The Texas Hazmat Process — Step by Step
Texas has more hazmat-endorsed CDL drivers than any other state. The Permian Basin, the Eagle Ford shale, the Houston Ship Channel petrochemical complex and freight corridors along I-10, I-35 and I-45 keep demand high year-round.
Texas is also an agent state, and that changes the order you do things in. Get it wrong and you add weeks.
2
Apply at Texas DPS and take the knowledge test
Bring your CDL, citizenship documents and DOT medical card to a DPS Driver License office. Complete Form CDL-6, pay the $11 fee, and sit the 30-question test. DPS CDL line: (512) 424-2600.
3
Get your IdentoGO service code from DPS
This is the Texas-specific step. You cannot book fingerprinting until DPS issues the service code — it comes with your application, not from TSA's website.
4
Book IdentoGO the same day you leave DPS
Schedule at uenroll.identogo.com or call 888-467-2080. The appointment takes about 20 minutes; TSA processing then runs 30–60 days.
5
TSA processes your Security Threat Assessment
30 to 60 days. TSA notifies DPS directly — nothing for you to chase in the meantime.
6
Texas DPS issues your hazmat endorsement
Passed test plus TSA clearance, and the H endorsement goes on your Texas CDL. Valid five years or until your CDL expires, whichever comes first.
Green steps overlap — the knowledge test doesn't wait on TSA.
The Texas-specific mistake
You can't start TSA before you visit DPS
In most states you pre-enrol with TSA online whenever you like. Not in Texas. DPS issues the IdentoGO service code as part of your application, so the 30–60 day TSA clock cannot start until you have been to a DPS office.
That makes step 2 the real bottleneck, not step 4. Book your DPS visit the moment your ELDT shows in the registry, then book IdentoGO the same day you walk out.
Finish ELDT → visit DPS → get service code → book IdentoGO same day → TSA runs 30–60 days
Worth one phone call. Not every DPS office handles CDL services. Confirm your nearest CDL-capable location at
(512) 424-2600 before you drive there.
Full national timeline →
The Texas DPS Hazmat Test
30Total Questions
24Needed to Pass
80%Passing Score
$11DPS Test Fee
The test covers federal hazmat regulations, materials identification, placarding rules and thresholds, the Hazardous Materials Table, shipping papers, the segregation table, and emergency response. All questions come from Section 9 of the Texas Commercial Motor Vehicle Drivers Handbook.
Texas-only renewal rule: Texas requires an annual HME knowledge exam. Fail it three times in a renewal cycle and that triggers a new TSA threat assessment before the five-year mark.
What It Costs in Texas
| Item |
Cost |
Paid to |
| DLA Academy hazmat ELDT |
$20 |
DLA Academy |
| DPS hazmat knowledge test fee |
$11 |
Texas DPS |
| CDL with H endorsement (5 years) |
$61 |
Texas DPS |
| TSA fingerprinting via IdentoGO |
$85.25 |
TSA / IdentoGO |
| Total |
~$177 |
— |
DPS and TSA fees are paid to those agencies, not to us. Confirm current amounts before you go. Cost breakdown by state →
Hold a TWIC card? Common around the Houston Ship Channel and the Port of Corpus Christi. You may qualify for a reduced TSA rate of roughly $41 instead of $85.25 — a saving of over $44.
Texas Hazmat ELDT — $20 Flat
FMCSA-registered · Accepted at Texas DPS · Submitted to the registry in 24 hrs · Under 2 hours
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Hauling Crude, Fuel or Chemicals? You Need the X
If you're running the Permian Basin, the Eagle Ford, or the Houston Ship Channel, hazmat alone isn't enough. Tank work needs 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. One endorsement in hand instead of none.
Tanker practice test — $15 →
What Texas 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 Texas 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 →
Must be 21+ to transport hazardous materials in interstate commerce, which covers virtually all hazmat work. Federal requirement, not a Texas rule.
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 Texas?+
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 Texas DPS knowledge test — regardless of how long you've held your CDL.
How many questions are on the Texas hazmat test?+
Thirty multiple choice questions. You need 24 correct — 80% — to pass. All questions come from Section 9 of the Texas Commercial Motor Vehicle Drivers Handbook.
How much does a Texas hazmat endorsement cost?+
Around $177: $20 for DLA Academy ELDT, $11 for the DPS knowledge test, $61 for the CDL with the H endorsement, and $85.25 for IdentoGO fingerprinting. A valid TWIC card may reduce the TSA fee to roughly $41.
Why is Texas an agent state for hazmat fingerprinting?+
Texas coordinates TSA enrolment through DPS rather than TSA's online portal. You must complete the DPS application and pay the test fee at a DPS office before you receive the service code needed to book IdentoGO. Getting this order wrong is the most common Texas-specific delay.
Can I take the DPS test before TSA clears me?+
Yes. The knowledge test and the TSA check run independently once your ELDT is in the registry. Running them in parallel is what keeps this near six weeks instead of four months.
How long does it take?+
Six to ten weeks. ELDT is under 2 hours; the TSA check is 30 to 60 days. Because Texas is an agent state, visit DPS as soon as your ELDT is in the registry.
Full timeline →
What's the minimum age?+
21 to transport hazardous materials in interstate commerce, which covers virtually all hazmat work. Federal requirement, not a Texas rule.
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 Permian, Eagle Ford and Ship Channel work requires. Tanker needs no ELDT, so you can take that test while your hazmat TSA check runs.
Hazmat & Tanker Complete — $45 →
Does Texas DPS accept DLA Academy ELDT?+
Yes. DLA Academy is listed on the FMCSA Training Provider Registry and DPS verifies completion directly through it. Verify us at
tpr.fmcsa.dot.gov before you enrol.
How long is it valid?+
Five years, or until your CDL expires, whichever comes first. Renewal needs a new TSA check but not a new ELDT course. Start 60 to 90 days early. Note Texas also requires an annual HME knowledge exam.
Courses & Bundles
Running a Texas fleet? Permian Basin operators, Ship Channel terminals, Dallas and San Antonio distribution — 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 Texas drivers going for their hazmat? Share your link and earn 25% on every course they buy. Free to join, paid weekly.
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Texas & Hazmat Resources
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