Hazardous Materials Training Requirements FAQs

IntroductionOfficial PDFHome About Who We Are PHMSA Guidance Organization Leadership PHMSA FAQs Careers Working with PHMSA Hazardous Materials Training Requirements The following Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) are based on historical letters of interpretation (LOI) applicable to the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR). The LOI have been issued to specific stakeholders and the FAQ are broadly applicable to facilitate better public understanding and awareness of the HMR. FAQ are not substantive rules, themselves, and do not create legally enforceable rights, assign duties, or impose new obligations not otherwise contained in the existing regulations and standards. Instead, the FAQ are intended as an aid to demonstrate compliance with the relevant regulations. Expand All Collapse All#

Q1: What are the hazardous materials training requirements?#

Q2: What is required as part of a complete hazmat training program?#

Q3: Who is considered a “hazmat employee?”#

Q4: Who is considered a “hazmat employer?”#

Q5: Do the HMR allow a hazmat employee to self-train?#

Q6: What training materials and resources are available from PHMSA?#

Q7: Is a hazmat trainer required to have a certification or minimum level of training?#

Q8: What documentation or recordkeeping is required for hazardous materials training?#

Q9: Is testing of hazmat employees—for example, a test or exam—required as part of a training program?#

Q10: May an employee successfully take a test and have the hazmat training or recurrent training requirement waived?#

Q11: How often must a hazmat employee be trained?#

Q12: If an employee’s job function changes, and new hazmat functions are performed or PHMSA regulations are amended, is further training required?#

Q13: How does a hazmat employer determine what function-specific training is required under § 172.704?#

Q14: Is online, computer-based, and virtual training authorized under the HMR?#

Q15: Can previously completed Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), or other required safety training substitute for hazmat training?#

Q16: What are the penalties for violation of the requirements of the HMR, such as training?#

Q17: Who is responsible for the required hazmat training of a subcontractor’s employees?#

Q18: Is a person located outside the U.S. who offers a shipment from a foreign location for transportation in the U.S.—in accordance with an international standard recognized by the HMR—subject to the training requirements in Subpart H to Part 172?#

Q19: Is a driver required to have hazmat training in accordance with Subpart H to Part 172 if the driver has a hazmat endorsement on a CDL? Last updated: Wednesday, January 15, 2025#