Hazmat endorsement practice test
The hazardous materials test earns the H endorsement, the one that opens the best-paid freight. It covers the hazard classes, how to read shipping papers, placarding rules, loading and segregation, and what to do when something leaks or burns. The sample questions below come from Section 9 of the FMCSA CDL manual.
- 30questions on the real test
- 80%pass mark, 24 correct answers
- 60questions in the PassRig bank
- S9of the FMCSA CDL manual
Free hazmat practice quiz
Ten questions from the PassRig bank. Tap an answer to lock it in and read why it is right, with the manual section it comes from. The score keeps count; 80% is the pass mark. The full bank, timed mock exams and mistake review live in the app.
0 of 10 right0 of 10 answered
The hazardous materials regulations have three main goals. They are to:
Answer: A. Contain the material, communicate the risk, and ensure safe drivers and equipmentEverything in the rules serves one of these: packaging that contains the material, papers and placards that communicate the risk, and training and inspection so drivers and vehicles are safe.
Source: FMCSA CDL Manual, Section 9.1 (The Intent of the Regulations)
The basic description of a hazardous material on a shipping paper lists, in order:
Answer: B. ID number, proper shipping name, hazard class, packing groupThe identification number (such as UN1203) comes first, then the proper shipping name, the hazard class or division, and the packing group in Roman numerals. The order matters so responders read it the same way every time.
Source: FMCSA CDL Manual, Section 9.3.5 (Item Description)
A parked placarded vehicle is "attended" only if the person watching it is:
Answer: B. On the vehicle and awake, or within 100 feet with the vehicle in clear viewAttending means awake, not in the sleeper, either on the vehicle or within 100 feet with an unobstructed view of it, and aware of the hazards and able to move the vehicle if needed.
Source: FMCSA CDL Manual, Section 9.6.3 (Attending Placarded Parked Vehicles)
Under the hazardous materials regulations, a hazardous material is a product that:
Answer: A. Poses a risk to health, safety and property during transportationThe rules exist because some products are dangerous to people and property while they are being moved. Hazardous materials are defined by that risk, not by weight, container or origin.
Source: FMCSA CDL Manual, Section 9 (Introduction: What Hazardous Materials Are)
You need a hazardous materials endorsement on your CDL to drive:
Answer: C. Any vehicle that must be placarded for hazardous materialsIf the load requires placards, the driver needs the H endorsement, no matter what class of material is on board or what kind of vehicle it is.
Source: FMCSA CDL Manual, Section 9 (Introduction: The H Endorsement)
If the word Forbidden appears in the hazard class column of the Hazardous Materials Table, the material:
Answer: C. May never be transportedForbidden means exactly that: the material cannot be shipped at all. A driver who sees it on a shipping paper must refuse the load.
Source: FMCSA CDL Manual, Section 9.3.3 (Hazardous Materials Table, Column 3)
The DANGEROUS placard may not be used in place of a specific placard when:
Answer: B. 2,205 lb (1,000 kg) or more of one Table 2 category is loaded at one placeDANGEROUS covers a mixed load of Table 2 materials, but if 2,205 lb (1,000 kg) or more of a single category is picked up at one location, that category's own placard must be shown.
Source: FMCSA CDL Manual, Section 9.3.11 (Placard Tables: DANGEROUS Placard)
Before loading or unloading a cargo tank with flammable liquid, you should:
Answer: D. Turn off the engine unless it runs the pump, and ground the tank before opening the filling hole, keeping the ground connected until the hole is closedStatic electricity can ignite flammable vapors. Grounding the tank first and keeping it grounded until the fill hole is closed prevents a spark at the worst moment.
Source: FMCSA CDL Manual, Section 9.5.3 (Bulk Packaging: Flammable Liquids)
The transport index on a Radioactive Yellow-II or Yellow-III label tells you:
Answer: D. How far the package must be kept from people, animals and undeveloped film, and limits the total radioactive loadThe transport index measures the radiation control the package needs. A separation table uses it to set distances, and the total index of all packages on one vehicle must not exceed 50.
Source: FMCSA CDL Manual, Section 9.4 (Loading and Unloading: Precautions for Specific Hazards, Class 7 Radioactive)
When carrying placarded hazardous materials, you should avoid heavily populated areas, crowds, tunnels, narrow streets and alleys:
Answer: D. Whenever possible, unless there is no other practical routeFewer people near the vehicle means less harm if something goes wrong. Some areas also require permits or forbid certain materials, so check the route in advance.
Source: FMCSA CDL Manual, Section 9.6.5 (Route Restrictions)
What the hazmat test covers
- The nine hazard classes and the hazardous materials table
- Shipping papers, shipper and carrier responsibilities
- Placards: when they are required and where they go
- Loading, unloading and segregation rules
- Bulk packaging, cargo tanks and portable tanks
- Driving and parking rules with hazardous materials
- Emergencies: leaks, fires and the Emergency Response Guidebook
Who needs it
Drivers who want the H endorsement to haul placarded hazardous materials. It also needs a TSA background check.
The test has 30 multiple-choice questions and the passing score is 80%, so you can miss 6. Your state DMV or DOT administers it; the federal rules are on the FMCSA CDL page. Study Section 9 of the CDL manual alongside these questions.
More CDL practice tests
Guides for this test
Hazmat test questions
How many questions are on the hazmat endorsement test?
30 questions. You need 24 right, the 80% pass mark.
Does the hazmat endorsement need more than a written test?
Yes. Besides the knowledge test you complete a TSA security threat assessment with fingerprints, and the endorsement must be renewed on a schedule. Check the FMCSA and TSA sites for the current process.
Can I take the hazmat test before I have my CDL?
Rules on timing vary by state, so check with your state DMV or DOT. The knowledge test content itself is the same everywhere.