Louisiana Hazmat Endorsement ELDT Requirements 2026
FMCSA-registered hazardous materials CDL training accepted at Louisiana OMV. $20, under 2 hours, submitted to the federal registry within 24 hours.
Adding a hazmat endorsement to your Louisiana CDL? Louisiana requires all first-time applicants to complete FMCSA-registered ELDT before the OMV knowledge test. DLA Academy's hazardous materials CDL training is accepted at Louisiana OMV and costs $20 — the lowest price available. Under 2 hours, submitted to the FMCSA registry within 24 hours. Total cost in Louisiana: around $159. Full breakdown →
The Louisiana Hazmat Process — Step by Step
Louisiana is one of the most demanding hazmat states in the country. The Port of South Louisiana and Port of New Orleans move enormous volume, and the Mississippi River petrochemical corridor between Baton Rouge and New Orleans runs constant placarded loads. ExxonMobil, Dow, Shell and Sasol all rely on hazmat-endorsed drivers daily.
Here's the full process, in the order that gets you endorsed fastest.
DLA Academy's FMCSA-registered hazmat course, under 2 hours on any device. Submitted to the FMCSA registry within 24 hours — or the same business day with the $15 same-day upgrade.
Visit identogo.com and select TSA HAZMAT enrolment, or call 855-347-8371. Do this the day you finish ELDT — it starts the longest clock in the process.
Once your ELDT shows in the registry, visit a Louisiana OMV office. 30 questions, 24 correct to pass, available in English, French and Spanish. OMV: (225) 925-6146 or expresslane.org.
30 to 60 days. TSA notifies Louisiana OMV directly when you clear — nothing for you to chase.
Passed test plus TSA clearance, and the H endorsement goes on your Louisiana CDL. Total: 6–10 weeks from ELDT to endorsement in hand.
Book fingerprinting the same day you finish ELDT
The TSA background check runs completely independently of your OMV test, and it's the only slow part at 30–60 days. Book IdentoGO the moment you finish ELDT, then take your OMV test while TSA processes.
Do it the other way round — test first, fingerprints later — and you've added two months for nothing.
The Louisiana OMV Hazmat Test
The test covers federal hazmat regulations, materials identification, placarding rules and thresholds, the Hazardous Materials Table, shipping papers, the segregation table, and emergency response. Questions come from the Louisiana Commercial Driver License Manual.
What It Costs in Louisiana
| Item | Cost | Paid to |
|---|---|---|
| DLA Academy hazmat ELDT | $20 | DLA Academy |
| OMV knowledge test | ~$32 | Louisiana OMV |
| OMV endorsement add-on | ~$22 | Louisiana OMV |
| TSA fingerprinting via IdentoGO | $85.25 | TSA / IdentoGO |
| Total | ~$159 | — |
OMV and TSA fees are paid to those agencies, not to us. Confirm current amounts before you go. Cost breakdown by state →
Louisiana Hazmat ELDT — $20 Flat
FMCSA-registered · Accepted at Louisiana OMV · Submitted to the registry in 24 hrs · Under 2 hours
Louisiana Petrochemical Work? You Almost Certainly Need the X
This matters more in Louisiana than almost anywhere. If you're running the Mississippi River corridor between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, hauling out of Lake Charles, or working refinery and plant gates, the loads are in tanks. Tank vehicles need the tanker (N) endorsement too — and holding both shows as the X endorsement.
Employers around here don't ask for hazmat. They ask for your X.
What Louisiana 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
Getting Your Class A Too?
First-time Class A applicants heading into Louisiana tank work need Class A, hazmat and tanker. Fuel Hauler CDL A covers all three in one purchase.