PPP-65 DOT Rules of the Road - Purdue Pesticide Programs ...

The Transportation Security Administration requires commercial drivers with
HAZMAT endorsements to undergo checks that include reviews of criminal,
immigration, and FBI records, including fingerprints. Applicants with either a
military or civilian conviction for certain violent felonies over the preceding
seven years are ineligible to obtain or renew a HAZMAT endorsement.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration prevents states from issuing,
renewing, transferring, or upgrading a CDL that carries a HAZMAT endorse-
ment, without the Transportation Security Administration first conducting a
background check on the driver. Background checks must be conducted ev-
ery five years as part of the HAZMAT renewal cycle. New drivers who need
HAZMAT endorsements are fingerprinted and felony background checks
conducted. Drivers who already hold HAZMAT endorsements will at some
point have to be fingerprinted and undergo background checks. Drivers who
do not pass the background check may still hold a CDL—but without the
HAZMAT endorsement.
Restrictions on the CDL
The air brake test is not an endorsement: it is a restriction (L) on the CDL.
The L restriction is placed on the CDL if an air brake test is not taken or if
the driving test is passed using a vehicle without air brakes. Lastly, a written
air brake test is not required for drivers of all types of commercial motor ve-
hicles with air brakes; only drivers of classified CDL vehicles with air brakes
are required to pass a written brake test.
Restricted Agricultural CDL
Indiana and many other states issue Restricted Agricultural Commercial
Driver Licenses (AgCDLs) requiring drivers to pass an examination to
drive a Class B vehicle for farm-related retail operations, subject to certain
restrictions:
• The AgCDL may be issued only to custom harvesters, farm retailers and
suppliers, agrichemical business personnel, and livestock feeders—not
to farmers.
- 37 -
Driver