The Florida Hazmat Process — Step by Step
Florida moves serious hazmat freight. The Port of Miami, Port Tampa Bay, Port Everglades and JAXPORT all rely on hazmat-endorsed drivers, and fuel runs along I-95, I-75 and the Turnpike keep demand high year-round.
Florida's process is genuinely different from most states, and the difference works in your favour if you know about it.
2
Complete Form HSMV 71906 before you go
Download the hazmat application from the FLHSMV website and fill it in — but don't sign it. The signature happens at the office. Bringing it completed saves you time at the counter.
3
One visit: fingerprints, application and test
Florida handles fingerprinting at a Driver License office or Tax Collector office — not IdentoGO. Application, prints and the 30-question test all happen at the same appointment. The $91 fee is paid there.
4
You leave with a CDL — without the endorsement yet
Florida issues a Commercial Driver License without the hazmat endorsement the same day. Your prints go to TSA, which takes 30–60 days. You can't haul hazmat during that window.
5
FLHSMV mails your new CDL
Once TSA approves, a new CDL carrying the hazmat (H) endorsement arrives by post. Valid four years in Florida — not five.
The Florida-specific mistake
Don't book IdentoGO — Florida doesn't use it
Most states send you to IdentoGO for hazmat fingerprinting. Florida does not. Everything happens in one visit at a Driver License or Tax Collector office, and the $91 application fee covers the TSA background check.
The one thing to do first: call ahead. Not every office offers hazmat services, and turning up at the wrong one costs you a day.
Finish ELDT → download Form HSMV 71906 → call to confirm the office offers hazmat → one appointment for prints + test
The Florida DHSMV Hazmat Test
30Total Questions
24Needed to Pass
80%Passing Score
4yrRenewal Cycle
The test covers federal hazmat regulations, materials identification, placarding rules and thresholds, shipping papers, the segregation table, loading and unloading, emergency response and transportation security. All questions come from the Hazardous Materials chapter of the Florida CDL Handbook.
The question drivers miss most is placarding. Table 1 materials need placards at
any quantity; Table 2 materials only at 1,001 pounds or more gross weight. Our
hazmat practice test drills it across 100 questions including a full 30-question exam simulation — or
bundled with ELDT for $30, saving $5. Worth it here, because in Florida you only get one visit.
See what's on the test →
Florida renews every 4 years, not 5. That's a year sooner than most drivers expect. You may renew up to one year early — begin the background check at least 30 days before expiry or you lose the endorsement while TSA processes.
Must be 21+ and a US citizen or lawful permanent resident to apply for a Florida hazmat endorsement.
What It Costs in Florida
| Item |
Cost |
Paid to |
| DLA Academy hazmat ELDT |
$20 |
DLA Academy |
| FLHSMV background check application |
$91 |
FLHSMV |
| Standard CDL issuance fee |
~$75 |
FLHSMV |
| Total |
~$186 |
— |
FLHSMV fees are paid to the state, not to us. Confirm current amounts before you go. Cost breakdown by state →
No separate IdentoGO fee in Florida. The $91 application fee covers the state's coordination of your TSA background check. Other states charge $85.25 to IdentoGO on top of state fees — Florida bundles it.
Florida Hazmat ELDT — $20 Flat
FMCSA-registered · Accepted at Florida DHSMV · Submitted to the registry in 24 hrs · Under 2 hours
FMCSA-Registered 4.9 Stars · 390+ Reviews 6,500+ Trained 49 States
Hauling Fuel in Florida? You Need the X
If you're running fuel out of Port Tampa Bay, Port Everglades or JAXPORT, hazmat alone isn't enough. Tank vehicles need the tanker (N) endorsement too — and holding both shows as the X endorsement.
Tanker requires no ELDT and no background check. The federal rule covers Class A, Class B, the B-to-A upgrade, and Hazmat, Passenger and School Bus only. Tanker is a 20-question knowledge test and nothing more — so you can go and get it
while your hazmat TSA check is still processing. In Florida that matters, because you're waiting 30–60 days for a licence in the post.
Tanker practice test — $15 →
What Florida Hazmat ELDT Covers
- Hazardous materials regulations and classification
- Placarding thresholds, marking and labelling
- Loading, unloading and cargo segregation
- Emergency response procedures and the ERG
- Driver responsibilities under FMCSA hazmat rules
- Hours of service for hazmat loads
- Pre-trip inspection for hazmat vehicles
- Every topic required by Appendix A to Part 380
Already hold a Florida CDL? You still need hazmat ELDT if you're adding the endorsement for the first time — regardless of when you got your licence or how long you've been driving. The February 7, 2022 exemption applies to licence classes, not endorsements.
Full explanation →
Getting Your Class A Too?
First-time Class A applicants adding hazmat need both courses. Fuel Hauler CDL A covers Class A ELDT, hazmat ELDT and tanker practice questions in one purchase.
CDL A ELDT Hazmat ELDT Tanker Prep
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need ELDT to get my hazmat endorsement in Florida?+
Yes. Federal law requires all CDL drivers adding a hazmat endorsement for the first time to complete ELDT from an FMCSA-registered provider before the DHSMV knowledge test. FLHSMV verifies your completion through the FMCSA registry before allowing you to test.
How is Florida hazmat fingerprinting different?+
Florida doesn't use IdentoGO. Fingerprinting happens at a Driver License or Tax Collector office at the same visit where you submit your application and take the knowledge test. The $91 fee covers the TSA background check. Not every office offers hazmat services — call ahead.
What form do I need?+
Form HSMV 71906, downloadable from the FLHSMV website. Fill it in before your appointment but leave the signature until you're at the office.
How many questions are on the Florida hazmat test?+
Thirty multiple choice questions. You need 24 correct — 80% — to pass. All questions come from the Hazardous Materials chapter of the Florida CDL Handbook.
How much does a Florida hazmat endorsement cost?+
Around $186: $20 for DLA Academy ELDT, the $91 FLHSMV background check application fee which covers TSA processing, and the standard CDL issuance fee. No separate IdentoGO fee.
How long is a Florida hazmat endorsement valid?+
Four years — shorter than the five-year cycle most states use. You may renew up to one year early. Begin the renewal background check at least 30 days before expiry to avoid losing the endorsement.
How long does it take?+
Six to ten weeks. ELDT is under 2 hours. Fingerprinting and the test happen at one visit, then TSA takes 30 to 60 days. Florida issues a temporary CDL without the endorsement immediately.
Full timeline →
Do I need tanker with my hazmat?+
If you haul hazmat in a tank vehicle, yes — and together they show as the X endorsement, which most Florida fuel work requires. Tanker requires no ELDT, so you can take that test while waiting on TSA.
Hazmat & Tanker Complete — $45 →
What's the minimum age?+
21 to transport hazardous materials in interstate commerce. You must also be a US citizen or lawful permanent resident.
Does Florida DHSMV accept DLA Academy ELDT?+
Yes. DLA Academy is listed on the FMCSA Training Provider Registry and FLHSMV verifies completion directly through it. Verify us at
tpr.fmcsa.dot.gov before you enrol.
Courses & Bundles
Running a Florida fleet? Port drayage out of Miami, Tampa and Jacksonville, fuel distribution, Central Florida ag chemicals — if your drivers move placarded loads they all need hazmat ELDT. Fleet accounts start at $25 a seat with same-day registry submission included, and we invoice companies, municipalities and school districts directly.
See fleet accounts →
Know other Florida drivers going for their hazmat? Share your link and earn 25% on every course they buy. Free to join, paid weekly.
Join the affiliate program →
Florida & Hazmat Resources
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