15 HazMat Endorsement (H) Practice Questions & Answers

1. 1. In the hazardous materials hazard class system, which class covers explosives?

   • A.Class 6
   • B.Class 3
   • C.Class 1✓ Answer
   • D.Class 8

   The nine-class hazard system assigns Class 1 to explosives; each class number corresponds to a fixed hazard category, so explosives are always Class 1 (with divisions 1.1 through 1.6).

   Source: 49 CFR 173.2 hazard class table; FMCSA CDL Manual Section 9.2Report a problem with this question

2. 2. Which hazard class number is assigned to flammable liquids such as gasoline?

   • A.Class 2
   • B.Class 3✓ Answer
   • C.Class 5
   • D.Class 7

   Flammable and combustible liquids are Class 3; because a liquid that gives off ignitable vapor poses a fire hazard distinct from gases (Class 2), it has its own class number.

   Source: 49 CFR 173.120; FMCSA CDL Manual Section 9.2 hazard class tableReport a problem with this question

3. 3. Radioactive materials are placed in which hazard class?

   • A.Class 9
   • B.Class 7✓ Answer
   • C.Class 5
   • D.Class 6

   Radioactive material is Class 7; it is given a dedicated class because it emits ionizing radiation, a hazard requiring special labels, transport indexes, and handling not shared by other classes.

   Source: 49 CFR 173.403; FMCSA CDL Manual Section 9.2 hazard class tableReport a problem with this question

4. 4. What document must accompany a hazardous materials shipment to describe the material being transported?

   • A.The shipping paper✓ Answer
   • B.The vehicle registration
   • C.The bill of lading for the tractor only
   • D.The driver's medical card

   Hazmat must travel with shipping papers that identify the material by proper shipping name, hazard class, ID number, and packing group; this lets emergency responders know what is on board if there is an incident.

   Source: 49 CFR 172.200-172.204; FMCSA CDL Manual Section 9.3Report a problem with this question

5. 5. On the Hazardous Materials Table, what does a plus sign (+) in Column 1 tell the shipper?

   • A.The proper shipping name and hazard class are fixed and must not be changed even if the material does not meet the class definition✓ Answer
   • B.The material is forbidden from transport
   • C.The material requires only a bulk placard
   • D.The entry is a hazardous waste

   A plus (+) in Column 1 fixes the proper shipping name and hazard class regardless of whether the material otherwise meets that class's definition, ensuring consistent identification across shipments.

   Source: 49 CFR 172.101(b); FMCSA CDL Manual Section 9.3 (Item Column codes)Report a problem with this question

6. 6. Certain highly hazardous materials in Table 1 (such as Division 1.1, 1.2, 1.3 explosives or poison gas) require placards for ANY amount transported. What does this mean for a driver carrying a small quantity of a Table 1 material?

   • A.No placards are needed under 1,001 pounds
   • B.Only a label on the package is required, not a placard
   • C.Placards are needed only if crossing state lines
   • D.Placards are required regardless of the amount, even for a very small quantity✓ Answer

   Table 1 materials are the most dangerous, so any quantity triggers placarding; unlike Table 2 materials, there is no 1,001-pound threshold before placards become mandatory.

   Source: 49 CFR 172.504 Table 1; FMCSA CDL Manual Section 9.4Report a problem with this question

7. 7. For Table 2 hazardous materials, at what total weight of all such materials on the vehicle do placards generally become required?

   • A.10,000 pounds or more
   • B.Any amount
   • C.5,000 pounds or more
   • D.1,001 pounds or more combined✓ Answer

   Table 2 materials require placards once the total gross weight of all Table 2 hazmat on the vehicle reaches 1,001 pounds or more; below that combined threshold placards are generally not required.

   Source: 49 CFR 172.504(c); FMCSA CDL Manual Section 9.4Report a problem with this question

8. 8. How many placards must a placarded vehicle display, and where must they be positioned?

   • A.One, on the driver's door
   • B.Four, on the front, rear, and both sides✓ Answer
   • C.Three, on the front and both sides
   • D.Two, both on the rear

   Placards must appear on all four sides of the vehicle (front, rear, and both sides) so the hazard is visible from any direction, including to responders approaching from any angle.

   Source: 49 CFR 172.504(a); FMCSA CDL Manual Section 9.4Report a problem with this question

9. 9. When loading, why must a driver keep certain hazardous materials separated (segregated) from one another?

   • A.Because if they leak or mix they can react dangerously, such as producing heat, fire, or toxic gas✓ Answer
   • B.To keep the shipping papers organized
   • C.So the placards are easier to read
   • D.To balance the axle weights

   The segregation table separates incompatible materials because contact between them can trigger dangerous chemical reactions such as heat, fire, or the release of toxic gas; keeping them apart prevents these reactions.

   Source: 49 CFR 177.848 segregation table; FMCSA CDL Manual Section 9.5Report a problem with this question

10. 10. What is the Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG) primarily used for?

    • A.Recording hours of service
    • B.Listing approved truck stops
    • C.Calculating fuel taxes
    • D.Helping first responders identify hazards and take initial protective actions during a hazmat incident✓ Answer

    The ERG lets responders look up a material by its ID number or name to find its hazards and recommended initial isolation and protective actions, guiding safe decisions in the critical first minutes of an incident.

    Source: Emergency Response Guidebook (DOT/PHMSA); FMCSA CDL Manual Section 9.3Report a problem with this question

11. 11. Where should the emergency response information (such as the shipping papers and ERG) be kept while driving?

    • A.Mailed ahead to the destination
    • B.Locked in the trailer with the cargo
    • C.Within the driver's reach while restrained, or in a door pouch, and clearly identifiable✓ Answer
    • D.In the engine compartment

    Shipping papers and emergency information must be within the driver's immediate reach while restrained by the seat belt (or in a door pouch) and readily identifiable, so responders can find them quickly even if the driver is incapacitated.

    Source: 49 CFR 177.817 / 172.602; FMCSA CDL Manual Section 9.3Report a problem with this question

12. 12. A driver hauling placarded hazardous materials approaches a tunnel with a posted sign prohibiting explosives or other hazardous materials. What must the driver do?

    • A.Wait until night and then pass through
    • B.Remove the placards and drive through
    • C.Obey the restriction and use an authorized alternate route✓ Answer
    • D.Proceed through slowly with hazard lights on

    Route and tunnel restrictions are legally binding; a driver must obey posted hazmat prohibitions and follow the required or permitted alternate route, because these routes are designated to keep dangerous cargo away from high-risk confined areas.

    Source: 49 CFR 397.1-397.71 (routing/tunnel restrictions); FMCSA CDL Manual Section 9.7Report a problem with this question

13. 13. Under hazmat security awareness, what is a driver expected to do regarding the vehicle and cargo?

    • A.Post the route publicly online
    • B.Leave the vehicle running and unlocked for quick departures
    • C.Stay alert to suspicious activity, keep the vehicle attended or secured, and report anything unusual✓ Answer
    • D.Share the shipping papers with anyone who asks

    Security awareness training requires drivers to watch for and report suspicious activity and to keep the vehicle secured or attended, because hazmat can be a target for theft or misuse and vigilance reduces that risk.

    Source: 49 CFR Part 172 Subpart I (security awareness training); FMCSA CDL Manual Section 9.8Report a problem with this question

14. 14. Which hazard class covers corrosive materials such as strong acids and bases?

    • A.Class 6
    • B.Class 9
    • C.Class 4
    • D.Class 8✓ Answer

    Corrosives are Class 8; they get a dedicated class because they can chemically destroy skin tissue or corrode metal, a hazard distinct from flammability or toxicity that requires specific packaging and handling.

    Source: 49 CFR 173.136; FMCSA CDL Manual Section 9.2 hazard class tableReport a problem with this question

15. 15. While the vehicle is being driven, where must a hazardous materials driver keep the shipping papers?

    • A.Within immediate reach and readily visible/recognizable to anyone entering the cab✓ Answer
    • B.Mailed ahead separately to the delivery destination
    • C.Locked in the trailer together with the cargo
    • D.Loose anywhere inside the sleeper berth

    The regulation requires the shipping papers to be within the driver's immediate reach while restrained by the seat belt and readily recognizable, so that emergency responders can quickly identify the hazard; when the driver leaves the vehicle the papers must be left on the driver's seat or in a holder on the driver's door.

    Source: 49 CFR 177.817(e) (Location of shipping papers)Report a problem with this question

Practice questions based on the AAMVA/FMCSA model CDL manual. Requirements vary by state — study your state's official CDL manual before your exam. Official CDL info →