Key Takeaways
- H is the code for the Hazardous Materials endorsement, one of six endorsement codes a CDL holder can earn.
- Earning the H endorsement takes a state knowledge test and a TSA security background check.
- Federal training rules have required first-time hazmat applicants to complete theory training before the test since February 7, 2022.
- The TSA background check costs $85.25, or $41.00 for drivers who already hold a valid TWIC card. The result generally covers five years.
- Louisiana only accepts a completed background check for a license transfer or renewal if it was finished in the last six months.
- Most disqualifying offenses are specific felonies tied to a set time window. A misdemeanor does not disqualify an applicant.
- The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $58,640 for all heavy and tractor-trailer drivers as of May 2025. There’s no separate wage figure for hazmat-endorsed drivers specifically.
A CDL holder can earn six different endorsement codes:
- Doubles/Triples (T)
- Passenger (P)
- Tanker (N)
- Hazardous Materials (H)
- Tanker/HazMat (X)
- School Bus (S)
The Hazardous Materials endorsement, or HazMat, is the only one of the six that pairs a knowledge test with a federal security background check. This guide covers what the H endorsement includes, who needs it, and how to get and keep one.
What the HazMat Endorsement Covers
The federal government defines hazardous materials broadly. They’re substances that could pose an unreasonable risk to health, safety, and property when transported in commerce. To earn the endorsement, a driver has to know:
- The hazardous materials table
- Shipping paper rules
- Marking, labeling, and placarding
- Packaging requirements
- Hazmat definitions and accident reporting
- Tunnel and railroad-crossing rules
H vs. N vs. X: What Sets Each Endorsement Apart
The hazmat endorsement is often confused with the tank vehicle endorsement, since both often involve tank loads. These are two of several endorsement types a CDL holder can carry, and they’re tested differently.
| Endorsement | Covers | Testing required |
| N (Tank Vehicle) | Tank vehicles hauling bulk liquids or gases | State knowledge test only |
| H (Hazardous Materials) | Any load that must be placarded | Knowledge test plus TSA background check |
| X (Tank/HazMat Combination) | Tank vehicles carrying placarded hazmat | Meets both N and H requirements; no separate test |
A driver who already holds both N and H is issued the combined X code instead of two separate endorsements.
Who Needs a HazMat Endorsement
A driver needs the endorsement once a load reaches the point where it has to carry a hazard placard. Some materials require a placard no matter how much a driver is hauling. Others only need one once the total weight of the material reaches about 1,001 pounds. A large enough load of a single hazardous material, generally 2,205 pounds or more from one location, needs a placard made for that exact material instead of a general one.
Any driver hauling a placarded load needs the H or X endorsement, including loads of:
- Explosives
- Corrosives
- Gases
- Flammable liquids or solids
- Radioactive material
- Oxidizers or poisons
Louisiana produces a steady supply of this kind of freight. The Port of New Orleans, the Port of South Louisiana, and the Gulf Coast petrochemical corridor move fuel, chemicals, and industrial gas through the state every day.
How to Get a HazMat Endorsement
Getting the H endorsement adds a federal security review to the standard CDL process. The general age, medical, and licensing steps come first, the same ones required for any CDL.
Step 1: Complete ELDT Theory Training
Since February 7, 2022, federal rules have required first-time hazmat applicants to complete Entry-Level Driver training before taking the state knowledge test. This applies no matter how long a driver has already held a CDL. States typically point applicants to the FMCSA Training Provider Registry to confirm a school’s registration before the training counts.
Step 2: Pass the State Knowledge Test
Each state runs its own hazmat knowledge test, separate from the standard CDL knowledge tests. Every applicant, new or renewing, must also carry a current TSA background check before the state will issue the endorsement.
The Office of Motor Vehicles (OMV) administers this test. Louisiana’s OMV treats the TSA background check as a federal requirement it can’t waive.
Step 3: Complete the TSA Security Background Check
This program runs a fingerprint-based background check against FBI records nationwide. Applicants sign up online or visit an enrollment center in person. The fee is $85.25 for new and renewing applicants, or $41.00 for drivers who already hold a valid TWIC card in a state that accepts TWIC screening instead. To qualify, a driver must be a:
- S. citizen
- lawful permanent resident
- naturalized citizen
- or hold lawful nonimmigrant, asylee, or refugee status.
TSA doesn’t publish an official processing time, but industry sources commonly cite four to eight weeks.
Fingerprinting runs through Integrated Biometric Technology (IBT), TSA’s enrollment agent for the state.
Keeping a HazMat Endorsement Current
TSA generally requires drivers to renew this endorsement every five years, though some states run shorter license cycles that require more frequent review. The $85.25 fee covers five years for new and renewing applicants alike.
Drivers transferring a hazmat endorsement between states generally don’t need a new background check. This holds as long as the new state can issue one that expires within five years of the original check date.
Louisiana: A completed background check only counts as valid for a transfer or renewal if it was finished within the last six months. This applies whether the driver already lives in Louisiana or is moving their license here from another state.
What Can Disqualify a Driver?
TSA’s rule on disqualifying offenses sorts them into three groups.
Permanent offenses disqualify an applicant no matter when they happened. These include espionage, treason, terrorism-related crimes, and the unlawful transport or possession of explosives.
Interim offenses only disqualify a driver for a set window of time. These include certain firearm, fraud, smuggling, immigration, drug distribution, and violent crimes. They disqualify a driver if the conviction happened within the past seven years. They also disqualify a driver who was released from prison within the past five years.
An applicant charged with one of these crimes, or wanted on a warrant for one, is disqualified until the case is resolved.
Misdemeanor convictions do not disqualify an applicant under this rule. TSA can waive most interim offenses and many permanent offenses. Crimes like espionage, sedition, treason, and terrorism generally fall outside that waiver option.
HazMat Endorsement Pay and Demand
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a median annual wage of $58,640 ($28.19 an hour) for all heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers as of May 2025. That figure covers roughly 2.2 million jobs nationwide, with about 4 percent job growth projected from 2025 to 2035. The BLS doesn’t publish a separate wage figure for hazmat-endorsed drivers specifically. Carriers typically pay hazmat-endorsed drivers more for specialized freight, since the extra screening and testing mean fewer drivers can legally haul it. No federal source breaks that pay bump into an exact dollar figure.
Next Step
Drivers who already hold or are working toward a Class A CDL can add the hazmat credential through DDA’s Hazmat Endorsement Training program, offered alongside Class A CDL training at DDA’s campuses. An admissions rep can explain which program length includes both the required training hours and hazmat prep. Our team is ready to help you find the right program for you.
FAQs
What does the “H” on a CDL mean?
H is the code for the Hazardous Materials endorsement, one of six endorsement codes a CDL holder can earn.
How is the HazMat endorsement different from the Tanker (N) endorsement?
The N endorsement only requires a knowledge test and covers bulk liquids or gases in a tank vehicle. The H endorsement adds a TSA background check and covers any placarded hazardous cargo, tank or not.
How long does a HazMat endorsement last before it needs renewal?
TSA generally requires renewal every five years, though some states run shorter license cycles.
What is the TSA background check for a HazMat endorsement?
It’s a fingerprint-based check run under TSA’s Hazmat Endorsement program. TSA checks fingerprints and ID against FBI records and looks for disqualifying convictions before a state can issue the endorsement.
Can a felony conviction keep someone from getting a HazMat endorsement?
It depends on the offense. TSA only disqualifies specific felonies, and most of those only count if they happened within the past seven years.
Does a misdemeanor disqualify a driver from getting a HazMat endorsement?
No. TSA’s disqualifying-offense list applies to felony convictions, pleas, or findings, not misdemeanors.
How much does the TSA background check cost?
The standard fee is $85.25 for new and renewing applicants. Drivers who already hold a valid TWIC card in a qualifying state pay a reduced $41.00 rate.
How long does the whole HazMat endorsement process take?
Industry estimates put the TSA background check at four to eight weeks, done alongside the state knowledge test. TSA doesn’t publish an official processing time.
Do I need to take a class before the HazMat knowledge test?
Yes. Federal rules in effect since February 7, 2022 require first-time hazmat applicants to complete registered theory training before taking the state knowledge test.
Does a HazMat endorsement pay more?
While the BLS doesn’t publish a hazmat-specific wage figure, carriers generally pay more for hazmat-endorsed drivers because fewer drivers qualify for the work.
Sources: 49 CFR 383.153, 383.121, 172.504, 1572.103, and 1515.7; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025); Transportation Security Administration; Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles.