vehicle specified in paragraphs (a) (1) through (6) of this section shall not cross a railroad track or tracks at grade unless he/she first: Stops the commercial motor vehicle within 50 feet of, and not closer than 15 feet to, the tracks; thereafter listens and looks in each direction along the tracks for an approaching train;…

  49 CFR 392.10 Railroad grade crossings; stopping required. (official text)

• Shipping papers

  (a) General requirements. A person may not accept a hazardous material for transportation or transport a hazardous material by highway unless that person has received a shipping paper prepared in accordance with part 172 of this subchapter or the material is excepted from shipping paper requirements under this subchapter. A subsequent carrier may not transport a hazardous material unless it is accompanied by a…

  49 CFR 177.817 Shipping papers. (official text)

• Hazmat (H) endorsement

  Drivers hauling placarded amounts need the H endorsement and a TSA security threat assessment.

  (a) General. (1) In addition to passing the knowledge and skills tests described in subpart G of this part, all persons who operate or expect to operate the type(s) of motor vehicles described in paragraph (b) of this section must pass specialized tests to obtain each endorsement. The State shall issue CDL endorsements only to drivers who successfully complete the tests. (2) The only endorsements allowed on a CLP…

  49 CFR 383.93 Endorsements. (official text)

• Placards

  Which placards a load needs depends on the hazard class and amount.

  49 CFR 172.504 General placarding requirements (eCFR, official)

Quotes are from the official eCFR text in our rulebook, checked for changes daily. Information, not legal advice; your carrier's hazmat plan and the shipper's papers come first.