# Department of Public Safety — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

**Citation:** 00-0192  
**Type / status:** guidance / guidance  
**Agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration  
**Effective:** Not stated  
**Published:** 2000-08-01

00-0192 response to Department of Public Safety concerning 172.516.

## Document text

<<<PAGE 1>>>

.. . •
.S. Departmen
400 Seventh St., S.W.
Research and
f Transportatio
Washington, D.C. 20590
pecial Program
dministratio
AUG - | 2000
Mr. C.D. Lavender
Ref. No. 00-0192
S.C. State Police Transport Police
Hazardous Material Unit
Department of Public Safety
800 Dutch Square Boulevard
Columbia, SC 29210
Dear Mr. Lavender:
This is in response to your letter of July 3, 2000 requesting clarification regarding the placement of a
placard on a tender (left - highway side) of a cargo tank motor vehicle. You state that the placard is
displayed at approximately a 45 degree angle and is approximately 12 to 18 inches rearward of the
front of the cargo tank motor vehicle. You ask if this display is in compliance with the requirements of
the Hazardous Materials Regulations (49 CFR 171-180).
The answer to you question is no. As provided by § 172.504(a) "each bulk packaging, ...transport
vehicle, or rail car containing any quantity of hazardous materials must be placarded on each side and
each end with the placard specified ...." A placard displayed on a fender 12 to 18 inches rearward of
the front of the cargo tank motor vehicle does not meet this requirement because there is no placard
displayed on the front end of the cargo tank.
I hope this satisfies your inquiry.
Sincerely,
Nilm
Delmer F. Billings
Chief, Standards Development
Office of Hazardous Materials Standards
172.516
000192
2P405025

<<<PAGE 2>>>

US Department of Transportation
400 Ji St. S.W.
Research and Special Programs Administration
July 3, 2000
BilliNgs
Washington D.C. 20590
5172-546504
00-0192
Dear Sir;
In the situation of a truck-tractor pulling a cargo tank vehicle, containing a hazardous material
(highway side) of the cargo tank, at approximately a 45 degree angle, approximately 12 to 18 inches
which requires marking/placarding. May the front placard/l.D.# be displayed on a fender on the left
rearward of the front head, instead of being displayed on the actual front of the cargo tank vehicle.
Will this method of display meet the visibility/display requirements of 172.516 (a) ?
S.C. State Transport Police
C.D. Lavender
Hazardous Material Unit
800 Dutch Square Blvd.
Dept. of Public Safety
Dutch Plaza, Room 205
Columbia, S.C. 29210

## Provenance

- Official: Yes
- Source: <https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2000/000192.pdf>
- Source ID: `phmsa`
- SHA-256: `1d5d7c3655d814ada1d2c4197a6de1c5be0f5609c7225bf73f8f5b2f8e567b85`
- Retrieved: 2026-08-20T00:59:31.977Z
- Exported: 2026-08-25T17:15:45.908Z
- Document slug: `phmsa-interpretation-00-0192`

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