Is It Hard To Get The Hazmat Certification?

Being a truck driver and getting a HazMat certification is a matter of pride and has a lot of advantages.

A Hazmat-certified trucker is considered the most desirable and valuable truck driver. It has the potential to increase your earnings.

However, many drivers think getting a HazMat certificate is hard, but the fact is that it is not hard to get; rather, the process to get one is quite lengthy.

But first, what is the proper meaning of "Hazmat"?

HazMat is an abbreviation for "hazardous material."

HazMat is a training course that is designed for those drivers who are willing to handle or respond to a hazmat (hazardous material) like a leak, spread, spill, or accident that may be deadly for the surroundings and has the potential to damage life, health, and properties.

Employers are trained to earn their HazMat certificates as they’re responsible for handling volatile materials in their day-to-day jobs.

So, if you’re planning to get HazMat certification, then follow these 5 steps to get it soon:

• Check for the HazMat requirements

The first and foremost step to getting a HazMat certificate is to check your eligibility.

Check whether:

• You are at least 21 years old.
• Having a commercial driver’s license (CDL) or CDL permit
• Must have identity proof such as a US passport, birth certificate, or US citizenship certificate.
• Must have cleared the DOT medical exam.

• Apply by filling out the application

Fill out the HazMat endorsement application online. Since this application is essentially a background check, you must refer to the aforementioned material while completing it.

And if you’re a resident of Florida, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, or Wisconsin, then you need to contact your state's DMV.

• Visit your nearest application center 

Once you’re done submitting an application, you then have to go to your nearest Transportation Security Administration application center.

Schedule an appointment there at the application center or call 855-347-8371 to book your appointment. If you are choosing to go for walk-ins, they are welcome but appointments are given priority.

At the application center, you will have to:

• You will have to bring the required documents and a hard copy of your application.
• Get it fingerprinted.
• Have to pay a non-refundable fee of about $90, which has a validity of five years.

• Track your application

This approval can take a month or two. So, if you are wondering about the status of your application, then you can check it online. When your application is approved, be sure to take a printout.

Also, you have the right to appeal if your application is rejected.

• Visit your local DMV

When your application is accepted, you will have to go to your local DMV to take the HazMat certification test, also known as the CDL HazMat exam.

Keep all the required documents with you.

You can read for your HazMat test from the hazardous materials section in your CDL manual. A vision test may also be conducted while you are at the DMV.

The procedure for obtaining a hazmat endorsement is simple and reasonably priced, and it can lead to many new opportunities for drivers. It will be beneficial if you aim to get the HazMat certificate.

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