Pennsylvania Hazmat CDL Practice Test

This is a free 20-question practice test for the Hazmat portion of the Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Driver Licensing 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 Pennsylvania.

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's responsibilities for hazmat include:

Refusing to accept improperly marked, labeled, or leaking shipments; placarding the vehicle; following routes; carrying the shipping paper; responding to incidents
Only signing the bill of lading
Only delivering on time
Only refueling

Correct. The driver verifies the shipment, placards if required, carries the documentation, follows routes and parking rules, and handles incidents per training.

Question 3 of 20

The "Wetline" rule for cargo tanks of flammable liquid:

Limits the amount of flammable liquid that may be left in product piping during transit
Allows leaks
Bans tankers
Permits unlimited residue

Correct. Wetline regulations restrict residual flammable liquid in cargo-tank product piping during transportation, due to ignition risk if a piping line is breached.

Question 4 of 20

Class 1.1, 1.2, or 1.3 explosives must be parked:

Anywhere
In an attended location with a qualified person within 100 feet, awake and able to see the vehicle
At a school
At a gas station

Correct. Division 1.1, 1.2, and 1.3 explosives, and Division 2.3 or 6.1 PIH cargo, must have an attended-vehicle (qualified person within 100 feet, awake, able to see the vehicle).

Question 5 of 20

A vehicle that has been transporting hazmat may need to be:

Decontaminated and re-placarded as required after unloading
Painted
Sold
Inspected by USCG

Correct. After unloading, the vehicle may need decontamination depending on the cargo. Placards may need to be removed unless residue still requires them.

Question 6 of 20

When tarping hazmat cargo, you must:

Cover the placards
Leave placards visible at all times
Tarp only at night
Use only red tarps

Correct. Placards must remain visible. Tarps and decorations may not block them.

Question 7 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 8 of 20

Hazardous materials are products that:

Are heavier than normal cargo
Pose a risk to health, safety, or property during transportation
Can only be hauled at night
Require a special trailer color

Correct. Hazardous materials (hazmat) are products that pose a risk to health, safety, or property during transportation. Hazmat regulations are codified in 49 CFR.

Question 9 of 20

When you transport Division 1.1 or 1.2 explosives, you must have a written route plan:

No, never
Yes — required for these explosives
Only on weekends
Only across state lines

Correct. A written route plan is required for transporting Division 1.1 or 1.2 explosives. The driver must follow it unless there is an emergency.

Question 10 of 20

When transporting hazmat, you must check the cargo every:

Mile
100 miles
150 miles or 3 hours, plus changes of duty status
500 miles

Correct. Federal cargo securement: check at the start, then every 150 miles or 3 hours of driving, plus every change of duty status.

Question 11 of 20

The Hazardous Materials Table (HMT) lists:

Only flammable liquids
Each hazardous material with its proper shipping name, hazard class, ID number, packing group, and required label
Only items shipped by air
Only items shipped by truck

Correct. The HMT in 49 CFR §172.101 lists every hazardous material with its proper shipping name, hazard class, identification number, packing group, label requirements, and special provisions.

Question 12 of 20

Carrying a hazmat shipment without the required shipping paper:

Is allowed if you remember the cargo
Is a violation; the shipping paper must be present and accessible
Is allowed if you have a phone
Has no consequence

Correct. Operating without proper shipping papers is a regulatory violation and dangerous — emergency responders rely on the paper to identify materials.

Question 13 of 20

Who is responsible for proper hazmat packaging and labeling?

The shipper
The driver
The carrier
The consignee

Correct. The shipper packages, labels, and certifies the materials. The carrier and driver verify and refuse non-compliant shipments.

Question 14 of 20

Placards must be displayed on:

One side
Two sides
Three sides
All four sides of the vehicle

Correct. Placards are displayed on all four sides of the vehicle — front, back, and both sides.

Question 15 of 20

Drivers of hazmat vehicles must avoid which of the following routes when alternatives exist?

Tunnels, narrow streets, and densely populated areas
Interstates
Highways
Rural routes

Correct. Avoid populated areas, narrow streets, tunnels, and other places where an incident would maximize risk. Follow state-designated hazmat routes.

Question 16 of 20

Hazard Class 8 is:

Flammable solids
Corrosives
Radioactive
Gases

Correct. Class 8 is corrosive materials — sulfuric acid, sodium hydroxide, hydrochloric acid, etc.

Question 17 of 20

A driver of a hazmat-loaded vehicle must check the tires:

Once before the trip
At the start of the trip and every time the vehicle is parked
Only at fueling
Never

Correct. Hazmat drivers must check tires at the beginning and again each time the vehicle is parked. A flat or smoking tire must be addressed before continuing.

Question 18 of 20

Hazard Class 3 is:

Flammable liquids
Explosives
Toxic substances
Radioactive

Correct. Class 3 is flammable liquids — gasoline, diesel, ethanol, alcohols, etc.

Question 19 of 20

Hazard Class 1 is:

Flammable liquids
Explosives
Corrosives
Radioactive materials

Correct. Class 1 covers explosives, divided into divisions 1.1 through 1.6 by mass-explosion and projection hazard.

Question 20 of 20

When you stop at a railroad crossing in a placarded hazmat vehicle, you must stop:

On the tracks
Between 15 and 50 feet from the nearest rail
Anywhere
Only if a train is visible

Correct. Placarded hazmat vehicles must stop at every railroad crossing 15 to 50 feet from the nearest rail. Look and listen for trains.

About the Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Driver Licensing 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 Pennsylvania CDL practice tests.