How to Get a Hazmat Endorsement in Indiana: ELDT, TSA, and BMV Steps

To get a hazmat endorsement in Indiana, you need a valid Indiana CDL, a completed federal entry-level hazmat theory course, a passing score on the BMV’s hazmat knowledge test, and a cleared TSA security threat assessment. Plan on at least 60 days from start to finish, because the TSA background check is the slowest piece and can run past 45 days on its own.¹ Start the TSA step early, not last.

Confirm You’re Eligible Before You Spend Money

You must already hold a valid Indiana CDL. Federal rules set the age for interstate hazmat hauling at 21.² Indiana lets CDL holders aged 18 to 20 earn the endorsement for intrastate work only, meaning loads that stay inside Indiana.³

You also need a current Medical Examiner’s Certificate from a provider on FMCSA’s National Registry.⁴ Most CDL holders already have one; just confirm the date before you start.

Check Your Record Against TSA’s Disqualifying Offenses

This is the single biggest reason applications get denied, so look at it first. TSA keeps two tiers of disqualifying convictions.⁵

Permanent disqualifiers, with no time limit, include espionage, sedition, treason, federal crimes of terrorism or state equivalents, murder, improper transportation of hazardous materials, unlawful possession or use of explosives, certain RICO convictions, and any conspiracy or attempt to commit those offenses.

Interim disqualifiers apply if you were convicted within the last seven years or released from incarceration within the last five years. That tier includes certain firearms offenses, arson, robbery, kidnapping, extortion, fraud or identity theft, smuggling, immigration violations, distribution of controlled substances, and aggravated sexual abuse. TSA can also deny clearance for a watchlist match, extensive criminal history outside those lists, imprisonment of more than 365 consecutive days, or certain mental health adjudications that found the applicant a danger to self or others.

Complete the ELDT Hazmat Theory Course

First-time applicants have to finish a hazardous materials theory course through a provider on FMCSA’s Training Provider Registry before the BMV will let you test.⁶ Search the registry at tpr.fmcsa.dot.gov, filtering by Hazardous Materials and Theory.⁷ Online options are common and run around $70. The course covers classification, handling, loading, and emergency procedures.

Your provider reports completion to the registry electronically, and the BMV pulls it from there. If you held a hazmat endorsement before the ELDT rules took effect in February 2022 and you’re renewing, this course requirement doesn’t apply to you.

Pass the Indiana Hazmat Knowledge Test

The test is given at an Indiana BMV branch. It’s 30 multiple-choice questions covering hazmat identification, placarding, safe handling, and emergency response, and you need 80% (24 correct) to pass. Study the Hazardous Materials section of the Indiana Commercial Driver’s License Manual, which the BMV publishes online for free. The ELDT course material overlaps heavily with the test, so take that course first and the manual will feel like review.

You can retake the test after a short waiting period if you fail, but there’s a fee each time. Focus your study on the hazmat table, placarding by hazard class, and the steps for responding to leaks and spills.

Clear the TSA Security Threat Assessment

Every applicant has to clear a TSA background check. Start this at least 60 days before you need the endorsement.¹

Pre-enroll online through the TSA enrollment portal, then book an in-person appointment at an authorized enrollment center. Pre-enrollment isn’t required but speeds the appointment up.⁸ At the appointment you’ll give fingerprints and present originals of your identity and citizenship documents.

Documents can come from TSA’s List A as a single item (such as an unexpired U.S. passport, Permanent Resident Card, or unexpired NEXUS or Global Entry card) or from List B as a pair (one valid photo ID plus one proof of citizenship, such as your CDL with a U.S. birth certificate or Certificate of Naturalization).⁹ Names must match across every document; bring a marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order if your legal name has changed.

The fee is $85.25, due at the appointment, with credit cards preferred.¹ Some states offer a reduced $41 rate to TWIC holders, but Indiana is not currently on that list.

When TSA clears you, it sends a Determination of No Security Threat straight to the Indiana BMV.¹⁰ You don’t have to carry a letter in. The approval is good for five years.

Finalize the Endorsement at the BMV

Once you’ve passed the knowledge test and the BMV has your TSA clearance, visit a branch to add the endorsement. The BMV fee is $19.00.¹¹ Bring your current CDL, your Social Security card, proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful permanent residency, and two documents proving Indiana residency, such as a recent utility bill, bank statement, or pre-printed pay stub (bills must be dated within 60 days of your visit).¹² The hazmat endorsement is added to your license at that visit.

What It Costs All In

Budget roughly $170 or more:

TSA background check: $85.25
ELDT hazmat theory course: around $70, varies by provider
Indiana BMV endorsement fee: $19.00
DOT physical: $50 to $200 or more, if you don’t already have a current certificate

The TSA and BMV fees are fixed. Shop around on the course and physical. The DOT physical is a general CDL requirement, so you probably already have one on file.

Renewing or Moving to Indiana With a Hazmat Endorsement

Your TSA clearance expires after five years, and you repeat the threat assessment each time you renew your CDL with the endorsement.¹³ Start renewal at least 60 days before expiration to avoid a gap.¹

Transferring a hazmat-endorsed CDL from another state to Indiana means a new TSA threat assessment and the Indiana knowledge test. Indiana doesn’t honor another state’s clearance automatically, so give yourself the full 60 days before you need to be back on the road.¹³

1
Transportation Security Administration. HAZMAT Endorsement
2
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. What Is the Age Requirement for Operating a CMV in Interstate Commerce?
3
National Propane Gas Association. Indiana and Wyoming Reduce HME Driver Age
4
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. DOT Medical Exam and Commercial Motor Vehicle Certification
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Transportation Security Administration. Disqualifying Offenses and Other Factors
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Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Entry-Level Driver Training
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Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Find a Provider – Training Provider Registry
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TSA Enrollment by IDEMIA. Help Center
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Transportation Security Administration. TWIC and HAZMAT Endorsement Threat Assessment Program Required Identification Documentation
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Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. TSA Threat Assessment Extension Notice
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Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. BMV Fee Chart
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Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Real ID Overview
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Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Commercial Driver’s License Endorsements and Restrictions