How to Get a CDL Hazmat Endorsement in Minnesota

To get a CDL hazmat endorsement in Minnesota, you need to already hold a valid Class A, B, or C commercial driver’s license, complete federally required entry-level hazmat training, pass a TSA security threat assessment that includes fingerprinting, and then pass the hazmat knowledge test at a Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS) exam station. Plan on six to ten weeks start to finish. The TSA background check is the long pole, so start there.

Who Can Apply

You must already have a Minnesota Class A, B, or C CDL. A standard Class D license or a commercial learner’s permit alone will not qualify you, and Minnesota DVS will not issue, renew, or transfer the H endorsement until TSA has cleared you.¹

Federal law requires drivers to be at least 21 to operate a commercial vehicle in interstate commerce.² Minnesota permits drivers as young as 18 to hold a CDL for intrastate work, but most hazmat loads cross state lines, so 21 is the practical floor.³

On immigration status, federal rules at 49 CFR 1572.105 allow U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, refugees, individuals granted asylum, and certain nonimmigrant visa holders with work authorization to apply.⁴ You will provide proof of your status as part of the TSA application. If you hold a visa, confirm your category with TSA before paying the fee.

Step 1: Start the TSA Security Threat Assessment

Every applicant, new or renewing, must pass a TSA security threat assessment, and this is the step that controls your timeline.⁵ Apply online through TSA Enrollment by IDEMIA or by calling 855-347-8371. You will supply your name, date of birth, place of birth, immigration status, and current employer if your job requires the endorsement.⁶

The fee is $85.25, or $41 if you already hold a valid TWIC card and Minnesota recognizes the comparability.⁷ It is nonrefundable.

After submitting the application, book a fingerprinting appointment at an IDEMIA enrollment center. Bring two forms of acceptable ID; TSA’s website lists the approved documents, which include a current U.S. passport or a combination such as a driver’s license and birth certificate.⁸ A driver’s license paired with a medical examiner’s certificate is no longer accepted for this purpose.¹

TSA runs your fingerprints and personal data against FBI criminal history records, immigration databases, and terrorism watch lists. Processing usually takes 30 to 60 days, sometimes as fast as three weeks. TSA notifies Minnesota DVS directly when you clear; no letter comes to you. TSA recommends applying at least 60 days before you need the endorsement.⁸

Convictions That Will Block You

Before you pay the fee, know what disqualifies you. Certain felonies permanently bar the endorsement no matter how long ago they occurred: espionage, treason, sedition, terrorism offenses, murder, improper transportation of hazardous materials, and crimes involving explosives, along with any conspiracy or attempt to commit them.⁹

A second group disqualifies you if you were convicted within seven years of your application or released from incarceration within five years: arson, robbery, kidnapping, aggravated assault, firearms offenses, extortion, fraud, bribery, smuggling, distribution of controlled substances, and immigration violations.⁹ Once enough time passes, these no longer block the application.

TSA can also deny based on other factors, including extensive criminal history, foreign convictions, imprisonment exceeding 365 consecutive days, or mental health adjudications such as involuntary commitment.¹⁰ An outstanding warrant or pending indictment for any listed offense disqualifies you until it is resolved. If you are denied, TSA has an appeal process.

Step 2: Complete Entry-Level Driver Training

If this is your first time adding the H endorsement, you must complete Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) before Minnesota DVS will let you sit for the knowledge test. The requirement has been in effect since February 7, 2022.¹¹ It is theory training only; there is no behind-the-wheel component.

Pick a provider from the FMCSA Training Provider Registry, searching for “Hazardous Materials” under the “Theory” training type. Online courses are available.¹² Your provider must submit your completion to the registry within two business days. Minnesota DVS checks the registry before letting you test, so wait until your completion posts before scheduling the exam.

Drivers who held the H endorsement before February 7, 2022, are exempt from ELDT at renewal. The rule is not retroactive.

Step 3: Pass the Knowledge Test at a Minnesota DVS Exam Station

Once TSA has cleared you and your ELDT certification is in the FMCSA registry (if required), schedule the hazmat knowledge exam at a Minnesota DVS exam station. The multiple-choice test covers hazmat classification, placarding and labeling, loading and unloading procedures, cargo manifest documentation, and emergency response.¹³

Expect roughly 30 questions, with 80 percent correct to pass. The Minnesota CDL manual, free from the DVS website, dedicates a full chapter to hazardous materials and covers everything on the exam. Study it carefully. The fee is $2.50 per attempt, and you pay again every time you retake it.¹⁴

Step 4: Finalize the Endorsement at Minnesota DVS

After you pass, finalize the endorsement at a full-service Minnesota DVS exam station or driver’s license renewal office.¹ You also need a current Medical Examiner’s Certificate (the DOT medical card) on file. That is a general CDL requirement, not something specific to hazmat. A DOT physical typically runs $65 to $75 and must be done by a provider on the FMCSA’s National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners. Vision, hearing, and blood pressure standards apply.

DVS issues a temporary paper permit once your paperwork processes, so you can work while the card is produced. The updated CDL with the H printed on it arrives by mail, usually within seven to ten business days.

What It Will Cost

TSA threat assessment: $85.25, or $41 with a valid TWIC card⁷
ELDT course: varies by provider; online options available through the FMCSA registry
Minnesota DVS knowledge test: $2.50 per attempt¹⁴
DOT physical: roughly $65 to $75 if you do not already hold a current medical card

The TSA fee is the big-ticket item. Minnesota’s state-level charges are modest.

Renewing the Endorsement

Your TSA clearance is valid for five years.⁸ At renewal you repeat the fingerprinting and background check, pay the $85.25 fee again, and retake the hazmat knowledge test. TSA recommends starting at least 60 days before your endorsement expires.

Drivers renewing an active endorsement are generally exempt from repeating ELDT, but if your endorsement has lapsed for an extended period, Minnesota may require the training again before you can retest.¹¹ You also cannot haul placarded loads during any gap, which means lost income if hazmat is your main freight. Treat the renewal the way you treat your medical card: start early.

1
Minnesota Department of Transportation. Minnesota Truck Book Section 10 – Commercial Driver’s License
2
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. What Is the Age Requirement for Operating a CMV in Interstate Commerce
3
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. FAQs
4
eCFR. 49 CFR 1572.105 – Immigration Status
5
eCFR. 49 CFR Part 1572 – Credentialing and Security Threat Assessments
6
eCFR. 49 CFR 1572.9 – Applicant Information Required for HME Security Threat Assessment
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TSA Enrollment by IDEMIA. HAZMAT Endorsement (HME) Threat Assessment Program (HTAP)
8
Transportation Security Administration. HAZMAT Endorsement
9
eCFR. 49 CFR 1572.103 – Disqualifying Criminal Offenses
10
Transportation Security Administration. Disqualifying Offenses and Other Factors
11
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT)
12
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. FMCSA Training Provider Registry
13
eCFR. 49 CFR 383.93 – Endorsement Testing Requirements
14
Minnesota Department of Public Safety. Driver’s License and ID Card Fees