Free CDL Practice Tests · All 50 States + DC · Updated 2026 Official handbooks · CDL pay & outlook
DE · H Endorsement

Delaware Hazardous Materials CDL Practice Test

Below are 25 exam-style questions for the Delaware Hazardous Materials CDL knowledge test, modeled on the FMCSA-aligned content used by the Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles. Try to answer each question on your own before reading the answer key directly under it. The questions and answer choices are shuffled deterministically per state and endorsement, so the order will stay the same on repeat visits — that lets you genuinely measure your improvement.

Heads up: this is a study tool, not a graded exam. Cover the answer with your hand or a sheet of paper for an honest practice run, then re-read the explanations for any questions you missed. Aim for 22 out of 25 or better, three times in a row, before scheduling the real exam.
Question 1 of 25
Hazmat shipping papers must list:
  • A A proper shipping name, hazard class, and identification number
  • B Only the price
  • C Only the shipper's name
  • D Driver's license number
Correct answer: A
The "Basic Description" is shipping name, hazard class, and ID number — and packing group when applicable.
Question 2 of 25
Drivers transporting hazardous materials must have:
  • A A Hazmat (H) endorsement on their CDL
  • B No special endorsement
  • C A separate license
  • D A medical card only
Correct answer: A
The H endorsement and a TSA security threat assessment are required for placarded hazmat.
Question 3 of 25
A driver must inspect hazmat shipping papers for:
  • A Driver's name
  • B Color of packaging
  • C Proper shipping name, hazard class, ID number, and required emergency information
  • D Price only
Correct answer: C
Shipping papers must be complete and correct before transport.
Question 4 of 25
Hazmat radioactive materials require:
  • A No special handling
  • B Special handling, additional documentation, and route planning
  • C Vehicle escort
  • D Only a special placard at night
Correct answer: B
Class 7 radioactive shipments have unique placards, transport indices, route planning, and reporting requirements.
Question 5 of 25
Hazardous materials drivers must avoid:
  • A All of the above
  • B Routes prohibited for hazmat
  • C Driving over a railroad-highway grade crossing without stopping (most placarded loads)
  • D Tunnels marked as prohibited for hazmat
Correct answer: A
Most placarded loads must stop at rail crossings, avoid prohibited tunnels, and follow specified route restrictions.
Question 6 of 25
A load of hazardous materials may not be parked:
  • A In a designated truck stop
  • B In any rest area
  • C On a public street within 5 feet of the road
  • D Within 300 feet of a tunnel, bridge, or building used by the public, except for short rest stops
Correct answer: D
Parking restrictions for placarded vehicles include distances from open flames, residences, schools, hospitals, and other places.
Question 7 of 25
Some hazmat loads require a special endorsement on top of the H endorsement:
  • A A separate trailer license
  • B A medical card upgrade
  • C A pilot car
  • D X (combination of H and N for tank vehicles carrying hazardous materials)
Correct answer: D
X combines Hazmat (H) and Tank (N) for drivers who haul hazardous materials in tank vehicles.
Question 8 of 25
When you cannot find an entry for a material in the Hazardous Materials Table:
  • A Refuse the load and notify the carrier — the shipper must use a proper shipping name
  • B Skip the placards
  • C Use a generic placard
  • D Use the closest entry
Correct answer: A
Materials must use a proper shipping name from the table; otherwise, the load cannot be transported.
Question 9 of 25
When refueling a placarded vehicle:
  • A Engine must be off
  • B No smoking within 25 feet
  • C All of the above
  • D The driver must be at the fueling control
Correct answer: C
All three rules apply during refueling of placarded loads.
Question 10 of 25
A driver who discovers a leak in a hazmat container should:
  • A Open the container to inspect
  • B Drive to the destination quickly
  • C Continue and report at the next stop
  • D Stop, isolate the area, notify emergency services and the carrier
Correct answer: D
Stop immediately, get people away, call emergency services, and notify the carrier per emergency procedures.
Question 11 of 25
A driver may NOT smoke within how many feet of a placarded vehicle that contains certain flammable cargo?
  • A 50 feet
  • B 10 feet
  • C 100 feet
  • D 25 feet
Correct answer: D
25 feet is the federal minimum distance for smoking around explosives, flammables, and oxidizers.
Question 12 of 25
A "consist" of a train means:
  • A The train's crew
  • B The train's schedule
  • C The number of cars
  • D A document describing all hazardous materials being carried
Correct answer: D
Train consist documents are the rail equivalent of a hazmat shipping paper, listing what is on board.
Question 13 of 25
How many placards are required for most placarded loads?
  • A Four (one on each side and one on each end)
  • B One
  • C Six
  • D Two
Correct answer: A
A typical placarded load shows four placards — left, right, front, and rear of the vehicle.
Question 14 of 25
A "subsidiary risk" placard means:
  • A A placard for state-only highways
  • B A placard for a small load only
  • C A placard for the trailer interior
  • D A placard for an additional hazard the material poses besides the primary hazard
Correct answer: D
Some materials present more than one hazard; the secondary placard alerts responders to it.
Question 15 of 25
A "safe haven" is:
  • A Any 24-hour gas station
  • B A motel near the route
  • C A weigh station
  • D An area approved by federal, state, or local authorities for parking unattended hazmat vehicles
Correct answer: D
A safe haven is the only place a placarded vehicle can be left unattended for extended periods.
Question 16 of 25
The Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG) is:
  • A Carried in the trailer
  • B Only required for explosives
  • C Mailed to the receiver
  • D Carried in the cab and used by responders to look up immediate response information for hazmat
Correct answer: D
The orange ERG is a roadside response reference. Drivers and responders use it to look up emergency procedures.
Question 17 of 25
Drivers of cargo tank vehicles unloading flammable liquids must:
  • A Hand off the unloading to the receiver
  • B Stay within 25 feet of the vehicle and have a clear view of it
  • C Disconnect the bonding wire first
  • D Leave the truck and return when finished
Correct answer: B
Continuous attendance during loading/unloading of flammable liquids is required.
Question 18 of 25
Cargo tanks loaded with flammable liquids must be:
  • A Inspected once a year only
  • B Bonded and grounded during loading and unloading
  • C Loaded only at night
  • D Loaded only by the receiver
Correct answer: B
Bonding equalizes electrical potential to prevent static spark; grounding sends static to earth.
Question 19 of 25
A driver of a placarded vehicle who is involved in an accident must:
  • A Notify the carrier immediately
  • B All of the above
  • C Provide the responding officers with the shipping papers and ERG
  • D Notify the National Response Center if the load is leaking or hazmat-related
Correct answer: B
All three responsibilities apply in a hazmat accident.
Question 20 of 25
Hazmat containers must be:
  • A Marked with the proper shipping name, ID number, and required labels
  • B Made of glass only
  • C Painted any color
  • D Stored only at night
Correct answer: A
Markings allow responders to identify the contents without having to open packages.
Question 21 of 25
When you transport Division 1.1 or 1.2 explosives, you must:
  • A Have written instructions on what to do in case of accident or delay
  • B Avoid Class A highways only
  • C Drive only between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.
  • D Travel with a state escort
Correct answer: A
Special handling, including written emergency instructions, is required for high-risk explosives.
Question 22 of 25
When carrying hazmat, you must check tires:
  • A Only at the start of the trip
  • B At each stop
  • C Only at the destination
  • D When the brakes feel different
Correct answer: B
Tire health is critical with placarded loads; check at each stop.
Question 23 of 25
A driver who has a hazmat endorsement must:
  • A Notify the carrier of any incident
  • B Renew the TSA assessment periodically
  • C All of the above
  • D Pass a TSA security threat assessment including fingerprinting
Correct answer: C
Hazmat is the only CDL endorsement that includes a federal background check, with renewal cycles.
Question 24 of 25
Cargo tank trucks must be inspected:
  • A Annually only
  • B When the tank is full
  • C Before each trip and at every stop
  • D Once per year by federal officials
Correct answer: C
Tanks must be inspected for leaks, valves, and integrity before and during the trip.
Question 25 of 25
When you stop with a placarded vehicle, you must NOT:
  • A Park near an open flame
  • B Park near a fire
  • C Park within 5 feet of a road
  • D All of the above
Correct answer: D
All three locations are restricted for placarded vehicles.

Study tips for the Delaware Hazardous Materials exam

The Hazardous Materials portion of the Delaware CDL exam is graded out of the bank of questions the Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles draws from each year. While the exact bank is not published, every question is sourced from the Hazardous Materials chapter of the Delaware CDL handbook, which itself is derived from the FMCSA Model Commercial Driver's License Manual. That means studying our practice tests, reading the corresponding handbook chapter, and re-reading the parts you got wrong is genuinely the most efficient route to a first-time pass.

Most successful applicants follow a simple cycle: take the practice test cold, write down every question you missed, open the matching chapter of the official Delaware handbook, re-read the section that contains the right answer, then re-take the practice test 24 to 48 hours later. The 24-hour delay matters — sleep is when your brain commits new information to long-term memory, and CDL knowledge questions reward that kind of consolidated learning rather than cramming.

Pay particular attention to questions that include qualifier words like always, never, only, primary, or most. CDL test writers love to flip the right answer with a single qualifier. When two answer choices look almost identical, pay attention to the verb (is it must, should, or may?) and to any numbers (14 days, 100 air miles, 8 hours, 70/8 split). On endorsement tests in particular, watch for trick framing where a true statement about a different endorsement is offered as the "correct" answer to a question that is actually about Hazardous Materials.

Test-day logistics matter too. Bring photo ID, your Social Security card or birth certificate, your medical examiner's certificate (DOT card), and proof of state residency if you haven't already submitted those documents. The Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles will not let you sit for the knowledge exam without your documentation, and most offices charge an additional fee for re-attempts. Arrive early — the wait at most CDL testing offices runs 30 to 60 minutes — and silence your phone before the exam begins.

Finally, keep your General Knowledge fundamentals sharp even when you're focused on the Hazardous Materials exam. Many states administer multiple knowledge tests in a single sitting, and questions on weight definitions (GVWR, GCWR, GAWR), stopping distance, and the pre-trip inspection routine show up across endorsements. If you're unsure on the basics, sit a fresh Delaware General Knowledge practice test before scheduling the real exam.

Next steps

Missed more than four questions? Re-read the Hazardous Materials study guide and the matching chapter in the official Delaware CDL handbook. Then come back and re-take the test. Once you can score 22 of 25 or higher on three runs in a row, you're in good shape to schedule the real exam at your local Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles office.

Already comfortable with this endorsement? Drill another: DE General Knowledge · DE Air Brakes · DE Combination Vehicles · DE Passenger · DE School Bus · DE Tank Vehicle · DE Doubles / Triples

New to the CDL process in Delaware? Read How to apply for a CDL in Delaware for the document checklist and step-by-step timeline.