Before you start
Check your eligibility.
This guide is for Texas CDL holders applying for their first hazardous materials endorsement. Review DPS’s HME eligibility rules and the security-assessment requirements before enrolling.
DPS lists non-domiciled CDL holders, drivers certified under Section A of the intrastate form CDL-5, and holders of a Texas Limb Waiver as ineligible for an HME. The official application covers citizenship or immigration eligibility and other disqualifying conditions. DPS and TSA determine eligibility.
Complete HazMat ELDT
First-time H endorsement applicants
Complete HazMat-specific Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) before taking the DPS knowledge test. For the H endorsement, the required ELDT is theory only. Choose a provider listed on FMCSA’s Training Provider Registry.
- Find a provider offering Hazardous Materials (H) — theory. ELDT Nation is one online course option; you can compare providers in the registry.
- Complete the course and its assessment. Your provider must submit your completion to the registry.
- Check that the completion is recorded under your correct driver information before your DPS test.
Study and get your documents ready
Section 9 · Texas CDL handbook
Study Section 9: Hazardous Materials in the Texas Commercial Motor Vehicle Drivers Handbook. Review shipping papers, placards, loading and unloading, safe operation, and emergency procedures.
You can also use CLPStudy’s Texas practice questions. Practice questions supplement the official handbook; they do not replace ELDT or the DPS exam.
- Your current Texas CDL.
- CDL-1: CDL application (PDF) and CDL-6: HazMat application (PDF).
- Original proof of U.S. citizenship or permanent residence accepted by DPS, such as a qualifying passport, birth certificate, or permanent resident card. Check the full DPS document list.
- The medical certification and documentation required for your driving category.
Apply and take the test at DPS
Complete this before fingerprinting
Schedule a Texas DPS driver license appointment for the appropriate CDL service. Bring your documents, submit the HME application, and take the HazMat knowledge test after DPS verifies your required ELDT.
At the end of the HME application process, DPS provides the fingerprinting instructions and your IdentoGO service code. Keep that code for the next step.
Book your fingerprints with IdentoGO
Use the service code DPS gave you
Go to IdentoGO’s Texas enrollment site, enter your DPS-issued service code, and choose an available location and appointment. Use this HME enrollment process rather than a TSA PreCheck appointment.
- Search near Wichita Falls or in the Dallas–Fort Worth area after entering your code. The booking site shows locations that handle your specific service.
- Check the location, appointment instructions, and your personal details before confirming.
- Bring your Texas CDL. At the appointment, your photo and fingerprints are taken.
- Keep the tracking number you receive.
Locations and available services can change. Use the address in your booking confirmation before you travel.
Wait for clearance and your updated CDL
TSA review → DPS issuance
TSA reviews your security threat assessment. If approved, DPS mails an updated CDL to the address on your record. Make sure that address is current.
First-time applicants cannot use an H endorsement while clearance is pending. Wait until DPS issues the endorsement before transporting hazardous materials that require it.
If you have not received any communication from DPS within 10 days after fingerprinting, DPS directs applicants to TexasCDL@dps.texas.gov for a status inquiry. This is a follow-up point, not a promise of approval within 10 days.
If the application is denied, DPS sends information about appealing through TSA. The HME generally expires with your CDL or five years after TSA approval, whichever comes first; some applicants have additional renewal requirements.
A few things to know
HazMat questions, answered.
Can I get fingerprinted before going to DPS?
Not in the Texas HME process. Complete the HME application at the driver license office first. DPS provides the service code and fingerprinting instructions.
Do I need ELDT if I already have a CDL?
If you are adding H for the first time, you need HazMat-specific ELDT theory before the knowledge test. Having a Class A or B CDL does not by itself meet that requirement. If you previously held H, check your situation with DPS and the FMCSA registry.
Is another road test required for HazMat?
Adding H alone requires a knowledge test and the security assessment, rather than another driving skills test. HazMat ELDT has no behind-the-wheel component. A separate CDL upgrade or another endorsement may have different requirements. See FMCSA’s training requirements.
What is the difference between H and X?
H is the hazardous materials endorsement. X is the combined tank vehicle and hazardous materials endorsement. If your work requires both, confirm the tank vehicle requirements with DPS too. See the Texas endorsement codes.
How long does TSA clearance take?
Processing time varies. Plan ahead and keep your fingerprint tracking number. Completing the checklist or passing the knowledge test does not mean the endorsement has been issued.
Does this checklist cover HazMat renewal?
This guide is written for a first-time H applicant. Existing endorsement holders should follow DPS’s renewal and security-assessment instructions, including any fingerprint and expiration requirements that apply to them.
Go straight to the source.
Requirements reviewed October 19, 2026. Use current agency instructions for your individual application.
This is a planning guide, not an endorsement application or a training course. FastPass does not issue endorsements or decide TSA clearance. Third-party resources are provided for convenience; confirm their current offerings directly.