If your company ships hazardous waste or hazardous materials in certain types and/or quantities, you are be required to register with the Department of Transportation (DOT) annually.

Who Needs to Be Registered With DOT?

DOT registrations are required for companies or individuals shipping the following items:

A quantity of hazardous material/waste that requires placarding.
A hazardous material (including hazardous wastes) in a bulk packaging having a capacity equal to or greater than 3,500 gallons for liquids or gases or more than 468 cubic feet for solids.
A shipment in other than a bulk packaging of 5,000 pounds gross weight or more of one class of hazardous materials (including hazardous wastes) for which placarding of a vehicle, rail car, or freight container is required for that class.
A highway route controlled quantity of a Class 7 (radioactive) material by highway, rail, air, or water.
More than 55 pounds of a Division 1.1, 1.2, or 1.3 (explosive) material by motor vehicle, rail car, or freight container.
More than 1 liter/1.06 quarts per package of a “material extremely toxic by inhalation.”

State and federal agencies, Indian tribes, farmers, and individual truck drivers are exempt from registration. Government contractors must register, as do any farmers who transport hazardous materials not used in farming or truck drivers who aren’t driving a truck already registered by a motor carrier.

How Do You Get Registered With the DOT?

DOT registrations are conducted online or you can fill out a form and mail it in. There will be a fee for registration. Registration fees are determined by your company’s size, that is, whether or not you are considered to be a small business by the U.S. Small Business Administration. You will need to know your company’s primary NAICS code. Once you determine your NAICS code, you’ll be able to determine if you meet the small business size standard. Fees can range from $275/year for a small business to $2,600 for a large business, with slight discounts for registering for up to 3 years at a time.

Your company cannot transport hazardous materials until registered. If your company has failed to register for any previous years, you will need to register for any missed years and pay for those as well.

What is Required for DOT Registration Recordkeeping?

Once registered, you’ll receive a Hazardous Materials Certificate of Registration. This will have your DOT registration number, year, date issued, and expiration date. Those who register online can choose to print out their certificate, or have one mailed. Copies of your registration forms and certificate must be kept on file for 3 years and may be asked for during an inspection. Any trucks, truck tractors, or vessels must have a copy of this certificate or another document with your current DOT registration number on it.

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