Louisiana CDL Endorsements: Codes, Tests, and Fees

Louisiana CDL endorsements are the six code letters the Office of Motor Vehicles adds to a commercial license to authorize specific cargo or vehicle types: H for hazardous materials, N for tank vehicles, P for passenger vehicles, S for school buses, T for double trailers, and X for the combined tank-and-hazmat credential. Each one has its own knowledge test, and some require federally mandated training, a TSA background check, or a skills exam on top of that. The state licensing fee is $7.50 per endorsement, but the full cost runs higher once training and testing are included.

The Six Endorsement Codes

The endorsement you need depends on what you plan to haul or drive.

H (Hazardous Materials) is required any time your load requires placards under federal hazmat rules. Louisiana will only issue it after the Transportation Security Administration returns a “Determination of No Security Threat.”¹
N (Tank Vehicle) covers commercial vehicles carrying liquid or gas in tanks with an individual capacity over 119 gallons and a combined capacity of 1,000 gallons or more. Multiple smaller intermediate bulk containers on a flatbed can trigger the requirement once their combined capacity reaches 1,000 gallons.²
P (Passenger) is required for any commercial vehicle designed to carry 16 or more people, including the driver.³
S (School Bus) covers loading and unloading children, evacuation, and railroad crossing procedures. Louisiana can deny or cancel the endorsement for anyone disqualified under state school bus driver standards.¹
T (Double Trailers) authorizes pulling double trailer combinations. Louisiana law is explicit that this endorsement does not permit triple trailer operations anywhere in the state.¹
X (Combination Tank and Hazmat) rolls the N and H endorsements into a single credential. Fuel truck drivers hauling volatile liquids in bulk typically carry this rather than getting H and N separately.

Watch the L Restriction

Before adding any endorsement, check whether your license carries an L restriction. The L code is applied when a driver skips the air brake knowledge test or fails to demonstrate air brake proficiency on the skills test, and it bars operation of any vehicle equipped with air brakes.¹ Almost every Class A and Class B vehicle uses air brakes, so an L restriction makes most endorsements useless in practice even if you hold them.

What You Need Before You Test

Entry-Level Driver Training

Federal rules require Entry-Level Driver Training before you can test for the H, P, and S endorsements.⁴ Training must come from a provider listed on FMCSA’s Training Provider Registry, and the provider reports your completion electronically before the OMV will let you sit for the exam. H is theory only, covering classification, labeling, and emergency response. P and S include both theory and behind-the-wheel instruction because both involve a skills test. You need at least an 80 percent on the provider’s theory assessment to pass.⁵ The T and N endorsements do not require ELDT.

TSA Threat Assessment for Hazmat

The H and X endorsements require a TSA security threat assessment that includes fingerprinting and a criminal background review.⁶ You apply through a TSA enrollment center, not through the OMV. The fee is $85.25, or $41 if you already hold a valid Transportation Worker Identification Credential.⁷

Certain convictions are permanent disqualifiers: espionage, treason, terrorism offenses, murder, and crimes involving explosives or improper hazmat transportation. A second tier of felonies, including arson, robbery, and firearms violations, disqualifies applicants convicted within the past seven years or released from incarceration within the past five.⁸ If TSA issues a “Determination of a Threat,” the state must deny the endorsement.

Medical Card and Self-Certification

Every Louisiana CDL holder needs a current Medical Examiner’s Certificate (Form MCSA-5876) from a DOT-listed examiner on file.⁹ The OMV will not process an endorsement addition without one. Drivers must also submit a self-certification form declaring their category of commercial driving.¹⁰ If your self-certification form, physical exam form, and medical certificate aren’t all submitted together, the OMV will reject the file.

Knowledge and Skills Tests

Every endorsement requires a knowledge test taken on computer at an OMV office. P and S require a skills test on top of that; H, N, T, and X are written-exam only.¹¹ If you fail a knowledge test, Louisiana allows one retake the same day if the office has time.¹²

The skills test has three parts: a pre-trip vehicle inspection, a basic control maneuver, and an on-road drive with a state-certified examiner. You must test in the type of vehicle covered by the endorsement, so a P applicant needs access to a bus or passenger vehicle on test day. Your ELDT provider must have transmitted your completion record to the state before you can attempt any exam.⁴

Fees and Real Cost

Louisiana charges $7.50 per endorsement added to your license, payable in cash, by card, or by money order.¹³ That $7.50 is only the state licensing charge. The real out-of-pocket total includes:

The ELDT course fee, which varies by provider, for H, P, or S
The DOT physical, typically $85 to $225
The $85.25 TSA threat assessment for H or X ($41 with a valid TWIC)

Adding the Endorsement at the OMV

Not every OMV office handles CDL transactions. Schedule an appointment through the OMV’s online portal at a location that does before showing up.¹³ Bring your current medical card, proof of insurance on your personal vehicles, proof of Louisiana residency, and payment. If you’re adding or retaining H or X, you’ll need to pass the hazmat knowledge test at the office even if you previously held it.

When the OMV processes the addition, you surrender your existing CDL card. The office issues a temporary paper credential so you can operate under the new endorsement immediately while the permanent card is manufactured and mailed. The new codes appear on the front of the permanent license.

Renewing a Hazmat Endorsement

Federal rules cap the TSA threat assessment at five years, and the state must notify you at least 60 days before it expires that a new security review is required.⁸ Renewal means going through the fingerprinting and background check again and paying the assessment fee a second time. If the assessment lapses, you lose the endorsement and cannot transport placarded loads until a new one clears.

Penalties for Driving Without the Right Endorsement

Operating a commercial vehicle without the correct endorsement is a serious traffic violation under Louisiana law. Two serious violations within three years triggers a minimum 60-day CDL disqualification. Three or more in the same window costs at least 120 days.¹⁴ Speeding 15 mph or more over the limit and improper lane changes count toward the same tally, so a missing endorsement paired with one other traffic offense can shelve your license. A court can also impose fines up to $5,000 for operating a commercial vehicle without proper credentials.

1
Justia Law. Louisiana Revised Statutes Title 32 RS 32-408 – Examination of Applicants
2
eCFR. 49 CFR 383.5 – Definitions
3
Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles. Commercial Driver’s Licenses CDL
4
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Entry-Level Driver Training
5
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. ELDT Curricula Summary
6
Transportation Security Administration. HAZMAT Endorsement
7
TSA Enrollment by IDEMIA. HAZMAT Endorsement (HME) Threat Assessment Program (HTAP)
8
eCFR. 49 CFR Part 1572 – Credentialing and Security Threat Assessments
9
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Medical Examiner’s Certificate Form MCSA-5876
10
Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles. Medical Certification
11
eCFR. 49 CFR 383.93 – Endorsement Testing Requirements
12
Louisiana Department of Public Safety. Louisiana Department of Public Safety Office of Motor Vehicles CDL Policy
13
Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles. FAQs
14
Louisiana Commercial Driver’s License Manual. Louisiana Commercial Driver’s License Manual