Limitations on the Issuance of Commercial Driver's Licenses with a Hazardous Materials Endorsement

The FMCSA amends the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) to prohibit States from issuing, renewing, transferring or upgrading a commercial driver's license (CDL) with a hazardous materials endorsement unless the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has first conducted a background records check of the applicant and determined that the applicant does not pose a security risk warranting denial of the hazardous materials endorsement. This interim final rule implements part of the requirements of section 1012 of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (USA PATRIOT Act) and certain provisions of the statutes dealing with explosives. The remaining requirements of section 1012 are implemented by a TSA interim final rule published elsewhere in today's issue of the Federal Register.