A Hazardous Materials Endorsement (HAZMAT) authorizes the operation of any vehicle carrying hazardous materials.

The Tennessee Department of Safety requires fingerprinting and background checks for new Hazardous Material Endorsement (HME) applicants and current Hazardous Material Endorsement holders at time of their renewal in accordance with Section 1012 of the USA PATRIOT Act. The federal Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations require the secure transport of hazardous materials, including explosives.

Step 1

• Must have a Tennessee Commercial Driver License.
• Provide proof of United States citizenship or lawful permanent resident status and Tennessee Domicile.
• Domicile means a person’s fixed, permanent and principal home for legal purposes and to which he/she has the intention of returning whenever he/she is absent.
• Provide a valid proof of Social Security Number (SSN)
• Present a valid DOT Medical Card.  This is also required if you are employed by a government entity.
• Pass a vision screening and the Hazardous Material Endorsement Knowledge Test.
• Complete the Hazardous Material Endorsement application at the Driver Service Center.
• Pay the appropriate hazardous material endorsement testing and application fees.

Step 2

• Upon successful completion of the Vision Screening and the Hazardous Material Endorsement Knowledge Test at the Driver Service Center, you will be given instructions to call to register with Tennessee’s vendor to be fingerprinted as part of the TSA Criminal Background check and security threat assessment process.

Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Criminal Background Check

On May 5, 2003, the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and TSA published regulations under the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001 requiring all commercial motor vehicle operators to submit fingerprints and pass a TSA criminal background check to obtain a security threat assessment from TSA before the issuance or renewal of a CDL that includes a HAZMAT endorsement. This criminal background check can take up to 90 days to complete.

Applicants for a HAZMAT endorsement (including most applicants exchanging an out-of-state license that contains a HAZMAT endorsement) will be required to obtain a security threat assessment clearance.

Step 3

• After you receive your registration number you may go to any of the authorized fingerprinting locations to be fingerprinted. You do not need an appointment to be fingerprinted.
• You will need to pay in the form of a Money Order in the amount of $82.00 (made payable to Cogent Systems). This is the only acceptable form of payment at the fingerprinting locations. It is very important that you have the “registration number” that you received by phone, your Commercial Driver License and the $82.00 money order with you at time of fingerprinting.

Step 4

• After you have been fingerprinted obtain a receipt/confirmation or keep the receipt of the money order.
• Once we have verified with Cogent that you have been fingerprinted, we will submit your HME Application to Transportation Security Administration (TSA) for the Background Security Threat Assessment.
• If the criminal background security threat assessment is approved by TSA, the TN Dept. of Safety/HAZMAT staff will notify the applicant by telephone of approval. The approved applicant may go to the nearest full service Driver Service Center and get a new CDL with the Hazardous Material Endorsement.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

• Normal approval process takes from 2 to 6 weeks to be completed. You are required to re-pass the Hazardous Materials Endorsement Test every time you renew your license.
• Adding HME to CDL: Applications for adding the Hazardous Materials Endorsement (HME) will be kept on file at TN Dept. of Safety/HAZMAT Office for 60 days from application. If fingerprinting has not been completed within the 60 days, the application will be discarded and the applicant will have to reapply.

• Certified U.S./ State or Territory issued Birth Certificate
• U.S. Government / Federal issued Certified Birth Certificate
• U.S. Certificate of Birth Abroad (DS-1350 or FS-545)
• Report of Birth Abroad of a Citizen of the U.S. (FS-240)
• Valid, unexpired U.S. Passport
• Certificate of Citizenship (N560 or N561)
• Certificate of Naturalization (N550, N570 or N578)
• U.S. Military ID Card (DOD DD-2)
• U.S. Citizen Identification Card (I-197, I-179)

All documents must include a Tennessee residential address--the SAME residential address must be on each document presented. 

No photocopies accepted!

Acceptable Documents:

1. Current utility bill including telephone, electric, water, gas, cable, etc. (includes “bundle” packages)
2. Current vehicle registration (personal vehicle not company vehicle) dated within the last 12 months
3. Tennessee vehicle title showing Tennessee address (you cannot use either title or vehicle registration but not both as proofs).
4. Mortgage papers – such as the property deed or mortgage payment coupon/book
5. Copy of Lease Agreement or Contract with notarized signatures OR accompanied by signed realty agency letterhead confirming lease validity.
6. Voter registration card – NOT the application for voter registration.
7. Military LES papers listing Tennessee as home of record.
8. Current filed tax return - not tax return booklet.

NOTE: (E-filed returns must include the W2 form AND confirmation page and are acceptable only if dated within the last 12 months.)

PROOF OF RELATIONSHIP:

Domicile may also be established through proof of relationship to a spouse, parent/child, sibling, or grandparent.

1. The spouse, parent/child, sibling, or grandparent of a CDL applicant needing to use a relative's address and domicile documents MUST hold a valid Tennessee driver license or identification license.
2. The HAZMAT applicant will be required to present two (2) items with a Tennessee residential address from the list of acceptable domicile documents in the name of the immediate relative. This relative must be present at the time of application! This is required for all transfers from out of state and for class D upgrades.
3. HAZMAT applicants using items in the name of one of these immediate relatives as proof of domicile must also provide proof of the relationship such as:
   • Spouse = marriage certificate
   • Parent/Child = Birth Certificate
   • Sibling = both the applicant’s AND the sibling’s birth certificates in order to verify they share at least one common parent.
   • Grandparent = applicant's birth certificate AND birth certificate of the applicant's parent.
     (This is necessary to show that the grandparent is the mother/father of the applicant’s parent)

Unacceptable documents:

1. Bank statements
2. Cell phone bills
3. Credit card statements
4. Utility connection or deposit receipt
5. Employer letters
6. Extended stay hotel receipts
7. Magazine subscriptions or junk mail
8. Personal or business postmarked mail
9. Prescription bottles
10. USCIS identity documents (i.e. I-551, I-766, Visas, etc.)
11. Hunting, fishing or boating licenses
12. Letters from a public or private school or educational institution

If you have decided not to complete the process to keep the hazardous material endorsement, you must go to the nearest driver service center and have the Hazardous Materials Endorsement (HME) removed from your CDL license within 90 days of application.If this action is not completed within the 90 days of your renewal, your CDL license will be placed in the process for cancellation.

Certification and/or disclosure of the following is also required at the time of application:

• The applicant has not been convicted or found guilty by reason of insanity of any of the interim disqualifying crimes in any jurisdiction, civilian or military, during the seven years before the date of application.
• The applicant has not been released from incarceration in any jurisdiction, civilian or military, for committing any interim disqualifying crime during the five years before the date of application.
• The applicant has not been convicted or found not guilty by reason of insanity of any permanently disqualifying crime.
• The applicant is not wanted or under indictment in any jurisdiction, civilian or military, for a disqualifying crime.
• The applicant has not been adjudicated as lacking mental capacity or committed to a mental institution involuntarily.
• The applicant is either a United States citizen who has not renounced United States citizenship, or a lawful permanent resident of the United States , or meets eligibility requirements for immigration status.
• Disclosure of the applicant's military service and date of discharge.

Permanently Disqualifying Criminal Offenses

An applicant has a permanent disqualifying offense if convicted or found not guilty by reason of insanity in a civilian or military jurisdiction of any of the following felonies:

1. Espionage
2. Sedition
3. Treason
4. A crime listed in 18 U.S.C Chapter 113B-Terrorism, or a State law that is comparable.
5. A crime involving a transportation security incident
6. Improper transportation of a hazardous material under 49 U.S.C. 5124 or a State law that is comparable
7. Unlawful possession, use, sale, distribution, manufacture, purchase, receipt, transfer, shipping, transporting, import, export, storage of, or dealing in an explosive or explosive device
8. Murder
9. Violations of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, 18 U.S.C. 1961, et seq., or a State law that is comparable, where one of the predicate acts found by a jury or admitted by the defendant, consists of one of the offenses listed in 4 or 8 of this section.
10. Conspiracy or attempt to commit any of the crimes listed above.

Interim Disqualifying Criminal Offenses

An applicant has an interim disqualifying offense if convicted or found not guilty by reason of insanity in a civilian or military jurisdiction, of any of the crimes below within the seven years preceding the date of application; or if the applicant was released from incarceration for the crime within the five years preceding the application date:

1. Assault with intent to murder
2. Kidnapping or hostage taking
3. Rape or aggravated sexual abuse
4. Unlawful possession, use, sale, manufacture, purchase, distribution, receipt transfer, shipping, transporting, delivery, import, export of, or dealing in a firearm or other weapon
5. Extortion
6. Dishonesty, fraud, or misrepresentation, including identity fraud.
7. Bribery
8. Smuggling
9. Immigration violations
10. Violations of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, 18 U.S.C. 1961, et seq., or a violation of a comparable state law.
11. Robbery
12. Distribution of, possession with intent to distribute, or importation of a controlled substance
13. Arson
14. Conspiracy or attempt to commit the crimes in this section.

Under Want or Warrant

Applicants under want or indictment in any civilian or military jurisdiction for any permanent or interim disqualifying felony listed above are disqualified until the want or warrant is released.

Detailed information regarding the Act, including the waiver and appeal process, is available on the TSA website at http://www.tsa.gov/what_we_do/layers/hazmat/index.shtm. Additional information on registering to be fingerprinted can be obtained online at http://www.tennessee.cogentid.com.

For additional questions or assistance please call the Tennessee Dept. of Safety CDL HAZMAT Office at (615) 251-5290.

The Commercial Driver License Manual is available online to download or is available for pick up at Driver Services Centers statewide.