New York Hazmat CDL Practice Test

This is a free 20-question practice test for the Hazmat portion of the New York Commercial Driver's License knowledge exam. Questions are pulled from a pool of 68 drawn from the AAMVA CDL Manual, which is the source document the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles uses to write its actual exam.

How it works: Click an answer. The correct choice highlights in green, and you'll see a short explanation. Aim for 85% or better before you sit for the real test in New York.

Question 1 of 20

Placards are required when:

Any amount of a Table 1 material is loaded, or 1,001+ lbs total of any combination of Table 2 materials
Any cargo is loaded
Only flammables are loaded
Only at the driver's discretion

Correct. Table 1 materials always require placards (any amount). Table 2 materials require placards when 1,001 pounds or more of any combination is loaded.

Question 2 of 20

A driver hauling hazmat must immediately notify the carrier if:

Any incident occurs that involves spillage, fire, contamination, injury, evacuation, or substantial property damage
Only if there is property damage
Only if police arrive
Only if cargo arrives late

Correct. Any spill, fire, contamination, injury, evacuation, or substantial damage triggers immediate carrier notification. The carrier files required federal reports.

Question 3 of 20

You must not transport a vehicle that:

Has Class 1 explosives and is leaking, or any vehicle whose hazmat is leaking
Has fresh paint
Is over weight by 50 lbs
Is white

Correct. Never transport a leaking hazmat package. Secure the scene, notify authorities and the carrier, follow the carrier's instructions on disposition.

Question 4 of 20

A hazmat driver must complete which special training?

General awareness, function-specific, safety, security awareness, and in-depth security if a security plan is required
Forklift training
Basic first aid only
Defensive driving only

Correct. PHMSA requires general awareness, function-specific, safety, security awareness, and in-depth security training (when a security plan applies). Carriers document and re-train every three years.

Question 5 of 20

Placards must be at least how many inches on each side?

10.75 inches (273 mm)
5 inches
15 inches
20 inches

Correct. Placards are diamond-shaped, at least 250 mm (about 10.75 inches) on each side.

Question 6 of 20

When parking a placarded hazmat vehicle at a truck stop overnight, you should:

Park in a designated hazmat parking area, follow attendance rules for explosives, never block traffic
Park behind the fuel pumps
Park in the entrance
Park anywhere

Correct. Use designated hazmat parking. Explosives and certain other materials require attended parking; review the carrier's policy and federal rules.

Question 7 of 20

When in the cab with the engine running, the hazmat shipping paper must be:

In the trailer
Within the driver's reach — clipped on the driver's door clip or on the driver's seat
In the glove compartment
In the trunk

Correct. When in the seat with the engine running, keep shipping papers within reach (driver-side door clip or on the seat). When out of the vehicle, leave on the seat or in the door pouch.

Question 8 of 20

When you stop a hazmat-placarded vehicle at the side of the road, you must place reflective triangles:

Within 10 minutes of stopping
Immediately, but never use flares with Division 1.1, 1.2, 1.3 explosives, oxidizers, or flammable cargo
Only if dark
Only if other vehicles are present

Correct. Place warning devices within 10 minutes. Never use flares with explosives, flammable cargo, or oxidizers — use reflective triangles or red lanterns.

Question 9 of 20

The four-digit ID number on a placard or shipping paper is the:

UN/NA identification number for the material
The driver's permit number
The truck VIN
The DOT registration number

Correct. The four-digit number is the UN/NA ID — used with the ERG to find emergency response procedures.

Question 10 of 20

When a hazmat shipment crosses international borders:

Documentation may need to comply with both US and Canadian/Mexican regulations
No special documentation is needed
Only US regulations apply
Only foreign regulations apply

Correct. Cross-border hazmat may require documentation in compliance with both jurisdictions, plus customs paperwork.

Question 11 of 20

During loading of cargo tanks of flammable liquid, the driver must remain:

Alert, within 25 feet of the cargo tank, with a clear view, ready to handle emergencies
Far away
In the cab with the engine running
At lunch

Correct. Driver must stay within 25 feet of the cargo tank during loading or unloading of flammable liquid and remain ready to act in emergency.

Question 12 of 20

How many hazard classes are there?

Three
Five
Nine
Twelve

Correct. There are nine hazard classes: 1 explosives, 2 gases, 3 flammable liquids, 4 flammable solids, 5 oxidizers and organic peroxides, 6 toxic and infectious, 7 radioactive, 8 corrosive, 9 miscellaneous.

Question 13 of 20

Class 7 (Radioactive) materials require:

Special placards depending on the radiation level (I, II, or III), maintaining a Transport Index, and limits on aggregate radioactivity in a vehicle
No special handling
Only one placard
No documentation

Correct. Class 7 materials use Roman-numeral category labels (RADIOACTIVE I, II, III), placarded based on aggregate Transport Index, and have specific transport limits.

Question 14 of 20

You should never smoke or carry an open flame near hazmat that is:

Class 1 (explosives), Class 2.1 (flammable gas), Class 3 (flammable liquid), or oxidizers (Class 5.1)
Any class
Class 9
Class 6

Correct. Smoking or open flames are dangerous near explosives, flammable gases, flammable liquids, and oxidizers. The 25-foot rule applies during loading.

Question 15 of 20

When refueling a hazmat-loaded vehicle:

Leave the engine running
Turn off the engine, do not smoke, and someone must control the fueling process
Smoke if you are far enough away
It does not matter

Correct. Engine off, no smoking within 25 feet of the vehicle being fueled, and someone must be in control of the fueling at the nozzle.

Question 16 of 20

Electrical equipment in cargo areas of vehicles transporting Class 3 (flammable) liquids must be:

Disconnected
Spark-free or explosion-proof to prevent ignition
Painted red
Made of plastic

Correct. Wiring and electrical fittings in flammable-liquid loading areas must be designed to prevent ignition — spark-free, sealed, or explosion-proof.

Question 17 of 20

A driver is required to carry an ERG (or equivalent) when:

Driving any commercial vehicle
Transporting any quantity of hazardous materials
Only when hauling explosives
Only on weekends

Correct. Whenever hazmat is being transported, the driver must have access to current ERG information for the materials in question.

Question 18 of 20

Where can a hazmat-placarded vehicle never be parked?

On private property
Within 5 feet of the traveled portion of a roadway, except briefly for vehicle operation
Anywhere
At a truck stop

Correct. Never park within 5 feet of the traveled portion of a road. Avoid populated areas, near open fires, and near places where people congregate.

Question 19 of 20

A vehicle hauling explosives may not be parked within:

100 feet of an open fire, school, theater, or place where people gather
10 feet of any building
One block of a fire station
Any distance

Correct. Class 1 explosives have specific parking restrictions — at least 300 feet from open fires; never near schools, theaters, or places where people gather.

Question 20 of 20

When loading a vehicle with hazardous materials, you should:

Set the parking brake, chock the wheels, turn off the engine
Leave the engine running
Smoke if outside the cab
Skip the brake check

Correct. Set the parking brake, chock wheels of cargo tank vehicles, and shut off the engine before loading or unloading flammables.

About the New York Hazmat exam

Most states administer 30 Hazmat questions and require 80% to pass. The exam covers hazard classes, the shipping paper, placards and labels, loading and unloading, driving and parking rules, emergency response, and the Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG).

The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles follows the federal CDL standards established by FMCSA. To earn the Hazmat credential, you must answer at least 80% of the questions correctly. Many candidates score lower the first time because the test pulls from a large pool — refreshing this page will give you a different mix of questions, drawn from the same authoritative source.

Want more practice? Try the full Hazmat question bank or browse all New York CDL practice tests.