DOT Hazmat Placarding

Who must placard, and what is excepted

Both the person who offers hazmat for transportation and the person who transports it must follow the placarding rules.

The starting rule: each bulk packaging, freight container, unit load device, transport vehicle or rail car containing any quantity of hazmat must be placarded on each side and each end, unless an exception applies.

Not covered by the placarding subpart (for example)

• Infectious substances
• Limited quantities identified as such on the shipping paper or marked as such
• Hazmat packaged as small quantities under §§ 173.4, 173.4a or 173.4b
• Combustible liquids in non-bulk packagings

See § 172.500(b) for the full list of exclusions.

Reference: 49 CFR 172.500(a) · 49 CFR 172.500(b)(1) · 49 CFR 172.500(b)(2) · 49 CFR 172.500(b)(4) · 49 CFR 172.500(b)(5) · 49 CFR 172.504(a)

When you must NOT placard

Except as § 172.502(b) allows, no one may display a placard unless these are true:

• The material is a hazardous material
• The placard represents a hazard of that material
• The placarding conforms to Subpart F

You also may not display any sign, advertisement, slogan (such as "Drive Safely") or device that could be confused with a placard.

Permissive placarding: you may display placards for hazmat even when not required, as long as they conform to Subpart F.

Reference: 49 CFR 172.502(a)(1)(i) · 49 CFR 172.502(a)(1)(ii) · 49 CFR 172.502(a)(1)(iii) · 49 CFR 172.502(a)(2) · 49 CFR 172.502(c) · 49 CFR 172.502(a)

Table 1, Table 2 and the 454 kg exception

The 454 kg exception

For highway or rail, placards are not required on a transport vehicle or freight container with less than 454 kg (1001 pounds) aggregate gross weight of Table 2 materials.

This exception does not apply to:

• Bulk packagings
• Materials subject to § 172.505 (for example poison inhalation hazard materials)
• Any Table 1 material

Non-bulk packages containing only residue of a Table 2 material (other than § 172.505 materials) are left out of the count.

Reference: 49 CFR 172.504(a) · 49 CFR 172.504(e) Table 1 · 49 CFR 172.504(c) · 49 CFR 172.504(c)(1) · 49 CFR 172.504(d)(1) · 49 CFR 172.504(e) Table 1 footnote 1

Table 2 placards you will see most

Common Table 2 categories of material and their placard names.

Reference: 49 CFR 172.504(e) Table 2 · 49 CFR 172.500(b)(5) · 49 CFR 172.504(f)(9)

The DANGEROUS placard and subsidiary placards

DANGEROUS placard

A vehicle or container with non-bulk packages of two or more Table 2 categories may display DANGEROUS instead of each separate Table 2 placard.

The DANGEROUS option covers Table 2 categories. Table 1 placards are still applied as required.

Subsidiary hazard placards that are required

• Poison inhalation hazard materials: POISON INHALATION HAZARD or POISON GAS placard on each side and each end, in addition to the other placards for that material.
• Materials with a dangerous when wet subsidiary hazard: DANGEROUS WHEN WET placards on each side and each end, in addition to the others.
• Uranium hexafluoride (non-fissile, fissile-excepted or fissile), 454 kg (1,001 pounds) or more gross weight: CORROSIVE and POISON placards on each side and each end, in addition to any RADIOACTIVE placard required.

Other subsidiary placards are allowed even when not required.

Two exceptions you will meet

• CLASS 9 placards are not required for domestic transportation (a bulk packaging still needs its identification number displayed).
• A FLAMMABLE placard may be used in place of COMBUSTIBLE on a cargo tank or portable tank.

See § 172.504(f) for all additional exceptions.

Reference: 49 CFR 172.504(b) · 49 CFR 172.505(a) · 49 CFR 172.505(c) · 49 CFR 172.505(d) · 49 CFR 172.504(f)(9) · 49 CFR 172.504(f)(2)(i) · 49 CFR 172.505(b)

Who provides them, and how they must look

Who does what (highway)

• The shipper must provide the required placards to the motor carrier before or at the same time the material is offered, unless the vehicle is already correctly placarded.
• The motor carrier may not transport the hazmat unless the required placards are affixed.

Display checklist

• Clearly visible from the direction it faces (each side and each end), except from the direction of another vehicle it is coupled to
• Securely attached or in a holder
• Clear of ladders, pipes, doors and tarpaulins
• So far as practicable, located so that dirt or water from the wheels is not directed onto it
• At least 3 inches (76.0 mm) from other markings such as advertising
• Words or ID number reading horizontally, left to right
• Kept by the carrier free of damage, deterioration or dirt that substantially reduces it
• On a background of contrasting color, or with a dotted or solid outer border that contrasts with the background

Reference: 49 CFR 172.506(a) · 49 CFR 172.506(a)(1) · 49 CFR 172.516(a) · 49 CFR 172.516(c)(1) · 49 CFR 172.516(c)(2) · 49 CFR 172.516(c)(4) · 49 CFR 172.516(c)(5) · 49 CFR 172.516(c)(6) · 49 CFR 172.514(b) · 49 CFR 172.514(b)(1) · 49 CFR 172.516(c)(3) · 49 CFR 172.516(c)(7)

Walk around the trailer

Front

The front placard may be on the front of the truck-tractor instead of, or in addition to, the front of the cargo body.

Each side

Both sides need a placard, at least 3 inches from the logo or any other marking that could reduce its effectiveness.

Rear end

The rear needs a placard, located clear of doors, ladders, pipes and tarps so it stays visible.

Reading direction

The words on the placard read horizontally, left to right.

Reference: 49 CFR 172.504(a) · 49 CFR 172.516(b) · 49 CFR 172.516(c)(2) · 49 CFR 172.516(c)(4) · 49 CFR 172.516(c)(5)