Written by the America’s Driving Force team · Reviewed by Joel Curtis, retired professional truck driver · Published October 5, 2026 · Last reviewed October 5, 2026 · Sources are listed at the end
To get a hazmat (H) endorsement on a CDL you must pass your state's hazmat knowledge test and a TSA security threat assessment that includes fingerprints. TSA's page lists a fee of $85.25 valid for five years, recommends applying at least 60 days ahead, and lists disqualifying felonies in 49 CFR 1572.103. Eight states handle fingerprinting through their own DMV.
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What a hazmat endorsement is
A hazardous materials (hazmat or H) endorsement is an addition to a commercial driver’s license (CDL) that allows you to haul placarded loads. Getting it involves two separate checks: the knowledge test your state gives, and a federal security threat assessment from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), which includes fingerprints. This guide explains both using the federal pages we read in October 2026.
Rules and fees can change. TSA’s page did not show a “last updated” date when we read it, so confirm current details with TSA and your state driver licensing agency before you apply.
What the endorsement requires from your state
According to 49 CFR 383.93, an operator must obtain a state-issued endorsement to drive a commercial motor vehicle used to transport hazardous materials as defined in 49 CFR 383.5. Besides passing the general CDL knowledge and skills tests, you must pass specialized tests for each endorsement, and the state may issue an endorsement only to drivers who successfully complete the tests. For the hazardous materials endorsement the regulation requires a knowledge test, and no separate skills test.
The regulation lists the other endorsements as double/triple trailers, passenger vehicles, tank vehicles and school buses. The only endorsements allowed on a commercial learner’s permit (CLP) are passenger (P), school bus (S) and tank vehicle (N), so the hazmat endorsement is something you add to a CDL, not a permit.
The TSA security threat assessment
TSA’s HAZMAT Endorsement page says the Hazardous Materials Endorsement Threat Assessment Program conducts a security threat assessment for any driver seeking to obtain, renew or transfer a hazmat endorsement on a state-issued CDL. TSA says you should apply if you have a state-issued CDL and are required to transport materials that require placarding under the Department of Transportation hazardous materials regulations.
You can pre-enroll online or complete the entire process in person at an enrollment center, unless your CDL is issued by Florida, Kentucky, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia or Wisconsin. For those eight states, TSA says to visit your local Department of Motor Vehicles for application and fingerprinting information.
Fingerprints, fees and timing
At an enrollment center you provide the required documentation, including documents for citizenship verification, and your fingerprints. You also pay a non-refundable fee that TSA says is valid for five years. On the day we read the page the fees were:
| Applicant | Fee |
|---|---|
| New and renewing applicant | $85.25 |
| New and renewing applicant, reduced rate | $41.00 |
The reduced rate applies only to applicants who already hold a valid Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) and are licensed in a state that accepts the TWIC security threat assessment as part of its reciprocity and comparability process. TSA accepts a credit card, money order, company check or certified or cashier’s check. You can check your status online at any time.
Plan for the wait. TSA recommends enrolling for the security threat assessment, including renewals, at least 60 days before you need an eligibility determination, and says processing times for some applicants may exceed 45 days because of increased demand.
Who is eligible
Per TSA, you may apply if you are a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, naturalized citizen, or a nonimmigrant alien, asylee or refugee in lawful status, and you hold a CDL issued by a U.S. state. TSA also tells applicants to check with the state that issued the license for citizenship or lawful presence requirements stricter than TSA’s. The page says applicants may be ineligible because of incomplete or false application information, or disqualifying criminal offenses and factors.
Disqualifying offenses
The disqualifying offenses are listed in 49 CFR 1572.103. They fall into two groups.
Permanent disqualifying offenses. A conviction, or a finding of not guilty by reason of insanity, for any of these felonies is permanently disqualifying: espionage, sedition or treason (or conspiracy to commit them); a federal crime of terrorism; a crime involving a transportation security incident; improper transportation of a hazardous material under 49 U.S.C. 5124 or a comparable state law; unlawful dealing in an explosive or explosive device; murder; threats or false information about the placement or detonation of an explosive or lethal device in a public place, government facility, public transportation system or infrastructure facility; and certain racketeering (RICO) violations. Attempts and conspiracies are covered as the regulation describes.
Interim disqualifying offenses. The listed felonies are disqualifying if the applicant was convicted within seven years of the application date, or was released from incarceration for the crime within five years of the application. They include:
- unlawful dealing in a firearm or other weapon;
- extortion, bribery and smuggling;
- dishonesty, fraud or misrepresentation, including identity fraud (the regulation says welfare fraud and passing bad checks do not count);
- immigration violations;
- distribution of, possession with intent to distribute, or importation of a controlled substance;
- arson, kidnapping or hostage taking, rape or aggravated sexual abuse, assault with intent to kill and robbery;
- fraudulent entry into a seaport and certain other RICO violations; and
- conspiracy or attempt to commit any of these.
An applicant who is wanted or under indictment for a listed felony is disqualified until the warrant is released or the indictment is dismissed. If the fingerprint check shows an arrest for a disqualifying crime with no disposition, TSA notifies you and you must give written proof within 60 days after the notice that the arrest did not result in a conviction. Otherwise TSA will notify you, and for a hazmat endorsement the state, that you are disqualified.
The process from start to finish
Putting the pieces together, the sequence described by the federal sources is:
- Hold a state CDL and confirm your state’s own citizenship and lawful presence requirements.
- Complete the TSA security threat assessment by pre-enrolling online or enrolling in person, or through your DMV if your state is one of the eight that handle fingerprinting themselves. Bring your documents and pay the fee.
- Pass the hazmat knowledge test with your state licensing agency, which issues the endorsement only after you pass.
- Keep your renewal in mind. TSA says the fee is valid for five years, and its FAQ topics cover renewals and transfers, so check them before your endorsement expires.
Federal entry-level driver training rules may also apply to first-time endorsement applicants, so read our guide on getting a CDL and federal training requirements. For licensing background, see Class A vs Class B CDL licenses, and use our directory of trucking companies by state or our trucking data posts to see where hazmat carriers operate.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a background check to get a hazmat endorsement?
Yes. TSA conducts a security threat assessment for any driver seeking to obtain, renew or transfer a hazmat endorsement on a state-issued CDL. It includes fingerprints and documentation of your citizenship or lawful status.
How much does the TSA hazmat endorsement background check cost?
TSA's page listed $85.25 for new and renewing applicants and a reduced $41.00 for applicants who already hold a valid TWIC in a participating state. The fee is non-refundable and TSA says it is valid for five years.
How long does the TSA background check take?
TSA recommends enrolling at least 60 days before you need an eligibility determination and says processing for some applicants may exceed 45 days because of increased demand.
Which states handle hazmat fingerprinting through the DMV instead of TSA?
Per TSA, applicants with a CDL from Florida, Kentucky, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia or Wisconsin should visit their local DMV for application and fingerprinting information.
Is there a skills test for the hazmat endorsement?
No. Under 49 CFR 383.93 the hazardous materials endorsement requires a knowledge test. Passenger and school bus endorsements require both a knowledge and a skills test.
Related guides
- How to get a CDL without a traditional truck driving school
- Class A vs Class B CDL licenses
- Trucking companies by state
About the reviewer
Joel Curtis is a retired professional truck driver with more than 30 years of over-the-road experience in Canada and the United States. He reviews our guides for practical accuracy from a driver’s point of view. Every guide is built from the official sources listed below.
Sources
- HAZMAT Endorsement, Transportation Security Administration
- 49 CFR 1572.103: Disqualifying criminal offenses, Electronic Code of Federal Regulations
- 49 CFR 383.93: Endorsements, Electronic Code of Federal Regulations
This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. Rules, fees and requirements change, so confirm current details with the agencies listed above and your state before you act.